Thoughts on the Bible Readings October 14th (2 Chronicles 3, 4, Ezekiel 40, John 6)

John 6 recorded signs 4 and 5 - the feeding of the 5,000 and our Lord's walking on the troubled sea. The feeding of the 5,000 took place in spring - a time of abundant green grass. It was Passover time (12 months before Jesus' crucifixion) and just after the death of John the Baptist. Jesus, in testing Philip, asks where can Jesus and his Apostles purchase sufficient bread in the wilderness for this crowd; for our Lord already knew what he was going to do. From the personal lunch of a lad - five loaves and two fish Jesus feeds 5,000 and collects 12 baskets full of fragments. Having full bellies, the multitude wants to forcibly make Jesus their king. Our Lord rapidly disperses the crowd and sends the disciples away by boat. Jesus goes into a mountain to pray. The Lord comes to the disciples walking on the water. No sooner had he joined them than they arrive at Capernaum - the city of comfort. This is a parable illustrating our vain toiling on the troubled sea of nations as we await the return of our Master. As soon as Jesus returns we will receive the peace he brings and the comforts of the kingdom age. At the synagogue in Capernaum a discussion takes place as Jesus tells them that he is the 'bread of life' - in contrast to the wilderness manna eaten by their fathers. The Son of God has been sealed in his thinking by his Father; and what they need to do was believe. Their being saved is through what the Father has done through His Son and all they can do is to accept this by believing on His Son. Isaiah 55 is a key link to this chapter and it focused on resurrection - "the sure mercies, i.e. 'chesed' of David". Note the emphasis in John 6 and how many times Jesus refers to resurrection - verses 39, 44. Verse 45 quotes from Isaiah 54 verse 13. All who believe thefaithful message of the gospel are "taught of God". Jesus found that many would-be disciples leave him being unable to cope with the challenging ideas our Lord Jesus presents. Peter's encouraging and supportive words for his Lord particularly and for every potential disciple when says in verses 68-69, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and come to know, that you are the Holy One of God". ESV Jesus though encouraged reminds Peter and the other Apostles of the rocky road ahead when he refers them to the challenges that are to come from Judas Iscariot: see verses 70-71. Let none of us trust in ourselves for the heart of mankind is "diabolos' - treacherous.