THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

John: Believing On The Christ, The Son Of God, For Eternal Life

Part XVIII: Believing In Christ As God's True Messiah Opposite A Man-Made Political King

(John 6:14-21)

I. Introduction

A. John's Gospel contains the burden of presenting Jesus as the Messiah from God Who was full of grace and truth, a significant truth being that He is God's true Messiah as opposed to a false human political king who was to lead Israel in a rebellion against the Roman government, which false hope many Jews of the era had.

B. John 6:14-21 clearly reveals this TRUE role of Messiah in Jesus, offering us a great application for our era:

II. Believing In Christ As God's True Messiah Opposite A Man-Made Political King, John 6:14-21.

A. Immediately after the feeding of the five thousand, the men in the crowd who had witnessed this miracle not only correctly perceived that Jesus was that Prophet the great Moses had predicted to come in Deuteronomy 18:18-19, but they intended to come and take Jesus by force to make Him a political king "to lead them in revolt against the Roman government," John 6:15a; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to John 6:15.

B. However, this was simply not the plan of God the Father relative to His true Messiah and His true Kingdom:

1. John the Baptizer had earlier announced Jesus as "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," John 1:29. However, to fulfill that role, Jesus could not reign as king until after the CROSS!

2. Then, Jesus' later testimony before Pontus Pilate in John 18:36 reveals that were Christ to let the crowd forcibly enthrone Him so He would need to lead a rebellion against Rome, His kingdom would be of this world, not of God! As the Son of God from heaven, He could not yield to the will of this worldly crowd!

C. Accordingly, Jesus "withdrew, took refuge" (anachoreo, Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., 1967, p. 62-63) "once more" (palin, Ibid., p. 611-612; U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 343) up into a mountain by himself "alone" (monos, Ibid.; Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 529-530), John 6:15b. He previously withdrew to a mountain near Bethsaida for apparent rest and recluse from persecution (John 6:1-3) after the martyrdom of John the Baptizer (Matthew 14:10-13), so now He had similarly withdrawn into a mountain away from people who wanted to make Him a king of this world opposite the will and the plan of God the Father!

D. Yet, lest His disciples think by His withdrawal that Jesus was less than deity or not the Messiah Who would indeed one day rule the world, Jesus that night worked great miracles before His disciples, John 6:16-21:

1. Jesus miraculously walked on the sea to minister graciously to His disciples in a boat, John 6:16-21a:

a. With Jesus having left them for the mountain alone, the disciples went down to the sea and got into a boat to cross from Bethsaida to Capernaum, John 6:16-17a.

b. By the time they got out onto the open sea, it was dark, and Jesus had still not come to them, John 6:17b.

c. They rowed west toward Capernaum (The MacMillan Bible Atlas, 1968, map 231), and "(t)he west wind, which often picks up at evening, caught them in the open water," Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 294. The wind stirred up the water, and likely sent the boat further south into "the middle of the lake," Ibid.

d. After rowing three to four miles from shore (Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to John 6:19), the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea, drawing near to them, and they were understandably very afraid, John 6:19.

e. Jesus identified Himself, telling His men not to fear, so they gladly let Him into the boat, Jn. 6:21 ESV.

2. Jesus miraculously instantly moved the boat with His disciples across miles of open sea to their destination, revealing not only His great power, but also His great grace, John 5:21b:

a. As Jesus entered the boat, "at once, immediately" (eutheos, Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.; Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 320) the boat was relocated at the port of Capernaum where they intended to land, John 5:21b.

b. This was a great miracle: in an instant of time, the boat with thirteen adult men that had been miles from shore in a windy sea was instantly transported against the wind across the water to its desired destination!

c. This was also a gracious miracle: the sleep-deprived, laboring men were instantly relieved of their toil!

Lesson: Jesus did not let Himself be enthroned as an earthly king to rebel against Rome as it would have violated God's will. Yet, He still revealed His divine and Messianic credentials by astounding miracles before His disciples.

Application: (1) May we trust in Christ as the TRUE Son of God and TRUE Messiah Whose kingdom is NOT of this world, but of the Father in a Kingdom to come. (2) As Christ's Kingdom is NOT of this world, may we His followers NOT adhere to "dominion theology" that seeks to make the Church politically rule the kingdoms of this world by human might, but disciple men to become subjects of Christ's future kingdom from heaven! (Rev. 19-20)