Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 6:23
(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks: )
23. Howbeit there came ] This awkward parenthesis explains how there came to be boats to transport the people to the western shore after they had given over seeking for Christ on the eastern.
after that the Lord had given thanks ] Unless the giving thanks was the turning-point of the miracle it is difficult to see why it is mentioned again here: see on Joh 6:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
There came other boats – After the disciples had departed. This is added because, from what follows, it appears that they supposed that he had entered one of those boats and gone to Capernaum after his disciples had departed.
From Tiberias – This town stood on the western borders of the lake, not far from where the miracle had been performed. It was so called in honor of the Emperor Tiberius. It was built by Herod Antipas, and was made by him the capital of Galilee. The city afterward became a celebrated seat of Jewish learning. It is now called Tabaria, and is a considerable place. It is occupied chiefly by Turks, and is very hot and unhealthy. Mr. Fisk, an American missionary, was at Tiberius (Tabaria) in 1823. The old town is surrounded by a wall, but within it is very ruinous, and the plain for a mile or two south is strewed with ruins. The Jordan, where it issues from the lake, was so shallow that cattle and asses forded it easily. Mr. Fisk was shown a house called the house of Peter, which is used as the Greek Catholic church, and is the only church in the place. The number of Christian families is 30 or 40, all Greek Catholics. There were two sects of Jews, each of whom had a synagogue.
The Jewish population was estimated at about 1,000. On the 1st of January, 1837, Tiberius was destroyed by an earthquake. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. ii. pp. 76, 77) says of this city: Ever since the destruction of Jerusalem, it has been chiefly celebrated in connection with the Jews, and was for a long time the chief seat of rabbinical learning. It is still one of their four holy cities. Among the Christians it also early rose to distinction, and the old church, built upon the spot where our Lord gave his last charge to Peter, is a choice bit of ecclesiastical antiquity. The present city is situated on the shore, at the northeast corner of this small plain. The walls inclose an irregular parallelogram, about 100 rods from north to south, and in width not more than 40. They were strengthened by ten round towers on the west, five on the north, and eight on the south. There were also two or three towers along the shore to protect the city from attack by sea. Not much more than one-half of this small area is occupied by buildings of any kind, and the north end, which is a rocky hill, has nothing but the ruins of the old palace.
The earthquake of 1837 prostrated a large part of the walls, and they have not yet been repaired, and perhaps never will be. There is no town in Syria so utterly filthy as Tiberius, or so little to be desired as a residence. Being 600 feet below the level of the ocean, and overhung on the west by a high mountain, which effectually shuts off the Mediterranean breezes, it is fearfully hot in summer. The last time I was encamped at the Baths the thermometer stood at 100 at midnight, and a steam went up from the surface of the lake as from some huge, smouldering volcano. Of course it swarms with all sorts of vermin. What can induce human beings to settle down in such a place? And yet some 2,000 of our race make it their chosen abode. They are chiefly Jews, attracted hither either to cleanse their leprous bodies in her baths, or to purify their unclean spirits by contact with her traditionary and ceremonial holiness.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 23. There came other boats] After Jesus and his disciples had departed.
From Tiberias] Herod Antipas built this city near the lake of Genesaret, in the best parts of Galilee, and called it Tiberias, in honour of Tiberius, the Roman emperor: see Jos. Ant. book xviii. chap. 2. sect. 3.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They also took shipping, made use of some other boats that were come over the water, and went over to seek Jesus; not out of any love to his person or doctrine, (as we shall anon hear), but out of a curiosity to see some further miracles wrought by him. Our Lord disappoints them, but preacheth a most admirable sermon to them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. Howbeit, c.”Howbeit,”adds the Evangelist, in a lively parenthesis, “there came otherboats from Tiberias” (which lay near the southwest coast of thelake), whose passengers were part of the multitude that had followedJesus to the east side, and been miraculously fed these boats werefastened somewhere (says the Evangelist)
nigh unto the place wherethey did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanksthushe refers to the glorious “miracle of the loaves”and nowthey were put in requisition to convey the people back again to thewest side. For when “the people saw that Jesus was not there,neither His disciples, they also took shipping [in these boats] andcame to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias,…. A city by the sea side, built by Herod, and called so in honour of Tiberius Caesar; though the Jews give a different etymology of it; they say, it is the same with Rakkath, Jos 19:35, and that it was a fortified place from the days of Joshua, and that on one side, , “the sea was its wall” d: and so Jonathan the Targumist on De 3:17 says, that Tiberias was near the sea of salt: this place became famous for many of the wise men that lived here; here was a famous university, and here the Misna and Jerusalem Talmud were written; and here the sanhedrim sat, after it removed from Jerusalem:
nigh unto the place where they did eat bread; where the day before they had been fed in so miraculous a manner: the meaning is, either that Tiberias was near to the place where the miracle was wrought, or the boats from Tiberias came near that place, and both were true: so that these men that were waiting by the sea side, had an opportunity of going over in these boats in quest of Christ, to whom they were now become greatly attached, by feeding them in so wonderful a manner:
after that the Lord had given thanks; which clause is added to show, that the multiplication of the bread, and the refreshment the men had by it, were owing to the power of Christ, and his blessing it; though this is wanting in Beza’s most ancient copy, and in some others.
d T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 5. 2. & Hieros. Megilla, fol. 70. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Howbeit (). Verse 23 is really an explanatory parenthesis in this long sentence. Tiberias, capital of Herod Antipas, diagonally across the lake, is only mentioned in John in the N.T. (John 6:1; John 6:23; John 21:1).
Boats (). Called “little boats” () in verse 24.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Howbeit there came other boats [ ] .
Some editors omit de, howbeit, change alla, other, into ajlla, but, and read, but there came boats.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias,” (alla elthen ploiaria ek Tiberiados) “There came other boats out of and from the area of Tiberias,” located on the lower southwest side of the Sea of Galilee, across the sea from where the disciples had boarded the boat on the previous evening, Mar 6:45
2) “Nigh unto the place where they did eat bread,” (engus to topou hopou ephagon ton argon) “Near the place where they ate the bread,” that Jesus miraculously provided, on the previous day, Joh 6:11-12.
3) “After that the Lord had given thanks:” (eucharistesantos tou kuriou) “When the Master had given thanks,” Joh 6:11, as the crowd reclined upon the grassy ground, then instructed His apostle-disciples to serve the people with bread and fish, Mat 14:19; Mar 6:41.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
23. Near the place where they had eaten bread. The meaning of the words is doubtful; for they may be explained, either that Tiberias was near the place where Christ had fed them with five loaves, or that the ships reached the shore which was near and below that place. I approve more highly of the latter exposition; for Bethsaida, near which Luke states that the miracle was performed, is half-way between Tiberias and Capernaum. Accordingly, when ships came down from that place, which was farther up the lake, they sailed along that shore on which the multitude were standing; and there can be no doubt that they came to land for the purpose of taking in passengers.
After that the Lord had given thanks. When John again mentions that Christ gave thanks, it is not a superfluous repetition; for he means that Christ obtained by prayer that those few loaves were sufficient for feeding so many people; and as we are cold and indolent in prayer, he presses upon us the same thing a second time.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(23) Howbeit there came other boats.This is a parenthesis to explain the fact that while on the previous evening they saw only one boat, there were now several. The multitude came in part from the west of the lake, and the boats crossed over in the morning for them. It is possible that a harbour or centre of merchandise is pointed out by nigh unto the place.
The Lord had given thanks.This act had impressed itself upon the writer. Because the Lord had blessed the bread it was that the multitude had whereof to eat.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. There came other boats That is, from the Tiberias or western side, but none had gone over to Capernaum.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)
Ver. 23. After that the Lord had given thanks ] See Trapp on “ Mat 14:19 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Howbeit. See note on “and we beheld”, Joh 1:14.
from = out from. Greek. ek. App-104.
the Lord. See App-98. B.C.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 6:23. ) nigh unto the place.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 6:23
Joh 6:23
(howbeit there came boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks):-The other boats that came later were those still there, and in which the people in some of them crossed over to the other side.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
there: Joh 6:24
Tiberias: Tiberias was a celebrated city of Galilee, on the western shore of the lake to which it gave name, so called because built by Herod Agrippa in honour of the emperor Tiberius; distant 30 furlongs from Hippos, 60 from Gadara, 120 from Scythopolis, and 30 from Tarichea. It is still called Tabaria, or Tabbareeah, by the natives, is situated close to the edge of the lake, has tolerably high but ill-built walls on three of its sides, flanked with circular towers, and is of nearly a quadrangular form, according to Pococke, containing a population estimated at from 2,000 to 4,000 souls. Joh 6:1
where: Joh 6:11, Joh 6:12
Reciprocal: Deu 8:10 – thou hast 1Sa 9:13 – he doth bless Mat 14:19 – he blessed Mat 15:29 – unto Mar 6:41 – blessed Mar 8:6 – gave thanks Mar 14:22 – and blessed Luk 9:16 – he blessed Luk 22:19 – gave thanks Joh 21:1 – the sea Act 27:35 – and gave Eph 5:4 – but 1Ti 4:3 – with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
These other boats came after the event of feeding the multitude. John mentions this to make the story clear to the reader. The people knew that Jesus did not get into the boat with the apostles. It might have been thought that Jesus was probably in one of these other boats. This is why John explains that the other boats came there after Jesus had given thanks, which would mean that He disappeared in some manner unknown to the crowd still remaining at that place.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 6:23. Howbeit there came boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat the bread, after that the Lord had given thanks. Whilst they were still in wonder and doubt, other boats came across the sea near to the scene of the miracle of the preceding day. These boats were from Tiberias, and from the boatmen who brought them the multitude would learn at once that neither Jesus nor His disciples had gone thither.