Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 6:25
And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
25. on the other side of the sea ] This now means the western shore; in Joh 6:22 it meant the eastern. From Joh 6:59 we have the locality fixed very distinctly as the synagogue at Capernaum.
when camest thou ] Including how? they suspect something miraculous. Christ does not gratify their curiosity: if the feeding of the 5000, which they had witnessed, taught them nothing, what good would it do them to hear of the crossing of the sea? ‘Camest Thou hither’ is literally ‘hast Thou come to be here:’ comp. Joh 1:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 25. On the other side of the sea] That is, on the sea coast, to the northward of it, where Capernaum lies in the land of Genesaret: but see the note, on Joh 6:17; Joh 6:22. It was in one of the synagogues of Capernaum that he delivered the following discourse: see Joh 6:59.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They asked him, When camest thou hither? A curious and impertinent question, to which he doth not think fit to give an apposite answer, but at first letteth them know, that he knew their hearts, and what designs they had in following him; which was not to see the miraculous effects of the Divine power, the credentials of his commission from heaven, and to receive him as the true Messiah, and believe his doctrine; but they came upon so low an account as to be fed by him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. when they had found him on theother sideat Capernaum.
they said, c.astonishedat His being there, and wondering how He could haveaccomplished it, whether by land or water, and when He camefor being quite unaware of His having walked upon the sea and landedwith the disciples in the ship, they could not see how, unless He hadtravelled all night round the head of the lake alone, He could havereached Capernaum, and even then, how He could have arrived beforethemselves.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when they had found him on the other side of the sea,…. At Capernaum, and in the synagogue there; see Joh 6:59.
They said unto him, Rabbi; or “master”, a name now much in use with the Jewish doctors, and by which they delighted to be called; and these men being convinced by the miracle, that Christ was that prophet that should come, honour him with this title, saying,
when camest thou hither? since he did not go with his disciples, and there was no other boat that went off the night before, but that in which they went; and they came over in the first that came out that morning, and he did not come in any of them; and therefore it was amazing to them, both when and how he came, since they could not devise how he should get there by shipping, and also how he should so soon get there on foot.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When they found him ( ). Second aorist active participle of . Found him after search and in the synagogue as John explains (verse 59) in Capernaum, perhaps that very synagogue built by a centurion (Lu 7:5).
Rabbi (). See on 1:38 for this courteous title.
When camest thou hither? ( ;). Second perfect active indicative of . “When hast thou come?” We sought you anxiously on the other side of the lake and could not see how you came across (verses 22-24).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And when they had found him on the other side of the sea,” (kai heurontes auton peran tes thalasses) “And upon finding him across the sea;- Yes, they searched for Him until they found Him, because they had a will to do so, Joh 7:17; Deu 30:1-3; Jer 29:13. When they found Him they knew Him, for who could ever forget Him, after such a blessing as they had received, Mar 6:54.
2) “They said unto him, Rabbi,” (eipon auto hrabbi) “They (the crowd) said directly to him, Rabbi,” or respectful teacher, With aroused curiosity they quizzed Him.
3) “When camest thou hither?” (pote hode gegonas) “When did or have you come here?” They came looking for Him and were surprised when they found Him. To their question He gave no reply; That He was there was enough. He did not tell them that He had crossed in the storm, walking on the waters, to rescue and aid the disciples, and to confirm their faith in Him, Joh 20:30-31.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
25. On the other side of the sea. We have already said that Capernaum was not situated on the opposite shore; for Tiberias is situated on that part of the lake where it is broadest, Bethsaida follows next, and Capernaum lies near the lowest part, not far from where the river Jordan issues from the lake. Now, when John places it on the other side of the lake itself, we must not understand him as if its position were directly across, but because, at the lower extremity, the lake made a large winding, and, on account of the bay that intervened, it was impossible to go by land without a very circuitous journey. The Evangelist therefore says, on the other side of the sea, adopting the mode of expression used by the common people, because the only direct and ordinary mode of conveyance was by a boat.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(25) Rabbi, when camest thou hither?This discourse took place in the synagogue at Capernaum (Joh. 6:59). They are amazed to find Him here. When and how could He have come? He had not gone in the boat with the disciples, and no other boats had crossed but those in which they themselves came. On the title Rabbi, see Note on Joh. 1:38.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. When they had found him Jesus first landed at the plain of Gennesaret; but before these pursuers found him he had arrived in the synagogue of Capernaum. See notes on Mat 14:34-36.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when they found him at the other side of the sea, they said to him ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’
The people were puzzled, but not aware of what had happened. They knew that no boat had been available and yet here Jesus was. They could think of no explanation. John, however, wishes it to be clear to his readers exactly what the position was.
‘They found him on the other side of the sea.’ Possibly before they actually reached Capernaum which was their final destination. However they may have found him in Capernaum itself. This re-emphasis of ‘the other side of the sea’ (compare v. 22) stresses the unusual nature of His arrival there, as does their question as to how He had come there.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 6:25-26 . [232] . .] in the synagogue at Capernaum, Joh 6:59 . But . . has importance pragmatically , as showing that it formed a subject of amazement to them to find Him already on the western shore.
] when? for it must have been, at the earliest, after the arrival of the disciples (Joh 6:22 ); and in this lay the incomprehensible how? no other boat having crossed, and the journey round by land being too far. They have a dim impression of something miraculous; “quaestio de tempore includit quaestionem de modo ,” Bengel. Jesus does not enter upon their question, nor gratify their curiosity, but immediately charges them with the unspiritual motive that prompted them to seek Him, in order to point them to higher spiritual food. For , venisti , see on Joh 1:15 .
.] not “ non tam quam ” (Kuinoel, etc.); the . is absolutely denied. Comp. Fritzsche, ad Marc. Exc . II. p. 773. In the miraculous feeding they should have seen a divinely significant reference to the higher Messianic bread of life, and this ought to have led them to seek Jesus; but it was only the material satisfaction derived from the miraculous feeding that brought them to Him, as they hoped that He would further satisfy their carnal Messianic notions.
] They had seen the outward miracle, the mere event itself, but not the spiritual significance of it, that wherein the real essence of the , in the true conception of it, consisted. The plural is not intended to include the healings of the sick, Joh 6:2 (Bengel, Lcke, and most others), against which see Joh 6:4 , but refers only to the feeding, as the antithesis shows, and it is therefore to be taken generically , as the plural of category .
[232] See, concerning all the occurrences, ver. 26 ff., Harless, Luther. Zeitschrift , 1867, p. 116 ff.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
Ver. 25. Rabbi, when camest thou hither? ] This question they moved, not so much to learn what they knew not, as to make show of what they knew before. But two things make a man truly virtuous, -good actions and good aims. Finibus non officiis a vitiis discernuntur virtutes, saith Augustine: The end maketh or marreth the act. Christus opera nostra non tam actibus quam finibus pensat, saith another. The glory of God should consume all sinister ends, as the sunlight puts out the fire, or as Moses’ serpent swallowed up the sorcerers’ serpents.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25. ] . . is now the west bank; we have been crossing the sea with the multitude.
, as Stier remarks, includes in its meaning. Our Lord leaves the question unanswered, because it was not for a sign to these people that He had miraculously crossed the lake.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
the other side. The western. In Joh 6:22, the eastern.
Rabbi. See App-98.
camest Thou hither = hast Thou got here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25.] . . is now the west bank;-we have been crossing the sea with the multitude.
, as Stier remarks, includes in its meaning. Our Lord leaves the question unanswered, because it was not for a sign to these people that He had miraculously crossed the lake.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
These people had crossed the Sea of Galilee, and gone to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. It seemed a very hopeful sign that they should be willing to make such efforts to find Christ, but see how the Lord Jesus himself regarded it.
Joh 6:25-26. And when they had found him on other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek; me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
What very plain talk this is! Our Lord does not try to gain popularity by the concealment of truth, but he tells these people to their faces, You are only following me because of what you get out of me; Oh! some worldly-wise man would have said, that is a very imprudent speech; it will drive the people away. Just so; and Christ seemed to say, on more than one occasion, If people will be driven away by the truth. let them be driven away. John the Baptist had declared that Christ; had his fan in his hand, and that he would throughly purge his floor; and if that floor is to be purged, there must be a driving away of the chaff Our Lords example should teach us to speak in his name nothing less and nothing more than the truth in all love and kindness. After thus pointing out the true motive which made the people seek him, our Saviour uttered a very singular paradox:
Joh 6:27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Is it not strange that Christ says, Labour not for the very thing which you cannot get without labouring for it, and then he says, Labour for that which you cannot get by labouring for it? He virtually tells us that it is so, by adding the words, which the Son of man shall give unto you, plainly proving that it does not come as the result of human labour, but as the free gift of the Son of God. He that is wise will spell out the meaning of the paradox; but he that is blind will stumble over the letter of it, and not discern the spiritual interpretation.
Joh 6:28. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
We want to do the best works, the noblest works, the most acceptable works in all the world; tell us what we: should do in order to perform a Godlike work.
Joh 6:29. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God,
The highest and best work which you can accomplish is
Joh 6:29. That ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Faith is the noblest of the graces; it is the very essence of true worship; it contains within itself the germs of all excellence; and the man who believes in Christ has done that which is more pleasing to God than anything else in all the world.
Joh 6:30-31. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from, heaven to eat.
Do you see the drift of their talk? They are still looking after the loaves and fishes; and, therefore, whatever Christ may say, they turn the discourse round that way. If they can get from Christ something to eat, they will believe in him; what groveling, earth-bound creatures they were!
Joh 6:32-33. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
The best and noblest bread, the bread which has Deity in it, the bread which can feed your souls, and sustain you with everlasting life, the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Joh 6:34. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
They said this, not knowing what they said, and not understanding what he meant. Bread for the body was all that they wanted; their cry was, Give us bread, and we are contempt; they had no spiritual appetite for Christ, the bread of God.
Joh 6:35-36. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
These were the very people whom he had fed on the other side of the sea; yet they were craving for more. That kind of bread cannot stay their hunger for long. They had not received him as their Saviour, else they would have been well content with him, and would have asked for nothing more.
Joh 6:37-39. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me, that of all which lie hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Christ will not lose one whom the Father gave him, nay nor any part of one. He will not lose the body of any one of his people any more than he will lose the soul of one.
Joh 6:40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Christ will never have finished his work upon believers till he has raised their bodies from the grave, and glorified them like his own resurrection body. He will never cease from the work which he has commenced on any one of his people till he has laid the topstone in the glorious perfections of heaven; and this truth is: the joy of our hearts even now.
Joh 6:41. The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
They muttered, murmured, whispered, growled amongst themselves at this saying of Christ.
Joh 6:42. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the, son, of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
This is just the way with men, they judge by outward appearances; and if the gospel comes to them as a thing beloved of poor men, if it be preached with much eloquence, if the service be without; the attractions of sweet; music or of gaudy attire, straightway they say there can be nothing in it. O blind bats, when God veils himself in human flesh, can it be otherwise?
Joh 6:43. Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
I never thought you would believe in me; I never imagined that I should win your confidence.
Joh 6:44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.
You are not drawn unto me; therefore it is clear that you are not the subjects of divine grace. You think you are judging me, but in so doing you are really judging and condemning yourselves. Whenever men sit in judgment on the gospel, they soon let us know what kind of spirit possesses them. It is not Christ who is on his trial, it is they themselves; and when they rail at him, they do but prove that the grace of the Father has never drawn them to him: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:
Joh 6:44-46. And I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Do not suppose that, even when you are taught of God, you will know the Father as I know him, or see him as I have seen him. That divine glance at, Deity is not for us.
Joh 6:47. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
This was how our Lord spoke straight to the face of those who had derided him, and said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know ? With the strongest asseveration which he was in the habit of using, he says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Joh 6:48-51. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh, down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Joh 6:25. , when) [They ask in astonishment, How could He accomplish] in so short a time, so long a way? The question as to time includes the question as to the manner.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 6:25
Joh 6:25
And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?-Their curiosity to know how he crossed the sea was uppermost in their minds. The multitudes that he had fed sought him on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, where he had fed them, and not finding him they crossed over to Capernaum and found him on the west side of the sea-the other side from where they had eaten. They did not understand how he came, as they knew he did not come with his disciples, so asked the question how he came over. They addressed him as Rabbi. This means teacher or master in the sense of teacher. It was applied by the Jews to their teachers, and frequently to Jesus as a recognition of his wisdom and superiority as a teacher. As applied to Jesus, it was a recognition that he was a teacher sent from God. Jesus did not answer their question but responded:
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Rabbi: Joh 1:38, Joh 1:39
Reciprocal: Mat 23:7 – Rabbi Mar 4:35 – Let Joh 6:17 – and went Joh 20:16 – Rabboni Tit 2:12 – Teaching
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
The surprise indicated by these people in their question was doubtless sincere. However, Jesus knew their chief motive in following, and rebuked them for it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 6:25. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him. Rabbi, when camest thou hither? The other side denotes the western coast. Their question on finding Jesus in Capernaum but partly expresses their thoughts, which would rest as much on the how as on the when of His coming to this place. He had not left the eastern shore with His disciples; the storm of the night must have forbidden any attempt to make the passage then; and, as they well knew, He had not come to the western shore in their company. The question is not answered, but the eager search which it implied is made to lead the way to deeper instruction as to the miracle which had drawn them to follow Him.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Joh 6:25-27. When they had found him on the other side Namely, in the synagogue of Capernaum, as appears from Joh 6:59; they said unto him As soon as the worship was over, and even before they quitted the place; Rabbi, when camest thou hither? They ask this question because, as Jesus did not go on the preceding evening with his disciples, they expected to have found him on the other side of the sea, and could not conceive when he could come, or what imaginable means he could have of crossing the water. Jesus, modestly waiving the recital of those extraordinary circumstances which attended his passage, diverted the discourse to a more important and edifying subject; and knowing, by an intimate penetration of their very hearts, that they were governed only by carnal motives in this attendance upon him, humble and zealous as it might appear, he said With great solemnity, Verily, ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles Because, having been eye-witnesses of the miracles which I performed, you are convinced by them that I am a divine teacher, and are now disposed to hearken unto and obey my doctrine: but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled And have from thence concluded, that you shall gain great secular advantages by following me: having been once fed, you expect that I will feed you frequently by a miracle; and the satisfaction you have found in that meal has made you conceive great hopes of temporal felicity under my administration. These are the views with which you are following me; but you are entirely mistaken in them, for your happiness does not consist in the meat that perisheth, neither is it that sort of meat which the Messiah will give you. Hitherto Christ had been gathering hearers; he now begins to try their sincerity by a figurative discourse concerning his passion, and the fruit of it to be received by faith. Labour not for the meat which perisheth For bodily food, or for any merely temporal blessing; not for that only, not chiefly: not at all, but in subordination to divine knowledge and grace, faith and love; the meat that endureth to everlasting life Which, by invigorating all the faculties of the soul, and making it wise and good, holy and happy, renders it incorruptible and immortal, entitled to, and prepared for, everlasting felicity. Which meat, or which life, the Son of man shall give you If with sincerity, earnestness, and faith, you apply to him for it. It is his gift, , a gift of grace, Rom 6:23 : and yet we are commanded to labour for it, as if it were to be procured by our own industry, and sold upon that valuable consideration. But when we have laboured with the utmost diligence for it, still we have not merited it as our hire, but the Son of man gives it. And it is an encouragement, that he who has the giving of it is the Son of man, our kinsman and brother; for, in consequence of that, we may hope that the sons of men, who seek it and labour for it, shall not fail to obtain it. For him hath God the Father sealed By this very miracle, as well as by his whole testimony concerning him. Having given him authority, he has given us assurance of it; having intrusted him with unlimited powers, he hath satisfied us by undoubted proofs that he has done so. Sealing a writing is a mark of the authenticity of it. God the Father sealed his Son, or manifested that he had commissioned him to be the Teacher, Redeemer, Saviour, and Governor of his church, by causing his Holy Spirit to rest on him, by the voice from heaven uttered once and again, and by the testimony he bore to him in signs and wonders.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1. Vv. 25-40.
This first phase is made up of four brief dialogues, each including a question of the Jews and an answer of Jesus. The last of these answers is more fully developed; Jesus expresses in it, with restrained emotion, the impressions with which the condition of His hearers filled His soul.
1. Joh 6:25-27. The contrast between the food which perishes and that which abides.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Verse 25
When camest thou hither? as there had been no boat in which he could have been conveyed from the opposite shore; though John says (John 6:23.) that other boats afterwards arrived, in which they themselves probably embarked.