Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 6:8
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
8. One of his disciples ] Of course this does not imply that Philip was not a disciple; the meaning rather is, that a disciple had been appealed to without results, and now a disciple makes a communication out of which good results flow. There seems to have been some connexion between S. Andrew and S. Philip (Joh 1:44, Joh 12:22). In the lists of the Apostles in Mark 3 and Acts 1 S. Philip’s name immediately follows Andrew’s. On S. Andrew see notes on Joh 1:40-41. The particulars about Philip and Andrew here are not found in the Synoptists’ account.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith] The other evangelists attribute this answer to the apostles in general. See the passages referred to above.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The story is the same, in all substantial parts, with the relations of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, in the before mentioned places. See the annotations on those chapters.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,…. Who also, and his brother Peter, were of Bethsaida, as well as Philip, and was a disciple of Christ’s; he hearing what Christ said to Philip, and what answer he returned,
saith unto him; to Christ, with but little more faith than Philip, if any.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
One of ( ). So in 12:4; John 13:23; Mark 13:1 without .
Simon Peter’s brother ( ). So described in 1:40. The great distinction of Andrew was precisely this that he brought Simon to Christ. Philip and Andrew appear together again in 12:20-22, but in the Synoptics he is distinguished only in Mr 13:3. In the Muratorian Fragment Andrew received the revelation for John to write the Fourth Gospel.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “One of his disciples,” (heis ek ton matheton autou) “One out of his disciples,” who had formerly been baptized by John the Baptist and who was also one of the twelve apostles, Mat 10:2; Act 1:13; Act 21:22.
2) “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,” (Andreas ho adelphos Simnos Petrou) “Andrew who was the brother of Simon Peter,” as also reported, Joh 1:41.
3) “Saith unto him,” (legei auto) “Says to him,” in direct response to the question Jesus had asked Philip, supplementing the testimony of Philip, Joh 6:7 as on another occasion, Joh 12:22.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(8) One of his disciples.Within the inner circle around Himand this, too, is told us only by St. Johnis another of the early disciples. He was one of the two disciples of the Baptist who first followed Jesus, and Johns own companion (Joh. 1:40). He is always named as one of the first group of the Twelve (comp. Note on Mat. 10:2), and in some way was specially connected with Philip (Joh. 1:44). Here, and in Joh. 12:22 (see Note), they are named together, and also in the lists in Mar. 3:18 and Act. 1:13.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, says to him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fishes, but what are they among so many.”
This verse brings out that there were a number of the Apostles involved in the conversation, all no doubt bringing up the same problem. It was very hot. It was a deserted place. And the few villages around would simply not be able to provide sufficient food. Some of the crowd had probably already become concerned.
‘Five barley loaves, and two fishes.’ Possibly the lad had approached intending to offer them to Jesus as an indication of his love for Him, and Andrew’s remark, as he brought them up, connects with discussions taking place among the disciples. It may even be a remark of wry hopelessness – ‘look, this is all we have got’. But with this small repast, (the ‘loaves’ would be small rolls), Jesus could feed a great crowd. It is a parallel miracle with turning the water into wine, the act of the Creator towards His creation. Ample was provided and ample was left over, and the people were filled and satisfied.
‘Five barley loaves.’ This was the food of the poor. Only John brings out that they were barley loaves. He remembers the scene vividly. It is a comment by someone who knew the food of Palestine well.
‘Two fishes’, ‘duo opsaria’. ‘Opsaria’ refers specifically to cooked fish eaten with bread. No specific attention is drawn to the fish in the application of the incident.
John remembers that they were barley loaves and he partly mentions it because it will bring to mind the story of how Elisha fed one hundred men on twenty barley loaves with some remaining (2Ki 4:42-44). Here then was a greater than Elisha. Barley loaves were the food of the poor, but Jesus was able to make of them into a Messianic feast.
It is interesting that suddenly we are hearing of some of the twelve again by name for the first time since John 1. It may well be that most of them have not participated in the Judean incidents. It is a mistake to assume that they all went about with Jesus from the first, as is clear from the fact that, apart from Philip, their call to ‘follow me’ came later rather than earlier (Luk 5:11). This was probably because Jesus refused to call those who were disciples of John until John himself was in prison.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
Ver. 8. One of his disciples ] He uttered the sense of all the twelve, Mar 6:37 , being no whit wiser than the rest, though the eldest disciple of them all, Joh 1:41 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
8. ] Meyer remarks, that may seem strange, seeing that Philip also was this: but that it has its pragmatic value, seeing that, Philip having been asked in vain, one from among the circle of the disciples answers, and is afterwards specified as having been Andrew.
In the three other Gospels, the loaves and fishes appear as the disciples’ own; and we have thus a very simple but very instructive instance of the way in which differences in detail arose. They were their own, but not till they had bought them.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 6:8 . With the same matter-of-factness as Philip , “one of His disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,” a description apparently inserted in forget fulness that it has already been given, Joh 1:41 , supplementing Philip’s judgment, cf. Joh 12:22 , , “says to Him” [the dative still holds its place after , and has not quite given way, as in modern Greek, to with accusative, cf. Joh 6:5 ]. . “There is here one little boy.” [ is rejected by modern editors. May it not have been rejected because unnecessary? At the same time it must be borne in mind that although in Mt. (Mat 8:19 ; Mat 26:69 ) is used as an indefinite article as in German, French, etc. it is not so used in John. The Vulgate has “est puer unus hic”. Meyer thinks it is inserted to bring out the meagreness of the resources, “but one small boy”.]
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
of. Greek. ek. App-104.
Andrew. App-141. He appears with Philip in Joh 1:44; Joh 12:22.
Simon Peter. App-141.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
8.] Meyer remarks, that may seem strange, seeing that Philip also was this: but that it has its pragmatic value, seeing that, Philip having been asked in vain, one from among the circle of the disciples answers, and is afterwards specified as having been Andrew.
In the three other Gospels, the loaves and fishes appear as the disciples own;-and we have thus a very simple but very instructive instance of the way in which differences in detail arose. They were their own,-but not till they had bought them.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 6:8. , brother) Peter, therefore, at that time and place in which John wrote, had been better known than Andrew, either because he was older, or because he survived Andrew.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 6:8
Joh 6:8
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peters brother, saith unto him,-[Andrews answer to the question of Jesus is recorded in Mar 6:38. He requested them to examine and report the amount of food they had.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Andrew: Joh 1:40-44, Mat 4:18
Reciprocal: Mat 10:2 – Andrew Mat 15:33 – to fill Mar 1:16 – Simon Mar 3:18 – Andrew Luk 6:14 – Andrew Joh 12:22 – Andrew
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9
Another apostle was being as sorely tested as Philip. He spoke as if the Lord expected them to feed the multitude with their personal supplies. John does not record any of the conversation that Jesus had on the merits of the test. But on another occasion, where this event along with another took place, He accused them of having little faith. (See Mat 16:8-10.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 6:8. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peters brother, saith unto him. On the appellation here given to Andrew see on chap. Joh 1:40. Andrew is again associated with Philip in chap. Joh 12:22.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 8, 9. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, says to him: 9. There is a lad here, who has five barley loaves and two fishes: but what are these for so many?
John mentions, first, in an indefinite way, one disciple; then he makes a precise statement: It was Andrew. We can believe that we hear him telling the story. And how can we fail to remember here, that Andrew was precisely the one, who, according to the tradition in the Muratorian Fragment, was present at the time of the composition of the Gospel? His character as brother of Simon Peter had already been pointed out in Joh 1:41. Was not this sufficient? Certainly; but the person of Andrew cannot present itself to the mind of John, without his recalling to mind how nearly connected he was with Simon Peter, the principal one among the apostles. And yet it is claimed that one of the tendencies of the Johannean narrative is to disparage Peter! Andrew, thus, falls into the trap laid for his fellow-disciple, and it is, no doubt, with a sort of malicious humor that the evangelist is pleased to report in extenso their words, which form so strong a contrast to the magnificent display of power which is in preparation. The word , one only, which was restored by Tischendorf in 1859, is suppressed by him in his 8th ed., according to the Alexandrian authorities and Origen; but certainly wrongly. We can more easily understand how it may have been omitted than added. It brings out the scantiness of the resources which are at hand: One only who has anything, and he how little! It was some petty trader whom Andrew had just noticed in the crowd. Barley-bread was that used by the poorer classes.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Andrew had discovered a young lad (Gr. paidarion, a double diminutive) who had five small barley biscuits and two small fish (Gr. opsaria). Probably the fish would have served as a relish to eat with the bread. [Note: Carson, The Gospel . . ., p. 270.] Barley bread was the food of the poor. One writer called the boy’s food mere "hors d’oeuvres." [Note: Tenney, "John," p. 72.] Andrew seems to have felt embarrassed that he had even suggested such an inadequate solution to the problem.
John may have intended his unique inclusion of the details of this boy and his lunch to remind his readers of Elisha’s similar miracle (2Ki 4:42-44). The same Greek word for "boy" occurs in the Septuagint translation of that story (2Ki 4:38; 2Ki 4:41). The main point, however, was the lack of adequate food and Jesus’ ability to feed a multitude with such meager resources.