Seeing Christ the Prophet in John 6Sample

Jesus’ Miracles in John 6

Christ’s miracles had prophetic significance to his disciples. This aspect of his prophetic ministry is evident in John 6, which recounts a series of events that reveal that Christ’s very actions serve to fulfill his messianic office. A survey of these accounts demonstrates the prophetic character of Jesus’ incarnation and life. As the Chalcedonian Creed (AD 451) rightly affirms, Jesus is both truly God and truly man; his acts inherently represent God and declare God’s message to the people.

Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand at the beginning of the chapter demonstrates his prophetic care for God’s people. After prompting his disciples to seat a large crowd, he took up five barley loaves and two fish from a boy among the multitude. Then he gave thanks, multiplied the bread and fish, and handed out a surplus so great that no one among the vast throng went hungry. The disciples even gathered up twelve baskets of leftovers after the meal (John 6:12-13), and this miraculous event did not go unnoticed.

As the Passover approached (John 6:4), the people of Israel would have observed the connections between God’s provision for them through Moses and Jesus’ even greater work. Just as Moses’ intercession brought food in the wilderness (Exodus 16, Numbers 11), so Jesus miraculously provided sustenance. His actions were indicative of his status as a messianic prophet. Moses interceded to God on behalf of the people, and God subsequently supplied the food. In Jesus’ miracle, however, this crowd had eaten because Jesus supplied the meal himself.

Amazed by Christ’s miraculous provision, the people concluded that Jesus “is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” and they sought to make him king (John 6:14-15). They saw him working the works of God and fulfilling the expectations of the messianic prophet, and they moved to crown him as their sovereign. As Jesus knew his full identity was not yet to be revealed, he quickly departed the scene, continuing to demonstrate his prophetic role, day by day with his disciples.