Day 5 - Thursday - Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament - Logos
John 6:1-71
The Feeding of the Multitude and the Bread of Life Discourse (6:1–71)
Chapter 6 is replete with OT allusive material. Jesus’ question in Jn. 6:5 to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” echoes Moses’ similar question to God in the wilderness, “Where can I get meat for all these people?” (Num. 11:13). This is one of several parallels between John 6 and Num. 11. Other parallels include the grumbling of the people (Num. 11:1; John 6:41, 43); the description of the manna (Num. 11:7–9; John 6:31); the reference to the eating of meat/flesh (Num. 11:13; John 6:51); and the striking disproportion between the existing need and the available resources (Num. 11:22; John 6:7–9).
In Jn. 6:9 mention is made of a boy who has five barley loaves and two fish. In a similar account in 2 Kings 4:42–44, Elisha fed one hundred men with twenty barley loaves and some ears of grain (see Ridderbos 1997: 211–12; Barrett 1978: 275). The use of the word paidarion (“boy”) both in Jn. 6:9, which is its only NT occurrence, and several times in the LXX of the 2 Kings passage (referring to Elisha’s servant [2 Kings 4:38, 41]) is one major verbal connection between these two narratives. Other links include the mention of barley and the overall mode of narration, including a question of disbelief, the command to distribute the loaves, and the fact that all ate with food left to spare.
The reference in Jn. 6:10 to the abundance of grass in that place may constitute an allusion to the messianic age (cf. Ps. 23:2; John 10:9–10; see Schnackenburg 1990: 2:16). The bountiful meal evokes OT messianic prophecy (cf. Isa. 25:6–8; 49:9–11; Matt. 22:1–14; Luke 22:15–30; see Ridderbos 1997: 213). Jesus’ words to his disciples in Jn. 6:12, “Gather the leftover pieces, so that nothing may perish,” echo those of the narrative in Ruth 2:14, “She ate all she wanted and had some leftover” (see Daube 1956: Jn. 46–51). It was customary at Jewish meals to collect what was leftover. Pieces of bread were not to be thrown away (b. Ber. 50b), and any food the size of an olive or larger was to be picked up (b. Ber. 52b). The expression “so that nothing may perish” is also documented in rabbinic literature concerning food (y. Sanh. 6:6; y. Ḥag. 2:2). “Twelve” baskets perhaps alludes to Jesus’ restoration of Israel (the twelve tribes) by calling twelve disciples to form the core of his new messianic community (Carson 1991: 271).
When people saw the “sign” that Jesus had performed, they asked whether Jesus was “the prophet who is to come into the world” (Jn. 6:14), a clear allusion to Deut. 18:15, 18 (see Jn. 7:40 below and commentary at Jn. 1:21 above). This passage featured significantly in the messianic expectations at Qumran (cf. 4Q175 5–8; 1QS IX, 11; see Anderson 1996: 174–77) and presumably in other circles in first-century Judaism. Later, in the third century, Rabbi Isaac held that “as the former redeemer caused manna to descend … so will the latter Redeemer cause manna to descend” (Eccles. Rab. on Eccles. 1:9; see commentary at 6:31). As we noted, Jesus’ multiplication of barley loaves is reminiscent of the miracle performed by Elijah’s follower Elisha (2 Kings 4:42–44). In 1 Kings 19 a parallel is drawn between Elijah and Moses (e.g., Jn. 19:8; cf. Exod. 24:18; 34:28). The popular expectation expressed in John 6:14 may represent an amalgamation of the two figures (Brown 1966–1970: 234–35). In Jesus’ day, the notion of the “prophet” apparently merged with that of “king” (Jn. 6:15). Indeed, “The step from a prophet like Moses (Jn. 6:14), the first Redeemer and worker of miracles, to a messianic deliverer was a short one for enthusiasts in contemporary Israel to make” (Beasley-Murray 1999: 88; cf. Horsley 1984). The figure also featured prominently in early Christian preaching (Acts 3:23; Acts 7:37).
The Johannine account of Jesus’ walking on water in Jn. 6:16–24 may hark back to the OT in the description of Jesus “walking” across the sea, which may echo Job 9:8 LXX, where God is said to walk on the waters (also note the parallel wording in Mark 6:48 [“passing by”]; cf. Job 9:11; see Keener 2003: 673). Jesus’ words to the disciples in Jn. 6:20, “It is I; do not be afraid,” likewise suggest an OT background. Apart from the plain meaning of the words “It is I” (egō eimi) as conveying Jesus’ self-identification, there may be overtones of epiphany (“I Am” is God’s name in the OT [see Exod. 3:14]), especially in light of Jesus’ walking on water. The statement may allude to Ps. 77:16, Ps.19, describing God’s manifestation to Israel during the exodus (Beasley-Murray 1999: 89–90). “Do not be afraid” was frequently God’s message to his people in the OT (e.g., Gen. 26:24; Deut. 1:21, Deut. 29; 20:1, Deut. 3; Josh. 1:9). The reference to the boat reaching the shore at once in Jn. 6:21 may allude to Ps. 107:23–32, especially vv. Ps. 29–30: “He [the Lord] stilled the storm to a whisper … and he guided them to their desired haven” (Carson 1991: 276).
The people’s and Jesus’ references to “works of God” in Jn. 6:28–29 draw on a common Semitic expression (cf. Matt. 26:10 par.; John 9:4; Acts 13:41 [quoting Hab. 1:5]; 1 Cor. 16:10). In Jewish literature, this phrase, which may reflect Zealot parlance (Schlatter 1948: 171), normally refers to works done by God, not those required by him (cf. John 3:21; Jn. 9:3–4; for similar terminology in the Dead Sea Scrolls, see CD-A II, 14–15; cf. 1QS IV, 4; 1QHa XIII, 36; CD-A I, 1–2; XIII, 7–8). In the present instance, the people’s response reflects a misunderstanding of Jesus’ words in Jn. 6:27, where he speaks of “working not for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life.” What Jesus intended as a reference to the people’s proper pursuit, the crowd took as an invitation to literally “work the works of God.” In light of the Jewish emphasis on “works of the law” (see Rom. 3:20, 27–28; Gal. 2:16; 3:2, 5, 10; cf. Phil. 3:6, Phil. 9; see Carson 1991: 285; Carson, O’Brien, and Seifrid 2004), Jesus’ answer is nothing less than stunning: God’s requirement is summed up as believing in “the one he has sent” (the language may reflect Mal. 3:1)—that is, the Messiah. This contrasts with the people’s apparent confidence that they can meet God's demands (Carson 1991: 285; Morris 1995: 319; Barrett 1978: 287).
Another misunderstanding between Jesus and the Jews is evident in Jn. 6:30, hinging on two different senses of the word “sign.” The Jews demand further evidence for Jesus’ claims; the evangelist presents as “signs” works of Jesus that are Christologically significant (Ridderbos 1997: 226). In the people’s thinking, if Jesus was the prophet like Moses (Jn. 6:14), he could be expected to perform further signs (Carson 1991: 285; Beasley-Murray 1991: 91; Barrett 1978: 288; Brown 1966–1970: 265; Moloney 1998: 212). The people’s question in Jn. 6:30, “What are you going to perform?” represents a common OT expression of incredulity (cf. Job 9:12; Eccles. 8:4; Isa. 45:9; see Derrett 1993). The irony, of course, is that while the people are asking for a “sign,” they have just witnessed it in the form of Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the multitude. Thus their demand for a “sign” reveals their unbelieving attitude and failure to discern in Jesus’ actions the work of God. This obduracy will, in short order, lead to the departure of even many of Jesus’ disciples (Jn. 6:60–66) and eventuate in the evangelist’s indictment of Jewish unbelief at the close of Jesus’ public ministry in terms of Isa. 53:1 and especially Isa. 6:10 (Jn. 12:37–40; see commentary there).
Undaunted, the Jews invoke the OT Scriptures concerning their ancestors’ eating the manna in the wilderness.
OT Old Testament
NT New Testament
LXX Septuagint
OT Old Testament
b. Babylonian Talmud
Ber. Berakot
b. Babylonian Talmud
Ber. Berakot
y. Jerusalem Talmud
Sanh. Sanhedrin
y. Jerusalem Talmud
Ḥag. Ḥagigah
4Q175 4QTestimonia
1QS 1QRule of the Community
Rab. (biblical book +) Rabbah
OT Old Testament
LXX Septuagint
OT Old Testament
OT Old Testament
OT Old Testament
par. parallel(s)
CD-A Damascus Documenta
1QS 1QRule of the Community
1QH 1QHodayota
a 1QHodayota
CD-A Damascus Documenta
OT Old Testament
OT Old Testament
Köstenberger, Andreas J. “John.” Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007. 443–445. Print.
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