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Pentecost Season · Proper 12 · Year B

John 6:1-21

Feeding the Five Thousand and Walking on Water

July 25, 2027

The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, Jacopo Tintoretto
The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, Jacopo Tintoretto, c. 1545–1550Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Tintoretto spreads the crowd across a hillside in sharply receding groups, so the eye runs back through the feeding rather than sitting in front of it.It is the feeding, and Tintoretto painted the distribution rather than the blessing.Jacopo TintorettoA Venetian who worked at enormous speed and scale, and who reportedly wrote on his studio wall that he wanted Titian's colour and Michelangelo's drawing.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkThe largest art museum in the Americas, founded in 1870 by a group of New Yorkers who wanted one and had no collection to start from.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelJohn 6:1-21Jn 6:1-21
EpistleEph. 3:14-21Eph 3:14-21
Old Testament2 Sam. 11:1-152 Sm 11:1-15Alt. OT2 Kings 4:42-442 Kgs 4:42-44
PsalterPs. 14Ps 14Alt. PsalmPs. 145:10-18Ps 145:10-18

Overview & Insights

"Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated." (John 6:11)

Jesus feeds a crowd of five thousand from five barley loaves and two fish, then later comes to his disciples walking across the sea. The two signs reveal his identity and set up his teaching that he is the bread of life.

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Commentary

John 6:1-21Jn 6:1-21 Working Preacher

A Luther Seminary commentary reading the feeding and sea crossing as signs that point beyond hunger to who Jesus is.

John 6:1-21Jn 6:1-21 Center for Excellence in Preaching

A Reformed preaching commentary treating the miracle as a sign of the kingdom rather than the kingdom itself.

John 6Jn 6 Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse-by-verse evangelical commentary walking through the feeding, the sea crossing, and the bread of life discourse.

John 6 CommentaryJn 6 Commentary Precept Austin

A deep study page compiling Greek word studies, cross-references, and many expositors on the chapter.

Classic commentaries on John 6Classic commentaries on Jn 6 BibleHub

A classic aggregator stacking Barnes, Gill, Ellicott, and other historic commentators verse by verse.

Take, Bless, Break, Give (Proper 12B) Sermons That Work · Episcopal Church

An Episcopal sermon hearing the feeding as a eucharistic pattern of taking, blessing, breaking, and giving.

Background & Word Study

Overview: JohnOverview: Jn BibleProject

An animated overview of John's structure and portrait of Jesus that situates the signs of chapter 6 within the whole Gospel.

John 6:1 interlinearJn 6:1 interlinear BibleHub

A word-by-word Greek interlinear with parsing and Strong's numbers for close study of the text.

The Church Fathers

John 6, patristic commentaryJn 6, patristic commentary Catena

A verse-linked catena gathering patristic and early church comment on each verse of John 6.

Podcast

#975: Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Ord. 17B) – July 28, 2024 Working Preacher (Sermon Brainwave)

Luther Seminary’s homiletics roundtable on this Sunday’s appointed texts, including John 6:1-21.

Art & Music

Art in the Christian Tradition Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt's page collecting artwork, hymn suggestions, and the appointed texts for Proper 12 Year B.

Study Hub

The Text This Week: Proper 12B Textweek

The Textweek hub aggregating commentary, art, and sermon links across every reading for the day (a few links may be dated).

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