John 6:1

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. It is also called the Sea of Tiberias.

John 6:1 Meaning and Commentary

John 6:1

After these things
After Christ's curing the man at Bethesda's pool, and the vindication of himself for doing it or the sabbath day, and for asserting his equality with God; near a year after these things: for these were done at the feast of the passover, and now it was near another; and what is related here, was after the death of John the Baptist, and when the disciples had returned from preaching in the several cities and towns, where Christ afterwards went, and had given an account of their success; see ( Matthew 14:12 Matthew 14:13 ) ( Mark 6:30 Mark 6:31 ) ( Luke 9:10 ) . Quickly after the passover was ended, Christ departed from Jerusalem, and went into Galilee, and preached in the several cities and towns in those parts, and wrought many miracles: and after these things, in process of time,

Jesus went over the sea of Galilee;
the same with the lake of Gennesaret, ( Luke 5:1 ) ;

which is [the sea] of Tiberias;
and is frequently so called by the Jewish writers ^F24, who often make mention of (lv hmy hyrbj) , "the sea of Tiberias"; and by other writers, it is called the lake of Tiberias ^F25; Pliny, who calls it the lake of Genesara ^F26, says,

``it was sixteen miles long, and six broad, and was beset with very pleasant towns; on the east were Julias and Hippo, and on the south Tarichea, by which name some call the lake, and on the west Tiberias, wholesome for the hot waters.''

And these are the waters which the Jews call (ayrbjd Nyowmyd) , or, (ymx) , the hot baths of Tiberias ^F1; and from the city of Tiberias built by Herod, and called so in honour of Tiberius Caesar, the sea took its name.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 81. 2. & Bava Bathra, fol. 74. 2. Becorot, fol. 55. 1. Megilla, fol. 5. 2. & 6. 1. Moed. Katon, fol. 18. 2. & T. Hieros. Kilaim, fol. 32. 3. & Erubin, fol. 25. 2.
F25 Solin, c. 48. Pausan. l. 5. p. 298.
F26 Lib. 5. c. 15.
F1 T. Hieros. Peah, fol 21. 2. & Sheviith, fol. 38. 4. Kiddushin, fol. 61. 1. R. Benj. Itinerar. p. 53.

John 6:1 In-Context

1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. It is also called the Sea of Tiberias.

2 A large crowd of people followed him. They had seen the miraculous signs he had done on those who were sick.

3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside. There he sat down with his disciples.

4 The Jewish Passover Feast was near.

5 Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him. So he said to Philip, "Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?"