John 6 16

John 6:16 kjv

And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

John 6:16 nkjv

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

John 6:16 niv

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake,

John 6:16 esv

When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,

John 6:16 nlt

That evening Jesus' disciples went down to the shore to wait for him.

John 6 verses

John 6 16 Meaning

Jesus, seeing a great crowd coming toward him, went up on the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. The crowd following Jesus indicated a deep interest and expectation, perhaps for miracles, physical healing, or spiritual revelation. His ascent to the mountain and seating signifies his authority and teaching posture, akin to the Mosaic covenant being given from Mount Sinai.

John 6 16 Context

In John chapter 6, Jesus has just performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand. This miraculous sign draws a massive crowd who are eager for more physical sustenance and perhaps recognize him as a prophetic figure, potentially the Messiah they anticipated. Jesus, perceiving their motives and the spiritual hunger behind their pursuit, withdraws. He ascends a mountain, a location often associated with divine revelation and instruction, and seats himself. This act sets the stage for a discourse, but notably, before he addresses the crowd directly in verse 16, he had spent the night in prayer. This highlights his reliance on God and the seriousness of the impending teachings, which will delve into deeper spiritual truths about his identity and the nature of true spiritual life. The surrounding verses detail his ascent and the arrival of the disciples at the boat where Jesus then rejoins them.

John 6 16 Word Analysis

• When Jesus (οὖν Ἰησοῦς, oun Iēsous): "Oun" signifies a logical conclusion or continuation, indicating this event follows the feeding of the multitude. "Iesous" is Jesus.
• saw (εἶδεν, eiden): Aorist indicative verb for "to see," implying a direct, significant perception. He didn't just glance; he observed with understanding.
• that (ὅτι, hoti): Introduces a subordinate clause, explaining the content of what he saw.
• a great (πολὺ, polu): Adverbial form of "much" or "great."
• crowd (πλῆθος, plēthos): A large multitude, a great number.
• was coming (ἔρχεται, erchetai): Present tense, indicating ongoing motion and arrival.
• toward (πρός, pros): Preposition indicating direction or movement towards a specific point.
• him, (αὐτόν, auton): Objective pronoun, the object of the crowd's movement.
• he (αὐτός, autos): Pronoun referring to Jesus.
• went up (ἀναβαίνει, anabainei): Present tense, emphasizing the ongoing action of going up.
• on the (εἰς τὸ, eis to): Preposition "eis" meaning into or to, combined with the definite article "to" pointing to a specific place.
• mountain (ὄρος, oros): A natural elevation. This parallels Old Testament events where God's presence and revelation occurred on mountains.
• and (καὶ, kai): Conjunction connecting the previous action.
• sat (ἐκάθητο, ekathēto): Imperfect indicative verb for "to sit." The imperfect tense suggests a continuous or durative action, indicating he sat down for an extended period to teach.
• down (ἐκεῖ, ekei): Adverb of place, "there."
• with (σύν, syn): Preposition indicating accompaniment.
• his (αὐτοῦ, autou): Possessive pronoun referring to Jesus.
• disciples. (τοῖς μαθηταῖς, tois mathētais): Dative plural of "mathētēs," meaning disciple or student. The definite article "tois" signifies the specific disciples present.

Word-group analysis:

• "When Jesus saw that a great crowd was coming toward him...": This phrase establishes the context for Jesus' action, highlighting the stimulus – a large, approaching crowd driven by immediate needs and likely anticipation of more miraculous provision.
• "...he went up on the mountain and sat down there with his disciples.": This describes Jesus' strategic retreat and posture for teaching. Ascending a mountain for teaching echoes Moses on Mount Sinai and Elijah on Mount Carmel, positioning Jesus as a authoritative prophet and revealer of God's will. His seating indicates preparation for discourse and a formal teaching session. The presence of "his disciples" signals that his immediate focus in this retreat is their instruction, although the larger crowd is still nearby.

John 6 16 Bonus Section

The choice of a mountain as a teaching location is significant, carrying the weight of Old Testament events where God revealed Himself and His covenant from elevated places. This connects Jesus’ ministry to the continuity of God’s redemptive plan, positioning Him as the ultimate Lawgiver and Covenant Mediator, fulfilling prophecies like Deuteronomy 18:18. His interaction with the disciples apart from the immediate pressing of the crowd suggests an emphasis on intentional discipleship, preparing a core group to understand and carry forward his teachings. The imperfect tense for "sat" (ἐκάθητο) underscores that this was not a casual pause but a deliberate engagement in teaching.

John 6 16 Commentary

Jesus, observing the surge of people, recognized their pursuit was likely based on their recent miraculous feeding rather than a deep spiritual understanding. Instead of immediately addressing their physical hunger again or indulging their materialistic desires, he withdrew to a mountain. This action served multiple purposes: it provided a necessary moment of prayer and discernment, established a teaching platform, and demonstrated a shift from solely responding to physical needs to fulfilling deeper spiritual hunger. By sitting down with his disciples, Jesus emphasized instruction and revealed his intention to teach them foundational truths, preparing them (and the reader) for the subsequent discourse on the Bread of Life. This sequence highlights Jesus’ pattern of teaching: first meeting a physical need, then addressing the spiritual reality behind it, often after prayerful communion.