John 6:4 kjv
And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
John 6:4 nkjv
Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
John 6:4 niv
The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
John 6:4 esv
Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
John 6:4 nlt
(It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.)
John 6 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 6:4 | Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. | John 2:13 |
| Exodus 12:2 | This month shall be your beginning of months. | Passover |
| Exodus 12:14 | You shall observe this day as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations | Commemoration of Exodus |
| Leviticus 23:5 | The Lord’s Passover begins on the fourteenth day of this month. | Feast timing |
| Deuteronomy 16:1 | Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God. | Command to keep Passover |
| Luke 2:41 | His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of Passover. | Jesus' early life |
| Luke 22:15 | And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you | Last Supper connection |
| Matthew 26:17 | On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus... | Synoptic parallel |
| Mark 14:12 | And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb... | Synoptic parallel |
| 1 Corinthians 5:7 | For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. | Christ as Passover |
| 1 Corinthians 10:4 | and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. | Spiritual rock parallel |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us... | Incarnation |
| John 6:35 | Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger... | Bread of life declaration |
| John 6:53 | So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. | Spiritual feeding |
| John 19:14 | Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover... | Crucifixion timing |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you... | Power for witness |
| Romans 3:23 | for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. | Universal sin |
| Hebrews 10:4 | For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. | inadequacy of animal sacrifice |
| Hebrews 10:10 | And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. | Christ's ultimate sacrifice |
| Revelation 5:12 | saying in a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain..." | Worthiness of the Lamb |
John 6 verses
John 6 4 Meaning
This verse highlights the timing of Passover, a central feast in Judaism, and its proximity to the crucifixion of Jesus. It sets the stage for the events that unfold in this chapter, particularly the feeding of the five thousand, which Jesus uses to draw a spiritual parallel to His own role as the bread of life. The verse points to a specific moment in the Jewish calendar, connecting Jesus' ministry to the Old Testament covenant and its symbolism.
John 6 4 Context
John chapter 6 recounts several significant events and teachings of Jesus. It begins with the feeding of the five thousand, a miraculous act that demonstrates Jesus' power and compassion. This miracle leads into a discourse where Jesus identifies Himself as the bread of life, essential for eternal life. John 6:4 is situated at the beginning of this discourse, establishing the immediate backdrop for Jesus' message. The Passover feast, with its themes of liberation and remembrance, provided a rich symbolic framework for Jesus' words about His own sacrifice and provision for spiritual hunger. The proximity of the Passover naturally connects Jesus to the foundational events of Israel's salvation history, positioning Him as the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.
John 6 4 Word Analysis
Now (δὲ - de): A conjunction, often used adversarially or transitionally. Here, it serves to transition to a new point or introduce the context for the following events, marking a shift in focus.
the Passover (τὸ Πάσχα - to Pascha): This is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic "Pascha," derived from the Hebrew "Pesach," meaning "to pass over." It refers to the most important Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt. The phrase emphasizes that it is specifically "the" Passover, the annual, divinely ordained observance.
of the Jews (τῶν Ἰουδαίων - tōn Ioudaiōn): This phrase indicates the origin and primary observance of the feast within the Jewish people. It contextualizes the feast for a broader audience and subtly highlights that this Jewish feast is significant within the narrative.
was at hand (ἐγγὺς ἦν - engys ēn): "Engys" means "near" or "close by." "ēn" is the imperfect form of "to be," suggesting a state of being or a continuous presence in the near future. Together, it conveys that the festival was approaching.
Group Analysis: "the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand"This entire phrase emphasizes the cultural and religious significance of the approaching Passover. It highlights that this specific feast held paramount importance for the Jewish people, serving as a temporal marker and a backdrop that would imbue Jesus' subsequent teachings with deeper meaning, relating His ministry to their covenantal history.
John 6 4 Bonus Section
The timing of Passover in relation to Jesus' crucifixion is deeply symbolic. In the Old Testament, the Passover lamb was to be chosen on the tenth day of the month, examined until the fourteenth day, and then sacrificed. Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, often seen as fulfilling this, occurred on the Sunday before His crucifixion (corresponding to the tenth of Nisan). This verse in John sets the stage for Jesus to equate Himself with the "bread of life," a parallel to the manna provided in the wilderness, also during their journey after Passover and the Exodus. This connects Jesus not only to the Passover lamb but also to the ongoing spiritual nourishment God provided for Israel, positioning Him as the ultimate and continuous source of spiritual life for all believers, both Jew and Gentile.
John 6 4 Commentary
The approach of the Passover feast in John 6:4 is a crucial detail. It situates Jesus' ministry within the framework of Israel's salvation history. The Passover memorializes God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage, symbolized by the blood of the lamb that "passed over" the Israelites during the final plague. Jesus' subsequent discourse about being the "bread of life" and His ultimate sacrifice connect Him to this foundational act of redemption. He is presenting Himself as the true Passover lamb, offering not just temporal freedom from physical oppression but eternal liberation from spiritual bondage through His atoning death. The temporal proximity to Passover amplifies the theological significance of Jesus' self-understanding and His mission to provide spiritual sustenance and eternal life, far exceeding the physical liberation celebrated by the ancient feast.