NowThis word indicates a transition in the narrative, setting the stage for the events that follow. It suggests a specific time frame and context for the upcoming actions and teachings of Jesus.
the Jewish Feast of the Passover
The Passover is one of the most significant Jewish feasts, commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt as described inExodus 12. It involves the sacrifice of a lamb and the eating of unleavened bread, symbolizing the haste of the Israelites' departure. This feast is rich in typology, foreshadowing Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Passover also points to themes of redemption and deliverance, central to the Gospel message.
was near
The timing of the Passover being near is significant, as it sets the context for the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, which follows in the narrative. This proximity to Passover highlights the themes of provision and sustenance, as Jesus provides bread for the multitude, echoing God's provision of manna in the wilderness. The nearness of Passover also foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, which will occur during the Passover festival, linking His death to the sacrificial lamb of the original Passover.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
PassoverA significant Jewish feast commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. It is a time of remembrance and celebration of God's saving power and faithfulness.
2.
JewsThe ethnic and religious group to whom the Passover was given. They are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and are central to the account of the Old and New Testaments.
3.
FeastRefers to the annual celebration that includes specific rituals and meals, such as the Seder, which recounts the Exodus account.
Teaching Points
Understanding the Significance of PassoverRecognize the Passover as a foundational event in Jewish history that prefigures Christ's redemptive work.
Christ as Our Passover LambReflect on how Jesus fulfills the Passover by being the ultimate sacrifice for sin, offering deliverance from spiritual bondage.
The Importance of RemembranceJust as the Jews remember their deliverance from Egypt, Christians are called to remember Christ's sacrifice through practices like Communion.
God's Faithfulness Across TimeThe Passover is a testament to God's faithfulness to His promises, encouraging believers to trust in His continued faithfulness today.
Living in the Light of RedemptionAs the Israelites were called to live as a redeemed people, Christians are called to live in the freedom and new life provided by Christ.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of John 6:4?
2.How does John 6:4 connect to the significance of the Passover for Christians?
3.Why is the timing of the Passover important in understanding John 6:4?
4.How can we prepare our hearts for spiritual renewal during significant religious events?
5.What lessons from the Passover can we apply to our daily Christian walk?
6.How does John 6:4 enhance our understanding of Jesus' ministry during Passover?
7.Why is John 6:4 significant in the context of the Passover?
8.How does John 6:4 relate to the timeline of Jesus' ministry?
9.What theological implications does John 6:4 have on the understanding of Jesus as the Bread of Life?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from John 6?
11.What was the duration of Jesus' ministry?
12.When was Jesus crucified?
13.In what year did Jesus die?
14.When was Jesus crucified?What Does John 6:4 Mean
Now• John opens this verse with an immediate time-marker, grounding the narrative in real history (cf.Luke 1:3;2 Peter 1:16).
• “Now” links what follows to the preceding signs—showing that Jesus’ next miracle (John 6:5-14) is part of an unfolding, purposeful sequence (John 2:11; 5:8-9).
• It reminds readers that God’s redemptive plan advances in specific moments, not vague myths (Galatians 4:4-5).
the Jewish Feast• John calls it “the feast of the Jews” because it was one of three pilgrim feasts commanded by God (Exodus 23:14-17;Deuteronomy 16:16).
• Mentioning the feast explains why great crowds were on the move toward Jerusalem and thus available to witness the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:2;Mark 6:34).
• The phrase highlights corporate worship and covenant identity—Israel gathering to remember God’s mighty act of salvation (Psalm 122:1-4).
of the Passover• Passover commemorates the lamb’s blood that spared Israel in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-14).
• John continually ties Jesus to Passover:John 1:29 (“the Lamb of God”),John 19:14 (“the Day of Preparation for the Passover”), and1 Corinthians 5:7 (“Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed”).
• By situating the feeding miracle at Passover, John prepares us for Jesus’ Bread of Life teaching (John 6:35) and His ultimate self-giving on the cross.
was near• The phrase situates events shortly before the actual feast, underscoring urgency and anticipation (John 11:55).
• “Near” hints at prophetic fulfillment: the true Passover Lamb is approaching His appointed hour (John 13:1;Matthew 26:18).
• It also explains the massive gathering and the disciples’ logistical concern about feeding the multitude (John 6:5-7).
summaryJohn 6:4 does far more than date a scene. By noting that “Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near,” the Spirit anchors the coming miracle in real time, recalls Israel’s redemption, points forward to Christ’s sacrificial death, and frames the Bread of Life discourse. The verse reminds us that God orchestrates history so that every sign, feast, and moment converges on Jesus—the true Lamb who provides lasting deliverance and sustenance for His people.
(4)
A feast.--Better,
the feast. Comp.
John 5:1. This is added by St. John only, and is not simply a note of time, but gives a key of interpretation to the sign itself, and to the discourse which followed.
Verse 4. -
Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. The ordinary meaning of
ἐγγύς need not be departed from (cf.
John 2:13;
John 7:2;
John 11:55). This valuable note of time is confirmed by another hint incidentally dropped. A month later than the Passover it could not be said that "much grass" was in the place. In the late spring such a phrase would most inadequately represent the scene that was indelibly impressed on the fourfold tradition. Whatever the unnamed feast was (
John 5:1), whether Trumpets, Purim, or Passover, we have reached the month Abib, when the crowds of pilgrims were gathering for their southern journey. If the Purim were the unnamed feast, then the suggestion arises that Christ's reception at Jerusalem had prevented his remaining until the Passover of that year. If the Passover be meant (
John 5:1), then a year has passed between ch. 5. and 6. Nor is this a day too long for the crowd of events and teachings recorded by the synoptists as having taken place before the death of John. The note of time may be recorded as implying the dominant sentiment in the minds of the people. The great deliverance from Egyptian bondage was burned into the national conscience, and the fanatic desire for a second Moses to lead them out of Roman servitude was at such seasons fanned into a flame. The Lord had his own thought about the Paschal lamb, and knew that God was preparing a Lamb for sacrifice. In mystic, parabolic sense he foreknew that men would and must consume the flesh of this sacrifice. He was ready, moreover, to show them that he could supply all their need. The great Prophet who had said of himself, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" had just fallen beneath the executioner's axe. The people were bereft of a great prophet and leader, and to Christ's eye they were "as sheep without a shepherd." Verily he was preparing to lay down his life as a good Shepherd for these sheep - to provide for them in the future a feast of living bread. All this may rationally be admitted, without for a moment conceding that second-century
ideas like these were the formative causes of the narrative. The miracle that follows stands on an entirely distinct basis, and is more powerfully attested than any ether miracle, except the resurrection of Christ. If it stood in John's record alone, there might be some colour for the supposition that we have merely a parable of great beauty. But the threefold tradition long anterior to John's Gospel deprives even the pseudo-John of the possibility of inventing it. On the other hand, the appearance of the narrative in John's Gospel deprives it of the
mythical character which some have attributed to the authors of the synoptic Gospels. Thoma, in the spirit of Strauss, here imagines that the synoptists were busy in fashioning a miracle of sustenance and a portent upon the waters - a sign on land and sea - to correspond with the manna and Red Sea marvels of the Book of Exodus. "The mountain" (
τὸ ὄρος) is, as he thinks, a similitude of the Mount Sinai, and, as the latter represented the giving of the Law, this was associated with the mountain of Beatitudes. He goes further, and sees in the Johannine narrative the Christian (
agapae) feasts, and the deliverance of the Apostle Paul from shipwreck! He is even more ingenious still, and suggests that the "five thousand" fed at the first miraculous meal, with twelve baskets of fragments, correspond with the results of the first preaching of the twelve apostles, and that the seven loaves among the four thousand reflect "the many hundreds" who were benefited by the seven evangelists. He endeavours by a most elaborate process to make it appear that John has here combined into one tableau minute traces derived from the five several accounts of the two miracles. The old rationalistic theory was that the miracle was only an exaggerated poetical statement of the fact; that a good example of charity on the part of the apostles was followed by others, and so food was found for the entire multitude. This hypothesis breaks on the rock that the authors of these Gospels intended to convey a perfectly different idea. The effect of such cheap philanthropy and pragmatic travesty of a royal act would not have been that the multitudes would have rushed to the conclusion that he had done a kingly deed, or one in the least way calculated to suggest the notion that he could feed armies at his will. All efforts to extirpate by such theories the supernatural character of the occurrence fail, and force the reader back upon the plain statements of the fourfold narrative.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Nowδὲ(de)Conjunction
Strong's 1161:A primary particle; but, and, etc.theἡ(hē)Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.JewishἸουδαίων(Ioudaiōn)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453:Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.Feastἑορτὴ(heortē)Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1859:A festival, feast, periodically recurring. Of uncertain affinity; a festival.of theτὸ(to)Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.Passoverπάσχα(pascha)Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3957:The feast of Passover, the Passover lamb. Of Chaldee origin; the Passover.wasἮν(Ēn)Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.near.ἐγγὺς(engys)Adverb
Strong's 1451:Near. From a primary verb agcho; near.
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NT Gospels: John 6:4 Now the Passover the feast (Jhn Jo Jn) 
