“Rabbi, when camest thou hither?”
The full verse · John 6:25 · KJV
when they had on the other of the , they unto , , camest ?
Asked by
Crowd: the people who had eaten the loaves and who crossed the sea to Capernaum seeking Jesus (John 6:22-24)
Asked to
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, who had walked on the sea by night to reach His disciples' ship (John 6:19-21)
The Scene
The day after the feeding, the people who saw that Jesus had not left in the disciples' boat cross to Capernaum and find Him there (John 6:22-25).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionThe crowd was puzzled about how Jesus had gotten there. They had seen only one boat, and they knew "Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat" (John 6:22). Gill says "it was amazing to them, both when and how he came, since they could not devise how he should get there by shipping, and also how he should so soon get there on foot." They did not know He had walked on the sea in the night (John 6:19). Their question was sincere, but it focused on the puzzle rather than on who He was.
The Response
What Scripture recordsJesus did not tell them when or how He came. He addressed why they had come: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled" (John 6:26). Then He told them, "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you" (John 6:27). This led into His teaching, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35).
Historical Context
The world behind the words"Rabbi" was a respectful title for a teacher; John says it means "Master" (John 1:38). The crowd crossed from the place of the feeding to Capernaum, on the other side of the sea of Galilee (John 6:24). John notes that other boats had come from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten (John 6:23), which is how the people were able to follow.
Barnes says of the crowds who had followed Him from the start (John 6:2): "They saw that he had the power to supply their wants, and they therefore followed him." Jesus' answer here names the same motive (John 6:26).
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThis question shows how easily we can seek Jesus for what He gives rather than for who He is. The crowd went to real effort to find Him. Jesus honored their seeking by telling them the truth about their motives. Matthew Henry puts it memorably: "Many follow Christ for loaves, and not for love."
Yet Jesus did not send them away. He invited them to seek something better: food "which endureth unto everlasting life" (John 6:27). Gill says they "regarded their own bellies more than the honour and glory of Christ." Jesus redirected their hunger toward Himself, the bread that came down from heaven (John 6:33, 35).
Look Closer
Why were the people puzzled about how Jesus had arrived?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord Jesus, the crowd came to You for bread; what am I really hoping to get when I come to You?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- The crowd worked hard to find Jesus, but for the wrong reason. What are some reasons people seek Jesus that fall short of seeking Him for who He is?
- Tell about a time your reason for seeking God changed from what He could give you to who He is.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
It is good to come to Jesus with your needs. The crowd's problem was not that they were hungry; it was that bread was all they wanted. Jesus offers far more than help with daily needs. He offers Himself.
When you pray, notice what you are asking for. Then ask Him for the food that lasts: knowing Him, believing Him, and receiving the life He gives.
This does not mean you should stop working or stop praying about daily needs. Barnes notes that Jesus' words "Labour not for the meat which perisheth" do not mean "that we are to make no effort for the supply of our wants," only that this should not be our supreme desire.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?”
“What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? What dost thou work?”
“Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?”
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”