John 6:14

DISCOURSE: 1635
CHRIST’S MESSIAHSHIP PROVED

John 6:14. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

THE friends of infidelity wish it to be thought, that the Gospel which they reject is not supported by such a weight of evidence as would justify them in yielding to it an implicit and unqualified obedience. But they have, unperceived by themselves, a bias against the truth; and will suffer any slight difficulty, which they are not able to solve, to outweigh all the most decisive proofs that can be adduced in its support. Where the mind is candid, and open to conviction, it will be satisfied with that measure of evidence which the subject itself fairly admits of, without demanding such as it is unreasonable to expect. The persons of whom my text speaks, afford us a good example in this respect. They had seen a stupendous miracle wrought before them, even the feeding of five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves, and two small fishes: and they were convinced that no person could work such a miracle as this, unless God were with him; and therefore, without further hesitation, they said, We are expecting the Messiah; and this must be he: “Of a truth, this is that Prophet who should come into the world.”
From this acknowledgment I will take occasion to consider,

I. The proofs which Christ gave of his Messiahship—

Miracles may properly be regarded as proofs of a divine mission—
[I am not prepared to say that a miracle is of itself, independent of all its circumstances, a sufficient proof that the person performing it comes from God. For there may be circumstances so peculiar, as to account for God’s permission of such an event, even whilst the persons through whose instrumentality it occurs, are no better than hypocrites and impostors. The magicians of Pharaoh were permitted to imitate some of the miracles of Moses, for the very purpose of demonstrating the more forcibly, that Moses alone was invested with any authority from him. They were permitted to turn their rods into serpents: but Moses’ rod swallowed up all of theirs. They were permitted to inflict several plagues; but they could not remove one. Moses alone was empowered to do that. Nor could they follow Moses beyond a certain extent, or even avert from themselves the plagues that Moses inflicted: so that they themselves were made witnesses for Jehovah, and were constrained to say, “This is the finger of God.”
Again: God having done so many and great wonders for his people, may see fit to try their faith and love, in order that the faithful amongst his people may display their fidelity, and the hypocritical their hypocrisy. And for this end we may conceive him to suffer some impostor to assume the character of a prophet, and, by the performance of some sign or wonder, and the prediction of some event that shall come to pass, to give occasion for his people to manifest what is in their hearts. Indeed, he warned his people that he would suffer such occurrences, in order to try their fidelity to him [Note: Deuteronomy 13:1.].

But we cannot conceive that he should suffer such a trial to proceed so far as to impose on those who were truly upright. We can have no doubt, but that to a humble and prayerful soul there would appear, at the same time, very abundant evidences of the imposture: for otherwise the true prophets would be unable to prove the divine authority of their mission.
Admitting, however, that such occurrences may, for wise and gracious purposes, be permitted, we still must regard miracles, when wrought expressly in confirmation of the divine authority, as sufficient attestations to the mission of him who works them. These were the credentials whereby Moses was to authenticate his mission to the Israelites in Egypt [Note: Exodus 4:1.]. By this test the worshippers of Baal agreed to have the contest decided between Elijah and them: “The God that answereth by fire, let him be God:” and, on seeing the testimony borne from heaven to Elijah, they exclaimed, “The Lord, he is the God! the Lord, he is the God!” To this test he referred the disciples of John, who were sent to inquire whether he were the Christ [Note: Matthew 11:3.] — — — And to the same he continually referred, as beyond all possibility of contradiction decisive of his own mission [Note: John 3:36; John 10:24; John 10:37; John 14:10.] — — —]

And, beyond all doubt, the miracles which Jesus wrought were sufficient for this end—
[They were altogether innumerable; insomuch that the inspired historian says of them, that “if they should be written every one of them (with all their attendant circumstances), the world itself would not contain the books that should be written.” But we need not go further than the miracle before us. The Disciples, so far from being confederate with their Master to impose upon the multitude, acknowledged, with the utmost simplicity, the impossibility of providing for such a multitude in that wilderness. Our Lord had made the inquiry of them for the express purpose of calling their attention, and the attention of all around them, the more fully, to the miracle which he was about to work. The five thousand men were all placed in ranks, a hundred in length and fifty in breadth, that every thing might be done in their sight, and without a possibility of collusion. The food having been blessed by our Lord, was committed to the Apostles for distribution; and, as fast as they disposed of it, the remainder was augmented in their hands, and all were supplied to the full: and after all had eaten and been satisfied, the fragments which were taken up far exceeded in quantity the original measure which they possessed. All the people were themselves witnesses of what passed before their own eyes: and if there had been any deception, it could not but have been discovered. This miracle, therefore, gave them a very just ground for the conclusion which they instantly formed; namely, that Jesus must be the Messiah, who had been predicted, and was at that time expected to make his appearance in the world.]
Concluding Jesus, then, to be the true Messiah, let us consider,

II.

Our duty to him under that character—

The history before us will enable us to state this to advantage. Our duty to him is,

1. To believe in him—

[At the time that Jesus abode on earth, it was generally expected that the Prophet spoken of by Moses would appear; “the Prophet like unto Moses,” who should be a Lawgiver, a Mediator, a Prophet, a Ruler, a Deliverer [Note: Deuteronomy 18:15; Deuteronomy 18:18.]. Such a prophet Jesus professed to be [Note: Acts 3:22.]: and such a prophet he was. The people who saw this miracle had no doubt of it: they said, “This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.” Let the same conviction be on your minds. View him as the true Messiah. Regard him in the full extent of his character, as resembling Moses — — — and give him, from your inmost souls, the honour due unto his name — — —]

2. To become his devoted followers—

[Hear from him all that he has come to reveal: for God has said, that “Whoso will not hear that Prophet, he will require it of him.” How zealous the people were in his cause, you are told in the very words following my text: “They sought to take him by force, and to make him their King.” In this they erred, because they thought of him only as a temporal Prince. And therefore he withdrew, and hid himself from them. But if you will, in a spiritual view, make him your King, I will venture to assure you, he will not withdraw from you, or decline the honour you would assign him. You may even come by force, the holy “violence” of faith and prayer with which “the kingdom of God is taken;” and he will yield to your importunity, and establish his throne in your hearts. O that we could see somewhat of this ardour in the minds of those who profess to acknowledge him as their Messiah! Let every rival be banished from your hearts — — — and let Jesus henceforth reign the unrestrained governor of your souls.]

3. To look to him for all that your utmost necessities can require—

[Though he had withdrawn from them, they concluded that he would follow his Disciples; and therefore they followed him, though with much difficulty, and to a great distance, in the confidence that he would supply their every want. Herein also they erred, because they sought only “the meat which perisheth:” but if you will seek of him the meat that endureth unto everlasting life, he assures you, that he will give it to the utmost extent of your necessities; for that “God the Father has sealed” him to this very office [Note: ver. 27.]. You see how he supplied thousands of persons with food: and can he not equally supply your wants, though they should be ever so numerous? He can; he will. He has all fulness treasured up in him for that very end. “He is ascended up above all heavens, that he may fill all things [Note: Ephesians 4:10.].” Indeed, by the ministry of his word, he is working this miracle yet daily. How many does he nourish and strengthen by the bread of life that we dispense! Know, then, that he will not commit this ministration to us in vain, as it respects you: for God has said, He will “supply all your need out of his riches in glory by Christ Jesus [Note: Philippians 4:19.].”]