μέλλουσιν. Are about to (John 6:6) take Him by force and make Him king; carry Him, whether He will or no, to Jerusalem and proclaim Him king at the Passover. They will have a σωτηρία according to their own ideas, not according to God’s decree: earthly deliverance and glory, not spiritual regeneration. This also is peculiar to S. John; but S. Luke (Luke 9:11) tells us that He had been speaking of ‘the kingdom of God;’ and this would turn their thoughts to the Messianic King. The whole incident explains the remarkable expression ‘He immediately compelled (ἠνάγκασε) His disciples to embark’ (Matthew 14:22; Mark 6:45). There was danger of the Twelve being infected with this wrongheaded enthusiasm. Some such command is implied here; for they would not have left Him behind without orders.

In his Divine Epic S. John points out the steady increase of the enmity against Jesus; and nothing increased it so much as popular enthusiasm for Him: John 3:26; John 4:1-3; John 7:40-41; John 7:46; John 8:30; John 9:30-38; John 10:21; John 10:42; John 11:45-46; John 12:9-11.

πάλιν. He had come down to feed them: ‘again’ refers to John 6:3. After dismissing first the disciples and then the bulk of the multitude, He ascended again, but this time alone, to pray (Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:46).

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Old Testament