John 6:4
And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
John 6:4: "And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh."
John situates the narrative around Passover, the pivotal festival commemorating Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. The near Passover marks a spiritual climactic moment: Jesus teaches and performs signs in proximity to the festival, foreshadowing his own crucifixion and the deliverance he would accomplish. Passover is a memory that shapes Jewish identity, hope, and expectation of the Messiah, who would bring ultimate rescue. This temporal marker intensifies the significance of Jesus’ words about bread and life, inviting readers to connect deliverance in the Exodus with the greater salvation in Christ. The festival creates a backdrop that heightens anticipation and shapes listeners’ perception of Jesus as the one who fulfills God’s redemptive promises.
The near Passover deepens Christ’s identification with Israel’s story. Jesus’ reference to bread and life in the festival context points to his own body given for humanity and to the new exodus he would accomplish through his death and resurrection. It ties salvation history together: Moses led people out of physical bondage, while Jesus leads out of spiritual bondage, offering eternal life.
Passover invites believers to reflect on God’s deliverance in their own lives. Remember times when you were rescued from spiritual bondage and how Christ’s sacrifice applies to daily living. In practical terms, consider doing a devotional during Passover or the Easter season that traces God’s redemptive work—from Exodus to the cross—shaping gratitude, worship, and mission.
Cross-References: Exodus 12; John 1:29; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 9:11-14.