John Calvin Commentary John 6:2

"And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick." — John 6:2 (ASV)

And a great multitude followed him. Such great ardor in following Christ arose from this: having witnessed his power in miracles, they were convinced that he was some great prophet and that he had been sent by God. But the Evangelist here omits what the other three relate: that Christ spent a part of the day in teaching and in healing the sick, and that, when the sun was setting, his disciples requested him to send away the multitudes (Matthew 14:13–14; Mark 6:34–35; Luke 9:11–12). For he considered it enough to give the substance of it in a few words, so that he might take this opportunity of leading us to the remaining statements which immediately follow.

Here we see, in the first place, how eager the people’s desire was to hear Christ, since all of them, forgetting themselves, showed no concern about spending the night in a desert place. So much the less excusable is our indifference, or rather our sloth, when we are so far from preferring the heavenly doctrine to the pangs of hunger that the slightest interruptions immediately lead us away from meditation on the heavenly life.

Very rarely does it happen that Christ finds us free and disengaged from the entanglements of the world. So far are we from being ready to follow him to a desert mountain, that scarcely one in ten can endure to receive him when he presents himself at home in the midst of comforts. And though this spiritual ailment prevails nearly throughout the whole world, it is certain that no one will be fit for the kingdom of God until, laying aside such pampering, they learn to desire the food of the soul so earnestly that their belly does not hinder them.

But as the flesh urges us to attend to its conveniences, we should also observe that Christ, of his own accord, takes care of those who neglect themselves in order to follow him. For he does not wait until they are famished and cry out that they are perishing from hunger and have nothing to eat, but he provides food for them before they have asked for it.

It might be objected that this does not always happen, for we often see that godly persons, though they have been entirely devoted to the kingdom of God, are exhausted and almost fainting with hunger. I reply that although Christ chooses to test our faith and patience in this manner, yet from heaven he sees our needs and is careful to relieve them, as far as is necessary for our well-being. And when assistance is not immediately granted, it is done for the best reason, even though that reason is hidden from us.