The Meaning of John 6:16 Explained

John 6:16

KJV: And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

YLT: And when evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,

Darby: But when evening was come, his disciples went down to the sea,

ASV: And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when  even  was [now] come,  his  disciples  went down  unto  the sea, 

What does John 6:16 Mean?

Context Summary

John 6:15-21 - Jesus Brings Peace To Troubled Hearts
The most conclusive proof that our Lord was no weak fanatic or enthusiast is afforded by the calm temper which refused the eager impulse of the crowds to make Him king. Here the temptation of the wilderness was repeated; and only one who was filled with the unwavering determination to do God's will, could have refused this short cut to Messianic empire. Notice these withdrawals of our Lord to the calm of nature's stillness and the bosom of God. If he needed such spaces of undisturbed meditation and communion, surely we do.
He knew when he pressed the disciples into the boat, that the night would be full of storm, but He did not hesitate to expose them to its peril; he was conscious of His ability to turn that storm to the highest use by coming to their help. His advent is often delayed, but he always comes. Delays are not denials. He is as near in the storm as though already in the boat. The storm-waves are His pathway. Be not afraid! The people hurried across the Lake in the early morning, conveyed in the boats which had come to take them off; but as Jesus sorrowfully perceived, their object was to receive His gifts and not Himself. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 6

1  Jesus feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes
15  Thereupon the people would have made him king;
16  but withdrawing himself, he walks on the sea to his disciples;
26  reproves the people flocking after him, and all the fleshly hearers of his word;
32  declares himself to be the bread of life to believers
66  Many disciples depart from him
68  Peter confesses him
70  Judas is a devil

Greek Commentary for John 6:16

When evening came [ως οπσια εγενετο]
“The late hour” The disciples were in no hurry to start back to Bethsaida in Galilee (Mark 6:45), Capernaum in John (John 6:17). [source]
Even [ὀψία]
An adjective; ὄψιος , late with ὥρα , hour, understood. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 6:16

Mark 6:35 When the day was now far spent [ηδη ωρας πολλης γενομενης]
Genitive absolute. ωρα — Hōra used here for day-time (so Matthew 14:15) as in Polybius and late Greek. Much day-time already gone. Luke 9:12 has it began to incline (κλινειν — klinein) or wear away. It was after 3 p.m., the first evening. Note second evening or sunset in Mark 6:47; Matthew 14:23; John 6:16. The turn of the afternoon had come and sunset was approaching. The idiom is repeated at the close of the verse. See note on Matthew 14:15. [source]

What do the individual words in John 6:16 mean?

When now evening it became went down the disciples of Him to the sea
Ὡς δὲ ὀψία ἐγένετο κατέβησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὀψία  evening 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ὀψία 
Sense: late.
ἐγένετο  it  became 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
κατέβησαν  went  down 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: καταβαίνω  
Sense: to go down, come down, descend.
μαθηταὶ  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
θάλασσαν  sea 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: θάλασσα  
Sense: the sea.

What are the major concepts related to John 6:16?

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