Feeding the 5,000

Across the lake. “After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias” (6:1). Tiberias was a city on the shore, so the lake had two names. Why the crowd came. “Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased” (6:2). Diseased means sick. What a sign is. A sign is a miracle that points to something. Jesus' miracles were not tricks to amaze people. They showed who He is. Jesus sat down. “And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples” (6:3). In those days teachers usually sat down to teach. He welcomed them. Luke tells us Jesus “received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing” (Luke 9:11). Passover was near. “Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near” (6:4). At Passover, Israel remembered the night God saved them from Egypt. Each family ate a lamb and bread made without yeast. A bigger rescue. Paul later wrote, “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The Passover lamb pointed ahead to Jesus. What we learn. Jesus' signs point to who He is. The best reason to come to Jesus is Jesus Himself, and He welcomes everyone who comes.

After these things (6:1). Just before this, Jesus healed a man at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem (John 5). Now Jesus is back in Galilee and crosses the lake. Luke says they went to “a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida” (Luke 9:10). Two names for one lake. The Sea of Galilee was also called the Sea of Tiberias, after the city Herod Antipas built on its western shore and named for the Roman emperor Tiberius. Signs (6:2). John's word for Jesus' miracles is semeion (say: say-MAY-on), which means a sign. A sign points beyond itself. John wrote down Jesus' signs so “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). Following for the gifts. The crowd followed because of the healings. The next day Jesus told them, “you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (6:26). Many wanted what Jesus could give more than they wanted Jesus. A teacher sits (6:3). Jewish teachers usually sat to teach, with their students around them. Luke adds that Jesus “received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:11). Passover was near (6:4). Many Jewish families would have been traveling toward Jerusalem for the feast, which probably helps explain the huge crowd. Bread at Passover. At Passover, Israel ate the lamb with bread made without yeast and remembered how God brought them out of Egypt (Exodus 12). On this hillside Jesus gives bread to a crowd, and the next day He says He Himself is the bread from heaven (6:32-35). The true Lamb. John the Baptist had pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). At a later Passover Jesus died on the cross. “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Application. Ask yourself why you come to Jesus. He is kind to people who come for His gifts, but He invites us to want Him most of all.

Big crowds followed Jesus wherever He went. They had seen Him heal sick people. Those healings were signs. A sign points to something bigger. Jesus' signs pointed to who He is. He is God's Son, sent from heaven. Jesus went up on a hill and sat down. His followers sat with Him. Teachers often sat down to teach in those days. It was almost time for the Passover Feast. At Passover, God's people remembered how He saved them from Egypt. Jesus came to save people from sin. You can come close to Jesus, just like that crowd.

Many people followed Jesus. They saw Him make sick people well. Jesus sat on a hill with His friends. Jesus loves it when we come to Him.

Jesus saw them. “Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him” (6:5). Jesus noticed the hungry crowd before anyone else did. The question. He asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (6:5). Jesus already knew. “But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do” (6:6). Jesus was never stuck. He had a plan before the problem showed up. Why a test? A test from God is not a trick to make us fail. It is a chance for our faith to grow. Jesus wanted Philip to look at Him, not only at the problem. Philip's math. “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little” (6:7). A denarius was about one day's pay for a worker, so this was most of a year's wages. Right numbers, small faith. Philip's numbers were right. Money could not fix this problem. But Philip left Someone out of his math: Jesus was standing right there. Your tests. Sometimes we face problems far bigger than we are, like a hard week at school or a friend who moves away. Jesus already knows what He will do. We can pray before we panic. What we learn. Jesus is never surprised. When you are tested, look to Jesus first.

Jesus starts the conversation (6:5). Mark tells us that the disciples later urged Jesus, “Send them away” (Mark 6:36). John adds that Jesus raised the question with Philip first. Jesus was ahead of His disciples the whole time. Why Philip? Philip came from Bethsaida (John 1:44), and Luke places this meal near Bethsaida (Luke 9:10). Philip probably knew where bread could be bought in that area. A test (6:6). The Greek word is peirazo (say: pay-RAHD-zoh). It can mean to test or to tempt, depending on who is doing it and why. When God tests His people, He is proving and strengthening their faith. Moses told Israel that God led them through the wilderness “to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart” (Deuteronomy 8:2). He knew (6:6). “For He Himself knew what He would do.” Again and again John shows that Jesus knows what is coming (2:24-25; 6:64; 13:1). The test was for Philip's sake. Jesus did not need information. Two hundred denarii (6:7). One denarius was a common day's wage for a worker. Two hundred denarii was most of a year's income, and Philip said even that would buy only a little for each person. Counting without Christ. Philip measured the need against what money could do. That is a natural way to think, but it leaves out the Lord of creation: “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3). Faith that looks up. Real faith does not pretend a problem is small. Abraham faced his own impossible situation, and “he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief” (Romans 4:20). Application. When a need is bigger than your resources, do the honest math, and then bring the need to Jesus, who already knows what He will do.

Jesus looked up and saw the big crowd coming. He asked Philip where they could buy bread for everyone. Jesus was not asking because He did not know. The Bible says Jesus already knew what He planned to do. He asked to test Philip. A test from Jesus is not a trick. It helps our faith grow stronger. Philip thought about money. He said it would take almost a year's pay. Even then, each person would get only a little piece. Philip was counting what they had. Jesus wanted him to think about who was with them. When a problem looks too big, we can look to Jesus.

Jesus asked Philip a question. Jesus already knew what He would do. Jesus always has a plan. We can trust Him with big problems.

Andrew spoke up. “One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him” (6:8). Andrew told Jesus what food there was. A lad's lunch. “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish” (6:9). A lad is a boy. Barley bread was usually cheaper than wheat bread. So many. “But what are they among so many?” (6:9). Andrew was honest. Next to thousands of hungry people, the lunch looked like almost nothing. Sit down. “Then Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place” (6:10). Jesus was getting ready to serve a meal. About five thousand men. “So the men sat down, in number about five thousand” (6:10). Matthew says women and children were there too (Matthew 14:21), so the crowd was even bigger. He gave thanks. “And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples” (6:11). Jesus thanked His Father before the meal. Thanking God for our food is something Jesus did. Helpers. The disciples carried the food “to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish” (6:11). Jesus did the miracle, and He let His friends help. As much as they wanted. Nobody got only a crumb. Jesus fed them all “as much as they wanted” (6:11). What we learn. What we bring may look small, but nothing is too small in Jesus' hands. Thank God for every meal.

Andrew (6:8). John names Andrew as “Simon Peter’s brother.” Andrew and Philip appear together again in John 12:20-22, when some Greeks asked to see Jesus. Both times the two of them bring a problem to Jesus. Barley loaves (6:9). Barley was the first grain harvested each spring, around Passover, and barley bread was usually the cheaper bread. The loaves were probably small and flat. Small fish. Andrew's word means small fish eaten with bread, probably dried or salted. It was an ordinary lunch, not a feast. An honest doubt. “But what are they among so many?” Andrew doubted that it would help, but he still brought what there was to Jesus. Faith can be small and still bring things to the right Person. Order (6:10). Mark adds that Jesus had the people sit “in groups on the green grass” (Mark 6:39), and they sat “in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties” (Mark 6:40). Green grass fits springtime near Passover. The miracle was calm and orderly. Thanks (6:11). “When He had given thanks.” Jewish families blessed God before eating bread. Jesus, the Son, thanked the Father for food that would soon feed thousands. At the Last Supper He again “took bread, gave thanks and broke it” (Luke 22:19). Through the disciples. Jesus “distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down” (6:11). The miracle was Jesus' work. The serving was the disciples' work. Jesus still works through His people as they serve others. Filled (6:11). “As much as they wanted.” This was not a taste. It was a full meal for every person on the hillside. Application. Bring what you have to Jesus, even when it seems far too little. He is the One who makes it enough, and He lets you help carry His gifts to others.

Andrew was Simon Peter's brother. He told Jesus about a boy. The boy had five loaves of barley bread and two little fish. Andrew said, “But that is not enough for so many people.” It looked like a very small lunch. But Jesus can do great things with small gifts. Jesus told the people to sit down on the grass. Then He took the bread. He thanked God for it. Jesus gave thanks before the meal, and we can too. His followers helped give out the food. They did the same with the fish. Everyone ate as much as they wanted!

A boy had bread and two fish. Jesus thanked God for the food. Then everyone had enough!

Filled. “So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost’” (6:12). Fragments are broken pieces. Nothing wasted. Jesus could make bread from almost nothing, yet He still cared about the leftovers. God's gifts matter to Him. Twelve baskets. “Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten” (6:13). They ended with far more than they started with. The people saw. “Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world’” (6:14). Which Prophet? Moses had promised, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear” (Deuteronomy 18:15). In Moses' day God fed Israel with bread from heaven. Now Jesus fed a crowd in a lonely place. Right, but not enough. They were right that Jesus is that Prophet (Acts 3:22). But they wanted to “take Him by force to make Him king” (6:15), so Jesus went away to the mountain alone. They wanted a king who would fill their stomachs. Jesus came to give His life. Who He is. The next day Jesus told them, “I am the bread of life” (6:35). The bread on the hillside pointed to Jesus Himself. What we learn. Jesus gives more than enough, and He cares about every crumb. He is more than a miracle worker. He is the Son of God.

Filled (6:12). “So when they were filled.” Everyone ate until they were satisfied. The Lord who made the world did not hand out tiny portions. Fragments (6:12). The word is klasmata (say: KLAHS-mah-tah), broken pieces. These were pieces broken from the loaves for serving that were left after everyone had eaten. “So that nothing is lost.” The command shows that God's good gifts are worth caring for. Plenty is never an excuse for waste. Twelve baskets (6:13). All four Gospels tell this miracle, and all four mention twelve baskets left over (Matthew 14:20; Mark 6:43; Luke 9:17). The leftovers proved that a real miracle had happened: five loaves could never fill twelve baskets. A second feeding. Matthew and Mark also record a later meal, when Jesus fed four thousand men with seven loaves (Matthew 15:32-38). Jesus did not run out of kindness. The Prophet (6:14). Deuteronomy 18:15 promised a Prophet like Moses. Moses' generation ate bread from heaven in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4), so a crowd fed in a lonely place thought of that promise. Peter later preached that Jesus is that Prophet (Acts 3:22). The wrong crown (6:15). “Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” Many probably hoped for a king who would feed them and free them from Rome. Jesus would not be crowned their way. He later told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). The food that lasts. The next day Jesus said, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life” (6:27). Then He said, “I am the bread of life” (6:35). Application. It is possible to want Jesus' gifts and not want Jesus. Come to Him for Himself.

Everyone ate until they were full. Then Jesus told His followers to gather the leftover pieces. He said, “Don’t waste anything.” God gives us so much, and every gift matters. The followers filled 12 large baskets with pieces of bread. That was more food than they started with! The people saw this miracle. They said, “He must truly be the Prophet.” Long before, Moses said God would send a special Prophet. The people were right about that. Jesus is that Prophet. But He is even more than a prophet. He is the Son of God, who gives life to the world.

Jesus said, “Don’t waste anything.” His friends filled 12 baskets. Jesus gives more than enough! He cares about every crumb.