Five-minute read.
After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up to the mountain and sat down with his disciples there.
Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”
Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
John 6:1-14
Chapter six opens with a large crowd following closely on Jesus’s heels. After witnessing the miracles He performed, they wanted to know more about the Savior. Curiosity and eagerness motivated the people, wanting to experience the healing power Christ offered. As the day grew long and bellies started to rumble, Jesus knew the crowd needed to eat. When He asks Philip about buying bread, Jesus already knows the answer but wants to test His disciples. Immediately, the practical side of Philip calculates the cost to feed the 5000-plus people, realizing they didn’t have the eight months’ worth of wages to do it.
What prompted Andrew to tell Jesus about the boy’s lunch, I don’t know. Maybe the disciple wanted to test the Savior and see what He would do. Or perhaps Andrew believed Jesus could work a miracle with the barley cakes and fish. Whatever the motivation, Andrew felt safe to offer the suggestion, knowing his Master would know what to do with them. And Christ did. Giving thanks for the bread and fish, Jesus had the disciples distribute to the 5000 men and their wives and children, making the total easily over 10,000. Miracles happen when the Lord gets involved.
Picking up the leftovers, the disciples filled twelve baskets with bread. I wonder what they talked about while gathering the pieces of barley? Astonishment probably filled their conversation as they found yet another piece, then another and another. What started as a mere lunch multiplied divinely into an overflow of blessings. No one left hungry, all full, experiencing a miracle together as one body. Sharing moments bonds people. Everyone who broke bread and ate fish shared an experience they would never forget. Plain barley probably never tasted as good as it did that day. For the rest of their lives, the men, women, and children who enjoyed that meal would never forget it. Or would they?
In just a few chapters, John records the crucifixion of Jesus and the crowd who wanted it done. Did the people shouting, ‘Crucify Him,” forget the lunch Jesus provided for them on this sunny day? Only Jesus knows for sure. Even if they did, Christ forgave them when He got on the cross and asked His Heavenly Father to show mercy. Just as the Savior does for us, taking our sins upon His back, He gives us grace. Today, we remember what Jesus did, thanking the Savior for His provision and the salvation He offers.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for feeding us, forgiving us, and saving us. Please help us remember Your works in our lives, and as we face new challenges, give us the faith to move forward, knowing that what You did before, You can and will do again. We love You, Lord.
IJNIP. Amen
