JOHN 6: 1-15
JESUS FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSAND
[Isaiah 55:1-4]
The feeding of the five thousand is the one miracle along with the resurrection that is included in all four Gospels (Mt.14:13-21; Mk. 6:30-44; Lk. 9:10-17; Jn. 6:1-13). It held strong appeal, especially for those who had learned of Israel’s experience in the wilderness when God “rained down manna upon them to eat, and gave them food from heaven” (Ps. 78:24).
It still holds strong appeal for this sign shows Jesus to be the supplier of men’s needs (1 Cor. 10:3-5). He is the Living Bread (6:51), the True Bread of God (v. 33), the True Bread out of heaven (v. 32). He is the one who daily feeds the whole world by creating harvest fields from a few grains. [Morris, John, 340-341]
Christ always has been the provider of His people’s needs. He will always be. The question is will we see our true needs and look to Him to provide them. Jesus is the One who is the hope of the Second Exodus, which will lead to freedom from mankind’s slavery to self, sin, and Satan. This miracle, rightly understood, points to Jesus as the Messiah and to a heavenly kingdom. The crowd that experienced the miracle wanted an earthly kingdom.
I. THE FOLLOWING, 1-4.
II. THE DILEMMA, 5- 7.
III. THE SOLUTION, 8-11.
IV. THE RESULTS, 12-16.
Verse 1 points out the leaving of Jerusalem and the return to Galilee. After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).
Jesus has returned to Galilee from Jerusalem. The setting of the story is the Sea of Galilee, which John clarifies for those readers who may not know Israel, calling it also the Sea of Tiberias (probably the official Roman name). Tiberias was a new city on the west shore of the sea (named after the emperor), founded in about A.D. 26 by Herod Antipas (the regional ruler of Galilee and son of Herod the Great).
Jesus continue to show compassion to the sick as verse 2 indicates. A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.
The multitude continually followed [imperfect tense] Jesus. The reason they kept following was because they continually saw signs. Jesus performed a great number of miracles of which we have no record (Jn. 20:30).
One of the fascinating features of Christ’s earthly ministry was His way with crowds of people. Again and again He is followed by multitudes, or speaking to multitudes. [Though the salvation experience is an individual encounter and people enter the kingdom one by one, yet Christ also appeals to the crowds.]
Verse 3 relays where the event took place and verse 4 indicate the time of year. Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. (4) Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.
At the time it was evident that people knew where “the mountain” was located. Today we are uncertain. The approaching Passover means it is the springtime. This reference to Passover (2:13, 23) is John’s second, which gives us the idea that Jesus observed the requirement of Judaism to recognize and celebrate these feasts.
II. THE DILEMMA, 5- 7.
Verse 5 indicates an un-summoned crowd follow Jesus. Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?”
These words convey that Jesus’ compassion was not simply for man’s lostness and sickness. He also has practical concern for people. He turns to Philip for a course of action. If anyone knew where to get food for the multitude that sought Jesus out it would have been Philip. Philip was from Bethsaida, a town about nine miles away (1:44). Jesus was testing Philip to strengthen his faith. By asking for a human solution (knowing that there was none), Jesus high lighted the powerful and miraculous act that He was about to perform
Jesus knew the solution to the dilemma before He involved Philip as we learn from verse 6. This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.
Jesus wanted to see what Philip would say. What plan of action would feed this large crowd? Phillip would never forget this lesson.
Verse 7 contains Philip’s reply. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.”
When Jesus asked Philip where they could buy a great amount of bread (verse 6), Philip started assessing the probable cost. He was the logical thinker of the group, the dollars and cents man. His reply stress the hopelessness of the situation judged from the meager resources of the group. Two hundred denarii or eight months wages would not buy enough bread to give this crowd a little taste. Philip does not come up with a solution, but points out the hopeless impossibility.
Jesus wanted to teach him that financial resources are not the most important ones. We can limit what God does in us by assuming what is and is not possible. Is there some impossible task that you believe God wants you to do? Don’t let your estimate of what can’t be done keep you from taking on the task. God can do the miraculous; trust Him to provide the resources.
III. THE SOLUTION, 8-11.
In verses 8 and 9 we again encounter Andrew bringing someone to Jesus. One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, (9) “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?”
In contrast to Philip’s pessimism, Andrew presented a lad who had volunteered his humble lunch, knowing it was not do much but at least it was something.
The disciples are contrasted with the youngster who brought what he had. They certainly had more resources than the boy, but they knew they didn’t have enough, so they didn’t offer anything at all. The boy gave what little he had, and it made all the difference. If we offer nothing to God, He will have nothing to use. But He can take what little we have and turn it into something great.
In performing His miracles, Jesus preferred to work through people. Here He took what a young child offered and used it to accomplish one of the most spectacular miracles recorded in the Gospels. Age is no barrier to Christ. Never think you are too young or old to be of service to Him.
At certain times in life we may fell insignificant and useless. Surrounded by people with greater talent than ours, we are tempted in our weak moments just to settle back and let somebody else do the work. We reason that what we have to offer won’t make much difference anyway.
We forget the truth suggested by our Lord’s use of the five loaves and two small fish to feed a multitude. Each of us has something important to offer in His service.
Sir Michael Costa was CONDUCTING A REHEARSAL in which the orchestra was joined by a great chorus. About halfway through the session with trumpets blaring, drums rolling, and violins singing their rich melody, the piccolo player muttered to himself; "What good am I doing? I might just as well not be playing. Nobody can hear me anyway." So he kept the instrument to his mouth, but he made no sound. Within moments the conductor cried;
"Stop! Stop! Where’s the piccolo? It was missed by the most important person of all.
It’s much the same way with the use of our abilities for the Lord. Whether our talent is great or small, the performance isn’t complete until we do our best with what we have. [Richard De Haan] In God’s eyes it is a great thing to do a little thing for Him.
Now that Jesus has been given something to work with, something to bless, in verse 10 Jesus takes charge. Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
Jesus has the disciples organize the people into seated groups in order to minister to them. Apart from the women and children there were five thousand men. The total number would have been around 10,000.
The power of brokeness before God is illustrated in verse 11. Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.
Jesus gives grace (eucharisteo) and then breaks the pita like bread. The word translated thanksgiving is commonly used for holy communion today and gives an eschatological indication. [Murray, Word Commentary, John, 88]. [The eucharist or the breaking of bread represents the breaking of Jesus’ body on Calvary. By His broken body the many are redeemed and spiritually sustained. This emphasis on provision and multiplication through brokenness is remembered in the Lord’s Supper still today. Olford, Basics For Believers, 190-192]
Thanksgiving comes first and then the miracle of provision. Jesus changed the offered bread into more bread. Each ate until they were satisfied.
God gives in abundance. He takes whatever we can offer Him in time, ability, or resources and multiplies its effectiveness beyond our wildest expectations. If you take the first step in making yourself available to God, He will show you how greatly you can be used to advance the work of His kingdom.
IV. THE RESULTS, 12-16.
The truth of Proverbs 11:24, “One man gives freely yet grows all the richer is illustrated in verses 12 and 13. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” (13) So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
However much amazing grace the Lord bestows there is always more left. He is never impoverished by His generosity.
A LOAF OF UNSLICED BREAD was passed around the table and each person was asked to respond to it. One squeezed it and said, "It’s fresh." Another commented, "It smells delicious." Still another noted, "It looks nourishing.” Finally someone said, "That’s true, and I’m hungry!" With that, she broke off a piece and ate it. Her response said it all: Unbroken bread is useless.
One day Jesus faced 5,000 hungry men. Only by putting it into the Father’s hands and breaking the five loaves and two fish into pieces could He miraculously feed the multitude and He refused to waste any leftover fragments.
Not only did this miracle foreshadow Christ’s brokenness on the cross-a breaking that would make the Bread of Life available to all-but it also speaks to me of the of the brokenness that believers must experience if they are to be used by God.
Do you fear a loss of usefulness due to broken health, broken hopes, broken promises? Fear not! Although somethings lose their usefulness once they’re broken, there are many things that become more useful when broken. Two of these are broken loaves and broken lives.
If you’ll yield the fragments of your life to God, He’ll not waste a crumb of what you’re going through. Broken things become useful in God’s hands.
Did you know that what starts as a curse can end as a blessing? When the Mexican BOLL- WEEVIL devastated the southeast Alabama cotton crop, farmers reverted to planting peanuts and ended up producing more than any county in the nation. Consequently the town of Rucker erected a monument bearing this inscription, "In profound appreciation of the boll weevil and what it has done as the herald of prosperity."
When Jesus discovered Lazarus was sick he didn’t respond till after he’d been dead four days. But because Jesus was waiting didn’t mean He wasn’t working. He chose to demonstrate His resurrecting power - to prove that nothing’s too hard for God. Moses spent forty years in the wilderness while God broken him to prepare him to lead Israel for forty years. Joseph was falsely imprisoned for 13 years. But God was with him and he went on to save multitudes, including his family who’d mistreated him. Joseph’s struggles made him better, riot bitter. But it could have ended differently if he hadn’t maintained the right attitude. God used Esther to save her people, but first he put her in the position of living where she didn’t want to live and doing what she didn’t want to do. Even though a widow, Ruth ended up gleaning in a field where she met and married a wealthy man named Boaz. In addition to bearing him children, she became part of Jesus’ ancestral bloodline. So if you’re struggling to see God’s purpose in your suffering today, rest assured He has one. After feeding a multitude Jesus told His disciples, "Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted." In God’s kingdom nothing is ever lost. When you trust Him He makes "all things work together for good" (Ro 8:28).
A broken heart can give to life great depth and beauty never known;
And when that heart yields all to Christ, His love through it is clearly shown. -DJD
[There is a lesson in the leftovers. I read a humorous story about a woman who fell out of a second-floor window and landed in a slow-moving garbage truck. Half-buried in the litter, she tried without success to get the truck driver’s attention. A foreign diplomat standing on the sidewalk saw her and quipped, "Another example of how wasteful Americans are. That woman looks like she’s good for at least another 10 years."
That’s just a funny story, but wastefulness is a serious matter. We live in a world where people are hungry and starving, not because food is scarce but because food is wasted and distribution methods are inadequate. No one person can eliminate this problem, but we can all do our part by avoiding wastefulness and sharing with others.
Jesus set a good example. He produced tons of food to feed more than 5,000 people by miraculously multiplying a small boy’s lunch. Then after all had finished eating, He told His disciples to gather up the leftovers so that nothing would be wasted.
I’m not saying that we must eat everything that is set before us so that it won’t be wasted. That wouldn’t be good for our health nor our waistline. But we can use good sense and conserve our God-given resources with the welfare of others in mind. When your cup overflows, share it don’t waste it.]
The crowds reaction begins in verse14. Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
He has just recreated the miracle of Moses! The crowd interprets Jesus’ miracle as messianic. To identify Him as “the Prophet who is to come into the world” is a reference to Deuteronomy 18:15 – 19, which prophesies that a prophet like Moses will some day return.
They were correct in understanding who He was, but so wrong in understanding the kingdom He came to establish. The sign pointed to Him but the food was to point to Him also as the food of eternal life (v. 27).
Verse 15 reveals that their misinterpretation leads to wrong idea of Jesus’ kingdom. Jesus perceiving that they intended to come and take Him by force and make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
The crowd has no clue what they have just witnessed. In their arrogance they wish to exploit it like a marketing company exploits a new household invention. They want Jesus for their own ends. They want Him to miraculously provide the necessities of life for them.
Jesus rejected the world’s version of king and kingdom like He did the temptation of the devil in Matthew 4:8-10. This miracle, rightly understood, points to Jesus as the Messiah and to a heavenly kingdom instead of an earthly kingdom as the crowd that experienced the miracle wanted.
He who is already King has come to open His kingdom to men, but men in their blindness try to force Him to be the kind of king they want. When they fail to get Him to be the kind of king the want, they also tragically reject the kingdom He offers.
CONCLUSION / RESPONSE
Previously in John we have seen Jesus as the source of rebirth, living water, and healing. Now we learn that Jesus is the provider of food, the source of life for the people who follow Him, for whatever reason they follow Him.
This said, Jesus does not promise political or worldly prominence or to put on the dole all who follow His banner. Yet opportunists still put such words in Jesus’ mouth.
But He does promise for all who place their life in His loving hands that all the broken He brings will be for the cause of multiplication and usefulness in His kingdom’s service. No matter what broken you may be experiencing from offering Him your life, trust Him; nothing of your broken will be lost and multiplication will be gained.
