Feeding the Multitude
TRANSLATION
(1) After this Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias). (2) And a large crowd followed him because they had seen the signs which he performed for those who were sick. (3) Then Jesus went up the mountainside and there sat down with his disciples. (4) Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. (5) When Jesus looked up and saw that a great crowd was coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where will we buy bread for these people to eat?” (6) He said this to test him, for he already knew what he was about to do. (7) Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not be enough to buy bread for each of them to have even a little.” (8) One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, (9) “Here is a boy who brought five barley loaves and two fish, but how far will these go among so many?” (10) Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, so they sat down (about five thousand men were there). (11) Jesus then took the loaves and, after giving thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated, and also with the fish, as much as they wanted. (12) And when they were filled, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing is lost.” (13) So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with leftovers from the five barley loaves which remained. (14) When the crowd saw the sign that he had done, they said, “Truly this is the prophet who is to come into the world.” (15) Knowing that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again up the mountain by himself.
OBSERVATIONS
John’s account of Jesus feeding the multitude included several important repetitions which help us grasp its significance. “Large crowd” occurred twice (vss. 2 & 5) along with the accompanying descriptions, “so many” (vs. 9) and “five thousand in number” (vs. 10). “Mountain” also appeared twice (vss. 3 & 15). “Disciples” occurred three times (vss. 3, 8, & 12) along with three names: “Philip” (vss. 5 & 7) as well as “Andrew” and “Simon Peter” (vs. 8). “Five barley loaves” appeared twice (vss. 9 & 13), “fish” twice (vss. 9 & 11), “loaves” one more time (vs. 11) and “fragments” twice (vss. 12 & 13) along with the descriptive “leftover.”
OUTLINE
I. With a large crowd approaching, Jesus asked his disciples how to feed them. (1-9)
II. Jesus fed the multitude from a boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish. (10 & 11)
III. The disciples gathered up twelve baskets of fragments after everyone had eaten their fill. (12-14)
IV. Jesus withdrew from the crowd because they wanted to crown him king. (15)
IDEA STATEMENT
By feeding a multitude from one small lunch, Jesus demonstrated his power to provide whatever we need whenever we need it.
APPLICATION
John told us that Jesus, in asking Philip where the disciples might buy enough bread to feed the approaching crowd, was testing him, knowing what he was about to do. It was Andrew who suggested an answer to their problem. He told Jesus about a boy who had come with a small lunch. Out of this provision of five loaves and two fish Jesus supplied food for the multitude with twelve baskets of fragments left over. By taking part in distributing the food and gathering up the leftovers, the disciples learned that when we offer to Jesus whatever we have available, he will provide whatever we need to face the challenges before us.
The response of the multitude, wanting to crown Jesus as their king, should not surprise us. The amazing miracle he had performed feeding everyone from such a small provision clearly identified him as the promised Messiah. Contrary to their expectations Jesus had not come to establish his messianic kingdom during his first visit to earth but rather to provide an atoning sacrifice for the sin of all humanity.