DAY SIXTY-ONE:
Feeding the Five Thousand
Chapter 9 of Luke's Gospel begins with Jesus sending out His disciples to minister without Him. This gave the disciples, who in time would become apostles and lead the church, an opportunity to learn of God's power. It also gave Jesus an extended time when He could be alone in prayer. He "...gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal." The important thing for us to realize here is that the disciples performed miracles the same way that Jesus did, through trusting in God. Philippians 2:6-7 says of Jesus, "...who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men." Even though He was God He did not use His power as God to do any of His miracles (that's what the devil tried to get Him to do when he tempted Jesus). When He was on the earth, Jesus was like us in every respect and took on our same limitations.
Next we read a little blurb about King Herod. He's the one who reluctantly beheaded John the Baptist. Herod was conflicted over John: he disliked hearing that his relationship with his brother's wife was sinful, yet he gladly listened to John and at some level knew he was right. Now word has arrived at his palace about Jesus and the miracles He performed. This was back before TV news, so we can pardon Herod for thinking that John had come back to life. Herod wanted to see Jesus, and indeed he would soon enough.
Now we come to the feeding of the 5,000. This is the only miracle found in all four gospels. The disciples returned from their mission and reported to Jesus what had happened. Luke doesn't record what the twelve disciples said, but I'm sure it was similar to what we read in the next chapter when Jesus sent out 72 followers by twos: "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" (10:17) Jesus wanted to take them away to the area around Bethsaida for a time apart. They would need it, just as Jesus did, after ministering to the crowds. Word got out, though, and the people followed. Jesus didn't get angry that His plans were thwarted. Instead He welcomed them and ministered to the people. He taught them about the Kingdom and healed their diseases.
It was past mid-afternoon and the disciples were concerned for the people. These people had missed lunch to come here and it will be suppertime soon. They told Jesus He'd better send them away so that they can go into the towns and buy some food. But Jesus said to the disciples, "You give them something to eat." John tells us that Phillip replied "Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little." A denarius was a day's wage for a workingman. That's a lot of money, and it wouldn't buy enough so that everyone could have a little taste. John went on to report that Andrew, Peter's brother, came to Jesus and said, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" These were little barley loaves, akin to hamburger buns today, and the fish were probably on the small side, like panfish. Unlike everybody else, this boy had thought to bring some food. But we're told that there were 5,000 men alone, not counting women and children. But Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups of about 50. Jesus then prayed, thanking God for this food and the disciples began to distribute the loaves and fishes to the people. The baskets never went empty! Everyone ate his fill. They were so full that when Jesus told the disciples to pick up all of the pieces they filled twelve baskets. These were probably fairly large baskets with handles, holding about two bushels (this is the same word used of the basket used to lower Paul over the wall of Damascus). Most of these people existed on the edge of hunger. They were fortunate to eat two small meals a day. Jesus fed them so much food that they couldn't eat another bite and didn't care about taking the leftovers home! Matthew and Mark record that Jesus performed a similar miracle later, feeding 4,000 people with seven loaves of bread. (Matthew 15:38 and Mark 8:9)
This miracle shows Jesus' concern for our physical needs and well-being. Mark's account says, "When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." In the Sermon on the Mount He taught us that we don't need to worry about what we will eat, drink or wear. Our Heavenly Father will care for us. Jesus taught us to pray "Give us this day our daily bread."
John's account of the aftermath of this miracle is also important to help us keep things in proper perspective. Jesus sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee at nightfall while He stayed to pray. Then a storm arose and the disciples feared for their lives. Then Jesus came strolling by on the water as if He were out for a Sunday walk! (We'll look at this miracle of walking on water later in the week). It wasn't long before the crowd showed up to see Jesus again! They wanted more of that miraculous and free food. Jesus could feed everyone so that they'd never be hungry again.
But Jesus didn't perform a miracle this time. He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." (John 6:26-27) Jesus didn't come just to feed our bodies. He came for a much greater purpose, to show us how to have eternal life. He went on to say, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." (6:35) This confused the crowd, and He went on to confuse them even more when He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." (6:53) That sounded like cannibalism, and the people responded, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" (6:60) At this point those great big crowds started to thin out dramatically. Jesus wasn't going to give away free bread. They didn't understand that He was offering them something much, much better.
Here is the feeding of the 5,000 from the Jesus of Nazareth miniseries from 1977. Overall I think this 600-minute portrayal is the best that's ever been done. I'm not as fond of this scene because Jesus somehow seems other-worldly and doesn't pray over the food. Yet I think it captures the crowd's excitement.
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