April 2, 2025
Feeding 5,000 - Part 3
John 6:8-11
04/02/2025
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's
brother, said to him,
9 ``There is a boy here who has five barley loaves
and two fish, but what are they for so many?''
10 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.
11 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.
(ESV)
After John the Baptizer was executed, Jesus and His
disciples traveled into the wilderness near the Sea of Galilee to
rest and escape the crowds. Yet the crowds followed Jesus to
hear Him teach and to see the miracles He performed on the sick.
Thousands of people were there on the mountain, and Jesus asked
the disciples how the multitude would be fed. Philip suggested
they did not have money to purchase even a little food for each
person, so they were at an impasse.
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.
What the disciples reluctantly offered was not enough even
for themselves, much less the five thousand men plus women and
children. The young lad's five loaves and two fish were offered
by the reluctant disciples. Jesus took this meager offering and
multiplied it to feed everyone. Unlike the disciples' idea of
purchasing a small morsel for the crowd, barely satisfying their
needs, Jesus gave in abundance. No one was hungry.
Our Lord provides that which we need to supply this body and
life. That which He gives is in abundance, for God cares for His
creation. He who sent His only-begotten Son to die to redeem us
from sin and death will not allow us to starve.
May our Lord grant us faith to trust in Him because He has
showered us with His everlasting love. Amen.