Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

(Excerpt from Profound Truths from the Gospel of John, 2021)

A Story with Profound Truths from the Gospel of John

In each story, we will start with a summary of the story. Then we will identify some profound truths and sometimes include some interesting insights. If you are not familiar with the story you will find the entire relevant passage after the profound truths and interesting insights and we will conclude with some Discussion Questions. Notice Jesus is the main character in each story.

The Story

Here is the scene. A large crowd has gathered attracted by Jesus’s healing miracles. Jesus sat down on the mountainside and observed the great crowd had nothing to eat. So, Jesus asked Phillip where they could buy food to feed the crowd. Phillip was alarmed and said it would take a half of a year’s wages to buy enough for each one to get one bite. This was Phillip’s way of saying it would be impossible. Andrew commented that there was a boy who had five loaves and two fishes but that would not be enough to feed the crowd. Can you see the stage being set for a great drama?

Jesus takes charge. He has the people sit down. It was a grassy place and there were about five thousand men. Then Jesus took the loaves and fishes and gave thanks. He had the disciples distribute the loaves and fishes and everyone received as much as they wanted. Jesus had the disciples gather up the remains and there were twelve baskets.

The people were amazed and Jesus left the place. He knew they would want to make Him king. I can’t help but wonder if the people were thinking they had discovered a way to get free lunches. We know that Jesus had a plan for why He came to earth and this was not it. The plan involved a cross and a resurrection.

Profound Truth: Jesus prayed and what was not there before now appeared. When God speaks and Jesus is God what did not exist can now come into existence. This is the pattern we saw in the original creation. God said let there be and there was. God is the great initiator.

Profound Truth: Out of little Jesus can make much. Five loaves and two fishes became enough to feed the 5000 with leftovers.

Interesting Point: Jesus knew what He was going to do, yet He test Phillip with a question. I think this was a faith builder for Phillip and probably for Andrew too.

Interesting Point: Jesus had the leftovers gathered up. Despite the abundance that Jesus had created, He still did not want waste. This is a lesson in the stewardship of what God has provided.

Passage

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself (John 6:1-15).

Discussion Questions

1. Describe how you picture the scene of the feeding of the 5000.
2. Jesus asked Phillip where food could be purchased to feed the crowd. He did this to test Phillip. Can you name other incidents in which Jesus asked questions to test a person?
3. Jesus multiplying the five loaves and two fishes resulted in abundance. Can you name other examples that show abundance in God’s creation?
4. Expound on the concept of God speaking and that which was not in existence coming into existence. Apply this concept to our prayers and God’s answers.

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