Every gospel writer in the New Testament attests that Jesus miraculously fed. This huge multitude. And this miracle reveals to the masses that he is sent from the one who provides our daily bread. During the months of October and November, several countries around the world celebrate a holiday in which people give thanks.
So over the next few Sundays on Renewing Your Mind, we'll hear from RC Sproll on the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. Be reminded that Jesus is the bread of life, the true bread from heaven. Hi, I'm Nathan W. Bingham, and thank you for joining us for today's edition of Renewing Your Mind. We'll be in John's Gospel over the next three weeks, but you can take the time to study all of John.
when you request RC Sprawl's commentary on John. Learn how to receive a copy when you visit renewingyourmind.org before midnight tonight.
Well, to begin this short series, here's Dr. Sprahl, the founder of Ligonier Ministries in John chapter 6.
So, our lesson this morning is from John chapter 6. Versus one. Through 14, and here we have John's record. of the feeding of the 5,000. After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
And then a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs. which he performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat. with his disciples.
Now, the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. And then Jesus lifted up his eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward him. He said to Philip, Where shall we buy bread? That these may eat. But this he said to test him.
for he himself knew what he would do. And Philip answered him two hundred denarii worth of bread. is not sufficient for them. that every one of them May have a little One of his disciples Andrew. Simon Peter's brother said to him, There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish But what are they?
Among so many. And then Jesus said, Make the people sit down.
Now there was much grass in the place.
So the men sat down in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves. And when he had given thanks, he distributed them to the disciples. And the disciples to those sitting down. And likewise of the fish As much.
as they wanted So when they were filled. He said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain so that nothing is lost. And therefore they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with the fragments. of the five barley loaves which are left over, By those Who had eaten? Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, This is truly the Prophet.
Who has come into the world. In this portion of John's Gospel. That I've just read. We have a record of a miracle of Jesus. which is the only miracle that is reported In all four.
of the Gospels. That in itself should call attention to its importance for us. But of course, one of the reasons for that is that John spends most of his time. Focusing attention on Jesus' ministry in Judea. And this event occurs in Galilee.
In the northern part of the nation, along the shores of the lake of Tiberias or the Sea of Galilee. or Kenarith, who find it called various times. in various places in the scriptures. The lake was renamed early in the first century When Herod Antipas dedicated a city on its shores to the reigning emperor of the time, Tiberius Caesar. And so, when John is writing his recollection of these events, he makes reference to.
the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. There are some details that one might consider minor. That are included in John's record of this event. That we don't find in the other Gospels. I'll mention them.
when we come to them. But we're told here, as in the other Gospels. That a great multitude was following Jesus after he went over the Sea of Galilee. And the reason they were following him was because they saw the signs that he had performed on those who were sick and afflicted. They had witnessed his miracles.
and so that attracted this great crowd.
Now we read that the Passover was near. There are several times in John's Gospel when John indicates that what he is reporting takes place during various feasts of the Jews. And three times, I believe, he makes reference to the Passover, and that becomes significant. in a few moments, as we will see.
So in any case, it was near to the time of the Passover, And Jesus went up on to this mountain and sat there with his disciples, and he looked up and he saw this tremendous multitude that was following after him. And when he sees this crowd approaching, he says to Philip, Where will we buy bread? That these people may eat. This is one of those times where the scriptures tell us that Jesus. was putting his own disciples to the test.
There's a logistical problem that they're encountering here and a serious problem similar to that which the steward of the feast faced at the wedding feast of Canaan when Jesus performed his first miracle when they were running out of wine. Here, you have this huge throng of people pressing up towards Jesus, and presumably Jesus instructed them for quite some time, and now they're hungry and they have no food to eat.
So Jesus says to Philip. Where are we going to buy enough bread to feed all of these people? We're also told that Jesus knew exactly what he planned to do, and he really wasn't worried about coming up with enough money. to buy provisions for this huge multitude. But listen to Philip's great response of faith.
Philip, who had been present in the other miracles of Christ, He said that two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them might have a little.
Now denarius was the standard daily wage for a laborer. in Israel at this time. And so what Philip is saying is. Eight months salary of a normal employee. Is not going to be enough money.
The buy Enough food so that each person assembled here can just get a little taste. And so Philip. flunks the test. Jesus said, where are we going to get the provisions to feed these people? And what's Philip saying?
Beats me. I mean, it's going to cost more than 200 denarii in order to feed this mass of humanity. I have no idea where we're going to get that kind of money.
Now Into the picture comes another of the disciples, the one for whom our Church is named. Andrew. And Andrew. Whose Simon's brother said to Jesus, There's a lad here. Who has five barley loaves and two small fish?
Now, if it stopped right there, we would be excited about this projection of faith. By Andrew, Andrew, who's always found bringing somebody to Jesus. And Jesus is looking around for provisions for the multitude. Andrew says, Well, I've spied out the land and I found one little boy here. He's got five barley loaves and a couple of fish.
If it stops right there. Then you could say, well, that he's indicating, well, I know Jesus, you could take of this and make more than enough for everybody, but instead, he says, What is that among so many? His faith isn't any greater than Philip's at this point.
Now here's one of those details. John's the only one that tells us. that they're barley loaves. The other Gospels leave out that particular Descriptive term. And so we have to ask why.
Barley loaves. What's the significance of that?
Some people say.
Well, this draws attention. to a smaller miracle that is recorded in the book of Kings. that was performed by Elisha in the Old Testament. Where he multiplied The loaves of a servant boy that brought to him in order to feed a lot of people, not nearly as many people as assembled here, and that there's a connection there because that boy had barley loaves. Whether that's in John's mind or not is pure speculation.
But one thing we can learn from the significance of the fact that they were barley loaves. was that this boy was carrying The lowest quality of bread available to people at the time. Only those who were living in poverty for the most part would eat bread made from barley.
Now, also, just another little detail to get it straight. It's not like Andrew goes over and finds this little boy with five big loaves of bread. And some fish. You may have a knapsack or a bushel basket to be carrying around five loaves of bread and these fish. No, no, no.
These Barley loaves were small cakes. Almost like a Twinkie. You were. made out of barley. And the fish were small fish.
that were used just to give some flavor. to the barley cake, sort of like Uh, sardines or smoked herring, or something of that site.
So, really, it's not even five big loaves of bread and a boatload of salmon here. The provisions are more meager. then we would assume just by reading the words here in the text. Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Another detail: there's much grass in the place, which squares.
With the description that this was near the time of Paso, because they're situated in what would today be described as the Golan Heights. And when summer comes, it burns away the grass and thing as the scorched earth. But here it's still grassy. Jesus makes them comfortable, sitting them all down in the grass.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, it says. There were five thousand men. Not five thousand people. It's five thousand men. not counting the women.
and children. And estimates have ranged anywhere from a total Crowd of ten thousand to fifteen thousand people. who were assembled on this place. That Jesus is about to feed. And Jesus took the loaves.
And when he had given thanks. He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down. and likewise of the fish as much as they wanted.
So when they were filled He said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain.
so that nothing is lost. Therefore, they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves. which were left over by those who had eaten.
So, Jesus not only multiplies these barley cakes that this little boy brings. And multiplies the fish to feed fifteen thousand people. But he feeds them to their fullest satisfaction. And after the feast there are twelve huge baskets. In which the leftover provisions are filled up.
Some think that the reason for the number 12 is that it represents the 12 tribes of Israel and the complete way in which their covenant God meets their needs. And meets their provisions. This is the God of providence at work, the God who provides. For his people. And it certainly echoes the wilderness experience of the Old Testament when God's people were nurtured daily by the bread from heaven.
that appeared as manna. And we also see the strategic placement of this particular event. Where, as we will see in weeks to come, Jesus follows it up with the bread of life and bread of heaven discourse. That God miraculously meets the needs of his people through his appointed son. Who multiplies the loaves and the fishes?
And what we have here. is a narrative. They're without ambiguity. purports To be a miracle. And it is miracle accounts like this.
that vex higher critics of scripture. In the 19th century, there developed a school, an academic school called the Religious Historical School that sought to reinterpret and revise the biblical record. to strip it of all supernatural elements. And reduce The biblical record to natural events Around a man who distinguished himself. As a great ethical teacher, namely Jesus of Nazareth.
I grew up in a church. Where the minister Was described by the dean of one seminary as, quote, an unreconstructed 19th century liberal. And that's what I learned in Sunday school when I was growing up. And I'll never forget the occasion of studying the feeding of the 5,000 and how our minister dealt with that. And he said, well, here's how it really happened.
He said, this crowd of people. obviously included thousands who had had the foresight before they went out for the day to pack lunches for themselves. But there were also those who neglected. To make provision for a long day on the mountain. And so, when we have this huge assembly coming together, and it's time to eat, and people are hungry.
What you have in that collection are those who are the halves. and those who are the have-nots. And so what Jesus did. was that he found a little boy. Who was willing to share his lunch?
with others. And using this little boy as an example, Jesus persuaded those who were assembled who had brought provisions with them. To share with those who hadn't. And so the real miracle. was an ethical miracle.
Other interpretations were even less sanguine. One of the scholars of the nineteenth century. Trying to understand what really happened there came up with this scenario. That prior to the event, Jesus and his disciples had found a cave nearby. And they had stored.
A huge cache of bread and fish in this cave. And you've seen magicians on television who wear clothes like mine and they pull sausages or scarves endlessly out of their robe.
Well, what happened was Jesus had his disciples lined up. forming a bucket brigade in the cave. And Jesus stood out there, and they're shoveling all this bread and fish. In the behind his robe, and he's pulling it out of his sleeve until he feeds all of these people. You know how many How many loaves and fishes a magician would have to have up his sleeve to feed 15,000 people?
That was the most prodigious magical act. In the history of the world, if that's actually what happened. I also noticed a little detail. That part of the narrative is that when Jesus distributes the food. He distributes it first to the disciples.
And then the disciples distributed.
So I don't know where he found enough extra disciples to hide in the cave. But this is the extent to which People like the Jesus seminar folks. And the hierarchics of scripture go. to remove the miraculous From the scriptures. Ladies and gentlemen, every gospel writer in the New Testament attests.
that Jesus miraculously fed This huge multitude. And this miracle. reveals to the masses. That he is sent from the one who provides our daily bread. Who provided the manna for the people of Israel in the Old Testament?
And quickly, let me finish by looking to the reaction of the crowd. In the first instance, when they saw this, they said, This is truly the prophet. who was to come in the world.
Now we looked at verse 15. Therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force. to make him king. He departed again to the mountain by himself. Is not Jesus the anointed King of kings?
Is he not the king of the Jews? Why would he leave when, after this miracle, these people press on him because they want to take him and make him? There Okay. Here's another Reason why I think perhaps John mentioned that this is taking place near the time of the Passover. Remember that at this time in Jewish history, the Passover is not just an exciting and important religious festival.
But it is the Supreme. Celebration of national pride. During the occupation of Israel, our celebration of July 4th isn't worthy to be compared with the excitement that the Jews experienced on Passover when they reaffirmed their hope that God would deliver them. from the tyranny of Rome. And so while this frenzy is going on.
And while the people were desperately looking for somebody that would rescue them from the yoke of Roman tyranny.
Now the perfect political candidate appears on the scene. The things that wins political votes everywhere. A chicken in every pot. A loaf and a fish in every lunch. It doesn't get any better than that.
This is the kind of king we want, one who will care for us from the cradle to the grave. And Jesus read their hearts, and he knew that the kind of king they were looking for. had nothing to do, with the kingdom that he had come to inaugurate. They were looking For the kingdom of man And he came to bring. The kingdom of God.
May that not be any of us missing the giver of every good gift. By focusing on this life only. and the kingdom of man. Yeah. You're listening to Renewing Your Mind on this Sunday as each week we feature the preaching ministry of R.
C. Sprawl. As Christians, we are to be a thankful people. And it is such a blessing that when it comes to giving thanks, we know the One to whom we are to give thanks. Today's sermon was from chapter 6 of John's Gospel.
But all of Dr. Sproll's sermons in John were brought together to develop his commentary. You can request a hardcover copy of this commentary when you give a donation in support of Renewing Your Mind at renewingyourmind.org before midnight tonight. Your support keeps Renewing Your Mind freely available to countless Christians and supports the proclamation of the gospel and teaching resources that help provide a deeper understanding of the Bible for so many. Thank you for your generosity.
RenewingYourMind. org is where you should go to give your gift and to thank you we'll send you this commentary on John's Gospel. And if you live outside of the US and Canada, the ebook edition is available at renewingyourmind. org slash global. If you do live in the US and Canada, but you prefer the convenience of an E-book, your donation can go even further when you opt to respond at Renewing Your Mind.
org slash global. Thank you. Jesus is the bread of heaven, and that will be RC Sproll's focus next time as we continue this short series in John's Gospel.
So make plans to join us next time here on Renewing Your Mind.
