One day the Lord Jesus and the disciples were in a country place near the shore of the Sea of Galilee and also near a mountain. The people learned where Jesus was, and wanted Him to do more miracles for the sick, so a great crowd followed Him to this place.
When evening approached, Jesus asked one of the disciples, Philip, where they could buy bread that all the people could have food, for He knew they were hungry.
Philip said that two hundred pennyworth would not be enough to buy even a little bread for each person. It is said that amount would be about the same as the pay for two hundred days of work. Jesus knew before He asked Philip what He would do, but He wanted the disciples to think of the needs of the people.
A Boy’s Loaves and Fishes
Then another disciple, Andrew, said that there was a boy there who had five barley loaves and two small fish, but he asked, “What are they among so many?” There were over 5,000 persons there. Probably the loaves, which a boy would carry with him, were not very large. No doubt he had taken these for his own lunch, but he gave all to Jesus.
The Lord Jesus told the disciples to make the people sit down on the grass. He gave thanks to God for the bread and broke the loaves in pieces. He then gave them to the disciples to pass to all, and the same with the fish.
All that crowd of people ate, not just “a little’’, as Philip had said, but all had plenty.
After all had finished eating, there was still bread left, and Jesus told the disciples to gather up the pieces in the baskets. That would teach them, and us also, to be careful of the food God has provided. All we have really comes because of His care for us. Then too, when the disciples or others ate those pieces of bread they would be reminded again of the kindness and great power of Jesus to do this for them.
Giving to Others
We who read of the Lord Jesus’ care for the hungry people may have something to be used for good to others, as that boy’s barley bread and fish. Whatever we have to give, we can do it as though we were giving it to Him to use, and for His blessing. The very best you can give anyone is God’s Word, or learn His words and tell them to someone. His words are for the souls of all, as bread is food for their bodies.
The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 men (besides the women and children) is told in all the gospels, but this book of John is the only one which tells that a boy had the loaves and fish.
The king over that land did not care for the people. They wanted to have Jesus be their king. Jesus knew this, but He knew He could not be their Holy King until all sin was judged. Therefore He sent the people away, and went on the mountain alone (Matt. 14:2323And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. (Matthew 14:23)).
Further Meditation:
1. Which Gospels mention that the loaves and fishes came from a boy?
2. How many baskets were used to gather up the fragments? Why this number and type of basket?
3. The Bible Handbook by W. Scott contains lots of helpful information in understanding God’s Word. For example it has information on the different coins used such as the “two hundred pennyworth” of bread mentioned in this Bible passage.