17
Bread in Abundance
Luke 9:10-17 & John 6:1-14
Simon is bubbling with excitement and ready to take on the whole world as they return from their “outing.” All the men are talking at once, eager to tell Jesus about the incredible things that happened during their outreach.
Jesus laughs: “Men, you’re all exhausted. Let’s find a quiet spot where we can sit and talk peacefully. Then we can discuss all your experiences.”
“Master, there’s a beautiful secluded beach near Bethsaida - no one ever goes there.”
And so, the group sets off for Bethsaida-Julias for a well-deserved retreat, away from the crowds. Unfortunately, they don’t go unnoticed, and soon, people start trailing after them. Word spreads quickly in Bethsaida, and in no time, a massive crowd gathers around them! So much for their quiet conversation!
Jesus quickly realises that He will be lost among the people down in the valley, so He climbs halfway up the mountain, creating a natural amphitheatre below Him. There, He sits with the twelve men. The stage is set for one of the most remarkable miracles ever. And still, the crowd keeps growing…
“Simon,” Jesus calls one of the men closer, “Where will we get food for all these people?”
Simon is stunned. He scans the enormous crowd, which continues to swell by the minute. “Easily five thousand men alone,” he thinks to himself. He starts doing calculations. If the women and children connected to these men are included, the number could easily reach fifteen thousand. Feeding all of them would cost at least a year’s wages. And they are just poor fishermen! How can his Master expect them to provide food for so many people?
Feeling helpless, Simon looks around while Jesus watches him closely. Andrew, laughing, gestures towards a young boy in the front row with five barley loaves and two small dried fish. Perhaps they could use that - but the idea is laughable. It’s just a drop in the ocean! Yet, Jesus instructs the men to bring the boy’s packed meal to Him.
Jesus already knew what He was going to do. This boy was not here by chance, and the fact that he had five loaves with him today was no coincidence either. Everything had been carefully planned - there would be exactly one loaf for every thousand families! More than enough! Years ago, He had provided manna and quail from heaven every day for forty years to sustain three million people in the wilderness. Compared to that, feeding these people would be a relatively small miracle.
He instructs the crowd to sit down. The grassy slopes of the hill are the perfect setting for this “picnic.” The anticipation is palpable. But Simon and his companions are deeply concerned. “What is the Master planning?” Simon wonders.
Jesus gives thanks for the food, and the disciples are given the task of distributing it. And then, the miracle unfolds: the more they give out, the more the food multiplies! The crowd buzzes like a beehive as people whisper in amazement. They cannot believe what they are witnessing.
Suddenly, a thought strikes Simon: “Could Jesus truly be the promised Messiah?”
But the miracle isn’t over yet - there’s still an old Jewish custom to follow: gathering the leftovers. When they are done, there are no fewer than twelve baskets filled with what remains of the five barley loaves - after fifteen thousand people have eaten!
Simon wants to fall in worship before his Master. He has now seen everything. How could he ever doubt again? This miracle has left him utterly breathless.
Even today, we are still in awe every time we read about this miracle. But there is much more behind it than just its breathtaking magnitude.
John specifically mentions in his account that the Passover was approaching. Jesus was about to give this feast an entirely new meaning. Passover was the festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt, when God delivered His people from Pharaoh’s grip. One of the major symbols of this feast was the unleavened bread they had to eat. Later, during Jesus’ last supper with His friends, He would refer to the bread as His body. With this miracle, Jesus abundantly distributes the bread. His body would be available in abundance for all who believe in Him. But unlike the manna He provided in the wilderness, which was only temporary, this “bread” He would give would be eternal!
Yet, more than just bread was at stake - during Passover, the blood of the sacrificed lamb also played a crucial symbolic role. In Egypt, that blood caused the angel of death to pass over them. Jesus’ precious blood, shed on the cross, still causes the angel of death to pass over you and me today - saving us from eternal destruction if we believe in Him.
Prayer:
Lord,
thank You that Your thoughts are far greater than ours and that You
have worked out this wonderful plan of salvation so that every person
on earth can be saved if they believe in You!