And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes

 

 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 

 

- Matthew 14:13-21 

 

Yesterday we read that at that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.  

 

 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  When Jesus heard it refers to the fact that Jesus has heard that Herod has taken note of Jesus and His ministry with its healings and exorcisms, and that Herod fears Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead (see yesterday's reading above).  He goes to a deserted place to avoid the power and paranoid scrutiny of Herod.

 

 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.  My study Bible has several comments upon this passage.  First, it's noted that this miracle is reported by all four evangelists; it shows Jesus feeding a great multitude of His people as He fed the Israelites in the desert (see Exodus 16).  According to patristic sources, this feeding is an image of the Eucharist; this idea is made clear in John 6.   Further along in St. Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 15:32-39), there is another feeding miracle in which Jesus feeds four thousand people with seven loaves and a few small fish.  While some modern scholars wish to say these are the same story, my study Bible comments that the witness of the gospel is clear that they are two distinct accounts.  Indeed, Christ explicitly refers to both of them as separate incidents (Matthew 16:8-10).  That He is moved with compassion is used frequently with Jesus (Matthew 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34; Luke 7:13), which shows that (in contrast to Herod, by way of note), the Lord's power is extended to those who suffer.  There is yet another spiritual interpretation according to patristic writers, that teaches that the five loaves indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which are broken open in Christ and thereby feed the universe.  The two fish are representative of the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  It's also noted that the apostles gather the leftovers, which shows that the teachings which the faithful are unable to grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  Additionally, we note that Jesus, upon taking the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven and blessed the loaves.  My study Bible comments that He shows us that we should never eat without first giving thanks to God.  The terminology used in today's passage points to the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26), and it leads to a eucharistic interpretation of the miracle.  Just as the disciples distribute the bread to the multitudes, so also Christ feeds the Eucharist to His flock through the hands of His bishops and presbyters.  

 

Today's reading invites us to consider Christ's compassion. Overall, we know that Jesus has come into the world as Incarnate Son in order to be with us (Matthew 1:23).  Note how that verse in St. Matthew's first chapter makes it clear that Christ's Incarnation is in fulfillment of Scripture, something devoutly awaited.  In St. John's Gospel Jesus declares to Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16-17).  So it is out of love, and compassion (for God to be with us) that Jesus has been sent into the world, to be one of us.  In today's reading, the hospitality of the Lord is on full display for all of these who have followed Him into the wilderness, a deserted place.  He doesn't know these people, but they know Him (or at any rate, they have heard about Him).  They are the crowds, the multitudes, who follow Him even as He seeks to escape the eye of Herod, who now fears Him, for Herod thinks He is St. John the Baptist risen from the dead (see yesterday's reading, above).  In today's reading, we note that we are told that He first healed their sick.  But as it continued into the evening, and they had nothing to eat, the disciples reminded Him they should send the people away.  But Jesus doesn't want to do that; He wants them to remain.  Moreover, He wants His disciples to feed them.  He says, "You give them something to eat."  Too often when we consider the Eucharist, we are unaware in a modern context that sacrifice was always a part of a communal meal.  In this case, the Lord Himself wishes a communal meal, but He is the One who will feed the people, and through His disciples.  He sends them to find food, and whatever they can bring to Him, He will make of it a proper meal.  This should be a proper metaphor for all kinds of solutions to problems in our lives.  It is part and parcel of faith to do so, and to wait upon the Lord, to trust and make the best of what we're given, guided by prayer.  Note that Jesus begins with the meager fare, and blesses it.  It's in the breaking of the bread that the miraculous happens, a multiplication of what is.  These people who have desperately followed Him are elsewhere said to be "like sheep without a shepherd" (Mark 6:34).  And, of course, Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18).  But what we observe of Christ, who came into the world as one of us, to be with us, is that His hand is always extended.  These people follow Him, and He simply is not able to be alone.  But they are welcome, and He finds occasion to institute what will become the Eucharist, to share Himself as completely as possible, even with the multitudes.  In all of this we're given the nature of our God, and the expansiveness of God's compassion for us.  Clearly it is extended to all, but realized through faith.  It is said that in the monasteries, and from the times of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, hospitality was the most highly regarded priority.  Even prayers were interrupted to open the door to a knock.  Jesus shows Himself as fulfillment even from Abraham, who "entertained strangers unawares" (Hebrews 13:2; Genesis 18); of course, one of those "strangers" was the Lord.  Christ's hospitality extends to all of us all the time; let us be aware of our response and reception of it.

 

 

 

 

 

Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

 

 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  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.  

 

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.  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?"  

 

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."  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.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  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 alone.  

 

- John 6:1–15 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His discourse to the religious leaders who questioned Him after He healed a man on the Sabbath.  He said, "I can of Myself do nothing.  As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.  There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.  You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.  Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.  He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.  But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish -- the very works that I do -- bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.  And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me.  You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.  But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.  You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me.  But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.  I do not receive honor from men.  But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.  I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.  How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?  Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you -- Moses, in whom you trust.  For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

 

 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  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.  My study Bible informs us that this chapter in St. John's Gospel (which we begin with today's reading) parallels the story of the Passover and Exodus of Israel from Egypt in several important ways.  First, in the Exodus account (Exodus 11 - 17), God first performed His signs against Pharaoh, then gave instructions on how to be saved at the time of the Passover (Exodus 11:1-12:14).  In today's passage, the multitudes follow Christ because of His signs (such as the healing of the man in the previous chapter; see above), and this also takes place at Passover.  

 

 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.  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?"  My study Bible suggests here that Christ tests Philip to increase his faith, for Philip needed help in understanding Him (see John 14:8-10).  Two hundred denarii, it notes, corresponds to over six months' wages for a laborer.  Andrew has greater faith than Philip however, for he knows that the prophet Elisha had multiplied bread for one hundred men (2 Kings 4:42-44).  So he offers the food brought by a lad.  Nonetheless, Andrew also is still weak in faith, and he questions what a mere five loaves could do for the number of people there.  

 

 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."  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.  Here is presented the fourth of seven miracles or "signs" in the Gospel of St. John, the feeding of the multitude.  Its significance is such that it is recorded in all four Gospels.  My study Bible points out that the description of Christ as He took the loaves, gave thanks (in Greek, ευχαριστω/eucharisto), and distributed them prefigures the celebration of the Eucharist.  

 

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  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 alone.  My study Bible comments here that although Jesus had performed greater signs than this, these crowds were so hoping for an earthly Messiah that they declared Jesus to be the expected Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-19) only when they were filled with earthly things.  Because of this misunderstanding, Jesus departed from them. 

 

Today's reading in some sense invites us to ask the question, what does it mean to be fed?  With what do we wish to be fed?  What do we need?  What truly nurtures us?  Moreover, we need to ask ourselves what we imagine that Christ came into this world to feed us?  Throughout the remainder of this chapter we will read of Christ expanding upon these topics.  He will express just what it means to be "fed" by His ministry; that is, that which He came into the world to offer us as food.  We could begin to discuss this topic by taking a close look at what the people desire.  In the first place, we're told that these people follow Him because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.   Well, one wonders who would not be intrigued by such things.  But we need to ask ourselves what it is that they wanted or hoped for, for that's what's relevant to the story.  What were their desires?  Eventually, He feeds these people in this miraculous way, and so they decide He is the fulfillment of their desires.  He's the Prophet foreseen by Moses, and so they desire to make Him king, and seek to do so by force.   He heals people of diseases, and He feeds the people, and so they believe He is the answer to the things they need in life; He can provide them with what they want, a king like David who will restore the fortunes of Israel.  But that's not what Jesus has come into the world to do, and that's not the message nor meaning of His ministry.  Even this feeding in the wilderness is not a miracle given to convince people of His power or His authority, but it is properly called a "sign" in St. John's Gospel.  A sign is something that points to a reality beyond itself.  Like a symbol, an emblem, or a flag, it points to something greater and more meaningful, and that is what this sign is meant to be.  In order to understand Jesus and His ministry of salvation, one must listen to Him, and understand just what kind of food He's really brought into the world for us.  On that He will expand throughout this chapter.  But He didn't hand out free, miraculous food in order to convince people to make Him king, to claim that kind of worldly authority or worldly kingdom.  He is bringing something different into this world, and as He will say, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36).  Even the food, this feeding miracle, will be transformed into something else in His Church, using the elements of food to convey something beyond this world and bring it to us.  Some people seem to question and to wonder why Christ's ministry did not bring us in this world a solution to all our problems.  Why didn't He just destroy evil and be done with it, so we don't have to live with it among us?  Why didn't He just make life abundant for all, including all the goods and supplies we think we need?  But He came here to bring us a different gift, a gift of life in abundance, even of an "everlasting" quality (and if we think about it, we don't even fully understand the depths of what "everlasting" means in this context).  He came here, in short, to bring us the gift of Himself, and all the things that could mean for us.  In this chapter Jesus will continue to expand His teachings on this subject, on the bread of heaven, the true bread of life for the world.

 

 

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 alone

 

 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  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.  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.  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?"  

 

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."  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.  

 

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  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 alone.

 

- John 6:1–15 

 

 In our recent readings, the lectionary has taken us through chapter 8 of John's Gospel.  In that chapter, the setting is autumn of the final year of Christ's earthly life.  He attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, and while there disputed with the religious leaders in the temple.  They sought to have Him arrested, but the temple officers were so struck by Christ's words that they were unable to do so.  On Saturday, we read that Jesus replied to the religious leaders, "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."  Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.  And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.  Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."  Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon!  Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'  Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?  And the prophets are dead.  Who do You make Yourself out to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.  It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.  Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him.  And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."  Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."  Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

 

  After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  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.  Today the lectionary skips backward in John's Gospel, to chapter 6 (we'll return to begin chapter 9 next week).  This entire chapter parallels the story of the Passover and Exodus of Israel from Egypt in several significant way.  This is the second Passover festival recorded in John's Gospel, so it is now the middle of Christ's earthly ministry; one year from this time He will make His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and begin what we know as Holy Week, leading to His death on the Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension.  Here in these verses, we understand the following parallels with the Passover story:  in the Exodus account (Exodus 11 - 17), God first performed His signs against Pharaoh, ten gave instructions on how to be saved at the time of the Passover (Exodus 11:1-12:14).  Here, a great multitude followed Christ because they saw His signs, and these events take place at Passover. 

 

 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.  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?"  My study Bible says that Christ is testing Philip to increase his faith here, for Philip needed help in understanding Him (John 14:8-10).  Two hundred denarii, it says, corresponds to over six months' wages for a laborer.  Andrew has greater faith than Philip:  he knows that the prophet Elisha had multiplied bread for over 100 men (2 Kings 4:42-44), and so offers the food brought by a certain lad.  Nonetheless, even Andrew is still weak in faith, as he questions what a mere five loaves could do for the number of people there.

 

 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."  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.   This feeding of the multitude is the fourth of Christ's seven signs reported in John's Gospel.  This feeding miracle is reported in all four Gospels.  My study Bible comments that the description of Christ as He took the loaves, gave thanks  (Greek ευχαριςτω/eucharisto), and distributed them prefigures the celebration of the Eucharist. 

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  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 alone.  My study Bible remarks that although Jesus had performed greater signs than this, these crowds were so desirous of an earthly Messiah that they declared Jesus to be the expected Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-19) only when they were filled with earthly things (see John 6:26).  Because of this misunderstanding, my study Bible says, He departed from them.  

I always find it intriguing that the Gospel lets us know that because 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 alone.  It tells us about the multitude (these five thousand men whom He has fed in the wilderness), and what they are looking for in a Messiah, or as they call Him, the Prophet.  It seems the time of the promised Messiah was expected to be a period of prosperity, at least a time of foreign rule to be overthrown, and a return to the time of the kingdom of David.  Certainly these men, we're told, sought to force Jesus to be king because of this great sign of the miraculous feeding in the wilderness.  As we go farther along into chapter 6, not only will events mirror the story of Exodus, as we read in today's commentary from my study Bible, but the theme of feeding, and its fulfillment in the Eucharist will play a very strong role in what Jesus will preach to the people.  This effort to take Jesus by force to make Him king also reveals to us much about Jesus.  He doesn't want a title or an honor because of His miracles;  the signs that are given to us in the Gospel are meant to convey a different message.  His is not a position merely of authority or power in a worldly sense, but they are meant to point to something greater which is beyond the immediate worldly circumstances.  They point to God, and to the presence of God, and God's love for God's people.  For this is the real message of Christian faith.  It is in John's Gospel that we're told, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).  While we know a great deal of emphasis on the saving mission of Jesus Christ, perhaps we are inclined to overlook the first part of this verse that teaches us emphatically about God's love for us.  This feeding miracle in the wilderness (in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, there is an additional miraculous feeding of four thousand) teaches us about God's love in the very gesture of hospitality and care it represents and conveys.  The miracle, of course, is in multiplying the loaves and the fish, something only the Creator could do; it is the sign of God's presence in an extraordinary sense.  Of course, the Eucharistic significance is there also, tying in both the Passover and the Eucharist to come in which all is fulfilled in Christ, who feeds us today in the same extraordinary and holy way.  That He refuses to be made king is simply an affirmation of the motivation of God's love behind all things He does, including His care and feeding in the wilderness, and this message of love present in today's reading and this fourth sign in the Gospel.  But what does one want when one gives love?  Do we want worldly glory and fame, a kind of adoration based on what we can do for others?  Or is love a language and communication of something completely different?  Love asks and awaits for love in return, for this is what communion is all about.  Like the parable of the Prodigal Son, in which the prodigal's father simply awaits his return to be a joyous reunion, God asks us for love in return, but does not coerce nor command it from us, for that's not how love works.  Let us ponder this great mystery, as we follow Christ returning alone to the mountaintop.