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.

 

 

 

 

 

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 about 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 Philips'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.  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 Jesus heard it is a reference to the knowledge coming to Jesus that now Herod the tetrarch (Herod Antipas) has begun to fear Him:  Herod believes that Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead, and this is the explanation for Jesus' power to heal and cast out demons.  (See yesterday's reading, above.)  Now it is the power of Rome that has taken notice of Him, a more serious and deadly power than even that of the Jewish religious authorities, and it is for this reason Jesus departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.   But although Jesus has withdrawn to a deserted place to avoid public scrutiny, He cannot be hidden.  The multitudes followed Him on foot from the cities.  And so, as often happens at significant turning points in Jesus' ministry, He is moved with compassion for these crowds.  "Moved with compassion," my study Bible notes, is used frequently concerning the Lord (Matthew 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34; Luke 7:13).  It notes that this shows that Christ's power and authority are extended to those who suffer.  

  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.  This miracle is reported by all four evangelists.  Here Christ feeds the great multitude of His people just as He fed the Israelites in the desert (see Exodus 16).  In patristic commentary, this is seen as an image of the Eucharist, an idea which is also made clear in John 6.  Also in patristic literature there is a spiritual interpretation given regarding the five loaves, stating that they indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which have been broken open in Christ and thereby feed the whole universe.  In this understanding, the two fish are said to represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  The gathering by the apostles of twelve baskets full of fragments that remained shows that the teachings which the faithful cannot grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  

 

Let us take a closer look here at the specificity of the language:  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, Christ blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  Besides teaching us that we should not eat without first giving thanks to God (the meaning of the word Eucharist is to give thanks), the terminology points to the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26).  My study Bible comments that 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.  Perhaps for us this points to something greater to notice about Christ's "signs" or miracles, also called "mighty works" in St. Matthew's Gospel.  They all point to something greater than themselves.  And in this case of the Eucharistic significance of the actions and words used to describe what happens here, this miraculous breakthrough of yet another new revelation in Christ's ministry, another significant turning point, is something tied to that which will be left for us for us all time.  This is not simply a "one-time" incident, but in the Eucharist it will be repeated over and over again through time until the end of the age.  Thereby, we should read this miracle or sign as not only connecting Christ with the Lord of the Old Testament, who fed the Israelites with manna in the wilderness, but links us all in succession within the Church to come -- for all time and from that time forward.  In these connections we observe once again how time and distance are no obstacles to the effectiveness of Christ's miracles and His power.  For each of these things ties even us into them in the Eucharist.  We are fed as the ancient Israelites were fed; our Lord is the same Lord of the Old Testament and is also present to us in Jesus Christ, and in this feeding miracle in the wilderness.  If we view the events in the Bible as simply things that happened two millennia ago, and struggle to think of how that has something to do with us, then we are looking at things the wrong way.  We fail to grasp the bigger picture that is at work here.  In Christ these things stretch back and forth to the ancient and the new, and they are renewed even in us with each new Eucharist.  For none of the elements of Christ's life and ministry, nor the gift He gives of Himself in the Eucharist, is ever lost or gone missing.  They are always present because He is always present.  Let us eat and be filled, remembering even the twelve baskets of fragments left over for the Twelve who would go out to the world bearing His gospel.  For all is present to us still, each day.  It is the gift of His compassion for us all.  We take it in remembrance of Him, until His return.

 

 

 

 

We have here only five loaves and two fish

 

 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.   Jesus withdraws to a deserted place by Himself because He has just heard that 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."  This is what we've just read in yesterday's lectionary reading (above), and this attention and fear from Herod is what Jesus is responding to.  He withdraws to a place away from the scrutiny of the court and Herod and Roman power.   It's important to observe that Jesus avoids open conflict with the authorities before it is the time for His Passion, also referred to as His hour (see John 7:30, 8:20, 12:27, 13:1, 17:1).

 

 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.  By this time, Christ has difficulty withdrawing from the public, and so now multitudes followed Him on foot from the cities.  Jesus' first response is to be moved with compassion for them when He sees them, and so He 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."  Here necessity intervenes once again.  These multitudes have already followed Him to this deserted place.  Perhaps Jesus feels responsible for them being there, and we already know that He has compassion for them.  But here is something interesting; Jesus teaches the disciples also to take on some of this responsibility for the people when He says, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat." "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 too 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 points out that this miracle is reported by all four evangelists, and it shows Jesus feeding a great multitude of His people even as He fed the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16).  In patristic commentary, my study Bible reports, this is seen as an image of the Eucharist -- which is made very clear in John 6.  There is another feeding miracle reported in the following chapter of St. Matthew's gospel (Matthew 15:32-39), in which Jesus feeds four thousand people with seven loaves and a few small fish, which some theorize might be the same story.  But the explicit appearance of different numbers in the crowds and the food elements, and also the witness of the gospel, show that they are two different miracles, as Christ will refer to them separately as two events (Matthew 16:8-10).   There is a spiritual interpretation given in patristic teaching that the five loaves indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which are broken open in Christ and therefore feed the universe.  The two fish represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  Moreover, the gathering of the leftovers by the apostles shows that the teachings the faithful are unable to grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  

My study Bible also points out that the phrase moved with compassion is used frequently concerning the Lord (Matthew 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34; Luke 7:13).  It comments that what this shows is that Christ's power and authority are extended to those who suffer.  And so, we can see from today's reading that Jesus teaches His disciples to do the same.  While He is the One who uses His power to multiply the five loaves and the two fish, He's training His disciples also to use their own capacities on behalf of those who suffer.  He also shows this by example when He begins His expression of compassion by healing the sick brought to Him by the crowd.  It seems to be an important teaching that, when we are serving the Lord in any capacity in our lives, and perhaps particularly when we are called to compassion, we may rely upon the Lord by seeking whatever is at hand to rise to the task.  This is made clear by implication here that the Lord will take what we have and help to prepare and to provide for its use to help and to heal.  This kind of nourishment is material and assuages human hunger, but in this example in today's reading we can also see a metaphorical image of what to feed people and serve their needs on all kinds of levels, for there are many types of needs that human beings have.  It's already been pointed out that in the loaves and the two fish is seen the Scriptures which are another way to nourish people and to give them what they truly need, for our spiritual needs also must be recognized if we're to be wholly nurtured.  It's also important to note that when Christ acts, when the Lord's power and authority are on display, it is always in order to give and not to take.  That is, the creative power of the Lord and Christ's authority are exercised in giving what the world truly needs (even when it's not what the world wants, as we'll see at His rejection by the nation, and as we read in the story of His rejection in His hometown of Nazareth in Wednesday's reading).   This kind of majestic dignity and glory is one of true abundance, for God always has more to give us.  As those who would serve God, it is important to remember this when we feel tired or exhausted, and when we're called to serve in our own ways of nourishing and feeding the world.  This is the way that God's creativity works.  It is always expansive, even if that is in teaching us ways to feed and nurture ourselves so that we may also become creative in the same ways our Lord shows His use of power and authority.  God sets in order and fills with life, as is seen right from the beginning of the Bible.  Here Jesus first sets the people in order, and provides with abundance so that there is life abundantly (John 10:10), a way to show right relatedness and also the glory of God.  In today's feeding are the elements that prefigure the Eucharist, our holy food and drink that nurtures us with His Body and Blood, making us a people of faith and communion in Him.  Let us take these teachings and allow them to shape who we are as well, just as the disciples do. 

 

 

 

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 previous reading, Jesus was at the Feast of Tabernacles, on the last day of the Feast.  He continued to dispute with 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 back from chapter 8 (our previous reading, above)  to chapter 6 of John's Gospel.  My study bible comments that chapter 6 of John's Gospel parallels the story of the Passover and Exodus of Israel from Egypt in several important ways.  In these verses, we're reminded that in the Exodus account (Exodus 11-17), God first performed signs against Pharaoh, then gave instructions on how to be saved at the time of the Passover (Exodus 11:1-12:14).  Here, we're told, the multitudes follow Christ because of His signs, 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 comments that here, Christ tests Philip to increase his faith, for Philip needed help to understand Christ (John 14:8-10).  Two hundred denarii would correspond to over sixth months' wages for a laborer at Christ's time.  Andrew shows that he has greater faith than Philip, as he knows the prophet Elisha had multiplied bread for 100 men (2 Kings 4:42-44) and so he offers the food that was brought by a certain lad.  Nonetheless, 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 seven signs given by Christ as reported in John's Gospel.  It is significant enough that it is recorded in all four Gospels.  We return again to the theme of the parallel between the Exodus account of Israel's flight from Egypt, in that the Jews were said to eat unleavened bread because they were hastily driven out of Egypt, and they had brought no provisions for themselves (Exodus 12:39).  Here, Jesus is feeding the multitudes with earthly bread because they had brought no provisions, as they had rushed out to see Him.  The description of Christ as He took the loaves, gave thanks (in Greek, eucharisto/ευχαριστω), and distributed them is a prefiguration of 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 that although Jesus had performed greater signs than this, these crowds were so strongly desiring 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.  

John's Gospel is filled with all sorts of misunderstandings that turn into a kind of "classic" way for Jesus to explain His teachings.  For instance the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well wishes she had some of that water Jesus speaks about, when He tells her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,  but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (see John 4:1-42).  Or when Nicodemus asks how a person can be born again when Jesus teaches him about Holy Baptism (John 3:1-21).   It is misunderstandings that lead to "teachable moments" that characterize John's Gospel.  But in today's reading, we have a slightly different sort of misunderstanding.  Jesus has just provided people miraculously with food in the wilderness.  A few loaves and fishes are miraculously providential so they can somehow feed 5,000 men (and yet more women and children).  Not only that, but there are twelve baskets of fragments left over!  But what do these people understand from Jesus and this fourth sign in the Gospel?  Do they understand that this is indeed a sign of God's being extraordinarily close and present?  Do they see its true miraculous nature?  No, their minds are fixated on the purely pragmatic and material, and as far as they are concerned, Jesus must be made king, so that they can be filled always with the bread He is capable of producing apparently on demand.  And what's more, this Man Jesus who clearly has divine power isn't free to advise them, or teach them what He thinks they need to know or what they need to do.  No, they want to forcefully take Him and make Him king.  The man who feeds them clearly is someone they need to use their way, for their purposes, and without discerning anything deeper that can possibly be gained by His presence.  This is a misunderstanding indeed -- for even as they call Him the Prophet, all they can think of is that they need Him to be king.  So, it's another type of misunderstanding, but one that must play itself out over the course of the chapter in John's Gospel, as we follow even more misunderstandings that are to come based around this feeding in the wilderness and the teachings that Jesus has to offer the people.  But for now, let us be content to observe that they seek to take Him by force and make Him king, which serves as occasion for Jesus to evade them and find His way alone to the mountain to pray.    It seems rather typical that from this start, things will go completely upside down in terms of the people's understanding -- or lack of it -- as He tries to delve deeper and teach them about the bread that comes down from heaven.  We human beings seem always to mistake God's gifts for the material things of this world we all think we need and compete for with one another.  God's blessings are not necessarily worldly blessings, and yet, even after two thousand years of Christianity, modern human beings will confuse a saintly and blessed life with that of an image of -- for example -- a billionaire living in a California mansion.  It really doesn't necessarily follow in terms of the truth of a truly spiritual and blessed life.  It seems we still must keep endeavoring to understand Christ, regardless of how long His message has been repeated.  Let us pay close attention to the events of this chapter as they play out over the course of this week.