John 6:1-15 Pseudo – Belief

The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle that is recorded in all four gospels. It clearly had a great impact on the twelve disciples at the time. It is a disaster for some teachers to suggest that this was really just a ‘miracle of human kindness’. They have suggested that the people responded to Jesus’ teaching about ‘loving their neighbour’ and consequently they shared what food they had with others. Others have tried to explain this event away by suggesting the story was inspired by an account in Homer’s Odyssey where Telemachus and Athena found a crowd of 4,500 who say down in groups of 500. Such views completely undermine the clear intent of the text, the effect this had on the disciples as well as the subsequent teaching that Jesus based on this miracle – that he is the ‘Bread of Life’ that is given to a needy humanity. The Lord fed his people when they were in the wilderness after leaving Egypt so it should be no surprise that the same Lord fed his people when he came to earth.

1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

The whole point of John’s gospel is to convince his readers that Jesus is indeed the Lord of the universe and he unashamedly records a selection of his very impressive ‘miraculous signs’ to convince people. He would have no time for any who try to explain these signs away.

“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30-31

The main reason for this miracle being recorded to to confirm who Jesus is – the Messiah, the only Son of God, who gives life to his people. It is clearly a historical account. It occurred on the ‘far shore of the Sea of Galilee’. It occurred when ‘the Jewish Passover was near’ that is in early spring. To some extend this was all planned by Jesus.

“ . . . he had already in mind what he was going to do.” John 6:6

Specific details such as the ‘five small barley loaves and two small fish’, the role of Philip and the full ‘twelve baskets’ all help to substantiate this as a factual miracle. A great crowd witnessed the event and some would still be alive when John’s gospel was publicised. Even Jesus’ opponents recognised that he ‘could perform miraculous signs’.

The problem is that then, as now, people can follow him for the wrong reasons.

The Effect of the Miracle

The effect of this miracle was dramatic.

“After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” John 6:14

Did they think that he was to be a Saviour in the way the Maccabees had freed Israel form the oppressive regime of Antiochus Epiphanes and his Seleucid empire and founded the Hasmonean dynasty that ruled from 167 BC to 37 BC? Did they want him to lead a revolt against Rome and tread on Rome’s hated Eagle. Independence gives the opportunity for both material and political progress. They could live in a fairer society. Jesus had the ability to attract people to his side. He’s a winner. The text seems to infer this:

“Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself” John 6:15

Clearly to be a worldly king was not Jesus’ intention. He withdrew to be alone. However he remained God’s king, God’s Messiah, but he is just not the sort of king the crowd wanted. This is striking. Jesus was willing to turn his back on masses of people if they are not wanting to follow him in his way. Yet, in spite of his refusal to follow the crowd, he wants his disciples to be clear that he is God’s eternal King. Surely this is why, that same evening, he walks on water to come to his troubled disciples in their boat, and using the divine name, says to them,

“It is I; don’t be afraid.” John 6:20

He is saying, I am still God’s king!

However the crowds were not to be put off. They went ‘in search of Jesus’. However it appears that their motives were selfish. It is understandable to some extent as the poor could spend 70-80% of their income on food. The following verse is very significant, Jesus answered the crowd following him,

“I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” John 6:26-27

The crowd were not so interested in the significance of the miraculous signs as in the material benefits for them in this life. Jesus longs for them to receive eternal life that can only be found through faith in him.

The term ‘Rice Christians’ has been coined because, in poorer societies, people can be drawn to missionaries because of the benefits they offer, whether food, education or jobs. They may formally turn and call themselves Christians but unfortunately this does not mean that their hearts are really committed to living and dying for the Messiah. Some mission groups can actively encourage such techniques. The group that offers better schools, a better education, better buildings, better jobs will prosper whereas christian groups who encourage people to become self-supporting will be less attractive, even if the teaching is better. One missionary wrote of such a competing mission:

“They use their money to buy people. It puts us in an unpleasant situation. It is almost impossible to explain to Christians why we do not hand out things.”

The opposite can also be true. Those who have much material wealth can aslo drift away from a close walk with the Lord Jesus. It is the mindset that matters.

Job

The story of Job comes from the earliest of times, possibly around the time of Abraham. He was a very rich but a wonderful God-fearing man with great integrity. He would regularly offer sacrifices to God in case his children had dishonoured the Lord. The Lord said of him,

“There is no-one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear god for nothing?” Job 1:8-9

In other words Satan was suggesting that Job was only into faith because of what he has got out of it. The only reason he serves God is for the material benefits. So God responds,

“Very well then, everything he has is in your hands but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Job 1:12