We are told in the Synoptic Gospels that just before Jesus fed the 5000 men, the disciples had returned from their mission to preach in the cities of Galilee. Herod had just executed John the Baptist and thought the rumors about Jesus and the Kingdom meant John had risen from the dead. Many of John’s disciples had come to Jesus looking for leadership, but Jesus knew most of the people were merely looking for another miracle. This seemed to be the extent of their attachment to him (John 2:23; 4:43-45, 48; 6:2). Therefore, Jesus took his disciples into a mountain to spend time alone—away from the crowds of people (John 6:3).
Nevertheless, when the people found out where Jesus had gone, they followed him there. The Synoptics tell us that Jesus had compassion on the crowd and healed their sick. He also knew they were like sheep without a shepherd, for John had recently been murdered, and many in the crowd were in mourning and seeking leadership. We are told that Jesus had compassion on them and taught them many things. About eventide, he told his disciples to organize the crowd into fifties and hundreds, have them sit down and feed them.
Philip protested saying, if they spent all they had, they couldn’t give everyone even a single bite to eat. Jesus asked how much food they had (Mark 6:38). Andrew told him that a lad (perhaps a son of one of the apostles) had only five loaves and two fish.
Think about this for a moment. No one asked Jesus anything. After Jesus had taught the people and healed their sick, he presented the disciples with a problem—how are we going to feed these people? Philip looked to the group’s monetary resources and decided it was impossible. Andrew looked to either the disciples’ present supply of food or that of another family and said it was not enough. But, for Jesus anything we have is enough. He blessed the present supply and commanded that it be distributed among the groups of fifties and hundreds.
As the baskets were passed around, each one was encouraged to take all he wanted, and then each basket was passed to the next person who did likewise. If anyone didn’t have enough, it was because he didn’t take all he wanted, because the supply didn’t diminish with the taking. Each of us is encouraged to reach into the depths of the grace of God and take all we need. The Father is not in short supply; his provision is limitless—this is the theme of Kingdom living. Do we hesitate or are we afraid to make our requests known to Jesus? When we pray, do we visualize God rationing out his grace as though the supply was too small to satisfy all? The picture we receive from the feeding of the 5000 is that, not only does God have enough for the most urgent requests of mankind, but his supply is more than enough for every need, no matter how small.
The only caution is that we don’t act toward Jesus as this crowd did. They followed Jesus merely for the wonderful miracles they hoped to see. For them Jesus was like some magician who would cater to their every whim. This is the danger of looking to a Messiah who could take away everyone’s lack and make them rich in the process—much like the prosperity Gospel that is preached today. The danger is that we care nothing for Jesus but only for what we could receive from him. This is why he left them.
The disciples looked to Jesus, because he had the words of eternal life. On the other hand, the people wanted to be awed with one miracle after another. They had no sense of real value for Jesus. All they desired was to be entertained with one more spectacular event. They followed Jesus in order to have their curiosity and imagination titillated by yet a greater experience than before! What a misinterpretation of the Gospel! What a devaluation of Jesus! What a poor expectation of God!
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