The Gospel for Sunday

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4The Jewish Passover Feast was near.
5When 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?" 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages[a] would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
8Another 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?"
10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11Jesus 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.
12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14After 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." 15Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Jesus Walks on the Water 16When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19When they had rowed three or three and a half miles,[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Barclay points out a number of possible meanings of the miracle. First, Jesus literally multiplied loaves and fishes. Many people find that very hard to take. Some may point out that Jesus refused to do something similar when he was tempted to turn stones into bread (Matthew 4). So for those who are puzzled Barclay has two explanations. Perhaps this was really a sacramental meal. In the rest of this chapter Jesus speaks about the Last Supper - eating his flesh and drinking his blood. It could be that the meal was just a morsel for each person but the thrill of the presence of Jesus and the reality of God turned the crumbs into something which richly nourished the 5000 in a mysterious sacramental way.

But perhaps there is another beautiful explanation. Barclay suggests that very few people would leave on a nine mile hike without taking food and drink with them. Perhaps none of them would produce what they had and - very humanly -wished to keep what they had for themselves. Perhaps Jesus then produced what he and his disciples had and began to share it out. Moved by his example, anyone who had anything did the same and, in the end, there was enough - more than enough - for all. Could it be that this is a miracle in which selfish people are turned into a fellowship of sharers. Could this be the biggest miracle of all - a story about changed lives and changed human nature, changed people?

I think you will know what my view is brother! But very interesting thoughts from Barclay nevertheless.

Hope you are enjoying the sunshine.....We've waited long enough!

Mark