Jesus multiplies bread and fish
The feeding of five thousand husbands in addition to women and children is the first miracle described in each of the four Gospels.
Descriptions of the miracle can be found in Matthew 14.15-23, Mark 6.35-45, Luke 9.12-17 and John 6.5-15.
John 6.5-15 "When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
And Jesus said, Make the men 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 to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone."
Let's use the description from the Gospel of John, as it is the most detailed and contains important information for us in verse 5.
(5 )When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
Every question Jesus asked the man was not spoken so that the Lord would learn something new. He knew the answers, and yet He asked. Why? A simple example: In school, students go to class, but are never questioned. What knowledge do they attain then? In the same way, by asking questions, Jesus wanted people to try to find solutions while learning.
(6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
Philip had already walked with the Lord for quite a long time, he had seen His past miracles, not only those recorded in the Scriptures, because as we read not the whole story of Jesus was written down. He should know the answer, did he realize at the time that Jesus could perform this miracle as well?
(7 )Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
The pennyworth was roughly equivalent to the daily earnings of a laborer. The crowd consisted of 5,000 men, to which women and children had to be added. Philip did not respond spiritually, but materially. The disciples had the same approach during the subsequent multiplication of bread, which we read about in the Mark 8.4 "And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?". It may seem strange to us that, being at the side of the Creator, they saw no other option. This shows how much they still had to learn. Since the disciples had trouble with this, all the more reason for us to spend more time studying the Scriptures.
(8) One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, (9) There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
Fish is the only animal that was multiplied by Jesus, and before that he helped fish for them, as we read in the Luke 5.5-7 " And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.", and gave them to his disciples to eat after his resurrection, John 21.5-13 "Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.". The little boy who gave up all his bread and fish trusted the Lord. There was no selfishness in his attitude. We can learn how we should share with others in need.
(10) And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
Food is a gift from God. People were supposed to rest in their seats, not eat "on the run" standing up.
A miracle occurs, the multiplication of bread and fish
(11) And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
At this point, a miracle occurred. God was in the role of a servant, after all, He could have multiplied the bread and rested. He did not do this, he also participated in the distribution. This is a great lesson for us. Let us not exalt ourselves above others, since God served us, all the more reason to help our neighbors. Among the whole mass of people there may have been His opponents, and yet they too were fed. God shows love to all, regardless of a person's heart.
(12) When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. (13) Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
Who among us, having the gift of multiplying bread, would bother to gather what was left? Despite performing miracles, Jesus instructed us to gather the remaining bread. How much food do we throw in the trash every month because of us? Every time we do, we should remember that food should be respected.
(14) Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
The congregation of people, seeing a miracle that no one else had performed before, believed that Jesus was the prophesied prophet. What they didn't believe was that he was the Son of God, as evidenced in verse 15. The Israelites were expecting a prophet who would liberate them from the oppressors, which the Romans were at the time.
(15) When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
Jesus Christ came into the world to die for our sins. He did not want the power that people aspire to. He could have easily sat on the throne, destroyed his opponents and reigned as ruler, but he refused to do so. The sad thing is that people, seeing God, did not act spiritually, but materially, seeking benefits for earthly life, and disregarding the spiritual.
