In John 6:1-15, we find Jesus and his disciples watching a crowd that had been following Jesus come toward them. One lad! But what are they among so many? Web19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to The course barley bread, less expensive than wheat flour, made a staple for the poor. Third, the story references the Last Supper when Jesus breaks bread with this disciples just before he is to be crucified. The boy with the meal saw the few fish and loaves he once held multiply in a miraculous way. The word for "lad" is a diminutive occurring only here (not in the best text of Matthew 11:16), and in many MSS. He told them, Go look (Mark 6:38). 40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. Neuter of a presumed derivative of pais; a little boy. Bread, a loaf, food. With this great knowledge has come also some skepticism about the simple and profound eternal truths taught in the miracle of the loaves and of the fishesnamely, that God rules in the heavens and the earth through his infinite intelligence and goodness. Yeshua fed a multitude of five thousand with five barley loaves and two small fish. Many are couples clutching their little bags and holding hands, and many are the unmarried, seeking the peaceful blessings of the house of the Lord. We have forgotten that this amazing knowledge comes to mankind only as God chooses to reveal it, and it should be used for purposes nobler and wiser than mere entertainment. Eisenberg cautiously hypothesized that perhaps Hippos was the place that the miracle supposedly took place. (Interestingly the artist who produced the mosaic in Tabgha was not a local fisherman: the mosaics there show the fish with two dorsal fins while fish from the Sea of Galilee only have one dorsal fin). How to show that an expression of a finite type must be one of the finitely many possible values? Dr. Michael Eisenberg, who oversaw the excavation on behalf of the University of Haifa, noted that these may be a reference to the baskets of bread that were left over after the multitude had eaten. In this story, you can see how powerful Jesus is. 7. Jesus feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes. God blessed Abraham because he was willing to sacrifice his son. This couple has spent a lifetime of service, meekly, faithfully, and effectively trying to build up the Church in many places in the world. Fourth- and fifth-century remains. Why Were there 12 Baskets of Leftovers when feeding 5000? "Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand: Loaves and Fishes (Mark 6:30-44)." The miracle, which is mentioned in all four of the canonical Gospels, is regarded by some historians as one of the more ancient traditions associated with Jesus. Even if the Church of the Multiplication is the same place visited by Egeria (and it is likely to be in the general vicinity), she was still traveling some 350 years after Jesus is reported to have performed this miracle. Can you relate to the boy with five loaves and two fish? Many nameless people with gifts equal only to five loaves and two small fishes magnify their callings and serve without attention or recognition, feeding literally thousands. If the work be of God, He Himself will provide the means for its accomplishment (Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11). Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. The Master did not serve wine to the five thousand, nor did He serve fish at the Seder. After the feeding of the multitude, there was one basket for each disciple. Bible Based.We believe in solo-scriptura. Before we came to this earth, we may have been fashioned to do some small good in this life that no one else can do. The story is repeated in Matthew, Mark, and John. Each man had proof in his own hands of the miracle - he didn't need to rely on the testimony of another. By this I suppose he meant that the moorings of the Church were being shaken by a very few who do not fully sustain the leaders of the Church or keep their covenants. Within each basket was more food than they started with. The act was likely a painful one, maybe not physically painful, but mentally and, possibly, emotionally. Do you have questions about the Bible? WebVerse 16. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Cetubot, fol. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? . Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. 381 A.D. The people were fed by Jesus. You give them something to eat. 17 We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish, they answered. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. The boy learned this on that day. something to eat. 17 We have here only five loaves of bread and two It seems weird that the disciples would be concerned about not having bread if their normal course of action was to multiply bread and go sell it. Here in this passage we see a close parallel with the baskets being described as containing "broken" pieces likely symbolizing something similar. According to her diary, the site she visited, where the Lord fed the people with the five loaves and the two fishes was near Capernaum. They do much of the hard, menial, unchallenging, poorly compensated work of the world. At some point, he had to determine that he was not the one who dictated how the food was to be used. John 6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. In verse 6, we read these words, But he was saying this only to test him, for He Himself knew what he intended to do (NLT). How to react to a students panic attack in an oral exam? Was feeding of the 5,000/4,000 with raw or cooked fish? The story begins with a gathering of Jesus and his apostles who returned from the travels he sent them on at verse 6:13. John 6:1-15. The significance lies not in the actual number, but in the fact that loaves of bread were smaller in Bible days, with three loaves being about the right amount for one mans meal (Luke 11:5,6). In the last supper this is metaphorically used to show how Jesus would willingly give himself to "feed" those who follow him. The whole force of Andrews remark, with its diminutive words, rests upon the smallness of their power to help, while Philip had dwelt on the greatness of the need. Jesus Uses People to Bless Others. But they are not forgotten. Some months ago, as Elder Spencer J. Condie and I were in the Salt Lake airport, we unexpectedly met a devoted and faithful couple who have been friends for long years. vegan) just to try it, does this inconvenience the caterers and staff? From krithe; consisting of barley. You give them something to eat.. Trust that God will use the resources for his purposes; trust that God will care for our needs. In the account given by John, there is a detail mentioned that may indicate the preparation of the fish. THE FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Again, without the text giving clear interpretation we want to be wary of giving the number meaning where it may have none, lest we slip into numerology. To dispel this perception of cracks in our members faith, we need only to observe the joyful people who worship in any of our forty-five temples worldwide. He also divided the two fish among them all. It prevents the enjoyment of the full sweetness of a higher love. Its not clear what caused the fire, located at A.J. Real Answers. Then after Jesus breaks the bread which the disciples hand out we end up with 12 baskets of broken bread pieces left over. The boy with two fish and five loaves learned a lot that day. That includes us. One day last July, their daughter Jeralee, age eleven, was going door to door collecting money for her newspaper route. We are also to understand and remember that we too, like the lad in the New Testament account, are the spirit children of our Heavenly Father, that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior, and the Redeemer of the world. But ultimately, it is not our possessions or work that will cause the multiplication. Jesus Himself gave an example of cooking fish with His disciples, which further makes it a possibility that the fish prior mentioned had been cooked. The crowds continued to follow them, however. Trust. If you feel an answer is not 100% Bible based, then leave a comment, and we'll be sure to review it. This is the original fast-food fish sandwich that debuted at an Ohio McDonalds back in 1959. The ever-practical disciples advised Jesus to send the crowd away as it was growing late and there was nothing for people to eat. Numbers are often figurative or symbolic in the Bible. So we make the connection: the devil wants Jesus to bypass the complete and total dependence upon the Father and usurp authority, rather than have it granted him. A little boy, lad. No injuries in massive Cleveland warehouse fire. 4:7). The original root means to boil; thus the substantive is used, as in Homer, of boiled meat, and then of anything eaten as a relish with bread, and specially of fish. Key Verse: 6:9, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" It is part of the grace after meals to acknowledge that God provides all food and a meal from God will always have plenty of 'seconds' and leftovers. Fish became among the Greeks a chief dainty to gourmands, so that Demosthenes describes a glutton and spendthrift as one who is extravagant in fish. The boy with five loaves and two fish saw this firsthand. Because the tomb was empty! God wants us to trust him with our possessions and work to advance his Kingdom. The boy learned this on that day. And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do (John 6:56). At some point, he had to settle in his heart and mind that the food was not his to hold. 11:24,25), a proverb that perhaps motivated the boy in our text. Like when Jesus said to forgive someone "seventy times seven", it didn't mean 490, it meant as many times as someone offends you. Cline, Austin. 2023 First Fruits of Zion, Inc., All Rights Reserved, Copyright This is a prophetic picture of the Tribulation saint who will be willing to help others who are hungry after the beast issues his mark and Gods people cannot buy food without it (Rev. Then he gave them to the Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread Jesus said to them, Come and eat breakfast. Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, Who are You?knowing that it was the Lord (John 21:9, 12). So what might those 12 baskets represent ? How can I explain to my manager that a project he wishes to undertake cannot be performed by the team? Finally, Matthew 16 where the disciples get worried about bread and Jesus explains that the bread miracles are not really about bread and warns them against the "leaven" of the scribes and Pharisees, which is their teaching. Jesus then takes the meal, blesses it, and begins to break it into pieces. During much of my life, a few journalists and dissidents have predicted the imminent downfall of this church. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. (F) Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Weband it may be further observed, that the number of these loaves were but few; there were but "five" of them, for "five thousand" persons; and these do not seem to be very large Who, which, what, why. over. They have largely surrendered their own interests, and in so doing have found the peace of God, which passeth all understanding (Philip. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The ego interferes with husbands and wives asking each other for forgiveness. In large measure, they make possible the fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzars dream that the latter-day gospel of Christ would be like a stone cut out of the mountains without hands, rolling forth until it fills the whole earth (see Dan. He isnt in heaven, anxiously wringing his hands, wondering if we will step up financially so His mission can proceed. Sacrifice drives out comfort. This may be the most important message you ever read. About an argument in Famine, Affluence and Morality, Follow Up: struct sockaddr storage initialization by network format-string. Why did she weep? Thus God has again fed us and filled our baskets to overflowing. The stories of multiplying the food shows that even though the believers possession may not seem to be sufficient for Gods work, if they move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before them. A comparison of the passages will make it clear that St. John means by the word the ordinary relish of fish, which formed, with bread, the staple food of the people. Pliny and some of the Jewish writers describe barley as food fit for beasts. ( F ) Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them The earliest evidence for Christians visiting any site associated with the miracle comes from the Pilgrimage diary of Christianitys first female travel writer, Egeria, who visited the Holy Land ca. Privacy Archaeologists excavating near the Sea of Galilee may have discovered the site where Jesus is said to have miraculously fed a crowd of five thousand people using only five loaves and two fish. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Since this book never appeared as Continue Reading, Under the Law of Moses, Gods people in Israel were told However, as you noticed, 12 (and multiples of 12) are often used in the Bible. Probably. Debbie Weber of Naperville has found a creative way of raising money for Loaves & Fishes food pantry. The same is true for us. Much like the widow who gave two coins in the temple treasury, the boy gave all that was in his possession. It was learned that Jeralee had been abducted and brutally murdered by an evil man. Elder Joe J. Christensen and I, representing the General Authorities, were among the thousands privileged to attend Jeralees funeral service. In our time, we seem to have forgotten the miracle of the five loaves and the two fishes in favor of the miracles wrought by the mind and hand of men. Culvers. Jeralee never returned homenot that day, nor the next day, nor the next, nor ever. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Daily Devotional: March 4, 2023 Matthew 14:16-18 (NIV) 16 Jesus replied, They do not need to go away. News / Mar 1, 2023 / 04:07 PM EST. Andrew located a young boy with a few wafers of bread and two small fish. None of what was transpiring caught Jesus off guard. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. In view of this symbolism, the feeding of the five thousand represents the teaching of the Masterthe torah (teaching) of the prophet like Mosesgoing out to the masses. You give them something 18 Bring them here to me, he said. I would guess that 12 symbolizes "plenty" of leftovers. WebCSB He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. In the story of the feeding of the four thousand, there is another clue that the fish in this story had been prepared in such a way that it would last for a longer period of time. As the boy handed his meal to the disciples and Jesus, he likely wondered what difference such a small amount of food could make among the large crowd. They do not need to go away, Jesus replied. The lives and the dedication of our almost 50,000 young missionaries are testament enough of the faithfulness of many of our youth. The Story of the 5,000. Jesus Punishes the Swine With Demons (Mark 5:10-20), Jesus Walks on Water: Faith During a Storm (Mark 6:45-52), Jesus Heals a Blind Man in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), Jesus Heals a Boy With an Unclean Spirit, Epilepsy (Mark 9:14-29), Gain a Christian Perspective on the Passover Feast, Jesus Walks on Water Bible Story Study Guide. The two fish were probably dried sardines such as the fisheries from Magdala produced. The Lord said to Jeremiah, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations (Jer. Deuteronomy 8:8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; Deuteronomy 32:14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. The first depicts Jesus performing the miracle; the second shows twelve baskets filled with bread and fruit. Probably a basket for each disciple (and corresponding to them, a disciple for each tribe of Israel). Bread and fish are evocative symbols for early Christians, but, for those who lived around the Sea of Galilee or were agrarian workers they also had a great deal of practical economic significance. 60. Smoked fish is a means of fish preparation in Jewish cuisine, thus making it probable. On a simple level the symbolism of the extra baskets of bread is that you seek the right teaching, the teaching that corresponds to the word of God, regardless of the immediate circumstances and afterwards you find that there is an abundance left over because God is a gracious provider. Finally, Matthew 14, the feeding of the 5,000, with 12 baskets left over. Our aim is to share the Word and be true to it. 41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. God doesnt need the money we possess to accomplish His mission. Subsequently their hearts were hardened in that they forgot the divine mission of Jesus, for they considered not the miracle of the loaves (Mark 6:52). I am trying to understand why Jesus made 12 baskets of leftovers when he could have made the exact needed. "Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand: Loaves and Fishes (Mark 6:30-44)." And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 14When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them(C) and healed their sick. Jesus is said to have perceived them as sheep without a shepherdan interesting description, suggesting that he thought they needed a leader and were unable to lead themselves. He wasnt concerned. They are parents of Jeralee and their other five children. NLT Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Probably not. Multiplication is a result of Gods work, not our work. WebLuke 9:16-18New International Version. Archaeologists uncovered a 1,400 year old mosaic on the floor of the church that depicts the feeding miracle. For less than $5/mo. These are the hundreds of thousands of leaders and teachers in all of the auxiliaries and priesthood quorums, the home teachers, the Relief Society visiting teachers. I testify that the gospel we teach is the power of God unto salvation for all who listen and obey (Rom. Then Andrew, Peters brother, said, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes (John 6:9). 3. Elder Condie noted, Isnt it remarkable what people with five loaves and two fishes do to build up the kingdom of God. This kind of quiet, devoted service to me is surely a fulfillment of the word of God that the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers (D&C 1:23). Jesus pointed out the widow with two coins because she gave all she had. You see, friends, when brought to Jesus, when placed in the hands of our Lord, nothing is too About UsContact UsPrayer RequestsPrivacy Policy, Latest AnswersBible LessonsBibleAsk LIVEOnline Bible. Help Recently an out-of-state journalist used the phrase that there were appearing cracks in the walls of the temple, figuratively speaking, of course. What is the central characteristic of those having only five loaves and two fishes? Those living near Lake Galilee relied on bread and fish as the staples of their diet. What of those who have talents equal only to two loaves and one fish? 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, Their sweet daughter was like the lad who had only five barley loaves and two small fishes to give to the cause of the Savior, but by the power of God, countless thousands have been spiritually fed. However, there are some clues that imply what may have been the state of the fish mentioned. The new claim is based on discoveries made by scientists from the University of Haifa. What we do have evidence for is a trend in the artistic and theological program of late fifth century Christians living in the Holy Land. There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many? (John 6:9). First, the story references the feeding of others in the wilderness: Gods feeding of the Hebrews after they were freed from bondage in Egypt. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. Theres even a church there, called the Church of the Multiplication, that celebrates the event. 19 And he If God has a work for those with many talents, I believe he also has an important work for those of us who have few. So these are the clues. Here or hither. (Image: Bigstock/AnnekaS). That is how sacrifice works. None of the archaeological or literary evidence can confirm either that the miracle took place, or where it took place. And it was now about the time of the passover, as appears from John 6:4, and had it been quite the time, and the barley sheaf had been waved, it might have been thought that these loaves were made of the new barley; but though barley was in use for bread among the Jews, as is evident, from the mention that is made of barley loaves and cakes, 2 Kings 4:42; yet it was bread of the coarsest sort, and what the meaner sort of people ate; see Ezekiel 4:12. What makes it possible, under the Masters touch, for them to serve, lift, and bless so that they touch for good the lives of hundreds, even thousands?