Sunday: The Feeding of the Five Thousand
Daily Lesson for Sunday 6th of October 2024
In John 6:4-5, the apostle goes out of his way to state that the timing of the feeding of the 5,000 was near the Passover. The Passover was a commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. The Passover lamb took the place of the death of the firstborn. This sacrifice symbolized the death of Jesus in our behalf. On the cross, the punishment that we deserved because of our sins fell on Jesus instead. Christ, our Passover, was indeed slain for us (1 Corinthians 5:7).
“He bore the guilt of transgression, and the hiding of His Father’s face, until His heart was broken and His life crushed out. All this sacrifice was made that sinners might be redeemed.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 540.
Read John 6:1-14. What parallels can be found here between Jesus and Moses? That is, what did Jesus do here that should have reminded the people of the deliverance that their ancestors had received through the ministry of Moses?
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Numerous details of this story place Jesus in parallel to Moses in the Exodus. The time of the Passover (John 6:4) points to the great deliverance from Egypt. Jesus goes up on a mountain (John 6:3) as Moses went up Sinai. Jesus tests Philip (John 6:5-6) as the Israelites were tested in the wilderness. The multiplication of the loaves (John 6:11) is reminiscent of the manna. The gathering of the leftover food (John 6:12) harks back to the Israelites’ gathering the manna. Twelve baskets of leftovers are picked up (John 6:13), the same number as the twelve tribes of Israel. And the people comment that Jesus is the prophet coming into the world (John 6:14), parallel to the “prophet like Moses” predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15. All of this points to Jesus as the new Moses—come to deliver His people.
Thus, John is showing Jesus not only doing signs and wonders but doing signs and wonders that, in their context, should have had special meaning for the Jewish people. Jesus was pointing them, in essence, to His own divinity.
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Read Isaiah 53:4-6 and 1 Peter 2:24. What great truth do these texts teach about Jesus as the Lamb of God? How does His divinity tie into this truth, and why is this truth the most important truth we can ever know? |
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The act of Jesus feeding a multitude of 5,000 people just out of five loaves and two fishes explicitly demonstrates is divine authority over nature. He is not limited by the natural limitations. As God divinely provided limitless manna in the wilderness to feed the Israelites (Exodus 16), likewise Jesus fed a multitude of 5000 people showing that He is the divine Son of God.
In john 1: 3, Jesus is the Creator. Just as He created billions of galaxies from nothing, Jesus can create abundance from little (five loaves and two), demonstrating He is indeed divine Son of God. I am absolutely amazed to note what Divine can do. For instance, I am informed by recent data from the Hubble Space Telescope and other deep-field observations that there are possibly up to 2 trillion galaxies (Live Science and Universe Today). For basic information, the galaxy we live in, the Milk Way has a diameter of about 100,000 - 120,000 light-years. For the information purpose, 1 light-year is the distance light travels in one year, which is approximately 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers). Just remember, we have an estimated 2 trillion galaxies. If all these few figures give us a true picture of the vastness of the universe, then feeding a multitude of 5000 hungry mouths is insignificant to the power of the Son God. No wonder, the unique position of Jesus as the divine Son of God was the only fit to redeem mankind (John 10:17-18). He who creates, is the only one who can redeem (Isaiah 44:24,Isaiah 43:1).
Thank you for the highlight about the greatness of our savior! My question the multitude that Jesus fed was coming in this passover ceremony? As they said that this feast was nigh?
The people missed Jesus’ blessing because of their relationship with sin. If we hate sin, we will yearn for deliverance. If we love it, we will desire comfort. Physical food brings comfort. Physical food satisfies self. The people hated the Roman oppression but they did not loathe the sins that resided around and within them. We should ask ourselves, are we weeping between the porch and the altar for the sins around and within us? When our relationship with sin turns negative, we will pray and agonize with God to send Jesus back to destroy sin. Jesus’ return is the only thing that will destroy it. Most professed Christian today have a positive relationship with sin. And because of this relationship, they say to God feed me (take care of self) rather than deliver me from sin. I don’t want to see it anymore and I don’t want to practice it. This the call Jesus is waiting to hear from believers.
Melvin - you wrote: "Most professed Christian today have a positive relationship with sin. And because of this relationship, they say to God feed me (take care of self) rather than deliver me from sin."
I hear you loud and clear! As you pointed out - it is more important to call out for Jesus to remove the desire to sin far from us as we consume His spiritual food, instead of calling on Him to feed 'self' first.
Sometimes in our effort to see the spiritual, we overlook the mundane. And sometimes within the mundane there are significant spiritual consequences.
Eating together is a powerful context for discussion and developing social relationships. This was a very big picnic and I don't imagine that the participants sat in silence for one moment, munching their bread and anchovies. They had been listening to Jesus and many of his ideas were new to them. There would have been discussion, sharing of ideas, even jokes and laughter. It would have been a festive occasion.
If we wind forward a few years we find that the early Christian Church often gathered together to break bread. And while I know that some folk interpret this as communion, I rather suspect it was more like our potlucks.
Christianity is about sharing and what better way to share the Gospel than to have a meal together, to break down the barriers that separate us.
Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?
I see it as a consolation statement today in the midst of hight rate of hunger and poverty.
Jesus knows that his children need to eat,furthermore not just physical bread but spiritual bread which matters most for eternity and he is willing to give to everyone who ask,seek and knock
John 6:5 — Jesus testing Thomas. Thomas is not listed among the ‘first disciples’ of John 1. However by John 6 we’ve already read of 3 ‘signs’ of Christ and a couple of wonders (clearing the temple, conversation w/Pharisee, salvation of Samaritans.) Would Christ test Thomas on what Thomas did not know? (I don’t believe so. He does not allow us to be tested beyond our ability, (1 Cor 10:13).) Could that mean Thomas had opportunity to witness personally or hear of the previous signs to John 6? Do we take the time to review the presence of God in our lives, so that we can expect miracles in the present/future? May God open our eyes like the servant of Elisha.
Was it Philip or Thomas ?
Philip
Sorry, it was Phillip.
The'feeding of the 5000' - what does this teach me? Isaiah 53:4-6 reveals to me the spiritual context of God's plan to redeem mankind through the Father’s Love through Faith and forgiveness. Yes, Jesus bore our grief and carried our sorrows, was considered stricken, smitten and afflicted by God. But was He wounded for or because of our transgressions; was He bruised for or because of our iniquities?
At the cross, God forgave our sin(s)! As I consider Jesus' suffering from a spiritual perspective, I ask myself: "did Jesus accept His suffering because He knew that humanity needed the Father’s all-covering Grace to heal our sin-nature"? God's act of universal forgiveness - healing/covering mankind's inborn estrangement from Him -, would usher in the last chapter of His Plan of our redemption.
The Father accepted Jesus' prayer - to forgive them “for they do not know what they are doing" – Luke 23:34 and now we can know! Then, they did not know the spiritual purpose God had intended as they committed their cruel acts; but now we can know! As they killed Jesus, they thought to remove the threat to their power over God's children; but now we know that He freed us from religious oppression.
The time had come for the Father to declare His last Covenant with man to all the world – the Covenant of Grace by Faith! Jesus, because He forgave them as He faced death, His Love and Forgiveness opened the 'Gates of heaven's Light and Life' for mankind.
The Father responded with His Love and Forgiveness when Jesus asked the Father to forgive us. He had waited for His Son to forgive to show the world His power to forgive by His Grace - that the time had come that the Father by His Grace would forgive us our sins when we believe.
God's Grace saves us from the perpetual spiral of sin and death. Instead of accusing us, He asked the Father to forgive us; we can now accept to be healed because Jesus was faithful and asked the Father to forgive us. Now, sin and death is mitigated by God's Grace and Mercy - forgiveness!
I believe that loving our heavenly Father and His Son with deep gratitude, believing that we can come to Him in the name of His Son Jesus Christ to ask for the forgivenss of sins, is the spiritual work which was accomplished at the cross. He now will hear/recognize His Spirit in us and cover our sin with His Son’s righteousness. Jesus suffered greatly by our hands, but His and the Father's love where more powerful than death!
I believe that, at the cross, Jesus called for the Father's Grace to forgive humanity’s sin. To me, therefore, Forgiveness/Grace by God's Spirit of Love and Light is at the heart of God's redemption of mankind. God's power to forgive/heal us when we were yet sinners - opening the Gates of Faith for us to walk through and receive His Grace - is His ultimate miracle!
If we love Him, we will ask Him to give us the strength to love and forgive our fellow man. God’s Love for us, demonstrated by Jesus' restoration to Life, manifested at and after the time of His Son's death, has now become available to become manifest in our life as the power of His Grace to bring back Life and Light - His victory over death.
(1) Why were 10,000-12,000 people (adding in the women and children) out in the countryside following Jesus around, rather than in Jerusalem at the Passover feast? Could it be that they longed for fresh revelations of God's love for them? They weren't content with, "Once upon a time God loved our ancestors..." The proud religious leaders weren't offering fresh servings of God's love, were they. Had the crowds heard of the signs that there was MUCH love flowing from Jesus, and they wanted some for themselves? Their hearts were even hungrier than their bellies?
(2) That little boy. Only John of the gospels mentions him. And the disciple Andrew. We never hear about him, always about his brother Peter. So the child and Andrew are sort of in the category of nobody's in the gospel story. And yet here they come out from the shadows of the story, and just for a moment, share the spotlight with Jesus. That great flow of love from Jesus the people yearned for, it started with them. A little boy's small presence. Hardly noticed, except by Andrew. It's a small lunch. Just some cheap barley bread and fish. What is that in the face of such tremendous need? It was a small gesture, handing it over to Jesus. A little thing, barely noticed...but in that moment, all of us see what it means to be a believer. This little boy takes what little he has, and he hands it over to Jesus. "Here, Jesus, all that I have is Yours."
Was Jesus thinking of that moment that would soon come in His own story when He would turn over what little life He had left and place it in the hands of His Father? Was that the moment He thought, "No one has greater love than this, that one would lay down their own life for friends" (John 15:13). But what is one life among so many? One life, freely laid down, so that many may taste the abundant free love of God. This is what faith looks like. When one of God's children dares to let go of what little they have and place it in God's own hands. And then, God's love is released to do its work in the world.
(3) What does Jesus command the crowd to do? To sit down together (John 6:10), regardless of what country they are from, what their religious practices were, what their skin color was.... before we know it we find that we have received so much grace at the hands of God that we find we are able to share it with someone else. That’s the sign that John wants us to see. That there IS that much love in the world … and it flows from the stories that lift up Jesus (John 12:32), stories that begin and end with Jesus and point to Him throughout. Is that your life? Is it mine?
Jesus’s death on the cross was the death that humans were supposed to die. This death is the second death. You die and never come back again. The cup trembled in Jesus’ hand because He did not have a guarantee that the Father would bring Him back from this death. This love is incomprehensible! Paying that debt changed our destiny to an eternity with God and the individual is the only one who can prevent this destiny. You prevent it by refusing to let the Holy Spirit recreate you. That’s why Jesus told Nichodemus he had to be born again and only the Holy Spirit could do it. Churches are getting rich from sharing the gospel but the gospel cannot change you. Only the Holy Spirit can change you and He will only do it if you submit. And that submission is not a one time event. You must submit continuously.
Amen! Amen! Well said!!!
This is my first time commenting.
Sometimes I can't get my head around some questions in the sabbath school lesson.
Question in Sunday lesson, How does His divinity tie into this truth and why is this truth the most important truth when can ever know. Read Isaiah 53:4-6 and 1Peter 2:24.
Dear Paeru,
Thank you for commenting and for sharing your question.
Here is something I see from both of those Bible texts. They both have the phrase "by His stripes we are healed". I may follow a teacher or evangelist who speak words that help me greatly in life, but if that person is wounded, is whipped, is bound and murdered .... that will not help me at all. So how is Jesus different? Why and how does the terrible physical and mental punishment Jesus suffered help me?
The Holy Spirit answers through Peter, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness...." (1 Pet. 2:24). Yes, Jesus healed with great signs and wonders people's sickness and disease. And still does so. But more than that...Jesus is divine...and so the most important truth we can ever know...to answer the question in Sunday's lesson... is that Jesus can also heal us spiritually. He can forgive our sins and save us from sinning anymore. He can and has borne the eternal consequences of sin for us. Jesus removing physical diseases pointed as a sign to the fact that He can also, and more importantly, remove the disease of sin from us....sin being the ultimate cause of suffering and sickness in the world. Another important follow-up truth from this is that our ultimate physical healing and resurrection is coming, along with Jesus (1 Cor. 15:42, 51-52). This gives us hope and meaning in life.
Esther, Thank you so much for that explanation.
Hie Paeru.
Thanks for asking that question. The reply from Esther has opened my eyes to a deeper connection of the texts to the lesson.
The passover being at the time of feeding the 5000 makes sense. It was a time of year when more people were gathered in fellowship.
We had a pastor many years ago that changed our potlucks to fellowship dinner. We went with it for the 5 years he was there but I can see the change never went international. Be that as it may, I agree that the fellowship dinners are a wonderful time to mingle with other Christians, fellowship, and join in with all catering to visitors. As I remember, Paul and Peter participated in after SS and church services dinner. Galatians 2:12.
I believe there can be a after church discussion or during SS discussion and reproof, but then shake hands, and/or a Russian bear hug and then join the fellowship hall and fellowship all together and eating together in Christian fellowship.
The senerio as I imagine it: Paul and Peter had a discussion after Church. Peter and Paul had a bear hug, and then both joined the Jew and Gentile group in Christian fellowship dinner. A witness of what the acceptance of letting the Holy Spirit lead can do. If not at 1st, hopefully, as the Holy Spirit works on our hearts, we will get into the groove of refraining from being separatists. 🙏
There was almost too much to digest (no pun intended) here, and not enough time or space to tackle it all. So I will focus on these morsels and feast on them. Jesus, the second Moses, the second Adam, the "Living Bread" of heaven, born in the "House of bread", (Bethlehem) came to our planet to first, reveal the true character of "our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name". "The Father Himself loves you!" (John 16:27) He came to shut the mouth of the "Accuser", to answer and to win the Great Controversy.
He didn't come as some magician, sorcerer, or circus clown, performing tricks to wow his audience. Yet many treated Him that way. Even Herod, wanted to see a performance.
Is that why we follow Him? I hope not. I hope that we follow Him because of who He was and why He came. If He never answered another prayer of ours, or performed another miracle in our lives, He has done enough. Let Him be who He came to be, your Savior.
Give to Him the little lunch you have prepared for yourself and watch Him turn those morsels into a "happy meal", big enough to feed a multitude, with plenty left over. Little is much in the hands of Jesus. If you give the little you have, He will bless it and turn it into much.
Have a day of abundance with Jesus today!
AMEN!!
Tim, thank you so much for helping us focus on what is really important.
I am a bit concerned about the author's focus on miracles as "proof" of Christ's divinity. Christ Himself did not appear to have the same attitude. If He had, He could have "proved" His divinity to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. But He didn't do that. Instead He led their minds to the prophecies of the Messiah, as given in the Old Testament. Thus they did not have to depend on "miracles" to see Him as God. They had the "sure word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:9) to anchor their faith.
If we focus on miracles as a sign of divinity, I'm afraid we are setting ourselves up to be deceived in the very near future. (Rev. 16:14)
I love your ending paragraph:
Perhaps some will regard my comment "heretical," but here it is:
I think the author is straining at making parallels between Jesus and Moses for the feeding of the 5,000. I don't think that either Jesus or John had such parallels in mind, nor do I deem them significant. It is well to remember that the Sabbath School lessons are not meant to equate to a catechism. They are meant to get us to study the Bible for ourselves and come to our own conclusions. That means it's okay to disagree with the lesson author on some things.
The parallel to the leadership of Moses that is very clear is that Moses' time, the people miraculously received "bread from heaven," which they called "manna" (meaning "what is it?").
Jesus now also fed the people with miraculous bread, and He, Himself was and is the true "Bread from heaven." He made this clear in John 6:41-51.
As for mentioning the time of the Passover - that is a natural observation, since it was a high time in their society, and Jerusalem was full of pilgrims coming from the countryside and even other countries to celebrate the Passover. Many would have heard of Jesus and gathered to hear Him preach. That would partially account for the great number of people present.
(This event is a little too early in the life of Christ to be tied to His death as the real Passover Lamb. The parallel gospels place this early in the third year of Christ's ministry.)
I agree Inge. I love our lessons too but have also noticed times when they seem to strain to make a connection. Thank you for reminding us that the quarterly is not a catechism. This is why I love Michael Fracker's lesson plans where we make Sabbath School a Bible study instead of a quarterly study.
This is the comment I was hoping to see. Along with the concern for reliance on "miracles" as a proof of divinity. Obviously, John is a great book to study but the focus has seemed a bit misplaced and disjointed. I will likely, try to get the class to critically think of how we (2000 years later) and how they (2000 years ago) would have wrestled with the idea of a divine Messiah.
Ah, thank you. It seems we are reading from the same page. I think I would enjoy your class. 😊
I agree with Inge! Jesus does not need to stand on Moses!! The people missed the boat because they were more focused upon themselves than the sin around and within them. They should have been weeping between the porch and the altar for deliverance from sin.
Let us thank God for his love which displaces our weakness that we were not able to save ourselves. Sin separated us from God but through Jesus at the cross we have the victory.
Sin destined us to the second death (eternal separation from God) but Jesus’ death destines us to eternity with God. Of course, if the sinner refuses to submit to the recreative power of the Holy Spirit, his or her decision changes the destiny.