The fourth of the miracles that John records is the feeding of the great crowd. It is near the feast of the Passover when Jesus decided to supply the obvious need of many thousands of people by multiplying a few loaves and a few fish. He also knew that His actions would bring the nation closer to a decision regarding His offer of the Messianic Kingdom. The crowd, in the Messiah’s eyes, were like a flock of sheep without a shepherd, and He viewed them with compassion. They had been following the old shepherds, the Sanhedrists, whom Jesus later described as wolves. Here, the Messiah presented Himself as their shepherd, in the tradition of Moses and David, former shepherds of the nation. At that time, they were between two opinions. Should they follow the old shepherds, whom Jesus described as thieves and robbers, or should they follow the new shepherd of Israel.
The Messiah’s intention was twofold, the first part of which concerned His identity. He offered Himself as Messiah, the expected prophet, who like Moses would feed Israel in a wilderness; and as the son of David, the shepherd of Israel who would “feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance” (Ps.78.70-72).
The second element of His purpose was to provide training for His disciples who, in the course of time, would be shepherds themselves. The ‘shepherd in training’ had first to learn that it is not the job of the sheep to find food for themselves, but the task of the shepherd to provide it for them. “You give them something to eat” (Matt.14:16), is the principle. Here, away from any centres of population, there are no resources, save five loaves and two fish. But they did have the Messiah’s benediction, which was enough to multiply their small repast into a giant picnic. One day, Peter and his fellow apostles will be responsible for feeding the flock. At the post-resurrection miracle, where the Lord provided bread and fish for the disciples, the Messiah commissioned Peter: “feed my lambs”; “tend my sheep”; “feed my sheep”. The responsibility of Peter and his fellow apostles would involve them distributing what Jesus Himself provided.
The initial response to the miracle once more demonstrated John’s consistent argument, that Jesus provided enough evidence to prove He was truly their Messiah. The people said: “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world” (John 6:14). They were ready there and then to take Him and make Him king, by force if necessary; but the Messiah with His special insight into the heart of man departed to be by Himself in the mountains.
The identity of the prophet from Nazareth continued to be the centre of debate between the people and Jesus the following day. The doctrine of the teachers of Israel at that time was a doctrine of works, so they questioned the Lord: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” (John 6:28 ff). He directed them to the real issue: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent”. Since they knew it was an appeal for them to accept His credentials as Messiah, true to their character, they asked for yet another miracle. They asked: “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?” (John 6:30) But the crowd had forgotten that the fathers of the wilderness generation had grumbled against God and God’s Deliverer, Moses, for providing such food. The Messiah, however, had not: “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead”. There is a double level of meaning here. YHWH fed that generation of the nation miraculously, but because of their rebellion, He punished them. They were exposed to a plague of serpents. Numbers 21 has the record of the event: “The people spoke against God and against Moses: Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread. So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.” (Num.21:5,6) The Biblical account records the physical death of the rebels, and the teaching of the Scribes at that time suggested, nay asserted, that their rebellion lost them their spiritual privileges as children of Abraham. The Mishnah states, 'The generation of the wilderness has no portion in the world to come and will not stand in judgment, for it is written, “In this wilderness they shall be consumed and there they shall die”, (Num.14:35) the words of R. Aqiba'. The thrust of the argument of Jesus is that the eternal destiny of His generation is in the balance. He is offering Himself as the ‘Bread of Life’, and those that feed on Him will live forever! He said, “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world… I am the bread of life” (John 6:32-35).
In this way, the Messiah incorporated into His teaching an implicit warning to the nation, not to repeat the sin of the generation that came out of Egypt and reject the Bread of Life now offered, and the Father who sent it from heaven. If Israel’s leaders reject their Messiah, then judgement will fall on this generation as it did on the wilderness generation. On the other hand, those individuals that receive Jesus as Messiah will be able to feed on Him and enjoy every aspect of abundant life. This heavenly bread will feed both mind and spirit, whereas the manna fed only the body. The manna fed the physical, not spiritual and lasted two days at most. The life granted to those that receive Him as Messiah, would be spiritual rather than physical, eternal rather than temporal and heavenly rather than earthly. This means they were guaranteed satisfaction and resurrection.
They rejected His offer, “… because He said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.” “… they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” (John 6:41,42)Moreover, those that rejected Him were not just those who had been undecided. They also included those who had been His followers. This teaching even offended many of His disciples, and the Lord speaks of unbelief and betrayal among them. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him. From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him, which disloyalty was also amongst the apostles, in the person of Judas: “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70) Jesus challenged them all, “Do you also want to go away?” Peter, speaking for the eleven, responded: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68,69) This small band of men, therefore, represent the faithful remnant.
The feeding of the multitude showed Jesus as the incarnate God, who came from heaven. He alone was able to say, “He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. … For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day” (John 6:35-39)
This event encapsulated the problem He faced. In this miracle, the crowd, impressed by the creative power of Jesus, wanted to make Him king, but on their own terms. He did not fulfil their hopes in the way they expected. He ‘departed’ from them, physically illustrating the movement of the Messiah away from unbelieving Israel.
More next time.
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