“After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” (NRSV)

How has God provided for you? It may be easy for us to identify the times when God has come through in big ways. For example, the times when we experience His provision for things we had been praying about for weeks, or months, or even years; or the times when God comes through with His provision of the impossible, the thing you know would not have happened unless the active presence of God was working in that situation. It is much more difficult to see God’s provision in the small and seemingly insignificant moments in the daily mundane of our lives. When I think over my life retrospectively, I am amazed at all the little ways God has provided for me daily, things I did not even know I needed. What I love about the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is that it not only displays God’s provision in the big and obvious ways, but it also demonstrates God’s attention to detail in providing in the small and insignificant ways.   

We should begin by looking at the sacramental element of God’s provision in this story. The sacrament of Holy Communion (the Eucharist) is rooted in the Jewish celebration of the Passover. Why should we start here? Because this is where John starts in verse 4, as he reminds his readers that the Passover festival is near. Passover is a celebration of remembrance for how God provided for His people. God was about to enact His final verdict of justice upon the land of Egypt for the evil they had done against Him and His people. God instructed the Israelites living in the land to sacrifice a lamb and to paint the doorpost of their house with the lamb’s blood. The blood of the lamb would be a sign to God’s angel to spare those in the house from death by passing them over. This covering of lamb’s blood provided protection for them from God’s wrath. When the Passover story is retold each year, the story does not end with the Passover, but also includes God’s continued provision of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness.

In Exodus 16:2-8, we find the story of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. They had left Egypt and were following God’s leading to the promised land. They had just witnessed God’s miracles and His provision for them in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and at the bitter waters of Marah. They knew what God was capable of. However, the Israelites began to feel lost, tired, and hungry. They began to complain, “It would be better for us to die! if only we never left Egypt…there we at least had something to eat…” God heard their cries and once again, provided for them by sending Manna, bread from heaven, daily to feed His people. He provided in abundance, so much so, that they would have enough manna left over for the Sabbath.

How is understanding this Passover story important to the story we find in John 6, where Jesus is feeding the five thousand? This story paints a beautiful parallel. After seeing the miracles Jesus had performed, the people followed Him out into the wilderness. However, when they arrived where Jesus was, they were tired, hungry, and beginning to complain. Are you starting to see the similarities? Just as God provided bread from heaven in abundance for His people to eat in the wilderness, Jesus uses this opportunity to provide bread in abundance for these people to eat in the far countryside. We find a beautiful picture of the sacrament that reflects both the past and the future. In just a few chapters from John 6, there is another Passover festival, where we find another story of God providing a new type of bread from heaven for His people.

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). When we partake in the Eucharist, we recite the words of Jesus, “This is my body, broken for you” and then we give thanks. Symbolically, just like bread is broken open so that it can provide nourishment to all who eat it, Jesus was broken and died to provide the lifegiving nourishment of salvation for all who are lost and hungry in the wilderness of sin and death. Jesus is God’s provision of Mana. The cross and the empty tomb were the means of dispensing this grace to all who are hungry. Our true hunger is a hunger to be in relationship with God the Father. Jesus is the only way to the Father.  

This story is not only a beautiful picture of God’s provision through Jesus, but it also includes at least two other illustrations of ways God provides.

Sometimes, God uses His people as a way to provide. To understand this, we should zoom in on Andrew and Philip. Jesus said to Philip, “where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” Now, according to scripture, Jesus said this to test Philip. I seem to remember God saying the same thing to Israelites in the wilderness, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not” (Exodus 16:4). Jesus already knew what He was going to do. He did not ask Philip because He needed advice. He asked Philip to see if he had been paying attention. Philip completely fumbled this test. He immediately started looking within his own means to solve the problem. “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” We run into this problem all the time. We have a problem that needs a solution, so we look within our own means to fix it, while the entire time we stand in the presence of the One who can provide. Our math and science will always fail us. The pride that tells us we can fix this on our own will never give us a real solution. If this situation were left completely in Philip’s hands, it would have been hopeless and ended badly.

Andrew, however, passed the test. Andrew had been paying attention to the abundance that Jesus gave to all who sought Him. Andrew did not even bother looking within his means; rather, he looked outside of himself to see the possibilities surrounding him. Andrew’s solution was to bring anything or anybody he could find to Jesus. In being obedient, Andrew brought the solution to Jesus. He found a young boy who happened to have a little food. It was not much food, but Andrew had been paying attention. He had seen Jesus change water into wine, heal a sick boy, and make a lame man walk. Why wouldn’t Jesus be able to use this boy and his offering? Andrew made possible this miracle of God’s provision. No one will ever know what will come out of our obedience when we look beyond ourselves and bring someone else to Jesus. Sometimes all God needs for us to do is to be aware of who is around us and bring them to Him. It would have been easy to pass over this boy and his sack lunch, especially if we did not see its value. Even if we do not see the value in that person or what we think they have to offer, God always sees their value. What is of little significance in our eyes is often big in God’s. He may want to use you as tool of His provision. Are your eyes opened and looking outward at the possibilities?

This brings me to my final illustration of God’s Provision in this story. God often gives us the biggest provision through the smallest offering. Scripture dose not say much about the boy who Andrew brought to Jesus other than he had two fishes and five loaves. However, we can gather much about the boy from these simple statements. First, the fish were probably dried pickled fish. This was a common and a cheap means of food for anyone traveling. Second, we are told the bread was made from barley. Barely grain was used to feed animals because it was cheap. It did not offer the elegance of flavor that other types of grains did. It was common for the poor to bake with barley, as it was all they could afford. Just by observing his sack lunch, we can assume this young boy was of very humble means, low on the societal totem pole. The fact the boy gave all he had to Jesus says a lot about his character. He was willing to give everything in service of others.

The boy’s offering was not only small in quantity, but it was extremely humble in means. Many people would have simply turned their nose at it. What the world looks down on or assumes it to be too little, or insufficient, or purposeless, can be used by God to do big and powerful things beyond our imagination. If we are willing to give our all, however small or humble it may be, to His service, God is able to sanctify it and use it. Jesus used the boy’s small and insignificant offering to feed the multitude in abundance.

God always provides! He may use you, or He may use what little you have to offer Him. He may be asking you to look around and bring someone else to Him, so that He can use that person to provide. We must always remember, however, that the actions of Jesus are God’s ultimate fulfillment of His provision for our lives. Jesus is the bread of life.

Jesus thanked God and gave His people bread to eat, and there were leftovers!