3/14/2019 1Comment (at the bottom of this reflection.)
Today's question:
"How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"
From John 6:
2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
Reflection from Barb Kreski
When I read this question out of context, I knew it was from the familiar story of the five loaves and two fishes that fed over 5 thousand people who had come to hear Jesus preach. I assumed that the question was addressed to Jesus and posed by one of the disciples.
But in reading the whole story, I found that Jesus asked the question, and the very next verse says that he asked it as a test, for he already knew the answer.
I don’t really like the idea of Jesus giving pop quizzes. I know I would fail every time. And I’m sure Jesus knew that the disciples would not have the correct answer either.
So, accurate or not, I like to look at it as Jesus voicing the words that everyone must be thinking, while he could remain unworried because he knew that it would work out fine.
The question holds a lot of assumptions that would be natural to make, but maybe were not the truth of the matter. Here are some of the assumptions:
The first assumption I listed puts the problem squarely in the disciples’ laps. But I have to wonder; did these people who are accustomed to walking for hours or even days to travel where they wanted to go really set out without provisions for themselves? Maybe they weren’t even hungry! Maybe they had been nibbling at their provisions all morning while they listened. Maybe they had shared or traded their food---no money required. Or maybe some enterprising people had baked huge batches of bread and sold them directly to the people in the crowd. Who knows?
From this, I take the reminder to examine whether I really have a problem before getting all worked up about solving it. I look ahead and worry a lot, thinking that this foresight will enable me to avoid potential pitfalls. But I am the first to admit that it also causes me to expend time and energy worrying about things that never come to pass and things that are not my responsibility to solve. That is the first way that a bit more faith could help me out.
And there is another way as well. Maybe, instead of the message I have just construed, the real message is far simpler and one Jesus chose to make obvious to over five thousand people at once. Maybe the message is that Jesus can solve things and we need to count on that more. Even if it takes a miracle, Jesus can handle it. That is another way that a bit more faith could be helpful.
But in reading the whole story, I found that Jesus asked the question, and the very next verse says that he asked it as a test, for he already knew the answer.
I don’t really like the idea of Jesus giving pop quizzes. I know I would fail every time. And I’m sure Jesus knew that the disciples would not have the correct answer either.
So, accurate or not, I like to look at it as Jesus voicing the words that everyone must be thinking, while he could remain unworried because he knew that it would work out fine.
The question holds a lot of assumptions that would be natural to make, but maybe were not the truth of the matter. Here are some of the assumptions:
- “We” (Jesus and the disciples) are responsible for feeding these people
- We have to have a lot of money to buy food because we didn’t bring that much with us
- Surely there is someplace (maybe a drive thru?) where we could place an order to feed 5,000
- These people must be hungry. After all, WE are hungry; we’ve been helping Jesus deliver his message for hours
The first assumption I listed puts the problem squarely in the disciples’ laps. But I have to wonder; did these people who are accustomed to walking for hours or even days to travel where they wanted to go really set out without provisions for themselves? Maybe they weren’t even hungry! Maybe they had been nibbling at their provisions all morning while they listened. Maybe they had shared or traded their food---no money required. Or maybe some enterprising people had baked huge batches of bread and sold them directly to the people in the crowd. Who knows?
From this, I take the reminder to examine whether I really have a problem before getting all worked up about solving it. I look ahead and worry a lot, thinking that this foresight will enable me to avoid potential pitfalls. But I am the first to admit that it also causes me to expend time and energy worrying about things that never come to pass and things that are not my responsibility to solve. That is the first way that a bit more faith could help me out.
And there is another way as well. Maybe, instead of the message I have just construed, the real message is far simpler and one Jesus chose to make obvious to over five thousand people at once. Maybe the message is that Jesus can solve things and we need to count on that more. Even if it takes a miracle, Jesus can handle it. That is another way that a bit more faith could be helpful.
Comments
MaryLouise Shakespeare/Muench
Thu, Mar 14, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Good job of explaining. You make it so simple. So true. Putting our faith in Jesus is the answer. Thank you .
Thu, Mar 14, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Good job of explaining. You make it so simple. So true. Putting our faith in Jesus is the answer. Thank you .
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About Today's Author
Barb Kreski is recently retired and working on shaping the next chapter of her life.
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