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“Signs Done Well - V”
The fourth sign in the gospel of John is a miracle of feeding. More precisely, Jesus, to whom all signs point, multiplies a small amount of food to be more than enough to feed a multitude of 5,000 people (probably closer to 15,000 when one considers spouses and children being with the men counted). This is recorded for us faithfully in John 6:1-15.
We find out the reason such a large group was following Jesus in verse 2 – because of the signs! In particular because of the preceding signs of healings of sick people. It is dinner time in Galilee, and there is little to no food available for so many. The cost of buying groceries for this assembly would be astronomical (verse 7). It seems perhaps just one boy has carried his dinner (verse 9), consisting of five loaves of bread and two fish.
Jesus takes this small amount, prays over it, and begins to have it distributed to these masses – and the miracle is it never runs out! In fact, after all have eaten their fill, leftovers are gathered, enough to fill 12 baskets full!
As amazing as this spectacle must have been to experience, the significance of the sign is only revealed the next day. After some time away, the crowds find Jesus once again and have some questions for him. One apparently is “Can you do another miracle, perform another sign? (verse 30). So that we might believe?”
Amazing, isn’t it? Humanity’s hunger for spectacles and visual proof? People would rather see a magic act any day than hear the word of God proclaimed. Not much has changed.
Jesus in response preaches them a sermon in which he tells them that he is indeed the Bread of Life. “Think the bread I put in your mouths yesterday was good? Think the manna God gave the children of Israel in the wilderness was incredible? I am the true bread from God. If you consume me, you will never be hungry again!”
This sign points to Jesus as the fulfiller of every need, the One sent from God, the one who offers life eternal. Some just wanted a good meal – Jesus offered so much more. And does.
