The Bread of Life

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following Him, because they saw the signs that He was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 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?” He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough 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 for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then 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. And when they had eaten their fill, He told His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that He had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by Himself.

 

John 6:1-15

I come from a lineage of women who loved to feed the masses. Growing up, our home was always a hub for gathering. We had a revolving door – my parents always insisting that they would happily host any and every event. My mom was the quintessential hostess. Anyone was welcome at her table, and there was always enough food. As her children got older, Mom embraced the opportunity to be the hangout spot for all of our friends after school and on weekends. The countertop jars were always filled to the brim with snacks, and she only needed a five-minute notice to have a chocolate fountain billowing on the kitchen island. The ministry of hospitality and the liturgy of providing food was an example that I watched unfold through my mother and, before that, through my grandmother.

In John chapter 6, we run across the familiar passage of Jesus feeding the five thousand – and that’s just the men! In reality, the disciples were looking to Jesus to provide for well over five thousand, considering the women and children also in attendance. I considered a new perspective as I sat in the passage this week: What would it feel like to be the disciples and to have the panic that there would not be enough food? As a hostess, I know the innate worry of making sure there is more than enough for my guests. Can you imagine the embarrassment of not having enough? Especially when you start with so little—how far can a little boy’s lunch actually go? Verse 11 stands out to me: “Jesus then took the loaves…” In the hands of the Master of the Feast there was abundance. The people had their fill—not just an equal portion, but as much as they wanted. Even still, there were leftovers. We see the extraordinary provision of God through the hands of Jesus. The provision wasn’t just enough – it was overflowing.

The reality for us as believers in Christ is that His grace to us is inexhaustible. It is abundantly more than we need. As we see illustrated in John 6, Jesus gives us everything that we need when we can often be found under the table, looking for scraps. Yet Jesus takes the loaves…and provides again and again.

A feast of fishes and loaves should certainly turn our eyes to consider the greatest feast to come – with the Master of the Feast sitting on His throne. This week, I have imagined that feast in new ways. My beloved grandmother went home to the Lord on Monday. As I sat with her this past week, in a very thin and holy place, I imagined myself sitting on heaven’s shore. Across the water, on the other side, a feast is prepared with plentiful food, unending joy, and fellowship unbroken and restored. How I long to see what she sees – to behold the feast that our King has prepared. And it reminds me that one day, what we lack here will be replaced with the Lord’s overflowing table. What a joy it will be to sit down next to my mom and my grandmother and to see Jesus, our true Bridegroom, the Master of the Feast. In Him there is more than enough. Hallelujah! Come, Lord Jesus, come.