Many times, I have heard the story of Jesus, miraculously feeding the five thousand men with five loaves and two small fishes. I have heard preachers exposit on the generosity of the lad who gave his five loaves and two small fishes, the number of food items used to feed a multitude, the number of leftovers that was collected and more. But it was not until recently, when I heard our beloved 4 year old son, Reuben tell me this story in simple child-like terms, did it dawn on me several hidden treasures in this account as recorded in all four of the gospels (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:31-44; Luke 9:11-17; and John 6:1-14). As Reuben told me the story, I asked him, as to why Jesus did this miracle? His response, “because the people had walked up the mountain [to be with Jesus] and they were hungry!”

See a great crowd came unto Jesus, who was up in a mountain, to be with Him. They wanted to be with Jesus and had followed him on foot out of the cities (Matthew 14:13; Luke 9:11); They wanted to be with Jesus and ran and outran Jesus and the apostles to arrive before them (Mark 6:33); They wanted to be with Jesus because they saw the signs (miracles) of His healing of the diseased (John 6:2). As our son exclaimed, yes, the people were hungry but what were they hungry for? They were hungry for spiritual food and they got doubly fed, both spiritually and physically.

Point(s) to ponder:

  1. Are we climbing over our situations (mountains) to be with Jesus? Are we following Him, running to Him and outrunning others to be with him? Do we see the signs of His Salvation (spiritual healing) and are we following him as witnesses of the same?
  2. Are we hungry for Jesus and his words? Sadly many times, we seek after things and people that can physically provide food on the table and miss out on the spiritual provisions. Instead, if we seek Jesus first, his indomitable and eternal kingdom and his righteousness, we can assured of Him living up to His Name, Jehovah Jireh (our provider), and be doubly fed (both spiritually and physically). Jesus is the only one who can totally satisfy and in order to be satisfied, we must first be hungry for Him!

John 6:3-13 (KJV)
3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.|
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten