John 6:1 Some time later, Yeshua went over to the far side of Lake Kinneret (that is, Lake Tiberias), 2 and a large crowd followed him, because they had seen the miracles he had performed on the sick. 3 Yeshua went up into the hills and sat down there with his talmidim. 4 Now the Judean festival of Pesach was coming up; 5 so when Yeshua looked up and saw that a large crowd was approaching, he said to Philip, “Where will we be able to buy bread, so that these people can eat?” 6 (Now Yeshua said this to test Philip, for Yeshua himself knew what he was about to do.) 7 Philip answered, “Half a year’s wages wouldn’t buy enough bread for them — each one would get only a bite!” 8 One of the talmidim, Andrew the brother of Shim‘on Kefa, said to him, 9 “There’s a young fellow here who has five loaves of barley bread and two fish. But how far will they go among so many?”
10 Yeshua said, “Have the people sit down.” There was a lot of grass there, so they sat down. The number of men was about five thousand. 11 Then Yeshua took the loaves of bread, and, after making a b’rakhah, gave to all who were sitting there, and likewise with the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 After they had eaten their fill, he told his talmidim, “Gather the leftover pieces, so that nothing gets wasted.” 13 They gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
14 When the people saw the miracle he had performed, they said, “This has to be ‘the prophet’ who is supposed to come into the world.” 15 Yeshua knew that they were on the point of coming and seizing him, in order to make him king; so he went back to the hills again. This time he went by himself.
16 When evening came, his talmidim went down to the lake, 17 got into a boat and set out across the lake toward K’far-Nachum. By now it was dark, Yeshua had not yet joined them, 18 and the sea was getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing. 19 They had rowed three or four miles when they saw Yeshua approaching the boat, walking on the lake! They were terrified; 20 but he said to them, “Stop being afraid, it is I.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and instantly the boat reached the land they were heading for. (Complete Jewish Bible).
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I remember when I was a young child that my family and I went and watched the "Power Team"--amazing athletes that did various feats of strength to impress the audience. Bending thick iron pipes and breaking multiple boards at once were signs of their power and strength. Truly it was impressive. The catch for this team was their assertion that they did all this by the grace of God. Theirs was a Christian ministry; they prayed before each feat and concluded with an altar call. We didn't go up, and while I have my own issues with this spectacle, it has always stuck with me as fascinating. As a young child I was moved to think that the power of God could allow me to move mountains--or at least break boards. As an adult I am pretty sure that God doesn't care about my breaking boards or bending iron. However, I do believe that God does give us power. As the writer of Ephesians puts it, the power that we know comes from the Holy Spirit. While that power is not necessarily about doing physical stunts, it is power in knowing that we belong to Christ--now and forever! To be honest, that is much more impressive than some guys doing amazing things on a stage.
Justin A. Grimm '05
Director for Evangelical Mission Assistant to the Bishop for Next Generation Ministries, St. Paul Area Synod, ELCA St. Paul, Minn.
John 6:Feeding the Five Thousand
1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.[John 6:1 Gk of Galilee of Tiberias] 2 A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5 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?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages[John 6:7 Gk Two hundred denarii; the denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer]would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they[John 6:10 Gk the men] sat down, about five thousand in all. 11 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. 12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14 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.”
15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Jesus Walks on the Water
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[John 6:19 Gk about twenty-five or thirty stadia] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, “It is I;[John 6:20 Gk I am] do not be afraid.” 21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were goin (New Revised Standard Version).
15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Jesus Walks on the Water
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[John 6:19 Gk about twenty-five or thirty stadia] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, “It is I;[John 6:20 Gk I am] do not be afraid.” 21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were goin (New Revised Standard Version).
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