Questions

By Cal Cook

John 6:1-21 We changed from the Gospel of Mark to the parallel passages in the Gospel of John. The Miracles that we skipped over last week we now see here in John. As I read this account of the feeding of the five thousand we see a different dynamic in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus asks Philip an apparently rhetorical question, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Which leads me to ask?

*Why did he ask Philip that question?

o Obviously the text says to test Philip yet Jesus already knew what was in Philip’s heart?

o The test was then to reveal to Philip and the others their lack of faith?

*Philip responds with (depending on your translation) “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” Was there significance in that amount?

o If you have a study bible the footnote probably says “one denarius is about one days wage.” Or maybe it does the math for you and says “about 8 month’s wages.” Was 200 just a round number?

o One commentator (Dr. J. Vernon McGee) says it may have been the amount of money they had in their money bag…seems like an awful lot…yet if it was did that mean Philip was contemplating giving all they had? Or just saying all they had was still not enough?

*John records the number fed as “about five thousand” Matthew records “There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.” (Matthew 14:21) does that mean the number was more like 15 thousand?

o Again that’s what Dr. McGee states, yet others try to diminish the amount…some even combine the feeding of the 5 thousand with the feeding of the 4 thousand from Matthew 15 saying “see it was just a number to indicate a large crowd.” Is the number really important?

o Is a miracle still a miracle even if it smaller? 2 small fish and five loaves, how many would that feed? Maybe the twelve and the little boy?

It says Andrew spoke up and pointed out the little boy. Much speculation has been made about this boy. It does cause one to wonder:

*Where are this boy’s parents?

o Where they right there or was he by himself?

o If they were right there, why was Andrew only pointing out the boy’s lunch? Wouldn’t the family have packed a lunch for everyone in the family?

* Did the boy volunteer his lunch or was it volunteered for him?