Feeding of the Five Thousand

Setting and Overview
The Feeding of the Five Thousand is one of the best known stories in the Gospels, partly because it is one of the few events that is in all four. The synoptic Gospels all place it after Herod hearing of Jesus’ activities, and Matthew and Mark both place it before Jesus walks on the water. Each of the Gospels preserves slightly different details, with Matthew’s account being the briefest as he often is with narratives. Nonetheless, the fact that it is in all four underlines its importance, and focusing on what Matthew specifically includes in his account helps us see his main points.

Exposition
The account begins after Herod has heard about Jesus’ miracles (with the interlude looking back at John the Baptist’s death in between, Matthew 14:3-12.) Jesus is about to begin a new phase of his ministry, leaving Galilee where he has focused to this point. Although he intends to take the disciples away to somewhere private, the crowds hear of their plans and beat them to the place (Mark 6:30-33.) This does not deter Jesus from still healing them, though, which would have been a time-consuming process for so large of a crowd. This creates a potential problem as they are in a remote area that does not have food available, and the crowd will need to eat. The disciples make what seems to be a logical suggestion: just send the crowd away so that they can spread out and find food on their own. Jesus, however, has other plans.
When Jesus tells the disciples to just feed the crowd there, the disciples were likely shocked and confused, which then probably led to some of the discussion preserved in the other Gospels but not Matthew (John 6:5-9, Mark 6:37-39, Luke 9:12-13.) After being told to find how much food they have, they come up with five loaves and two fish, likely only enough for a couple of small meals. The disciples surely think that will put an end to them feeding the crowd, but instead it provides the setting to highlight the miraculous nature of what Jesus does next. Jesus then instructs the crowds to sit down in groups of 50 or 100 (Mark 6:40, Luke 9:14) gives thanks, breaks the bread, and gives it to the disciples to provide to the crowds. At this point the disciples were likely nervous, but the food is multiplied as it is passed out and in the end, not only is there more than enough to feed all, but more is left over than was started with, details that show without a doubt that something miraculous has happened. Matthew ends by telling us that 5000 men were fed (not counting women and children, which probably indicates the total number was far higher) which highlights the extent of the miracle.

Examination and Application
The fact that this event is in all four Gospels when so many other important events and miracles are not points to the fact that it is showing us something significant. Some have seen this passage to be showing Jesus to be a greater Elisha (II Kings 4:42-44) or Moses (John 6:14) and others have seen it as foreshadowing the Lord’s Supper (John 6:53-54) or the Messianic Banquet (Matthew 8:11.) A larger theme seems to stand out, however. In Matthew’s short account, he nevertheless emphasizes Jesus taking initiative out of his compassion, and providing abundantly to a people in need. The significance of bread as a staple that sustains life (Lamentations 1:11, Ruth 1:6, Nehemiah 9:15) could point further to this event showing Jesus to be the only one who can provide and sustain life to a helpless people. Significantly, though, he chooses to do this through his disciples, a point highlighted in all of the synoptics. There is no question that it is Jesus who is doing the seemingly impossible, but he still commands the disciples to be the ones to carry it out, and then he equips them for the task. In doing so, we see a model for how we are likewise to respond in faith when we are called to carry out the seemingly impossible (Matthew 28:18-20.)