5 Jesus therefore lifting up His eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto Him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this He said to prove him: for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not 8 sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto 9 Him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and 10 two fishes; but what are these among so many? Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the 12 fishes as much as they would. And when they were filled, He saith unto His disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which 13 remain over, that nothing be lost. So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five 14 barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten. 14 When therefore the people saw the sign which He did, they said, This is of a truth the Prophet that cometh into the world.
NOTE.—The miracle of the loaves is the one miracle that is recorded by all four evangelists. Parallel accounts are found in Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; and Luke 9:10-17. Similar miracles of Old Testament times are seen in the feeding of Elijah by the ravens (1 Kings 17:6); in the miraculous increase of the widow's meal and oil (1 Kings 17:9-16); in the feeding of one hundred men by Elisha with twenty loaves (2 Kings 4:42-44); and the long-continued miracle of the manna (Ex. 16:14-35).
Golden Text: "Give us this day our daily bread." Matt. 6:11.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) As Jesus was sitting with His disciples upon the mountain, whom did He see? What question did He ask of Philip? V. 5. (2) Why did He ask Philip this question? Why was it not for His own information that He asked it? V. 6. (3) What seemingly insurmountable obstacle did Philip see? V. 7. (4) What information had Andrew to give? What perplexed question did he ask? Vs. 8, 9. (5) What command did Jesus give? What kind of place was this where the people were commanded to sit? What was the number of the multitude? V. 10. (6) What did Jesus first do after taking the loaves which the boy had brought? What did He then do with the bread and fishes? How long did the distribution continue? V. 11. (7) When they had all eaten all they wished, what command did Jesus give? What reason did He give for directing this to be done? V. 12. (8) How much was taken up by the disciples? V. 13. (9) What did this miracle lead the people to say? V. 14.