John 6:13, commentary and pictures

After the multitude had eaten their fill from five barley loaves and two small fishes, the disciples gathered the leftover fragments and filled twelve baskets, so that more remained than the small original supply had contained. They gathered at Jesus' direction to gather up the fragments so that nothing would be lost. The twelve baskets display the scale of a mighty miracle that no human power could do, creating bounteous food for thousands from very little, illustrating God's daily creative power by which He multiplies seed into harvest and feeds millions. Though having all resources of infinity at command, Jesus directed that every fragment be gathered, teaching care and economy rather than waste and that nothing useful should be squandered in material or spiritual matters. He received from the Father and gave to the disciples, who passed it to the multitude, showing that His followers are channels appointed as means of communication between Him and the people, who can impart only what they receive from Christ and receive only as they impart.

Miracle Setting and Details

After the multitude had eaten their fill from five barley loaves and two small fishes, the disciples gathered the leftover fragments and filled twelve baskets, so that more remained after all had eaten than the small original supply had contained. The gathering showed abundance left over and that nothing was lost, with twelve baskets of bread and fish collected after the crowd was satisfied. The five loaves multiplied in distribution, feeding the multitude with food to spare as proof of the greatness of the miracle.

The gathering was done at Jesus' direction to gather up the fragments so that nothing would be lost, and the disciples obeyed that command. Though having power to provide abundantly, He directed that every fragment be gathered, teaching care not to waste what is provided. The command was fulfilled when the remaining barley bread was collected into twelve baskets, displaying His power to provide for temporal needs and His care for physical needs.

The food fed five thousand men, besides women and children, who had come without invitation and were far from home in the wilderness where many could not buy food, near the Passover. The account identifies the crowd as about ten thousand people, including about five thousand children, with five thousand men and women besides five thousand children, as more continued to gather after the blessing. Jesus did not let them return hungry but provided for human need, depending on His Father for the means to do so.

The people sat in orderly groups of fifty and one hundred on grass; Jesus gave thanks, divided the little food and gave it to the disciples to distribute, and the loaves multiplied in distribution and in the hands of Christ and the disciples. The food did not grow smaller as it was served, and every time the disciples returned to Jesus for more they received more, their hands reaching out to Christ Himself never empty until five thousand had been satisfied. The small supply in Christ's hands remained undiminished as it was shared, increasing as the disciples distributed it until the wants of the people had been supplied.

Jesus had withdrawn with His disciples for rest but was moved with compassion and not impatient when the multitude kept coming, leaving His retreat for a convenient place to minister to them. He taught them the way of salvation and let healing flow from Him, because they were as sheep without a shepherd receiving no help from priests and rulers. The feeding took place on a mountain-side and barren shore, a beach by the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum within sight of where the disciples later gathered, where above ten thousand persons were fed from a few small loaves and fishes. When the risen Jesus later broke food and divided it among the seven disciples on the shore, that earlier miracle on the mountain-side was brought to their minds.

The feeding took place on the day before the crowd came back to seek Jesus, a wonderful miracle on a barren shore. After eating the multitude left Jesus on the shore with no boat left for Him to depart by while He watched their departure with compassion. News of the feeding spread far and near, and early the following morning large numbers returned to the same spot by land and water, arriving at an early hour where they had last seen Him. When they searched in vain for Him there, they went to Capernaum still seeking Him.

Christ and His disciples themselves ate together from the precious heaven-supplied food that remained, and all shared in the benefit of the abundant provision. Jesus did not invite the disciples to eat first from the small supply, but began to distribute and bade them serve the people, and afterward they ate of what remained. The food multiplied as the disciples distributed it, and the disciples also ate from the abundant supply.

The one basketful of original food had increased to twelve baskets, showing abundance provided from a store scarcely sufficient for a small group. Food scarcely sufficient for a small group had fed the great assembly, and the fragments filled twelve baskets after the people had eaten their fill.

Abundant Divine Provision

The twelve baskets filled from the fragments of five barley loaves and two small fishes display a mighty miracle in which bounteous food for thousands was created from very little, which no human power could do. After all had eaten and been satisfied, more remained than the meager original supply had contained, showing that a very scanty store could be made sufficient for all who ate. The abundance was supplied by miraculous power, and all shared in the benefit of the provision.

The multiplication illustrates God's daily creative power by which He multiplies seed into harvest and feeds millions. As He sends rain and sunshine to make planted seed grow into blade, then ear, then full corn for bread, so He made a few loaves serve thousands, and it takes just as much divine power to prepare the harvest that men garner as to multiply the loaves. In mercy and compassion He gives all that is needed to sustain life by miracles graciously repeated every day, without which men would be weary, hungry, starving and dying, and human work in caring for grain and preparing bread with God-given faculties should not obscure His agency. Because His goodness never ceases, people grow accustomed to the process, drop God from thought, fix eyes on human instrumentalities, give to men the glory due His name, and ascribe His daily miracles to natural causes instead of recognizing Him as the source of food and giving Him glory.

Christ depended on His Father for the means to meet the need, as the Source of all blessings working through His humanity united with divinity, and the miracle revealed the Father's works through Him. The food had not been at hand for a multitude that came without invitation, far from home in the wilderness where many could not buy food, yet He did not let them return hungry. When people have used the wisdom and means available and still face difficulty, they are to seek wisdom from God and depend on Him with confidence, following His way of meeting need as closely as possible.

The provision shows thoughtful care for ordinary physical needs, pity for the weary and hungry who followed to hear teaching, and power to satisfy and give rest. The simple meal also teaches that God's natural provisions are not for gratification of corrupted appetite. The miracle was never wrought to exalt His power or to add glory to the disciples, but was wrought intelligently to meet necessity and satisfy hunger. Though possessing divine power, He did not use it to ease His daily work or lessen human burdens, leaving an example that patient, honorable labor is dignified.

What seems meager, when entrusted to Christ and wisely and faithfully used in His service, can become all-sufficient and more than enough. His command to feed those in need carries power to provide when means seem far too small, and His grace can multiply scanty provision a hundredfold and spread a table in the wilderness for more than a million, as He supplied His people in the wilderness with bread and clear flowing streams. The small supply remained undiminished as it was shared until the hungry were satisfied, showing that even a small gift may help many when given to help others.

The earlier feeding on the mountain-side was brought to mind when the risen Jesus broke food and divided it among the seven disciples on the shore, and they gazed in mysterious awe in silence, knowing and acknowledging Him. The later miraculous draught of fishes made the earlier feeding more impressive, proving that though losing His bodily presence and their living from fishing, the resurrected Saviour watches over them and will supply food and all they need in His work. Labor done in connection with Him, with His divine power joined to human effort, will not fail. The Lord is the Father and Keeper who provides for people, and food and the work of producing it should not be controlled by human restrictions that put people where God should be. The food distributed to the multitude was God's provision, just as all possessions are entrusted by Him.

Christ's Identity and Mission

The words never heard before sank into hearts, the pure and simple doctrine laid hold of minds, and the healing of the sick, the comforting of sorrow, the tender benevolence and the bountiful feeding won hearts until teaching and healing had nearly convinced the people of divinity. This miracle of creating food sufficient to feed thousands bounteously from five barley loaves and two small fishes, with fragments left over, could be done by no human power. It crowned that growing conviction with entire belief that He is indeed the Messiah, the Prince of Life, the promised Deliverer and rightful heir to David's throne as King of Israel.

The provision recalled God feeding Israel with manna in the wilderness and led the people to recognize Jesus as the prophet Moses had foretold. He was seen as the Coming One who guided Israel, greater than Moses, who declared Before Abraham was, I AM, working by His own divine power in His humanity the same wonder He had worked in Old Testament times for one hundred men. The five barley loaves multiplied in the disciples' hands to feed five thousand men besides women and children, and the command to gather every fragment was obeyed until twelve baskets remained, showing by the abundant remainder the greatness of the miracle and that God's hand can multiply scanty provision a hundredfold and spread a table in the wilderness.

The miracle was evidence heaped upon evidence sufficient to convince any mind open to evidence, and the thoughtful and candid who witnessed it were led to take exalted views of His character and office. The feeding had already given fresh evidence of power, but those demanding another sign were not seeking evidence to strengthen faith. Jewish leaders had closed their eyes to the light, and they wanted an excuse to avoid the self-denial involved in accepting the Gospel and taking up the cross, for more signs could not overcome unwillingness to accept truth when it required self-denial.

He took advantage of circumstances to become a field preacher to the multitude, at times standing upon a hill and sitting as a teacher with authority, not at ease, to give the people the Word as the bread of life, feeding them not from the Scriptures but by miraculously enlarging a small substance of temporal food. Supplying temporal food freely to the hungry opened the way to put Him in the place and chair of instruction, helped fasten the truth in minds, and prepared His way in many places. That occasion of gracious words of truth joined to merciful provision would be long remembered.

He brought His disciples before the large numbers to give them reputation, so many would recognize their workings as done as Christ had done. His deeds of mercy open a door for His disciples. His blessing was on the food, and His blessing will be on His disciples as they break the bread of life to hungry souls.

Bread of Life Teaching

John 6 plainly expresses God's will for His people and holds the divine antidote for the sin of the whole world, by which believers receive eternal life, have the Saviour's life in them, and are made one with Christ in this present life to be one with Him through all eternity. Living out that instruction cures dissension and brings unity with one another and with Christ. The chapter reveals Christ as the Bread of life, the living bread whose words are spirit and life, and receiving and obeying Him brings eternal life. Receiving Christ is represented as eating His flesh and drinking His blood, a real spiritual experience of feeding on Christ and not merely profession of faith. As temporal bread gives health and strength to the body, so faith in Christ and obedience to His teachings give spiritual vigor and everlasting life to the soul.

To eat the Word means to receive it, bring its principles home to the soul, take its truths into daily life, grasp the mysteries of godliness, and receive and assimilate Christ's words until they become part of self, which is eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. To live by every word from God's mouth means to live by all He has revealed as necessary for salvation, not departing from its precepts and not leaving His word for men's suppositions. Receiving Christ in this way is necessary to understand and value the truth in Him, that truth must become part of daily life with continual growth in grace, and His words as living bread nourish the soul so it need not remain spiritually hungry. The sixth chapter contains most precious and important lessons for all being educated in schools, yet it is only faintly understood, and its wonderful truths must be brought into practical life by all who want an education enduring through time and eternity. Students are to take in Christ's words to understand their privileges, what Jesus is to each person, and what advantage comes individually from eating His words, realizing He Himself is the great center of life, for His words are spirit and life.

That bread does not address the understanding alone like a book of mathematical formulas for the intellect, but aims at the heart, addresses the moral nature, takes possession of the will, casts down imaginations and every high thing exalted against the knowledge of God, and brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Learning from it requires submissive students in Christ's school, disciplined to habits of obedience and service, with souls emptied of all proud possessions so He can imprint His image and the soul-temple become the abiding place of the Most High. It requires praying, communing with God, proving the mind of God as those striving for eternal life who must know His will, and knowing the truth in Christ in order to reveal it. Cherishing that truth in the heart works by love and purifies the soul and produces in the humble Christian the fruit borne by a good tree, showing how eternal life is gained by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. Of all matters of importance, children and youth above all are to be educated in feeding upon Christ's words as His very flesh and blood, together with the law of Jehovah, the penalty of transgression, and God's acceptance of the Saviour's ransom in their behalf if they are obedient to the law.

Those ministering in word and doctrine must not be dull of understanding about these important statements in the sixth chapter but must read and pray over them asking God for clearness to comprehend, for the Bible contains the bread sent down from heaven and men and women spiritually are built up from the food they give the mind. Time must not be spent reading books and magazines that lead the mind astray and hinder spiritual growth, and more diligent study of Scripture is required to make its divine principles part of life. The chapter defines the righteousness of Christ that must be accepted to have on the wedding garment and to reach the standard of character for a fit guest at the wedding where humanity is married with divinity. That requires a firm stand for Christ, surrender to God of what is already His, and ceasing to continue in sin instead of measuring character by human ideas. The account of the loaves and fishes stands together with Christ walking on the water and His declaration to His hearers that He was the Bread of life, a teaching that caused some of His disciples to turn from Him.

Jesus intended the miracle to awaken faith in Him as the Son of God and the Bread of life, but the people who later asked for a sign had been among those miraculously fed and wanted Him to repeat the miracle and learn how He increased the food, as if it were a technique they could learn. They sought Him not because they saw the miracles but because they ate of the loaves and were filled, coming only for food that perishes and the temporal advantages they could obtain rather than everlasting life. Christ made the miracle the occasion for His sermon on the bread of life, setting forth the conditions of eternal life and entrance into the kingdom of God, demands of dying to self, self-denial and taking up the cross. When they heard those demands many went back and walked no more with Him, and more signs could not overcome unwillingness to accept truth when it required self-denial, while hopes fixed on earthly needs and freedom from Roman rule showed they wanted food that perishes rather than the bread that gives everlasting life. Believers are urged to study and understand the truths of this chapter as they learn to depend on God rather than human beings and look to Christ.

Receiving to Impart

Christ is the great center and source of all strength and of all temporal and spiritual blessings, without whom nothing can be done, receiving from the Father and giving to the disciples who passed it to the multitude. His followers are appointed as channels, instruments, co-workers and means of communication between Him and the people, employed as His helping hand to act with Him. They are to receive from Him not to hoard for self-gratification but to impart to others, including precious truth to those fainting by the wayside without distinction of rank, freedom, caste or nationality, returning to Him for further light and knowledge to give. The disciples themselves ate from the abundant provision, and afterward Christ and His disciples ate together of the precious heaven-supplied food that remained. As they continued giving they continued receiving, for of themselves they can bestow nothing for the soul's need and can impart only what they receive from Christ and can receive only as they impart to others. The more they impart the more they receive, living constantly believing, trusting, receiving and imparting, with hands reaching out to Christ Himself the Bread of Life never empty and with divine grace increasing in the giving.

No glory for feeding the multitude belongs to the disciples and no credit for success belongs to those who work for Christ, but all glory belongs to the great Master-Worker who slumbers not and constantly works for the harmonious accomplishment of His purposes. Christ multiplied the food while the disciples received the loaves and distributed them to the waiting crowd, showing cooperation in service in which He entrusts talents to human beings that they may cooperate with Him. The feeding showed the disciples the work given them as His representatives to give the bread of life to hungry souls. When hungry souls come and they feel helpless with nothing to give or impart, they are to seek spiritual food from God, who supplies His servants so they can feed others and turn no one away unfed, supplying more than is needed.

Missionary work is to be bound up with the ministry of the word after Christ's example, who gave spiritual food in gracious words of truth and also temporal food to satisfy physical hunger, which helped fasten truth in minds. Following Him, His disciples are to give the bread of life and the water of salvation to those longing for spiritual help, and as there is need to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, showing compassion so the weary and hungry seeking salvation are not neglected or discouraged. The beauty and utility of work done for God consists in its symmetry and harmony and in its all-round adaptability and efficiency. As the food increased as it passed from Christ to those who accepted it, so God's truth multiplies greatly as publications containing it are passed out. His direction to gather the remaining fragments so nothing would be lost means every line and every fragment of printed matter containing present truth for this time, even a torn page on the third angel's message, is to be treated as a sacred treasure and regarded as of value, because it can influence the heart of a seeker after truth as a ray of light from heaven to shine into highways and hedges upon the pathway of truth.

The gathered fragments also illustrate that Christ's words, the bread of life, freely given and blessed in distribution, are to be received, retained on the heart, studied and taught simply so people can understand and be comforted and blessed, and repeated to others who did not hear. All however weak are to feed souls needy of instruction, speak the truth in love, and His blessing will be on disciples as they break the bread of life to hungry souls, preparing the way and opening a door for their work. Gifts sent in with thanksgiving and prayer will be multiplied and blessed as the disciples' food given to the five thousand was multiplied and blessed by the Lord. If the best use is made of the means available, God will enable His people to feed the multitudes starving for the bread of life, including offerings given in faith and gifts of money to advance soul-saving medical missionary work and to secure needed facilities, for Jesus can bless and multiply a small unselfish provision so it is enough to meet many needs.

The same Christ who fed five thousand men besides women and children with five loaves and two small fishes will supply the needs of His children today, His power abundantly supplying physical need and continuing to provide, including by imparting knowledge that helps them obtain food. He gives tact, skill and understanding to those who align themselves with Him, and the food business is one of the Lord's own instrumentalities, for the heavenly Provider of all foods will not leave His people in ignorance regarding preparation of the best foods for all times and occasions. That lesson, joined to His lesson on economy in having fragments gathered so nothing was lost until twelve baskets full were taken up, applies to praying earnestly for wisdom to experiment with the wholesome productions of the earth and to manufacture necessary, wholesome, inexpensive foods. With wisdom and skill and talent and ingenuity given by God, means are to be devised to feed the hungry and sell to the poor at as low a rate as possible, a provision more needed in the Southern states than in any other part of America.

A great multitude was fed from a very meager supply until all ate and were filled, and the same happens when scattered small supplies are placed in missionary work and imparted to others, for God multiplies what is given. Advance in the work must not be stopped or measured by the means at hand, for that shows very limited faith, but whether means are large or small God's human agents are responsible to plan and work in faith, practicing economy, binding about wants, saving something even from a meager store to sustain the cause, and going forward to diffuse the gospel over the whole earth. The small supply of a few loaves and two small fishes, divided and given until all were satisfied, illustrates that those who share what they have with people in need, especially to help those lacking truth, and who do their best however small and then cast the helpless soul upon Jesus as Saviour and Redeemer with faith working by love and purifying the soul, may trust Christ to supply what they lack and may receive the Holy Spirit to serve and provide. The increase from one basketful to twelve baskets full illustrates that God can enlarge cheerfully and unselfishly given offerings and enlarge people's efforts in His work, making small offerings more than sufficient and satisfying people and giving them rest after following to hear the Word. Wholehearted sacrifice in service increases the talents entrusted to His agents, and precious light and other gifts are to be appreciated, conserved from needless spending for selfish gratification, and shared.

Economy Without Waste

Though He had all the resources of infinity at His command and power to provide abundantly for the people's needs, Jesus directed that every fragment be gathered after the multitude had eaten from the five barley loaves, and the disciples filled twelve baskets with what remained over and above. The abundance left over shows more than enough was provided, yet even then the fragments were not treated as disposable, for the gathering taught care and economy rather than waste. Nothing useful is to be squandered, whether in material or in spiritual matters, and He who could create bounteous food would not waste a fragment. His care for the leftovers shows His attentiveness to ordinary physical and temporal needs.

The command to gather so that nothing would be lost holds a lesson for every soul in that company, to be stamped upon old and young, learned and unlearned. It is to be valued by parents and carried into the home. The lesson applies especially in trying circumstances that require close economy and thrift with what remains. Those responsible for institutions are to avoid expenditures that frugality can save. Even after a great miracle Jesus treated the remaining food as worth preserving and warned against wasteful extravagance.

God requires faithful stewardship, industry, and economy in daily life, using strength to live within means, to place the family above want and dependence, to labor for small wages as well as large, and to owe no one anything. Christ's actions were meant to leave an enduring impression, and the gathering taught the larger lesson that the lesson of the miracle should not be lost. Nothing from His work is to be wasted, and every work of helpfulness done in His name is to be treasured and counted as valuable. What remains can be shared with others, so that resources saved from waste can feed people in need.

People can also be fed spiritually with the bread of life from what is saved and gathered. Good, necessary food should not be wasted, for the food that sustains life is provided by God's miracle-working power through the earth.

Responses to the Miracle

Because He made no effort to win applause, titles and honor like the chief priests and rulers and would not claim kingship Himself, the people and the disciples decided to claim it for Him, to take Him by force, bear Him on their shoulders, and proclaim Him King of Israel as the Messiah, the Prince of Life, the promised Deliverer and rightful heir to David's throne, a plan He discerned would defeat His designed work of instruction and deeds of mercy and benevolence. His words never heard before had sunk into hearts, His pure and simple doctrine had laid hold of minds, and His healing of the sick, comforting of sorrow, tender benevolence and bountiful feeding had won hearts, while no human power could create so much food from five barley loaves and two small fishes. His teaching and healing had nearly convinced the people of His divinity, and this miracle crowned that growing conviction with entire belief.

Judas helped distribute the food to the hungry multitude and helped bring the sick and suffering to Christ, seeing the benefit he could impart to others, the satisfaction that comes in service, and the relief, joy and gladness that came to human hearts through healing power, which might have taught him Christ's methods. But blinded by his own selfish desires and hope for a high place, he was first to take advantage of the enthusiasm excited by the miracle of the loaves and set on foot the project to take Christ by force and make Him king in Jerusalem despite Christ's teaching, and his hopes were high and his disappointment bitter when it failed. The feeding was a turning point for Judas, for he was not satisfied with the way matters turned out there. Christ rebuked that step with greater authority than He usually exercised, that rebuke provoked Judas, and from then he became more and more separated in feeling and love for Jesus.

Many who witnessed the miracle followed Him because they thought His power to heal the sick, feed the multitude and raise the dead would help them in their temporal necessities. They hoped He would be exalted to David's throne and give them ease, earthly advantages and the highest place, and free them from Roman rule, rather than the self-denial and difficult sacrifice He requires of His disciples. They focused on what He might do for their earthly needs and wanted food that perishes rather than the bread that gives everlasting life. After refusing to become their king He devoted Himself more earnestly to teaching His disciples. Before those searching for Him interrupted them He had an interview with His disciples in which they received much precious instruction.

The report of the loaves spread far and wide and drew crowds seeking Jesus, many hoping to hear more about the miracle. The people could not deny that He had performed this wonder of feeding a vast multitude from five loaves and two small fishes. His provision of food for the five thousand hungry men is a model for those handling food to seek daily counsel from the One who created it.