Of all of Jesus’ many miracles, only the resurrection and the feeding of the 5,000 are recorded in all four Gospels. And of all the writers, John is the only one to mention a “small boy” as an integral part of the story. More on that later.
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him,
he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”
John 6:5 NIV
Perhaps Jesus asked Philip this question because he was from the small village of Bethsaida (John 1:44) near where this miracle took place (Luke 9:10). But Jesus didn’t expect Philip to have a solution; He already knew the answer.
He asked this only to test him,
for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
John 6:6 NIV
Jesus knew what He was about to do but wanted to use the opportunity to teach His disciples, and by extension, us. And perhaps that teaching was part of the miracle.
Philip answered him,
“It would take more than half a year’s wages
to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
John 6:7 NIV
Philip’s knowledge of the situation was accurate and impressive, but useless in getting the problem solved. They didn’t have the funds to buy bread and, even if they had enough money, it would be impossible to purchase enough bread from small Bethsaida to feed everyone. He saw the task as impossible because he approached it as if everything depended on his own work.
(It didn’t. It never does.)
We often limit God the same way, looking for how God’s work can be done, in our own strength, in our own small way. Jesus wanted to use a completely different approach and provide in a big way.
If you have a special need today,
focus your full attention on the goodness and greatness of your Father
rather than on the size of your need.
Your need is tiny compared to His ability to meet it.
Bill Patterson