The Great Gospel of John
Volume 6
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
At the Sea of Galilee (John 6)
- Chapter 41 -
The feeding of the five thousand
It hardly needs to be mentioned that Lazarus was greatly overjoyed by My arrival. But I had hardly been there for three days when the whole, wide surroundings learned from the workers about My presence, and daily more and more people gathered, and they brought all kind of sick people who were all healed there. But this caused a great commotion in all Jerusalem, and it also came to the ears of the Pharisees, so that they began to seek advice among one another about how to catch Me and get rid of Me from this world.
2
But I knew about this and on the tenth day of My stay in Bethany I said to Lazarus and the disciples: "We will move away from here again towards Galilee; for the Pharisees are holding an evil council against Me. But I do not want to cause any further commotion now, so that your house will also have peace around the festival time. I therefore shall leave here even today."
3
Then Lazarus said quite depressed: "Lord, You are indeed all-powerful and can destroy the evil brood with one thought, which would be a great benevolence for all better Jews."
4
I said: "I could indeed; but this is not the will of the Father, but instead they should act until their measure has become full. Only then will the great judgment come upon them; for they will thrust the sword into their bodies themselves through all their rising imperiousness which knows no bounds. In their arrogance they will rise against the Romans, who will give them a complete death. I tell you: No stone will remain on another, and the descendants will no longer find the place where Jerusalem stood, and if they should find something, they will nonetheless not be able to orient themselves accordingly and will not be in a position to determine any place for certain. That will happen by the world because of the world. But it is not yet the time and I have not come to destroy anything, but instead only to erect what has been broken and to seek and to find what has been lost. And it is now better that I should go away from here for a time, so that both, I and you, have some rest; for they will soon search for Me here, but not find Me - and this will be good."
5
At this we took our breakfast and set off on our journey. But Lazarus accompanied us almost down to the Sea of Galilee, and a great number of people followed us. But at the sea, which we reached quite late in the evening, I stopped and remained the night in an inn. The next day Lazarus took his leave and went home again with his people.
6
But I boarded a great ship with the disciples, whose number was once again more than seventy, and sailed close to the town of Tiberias across the sea. (John 6:1) But since the people saw that I was leaving, they immediately rented a large number of ships and followed Me thus unceasingly, because they were seeing the signs that I was performing on those many who were sick. (Joh.6,2) But we landed with the many ships accompanying us at a very uninhabited place about an hour away from the town of Tiberias, behind which immediately a high mountain rose.
7
I however, said to the disciples: "Let us go up this mountain! I will rest at the half-way point, without being noticed by those coming up this path from the town; for the people of this town have little good sense and even less faith; for they are a trading community and their sense is money and profit."
8
We then immediately went up the mountain to the determined place, where it was very peaceful and there was a lot of grass, which was very comfortable for our rest. There I sat down with the disciples. (John 6:3) But also the many people who had accompanied us came after us with the bread baskets that they had taken with them and camped around us. For it was already almost the Passover, the main festival of the Jews (John 6:4), and it was the tradition to take new, unsalted fish with them in their baskets, also fried fish, some eggs and lamb.
9
I, however, stayed here for five days and we all had enough to eat and drink for four days, since there was also a good and fresh spring at our resting place. But when the supplies had been consumed by the fifth day, Peter drew My attention to the number of people which was growing almost by the day, and that they had nothing more to eat.
10
I then lifted My eyes and looked out over the great number of people and saw that a large number of people had come to Me. I said to Philip, who was usually our treasurer and as a Greek-turned-Jew was sometimes still somewhat weak in his faith: "Yes, where are we now to buy bread for so many people, so that they all get something to eat?" (John 6:5) But I only said this to test the unbelieving disciple a little, for I knew very well in any case what I was intending to do. (John 6:6)
11
And our disciple (Philip) sat up straight and answered Me: "Our whole cash now consists of two hundred pfennig, and there will not be sufficient bread for this value for everyone to receive just a little for himself." (John 6:7)
12
Another disciples, also not exactly the very strongest in faith, although he was a brother of Simon Peter, said, (John 6:8) "Lord, there is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish in his basket, but what are these for so many?" (John 6:9)
13
I said: "Bring Me the boy and see that the people sit down in an ordered fashion!"
14
Since there was much grass in this place, the men sat down, in number about five thousand, not counting wives and children. (John 6:10) I then took the loaves, gave thanks to the Father and blessed them. Thereupon I gave the bread and fish to be distributed among those who had sat down, and remarked to all the disciples that they should give to everyone as much of the loaves as well as of the fish as each wanted to be satiated. (John 6:11) Then everyone ate and all were repleted.
15
But since they could not eat everything, I again said to the disciples: "Go and gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing gets lost and spoiled!" (John 6:12)
16
Then the disciples took the largest baskets, went and gathered the leftover pieces of everything which had not been eaten, and filled twelve large baskets full from - let's say - the five small barley loaves. (John 6:13)
17
Then the disciples said: "Truly, this time feeding the people exceeds the two previous times! But what should now be done with the twelve filled baskets?"
18
I said: "It belongs to the people; they will indeed know what they should do with it. We do not need it, since firstly we are now satiated and secondly we will leave in any case for Capernaum still today."
19
Then the disciples gave the full baskets to the people and everyone took a portion and no-one could complain that he had gone away short.
20
But since the people now saw the sign which I had effectuated, they said: "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world! (John 6:14) What is it then? If he is thus as powerful as no other power in the world, and wiser than Solomon, then it is indeed time to make him our king with force!"
21
But since I perceived that they were intending to make Me their king with force, I said quietly to John: "You hear what the intentions of the people are; thus I will now quickly and unnoticed withdraw to higher up this mountain. (John 6:15) But you remain here until the evening. Once the people have dispersed, I will come back to you again; but if they do not go away, go down to the lake. There a good ship will be waiting for you; travel with it to Capernaum where I then will catch up with you!"