“Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” 13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.)” Luke 9.12-14
One can look at the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand in many different ways. The disciples were concerned about the well being of the people, or perhaps they themselves were tired from a full day of ministry and wanted a break! They came to Jesus and said to him, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”
Jesus knew where they were and he knew what the people needed. He also understood the disciples, who had been given authority to preach, teach, heal and cast out demons. They had the ability to do much more than their actions suggested.
Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.” To which they said, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we go and buy food for this crowd.” For the group was “about” five thousand men, not counting women and children.
Did the disciples have the ability to feed these people? Certainly! Why else would Jesus bestow them with power and authority and then say to them, “You give them something to eat.” But it was the furtherest thing from the mind of the disciples to multiple bread and fish for the people. No one had ever performed a miracle like that except for God himself who supplied manna for the Hebrews in the desert when fleeing from Egypt.
We will not deal with the completion of the miracle here but the idea that Jesus was testing his disciples is evident. Did they have the ability to feed the people? Jesus says in Scripture, we will do ever greater things than these. (John 14.12). This could include whipping up a meal by faith to feed thousands if the disciples had only believed. On the contrary, Jesus believed completely in the power of God and was able to do immeasurably more than all we hope for or imagine.
I see this example as a testing of the faith of the disciples and how God wants to involve us in his ministry to bring about the kingdom. “You give them something to eat,” were Jesus words to a group of followers. They weren’t a joke, or a jest. They were words of power and faith that are still available to us today.
Why not take these words of Jesus and through his power do “even greater things than these”? By his grace and for his glory.
“O Lord God, you are good. They way you teach, lead, love and act in this world is amazing. Your love is complete and your ways higher. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill us with you love and grace. Help us know the truth of your word and the power in your hands. Come and fill me with your Spirit that I might work for you and help complete the work you have called me to do. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen