Context
This week we hear about the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand.
The fame of Jesus has brought people from all over. They have heard about his other miracles. They have heard about his teaching.
There were five thousand men, besides women and children. Yes, this is an awkward line that oozes patriarchy. But it’s an emphatic line. If it is only 5,000 men, then that means in total there could be 6k, 7k, 10k including the women and children. It emphasizes a number too great to count. It emphasizes the importance of this moment.
We can’t know if these are the same crowds that heard the parables or if the are different crowds. Regardless, this particular crowd seems to follow him from town to town in the region where he’s currently residing. So, it stands to reason that the crowds have been following Jesus for a few days and they had been listening to him teach and preach. So, occasionally, they would presumably need to leave to get food and come back as quickly as they could but there was no time at this moment. They needed to be in presence of Jesus no matter what at this moment.
We miss a crucial piece in the narrative right at the beginning of chapter 14. News has just come to everyone that John the Baptist, the prophetic predecessor of Jesus, and the one that could have pointed many of them to Jesus, had been executed by Herod.
The people couldn’t leave now. They had to find Jesus and listen to what he had to say about this. What does this mean? The prophet was dead.
Now the disciples, those closest to Jesus looked around, it was almost time for food, and the crowd was only getting larger after the news. They may be panicked about John. Fearful of what may happen to them. They may be grieving, at a loss for what to do next.
The disciples may be being practical and know that it’s dinner time so we should “send them away.” They may also be trying to disperse the crowds out of their own fear. Afterall, a massive gathering after the death of a political/religious figure could start to look like an uprising. The disciples may be trying to clear the crowd away to protect Jesus and themselves from the authorities.
But Jesus does not send them away.
Jesus, who is tired and exhausted from traveling and teaching for many days in a row and is saddened and hurt by the news that his friend and fellow prophet had been killed.
But Jesus does not send them away.
This is one of the most famous miracles of Jesus. Loaves and fishes. It is fascinating to read commentaries on the historical Jesus that attempt to explain the miracle. That it was a miracle of generosity and sharing. Jesus convinces everyone to have a potluck, essentially.
But to explain this miracle does little for what Matthew is setting up. Matthew is setting up an Emmanuel (God with us) moment.
Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish that had been gathered, the only food that anyone had. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Everyone ate and had enough.
It wasn’t a miracle that everyone received some bread and fish. It wasn’t even a miracle that there was so much left over.
It was a miracle because no one had to leave.
No one had to leave and go to the village to get more food. No one was left out because there wasn’t enough. No one was deemed unworthy. No one was excluded.
After the horrible news of John’s death, when there is fear and sadness in every follower, no one had to leave. Everyone could stay near Jesus. Everyone could be in his presence.
And that’s how so many of Jesus’ miracles are. No matter who the person is or what their background is, or how other people perceive them, he heals them or welcomes them to join him, or he teaches them. The miracle is always how Jesus removes the boundaries between others so that everyone is invited into his presence, and that all may come to know God.
This group of people, 6k, 7k, 10k, people, needed to be together and in his presence. They were afraid and scared for their lives and grieving over the loss of their teacher and advocate, John the Baptist.
But, in their time of need, Jesus does not send them away. He brings them all together, keeps all of these thousands of people together by ensuring that there is enough to eat and enough for them to be satisfied.
Preaching Possibilities
Unexplainable Miracle
Have you ever read or seen Charlotte’s Web?
The classic story that we’ve all come to know of a pig and a spider becoming friends and the spider saving the pig’s life by writing words on her web.
At the end, a very interesting line comes from one of the county fair judges. They say:
“The fame of this unique animal has spread to the far corners of the earth, attracting many valuable tourists to our great state. You will all recall that day last summer when the writing appeared mysteriously on the spider’s web in Mr. Zuckerman’s barn. This miracle has never been explained. All we know is that we are dealing with supernatural forces here, and we should all be proud and grateful. In the words of the spider’s web, this is “Soooome Pig”.”
This particular miracle is one that I’ve heard “explained” more than once. But at the heart of the miracles of Jesus, there is a connection with God and humanity, with a person and their neighbors that is just unexplainable. Jesus has a way of connecting us at just the right moments when we need that connection.
This week, we could talk about the meals and “the meal” in our church setting and personal lives that connect us. The miracle that is so many people for all walks of life who share in the body and blood of Christ. The miracle that is being connected together when there is so much that attempts to pull us apart.
All we know is that we are dealing with supernatural forces here, and we should all be proud and grateful.
Micah Krey 
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