Two of the Synoptic Gospels, Mark and Luke, record the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish shortly after the disciples returned from their mission and reported their experiences to Him. In contrast, the Gospel of Matthew places this event immediately after Jesus hears of John the Baptist’s death. It is noteworthy that after John, Jesus Himself called the people to repent. By the grace of God we have been given a role to partake in God’s ministry, as such if we die or fail to cope, God is already doing it on His own. The idea on the minds of the servants of God, that without us God can not spread the message of salvation that is freely available to all is blasphemous.
The Gospel of John
The Gospel of John, which is not arranged chronologically but thematically to reveal the spiritual truth of the Gospel, presents a different context. John often contrasts Jesus’ teachings with the beliefs held by the temple authorities, who were unwilling to share God’s love and power with the Gentiles, hoarding them for themselves. This may explain why the Synoptic Gospels situate the feeding miracle after the disciples’ return from their mission to the Gentiles—highlighting Jesus’ inclusive mission.
John, however, places this miracle after Jesus’ confrontation with Jewish leaders who opposed His healing of a man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath. Notably, Jesus later finds the healed man in the temple and warns him not to sin again. This seems to be a warning against following the legalistic teachings of the religious authorities regarding Moses and the Law, which could lead him back into spiritual bondage.
At the end of John chapter 5, Jesus challenges these leaders, saying they claimed to follow Moses, yet they did not truly love him. If they had, they would have recognized and loved Jesus as well. Instead, they prioritized the Law and the prophets over God Himself. They replaced God with Moses and His laws, and expected the prophet Elijah to come back. As these thoughts were dominating their mind, they fail to recognise Jesus as the Messiah.
When we connect the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand with Jesus’ teachings to the Jewish crowds, a deeper meaning emerges. Jesus is not merely a provider of physical nourishment, but one who feeds our souls with the life-giving truth. This miracle, therefore, reveals more than the mere blessing of a one person’s meal to feed the multitude—it reveals His desire to nourish the whole world spiritually with truth, grace, and inclusion thereby liberating everyone from the jurisdiction of law.
Torah To All Mankind
When the disciples acknowledged that money was insufficient, Andrew pointed out a young boy who had five loaves and two fish. This boy represents the religious teachers of the time—those who possessed the truth of God’s Word but were hoarding it for themselves and unwilling to share it with the Gentiles.
The five loaves symbolize the Torah, which the religious leaders had reserved for themselves and for the Jewish people alone. The two fish represent the prophets, Moses and Elijah, who largely shaped the people’s thinking. By blessing the two fish, Jesus broke the pattern of elevating these leaders to an untouchable pedestal. Remarkably, the young boy—who could have clung to his food for his own journey, much like the teachers of the law clung to their knowledge—chose instead to offer it willingly to Jesus. This reveals that true servants of God should hold nothing back for themselves but willingly surrender everything to Him for the blessing of all humanity. It was this simple act of surrender by the boy that opened the way for Jesus to satisfy the hunger of the multitudes.
I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. – John 17:14-16 (NIV)
What was once the Torah has now been transformed in the Gospel. Through the Gospel, the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is available to all. No one is excluded from this spiritual nourishment—everyone who seeks will be satisfied. Because God is not far from any one (Acts 17:27).
This spiritual nourishment addresses the spiritual hunger caused by misunderstandings of the Torah and the legalistic teachings associated with Moses’ law. In contrast, the sermons and teachings of Jesus expand the scope of salvation to everyone, regardless of their past actions—whether good or bad. Forgiveness is made available to all while they come to know what Jesus did on the cross.
As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile —the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Acts 10:11-13 (NIV)
The twelve baskets of leftovers symbolized the mission Jesus entrusted to His disciples—to take the spiritual nourishment they had received and share it with all people. This miracle marked a turning point, when the twelve were truly commissioned to proclaim God’s Word to all humanity. Jesus had already prepared them for this task by sending them out without material provisions, teaching them to rely entirely on God’s supply. Now, He placed what had once been the exclusive teachings of the Jewish tradition into their hands and expanded their mission.
Their spiritual journey became part of the unfolding story of Redemption—rooted in Old Testament prophecy and continuing through the book of Acts, which records the Spirit-led works of the early believers. Yet Acts ends abruptly, almost as if God’s work had ceased or diminished. In reality, what the Holy Spirit began after Jesus’ ascension still continues today. Sadly, we have often confined it within the limits of organized religion. Instead of adding our own lives to the ongoing “extended book of Acts,” we settle for merely repeating the ideologies of Paul, John, Peter, and James, missing what God is speaking to us now. We remain within the safe boundaries of religion, even turning biblical figures into heroes to be admired—rather than following in the living footsteps of Jesus Himself.
Beyond The Boundaries of The Religions And Traditions
This miracle carries a life-transforming spiritual lesson—teaching us, as it did Philip, not to depend on worldly methods for proclaiming the Good News. At its core, it reveals the universal offer of forgiveness—extended to all, without regard to merit or the religious practices they follow. Yet in many sermons, this truth is diminished to a simple display of Jesus’ ability to provide, a sign of material abundance and earthly blessing. Sadly, the deeper spiritual meaning is overshadowed by the pursuit of prosperity.
While some twist this miracle to mislead believers, many sincere Christians still wrestle with the question: Why do the wicked prosper and enjoy abundance, even though they have neither heard nor applied this miracle’s message to gain wealth? The answer lies in a greater truth—earthly blessings are given to all, regardless of merit. But the Kingdom of God is reserved for those who lay aside worldly pursuits and earnestly seek His righteousness.
Jesus said that doing the will of His Father and seeking His righteousness was His true nourishment (John 4:34). When He fed the five thousand, He was not merely addressing their physical hunger—He was also meeting their deeper spiritual need. They came not for ordinary bread, but for the heavenly manna found in His teaching—the Word of life.
In the same way, if we seek God with a sincere desire to know His truth, setting aside worldly blessings for a moment, He will bless us with His salvation, opening the way to His Kingdom and eternal life (Matthew 6:33). Earthly provisions are already given to all—even to the wicked—through God’s common grace (Matthew 5:45).
Therefore, let us not pursue worldly blessings as our primary goal. Instead, we must continually seek His righteousness and reject the mindset that sees righteousness merely as a means to gain material wealth. Let us seek God for who He is, not for what He gives.
This reminds us how easily the enemy can twist the teachings of Jesus. What He intended to nourish the souls of all people is often reduced to a self-centred system. Yet through this miracle, God’s children are called to a greater vision—one in which His grace is extended beyond religious boundaries, providing for all people, not just those within the framework of what we now call “Christianity.”
Even after God forgave our sins through His Son Jesus, we still fall into the patterns of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees of His time. Jesus rebuked them for keeping God’s truth to themselves instead of sharing it with the world:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” – Matthew 23:10 (NIV)
He also condemned them for going to great lengths to convert someone, only to burden them with teachings that led to condemnation rather than life:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” – Matthew 23:14 (NIV)
Similarly, many churches today place their emphasis on achieving conversion targets through baptisms, yet neglect to teach people the way of God—substituting the gospel of grace with legalism. Conversions are often pursued merely to maintain positions within the organisation, and as a result, neither pastors nor believers are willing to share their social and spiritual privileges. Instead, they deprive others of the blessings they themselves enjoy, even within their own communities.
Does it not grieve our hearts that the very words Jesus spoke in rebuke to the teachers of the law two thousand years ago is still applicable to us today. Even after receiving His abundant grace, have we remained unchanged?
Jesus Entrusted Us A Great Responsibility
Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. – Luke 9:16 (NIV)
When Jesus gathered us to hear His truths, He took the Torah and the belief of people on prophets in His hands, blessed them, and transformed the Torah into the Gospel. Then He passed the anointing once given to His prophets on to all of us—so that, without delay, we might proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth and hasten His second coming (Matthew 24:14).
May God help us to share His Word and His love freely—without discrimination, without personal gain, and without twisting His truth. May He open our eyes so that we do not exalt His servants as heroes but rather see both their strengths and their failings, that we may grasp how great His grace truly is.
The Jordan Valley 
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