On the walls of the catacombs—and other places of early Christian art—loaves and fishes are common pictures. There certainly are many allusions made to each separately throughout ALL of Scripture, but probably nowhere as noteworthy and famous as here, where they are mentioned together. Besides the resurrection of Jesus, this is the only miracle found in all four Gospels!!! As the Lord desires, I relearned something rereading this beloved passage and I can’t wait to share it with you below!

[Luke 9.10-17]

10 On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. 12 Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so and had them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ Why did Jesus head toward the town of Bethsaida with His disciples? When the crowds found Him, how did He react? If you were His disciples, how would you feel about that? Can you connote any attitude in their request for Jesus to “send the crowd away”?

+ Why do you think Jesus had the people sit down, and why in groups of fifty? There may be two different answers here!!!

+ Did Jesus “need” the five loaves and two fish? Then why did He use them? Read John 6.8-9. What does that tell you about Him?

+ Any significance to there being twelve baskets full of broken pieces left? Some scholars believe the term used for basket here corresponds to something the size of a lunch pail, or a small picnic basket. Does that change your answer based upon what we learned earlier in this passage?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ Jesus desired to get away and spend some “alone time” with His disciples, excited to hear all about their first journey into the mission field; however, others, souls who were desperate for His presence, searched and found them in Bethsaida. I am sure His disciples were disappointed when “their” time was interrupted. So, what does Jesus do in response?

+ He blesses the crowd that sought Him with a warm welcome, performs physical healings and provides an abundant meal that fully satisfies them.

+ He blesses a young lad as his meager lunch is used as the basis for this miraculous feeding.

+ He blesses His disciples by allowing them to administratively participate in the miracle AND then gives them their own special “boxed lunch” after He takes care of all the others.

+ I am astounded and amazed by how Jesus takes a difficult situation and turns it into something where EVERYBODY walks away feeling loved and cared for. Now that is a character trait worth pursuing!!!

“Jesus,

You are beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words,

To wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard,

Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom, who can fathom the depth of Your love,

You are beautiful beyond description, Majesty, enthroned above.”

I Stand in Awe of You, written by Mark Altrogge

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?