In the readings for Ordinary Time, we take a break from the sequence of readings from the Gospel of Mark for a few weeks and this week’s reading begins a diversion into chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. The whole of John 6 is an extended discourse that explores the image of Jesus as the Bread of Life. The chapter and the discourse begin with this week’s miraculous feeding of the multitude. As this event occurs in each of the four gospels there is a compelling argument that there is some basis in fact or, at the very least, that the metaphoric image of Jesus feeding a crowd was an enduring one in Christian communities.
Jesus is described as testing the disciples, asking them where they might be able to purchase bread for the crowd. Phillip is overwhelmed at the thought of spending a fortune on enough bread for more than 5,000 people. A small boy nearby had a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. Jesus took the bread and fish, gave thanks and then had the disciples begin to distribute the food. When everyone had eaten their fill, the disciples collected twelve hampers of leftovers. Some commentators suggest that the twelve baskets represent the twelve tribes of Israel – indicating that the message of Jesus will be enough to feed and sustain the whole of Israel. Having witnessed this miracle the people have a sudden insight into who they think Jesus might be – the promised Messiah come to free them from their Roman oppressors. Wary of the crowd’s mistaken understanding of what the Messiah is to be, Jesus literally heads for the hills to avoid being made a political figurehead for the people.
© Greg Sunter
Read more from here Parish Bulletin_28.07.2024
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