Jewish Banquet Feeding
The Feeding of the Five Thousand - John 6:1-13
Introduction:
The principal purpose of John in this passage was seen as anticipating the Eucharist and the final banquet in the kingdom. However, it looks not only forward but backward to the feeding of Israel with manna in the desert at the time of the Exodus, a miracle that in some contemporary Jewish expectations would be repeated in the messianic age. The feeding may also be meant to recall Elisha's feeding of a hundred men with small provisions. Before discussing those points in detail, this paper will describe some of the pertinent historical background related to John's audience.
I. Context
Historical context:
- The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes in John 6: 1-3 have Eucharistic significance. Their similarity in structure and themes with the account in Mark, Mathew and Luke is considered by many to refer to a single event that developed in two distinct traditions like Jewish Christian and the other Gentile Christian.
- This event is very similar to the account in the Old Testament of the multiplication of the loaves in 2 Kings 4:42-44.
- The feast of Passover…
- This event is to be thought of as being done in a region near Lake Gennesaret.
- There was a tendency culturally to connect prayer with certain places, especially with the synagogue. There is a problem: Jesus' invitation is against the cultic rules.
- This text is full of citations from the OT. Here are some examples:
- Feeding: (Ez 34:13-16.)
- Compassion of the Lord: (Is 49:13; Dt.32:36; 2 Kgs 13:23; Ps 135:14.)
- Green grass: (Deut 11:15)
- Bread: (Ex 16:13; Dt 8:13-16; Ps 78:24-25; 105; 40; Ws 16:20-21;Lam.5:6.)
- Multiplication of loaves: (2 Kgs 4:42-44)
Literary Context:
The figure of Jesus in those passages fits perfectly with the figure of the servant of Israel in Isaiah, Moses, Elisha or the Shepherd of the New Israel. He comes to bring the new law, the new alliance in between God and humankind where following Jesus with a sincere heart is the only possible way to have access to God's kingdom. In other words, Jesus is the servant of the New Israel who suffers for the sins of His people.
II. Analysis and Synthesis:
A. Formal Analysis:
a. Genre: An analysis of the teaching of Jesus reported in the four Gospels demonstrates a variety of literary forms. Miracles…
b. Form:
B. Detailed Analysis: Sinners came to Jesus for a reason and they listened to Him. This was the first step to understanding and believing in the possibility of a change in their lives. Jesus was known as a prophet and master, but he was not interested in disputes between the dominant religious parties. Love and mercy, especially for those who needed more compassion, was the principal focus of Jesus' message. It is the foundation of the teaching of the law of God. Therefore, it is good to illustrate the different positions in Jesus' time regarding what God's law means and the attitude toward those people who were considered sinners.
1. The Setting (6:1-4):
- Sea of Tiber'i-as: (v.1): The awkward opposition represents a later name of the Sea of Galilee. It was probably a marginal explanation.
- The multitude followed him (v.2): The image that of great crowd being fed gives us one of the first visions of the future Christian communities bound together with the Lord. The image that of great crowd being fed gives us one of the first visions of the future Christian communities bound together with the Lord.
- Jesus went up on the mountain (v.3):
- Feast of Passover (v. 4): It is a specific period of time in order to demonstrate that it was a concrete historical event not a supernatural event.
2. The Human Solutions (6:5-9):
- Jesus takes the initiate (v. 5): The uninterrupted thronging of the people to Jesus and Jesus' compassion for them.
- This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. (v.6): probably the evangelist's comment; in this gospel Jesus is newer portrayed as ignorant of anything.
- "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." (v. 7): Faith in God. Abundance of material food also signifies the abundance of divine gifts on the level of grace and glory; it refers to spiritual resources and eternal reward; God gives people more graces than are strictly necessary.
- (v.8):
- Bread and fish (v. 9): Both have a Eucharistic significance. In addition these were the foods of the poor.
3. The Miracle (6:10-13):
- Crowd to sit down on the ground (v. 10): Reminiscent of the groupings of the Israelites encamped in the desert (Ex 18:21-25) and of the wilderness tradition of the prophets describing the transformation of the wasteland into pastures where the true shepherd feeds His flock and makes His people participants of Messianic grace.
- Blessing, breaking and giving (v. 11): Corresponds to the actions of Jesus over the bread at the last supper. Since they were typical at any Jewish meal, this correspondence does not necessarily indicate a Eucharistic reference.
- They all ate and were satisfied (v. 12): Jesus is the one in whom God's power is present and who provides for the needs of God's people. In addition, the image that of great crowd being fed gives us one of the first visions of the future Christian communities bound together with the Lord.
- Twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over (v. 13): In Elisha's miracle, food was left over after all had been feed. “The word ‘fragments' (Greek: Klasmata) is used, in the singular, of the broken bread of the Eucharist in the Didache 9:3-4.”
C. Synthesis: The kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus' preaching and teaching indicates that the walls of this kingdom will not be a material construction. He has called His disciples, and indeed all men, to take part in this kingdom. Through Jesus' actions and deeds, the kingdom and the power of God are explained. Personal faith and humble recognition of the power of God are clearly seen to have priority. Thus, the nature of the community that Jesus will establish is shown; it will always be under His protection. Jesus reveals His plan to promote and protect this teaching and kingdom with a new magisterium and a new governing household. It will not be the “old law” whose kingdom was restricted to a people by blood, but will be the universal and priestly salvation of the whole world through the mystery of the cross, which Jesus clarifies, is the true nature of His messianic coming through the New Israel.
III. Reflection:
- Moral & theological: The only requirement that Jesus asks of this kingdom's citizens is personal faith and loyal commitment to following Him in His words and deeds, even for those who may have to forsake places to lay their heads.
- Typological: The figure of Jesus in these passages fits perfectly with the figure of Moses because there are similar elements such as place (a mountain) and the purpose (to give the law of God to His people) in both accounts. He comes to bring the new law, the new alliance between God and humankind where following Jesus with a sincere heart is the only possible way in order to have access to God's kingdom. He is the prophet of the new alliance.
- Anagogical: The messianic sanctification of the name of God is the main purpose of those teachings. Jesus teaches us how to pray until the end of time in order to be prepared for the eternal kingdom in heaven.
Bibliography
Farmer, William R. Comentario Biblico Internacional: Comentario Católico y Ecuménico para el siglo XXI. Estella, Navarra: Editorial Verbo Divino, 1999.
Fuller, Reginald H. Preaching the Lectionary: The Word of God for the Church Today. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 1984.
Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Comentary. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1960.
Kostenberger, Andreas J. Encountering John. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1999.
May, Herbert G. and Metzger Bruce M, eds. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
McCarthy, Brian. The Navarre Bible: Saint John. Dublin: Four Court, 1987.
Moloney, Francis J. The Gospel of John. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 1998.
“This is the second lake formed by the river Jordan. It is described in the Gospels as the Lake of Gennesaret (Lk 5:1), because that is the name of the area on the north-eastern bank of the lake, and sometimes as the Sea of Galilee, after the region in which it is located. Saint John also calls it the Sea of Tiberias, after the city of that name which Herod Antipas founded and named after the Emperor Tiberius. In Jesus' time there were a number of towns on the shore of this lake and the shore was often the setting for his preaching.” (Navarre)
“Saint John Gospel often mentions Jewish feasts when referring to events in our Lord's public ministry. For instance, “There was much grass in the place” This indicates that the miracle took placed in the height of the Palestinian spring, very near to the Passover.” (Navarre)
“This story of the multiplication of the loaves is the fourth sign. It is the only miracle story found in all four gospels. John differs on the roles of Philip and Andrew, the proximity of the Passover, and the allusion to Elisha.” (Bible)
The first introductory section describes the presence of Jesus, the disciples and the multitude on the mountain on the other side of the sea of Galilee as the feast of Jews, the Passover approaches.
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