Where Did Jesus Feed The Five Thousand?

See How Jesus Fed 5,000 With Only 5 Loaves and 2 Fish

All four Gospels mention an occurrence in which Jesus Christ feeds 5,000 people with only a few loaves and fish, according to the author of Matthew. It is through this miraculous supply of sustenance that the Lord shows himself as the source of life, or ″bread of life,″ for both Jews and Gentiles.

Questions for Reflection

  • Instead of focusing on God, Jesus’ followers were preoccupied with the dilemma of how to feed a large number of people.
  • Do we recall that ″nothing is impossible with God″ (Luke 1:37, New International Version) when we are presented with an intractable problem?
  • Jesus had done several miracles before Philip and Andrew, but they seemed to have forgotten them.
  • Do you think about how God has helped you in the past when you are facing a difficult situation in your life?

Scripture References

The tale of Jesus feeding the 5,000 may be found in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-15, to name a few biblical references.

Jesus Feeds 5000 Story Summary

  • When Jesus Christ was in the midst of his ministry, he received some devastating news.
  • Herod Antipas, the king of Galilee and Perea, had executed John the Baptist, his friend and kinsman, as well as the prophet who had declared him to be the Messiah.
  • The twelve disciples of Jesus had just returned from a missionary expedition that he had assigned to them.
  • Having heard what they had done and taught him, Jesus took them on a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee to a quiet location where they were able to get some rest and pray.
  • When the news spread that Jesus was close by, large throngs of people gathered.
  • They rushed to visit him, bringing their ailing friends and family members with them.

When the boat touched down, Jesus looked around and saw all the men, women, and children and felt compassion for them all.He shared his knowledge of the Kingdom of God with them and cured those who were sick.″Where shall we get food for these people to eat?″ Jesus inquired of his disciple Philip as they stood in the midst of the crowd, which totaled around 5,000 men (not including women and children).(John 6:5, New International Version) Jesus was well aware of what he was about to do, yet he begged Philip to put him to the test.According to Philip, even eight months’ income would not be sufficient to provide each individual with even a single mouthful of bread.

  • Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, had a stronger trust in Jesus than his brother.
  • He called a young child forward, who had five small loaves of barley bread and two small fish in his possession.
  • Andrew was perplexed as to how this might be of assistance.
  • The multitude was instructed to sit in groups of fifty people, as instructed by Jesus.

He took the five loaves in his hands, lifted his eyes to the heavens, and expressed gratitude to God his Father before passing them to his followers to be distributed.He followed the same procedure with the other two fish.Everyone ate as much as they want, including men, women, and children.The loaves and fishes were miraculously doubled, resulting in more than enough food for everyone.Then Jesus instructed his disciples to collect any leftovers to ensure that nothing went to waste.

They were able to collect enough to fill twelve baskets.The multitude was so awestruck by this miracle that they came to believe that Jesus was the prophet whom the prophets had predicted.Jesus fled from them because he was aware that they would attempt to compel him to become their king.

Themes and Lessons

  • The Good Shepherd: A major element in this narrative is Jesus’ compassion for those in need of help.
  • Jesus took care of the throngs, who were ″like sheep without a shepherd,″ as the saying goes.
  • Jesus, as well as his followers, were exhausted by the time they arrived.
  • However, his compassion for their plight outweighed his tiredness by a wide margin.
  • God’s genuine Good Shepherd is none other than Jesus Christ.
  • The Long-Awaited Messiah: A parallel exists between the feeding of the 5000, which provides nourishment for Israel in the desert, and God’s supernatural feeding of the Israelites with manna in the wilderness during the time of Moses.

The Messiah, according to Jewish belief, would perform a miracle of supply similar to the one performed by Moses.Jesus was showing himself to the world as the spiritual redeemer of Israel and everyone who would embrace him as their Savior and Redeemer.The Most Generous Provider: Recognizing the need for food among the people, Jesus set out to teach his followers a valuable lesson.God is a consistent and bountiful supplier of all of our needs in the family of faith, and we can count on him to do so.Only Jesus has the ability to fulfill our genuine desire.

Points of Interest

  • This miracle, in which Jesus feeds 5000 people, is the only one that is recounted in all four Gospels, with only minor changes in the specifics between the accounts in each Gospel. In this account, just the males were tallied, which is a different episode from the feeding of the 4,000. It is estimated that the throng totaled 10,000 to 20,000 when women and children were included
  • the people were as ″lost″ as their forefathers who wandered in the desert during the Exodus, when God sent manna to nourish them. It is possible that the 12 baskets of leftovers represent the 12 tribes of Israel, demonstrating that Jesus was better to Moses in that he not only gave physical food but also spiritual sustenance, as the ″bread of life.″ God is also described as being a generous giver with a limitless supply of resources, according to the prophets.
  • Another indication that Jesus was the Messiah came in the form of the miracle feeding of the crowd. Although the people recognized him as a spiritual leader, they were determined to compel him to serve as a military commander in order to topple the Romans, which he refused. This is one of the reasons Jesus escaped from his enemies.

A Summary and Analysis of the Feeding of the Five Thousand

  • Let’s start with a question from a quiz.
  • Approximately how many people did Jesus feed with the loaves and fishes during the renowned miracle described in the Book of Acts?
  • a) A total of 5,000 persons b) A total of 4,000 men c) a total of more than 5,000 persons The answer is either b) or c), depending on which section of the New Testament you reference; nonetheless, the answer is not a).
  • The following analysis will attempt to explain why a response of ″5,000 persons″ cannot be considered acceptable, at the very least in part.
  • What all of this has to do with a little-known location called Bethsaida will be the subject of our discussion.
  • Because we commonly refer to ‘Jesus and the feeding of the five thousand’ in everyday discourse, it’s worth taking a closer look at what the Bible truly says about it.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand (also known as the Five Thousand): summary When Jesus learned that John the Baptist had been executed, he became fearful that Herod Antipas, the man who had ordered John’s death, would come for him as well.As a result, he boarded a ship and sailed into a ‘desert spot’ (i.e., a desolate location) near the city of Bethsaida, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.Bethsaida literally translates as ‘house of the fishermen’ (the ‘Beth’ in ‘Bethlehem’ literally translates as ‘house of meat’ or ‘house of bread, depending on how it’s interpreted; Bethlehem’s ‘Beth’ comes from the same origin as the Greek letter beta, from whence we get the word alphabet).Fish, of course, will play an important role in this narrative.Interestingly, in his intriguing Asimov’s Guide to the Bible: The New Testament: 002, author and all-around polymath Isaac Asimov points out that Jesus’ choice of site has additional significance: ″Jesus’ choice of location has another significance:″ Bethsaida was located in Iturea rather than Galilee, and as a result, it was outside of Herod Antipas’s jurisdiction.

  • However, even if Herod was unable to locate Jesus in this new fishy location, Jesus’ own supporters were able to do so.
  • With regard to Jesus’ practices, Matthew in particular recounts how multitudes of others rushed to be with Jesus as knowledge of his teachings spread.
  • Jesus, on the other hand, was going to demonstrate his divinity to the assembled throng.
  • During his ministry, Jesus showed compassion for the people who followed him, healing the sick and infirm among them as well.

However, as nightfall neared, Jesus’ leading followers informed him that they were in a distant location and that he should send the multitudes away so that they might travel to the adjacent towns and get food for the evening meal.However, Jesus stated that they were not need to go since he and the disciples could provide enough food for everyone.They, on the other hand, said they only had five loaves of bread and two fish.As a result of its occurrence, this miracle is sometimes referred to as ‘the miracle of the five loaves and two fish.’ Jesus requested for the bread and fish to be brought to him before instructing the throngs of people assembled to take a seat on the grass in front of him.When Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, he lifted his eyes to the heavens and blessed them before breaking the meal into pieces.

Then Jesus distributed the food to the disciples, who in turn distributed it to the throngs of onlookers.They had all finished their meals and were satisfied, so the disciples went and collected twelve baskets full of leftovers.The total number of people who ate was ‘about 5,000 males, in addition to women and children’ (Matthew 14:21).Note the language used: the five thousand men were fed precisely – or ‘around’ – five thousand men, as opposed to the whole population of five thousand men.

Because this figure did not include the women and children there, those five loaves and two fish were able to feed an even greater number of people than the five thousand hungry mouths they were intended to feed.feeding the Five Thousand: a critical critique In all four gospels (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:12-17, and John 6:1-14), the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle done by Jesus that is documented in all four gospels.The details of the story vary somewhat from gospel to gospel, notwithstanding modest changes in the way they are presented.

  1. It has already been reported in John’s Gospel that Jesus is a prophet with healing powers, and the people have taken notice.
  2. The execution of John the Baptist has occurred, yet many believe that the prophesy will be fulfilled and that a descendant of David (from ‘the stem of Jesse’) will arise who will be the Messiah or anointed one.
  3. And sure enough, the book of John (6:14) informs us that ″when those men saw the miracle that Jesus performed, they declared, ″This is of a fact the prophet who is to come into the world.″ Thus, the feeding of (roughly) five thousand (men), which occurs at precisely the proper time to demonstrate Jesus’ supernatural abilities, and the fact that a multitude of thousands witnesses it firsthand, gives credibility to the belief that he is the Messiah.
  4. In addition to being symbolic on another level, the narrative serves to illustrate Jesus’ teachings on the significance of feeding and caring for the poor.
  5. Rather than dispersing the multitude and leaving them to fend for themselves, Jesus takes on the task of feeding them all personally, displaying not only his own divinity but also God’s strength by causing the five loaves and two fish to suffice for everyone – with plenty of leftovers to spare.
  6. It should be noted, however, that this was not the first time that Jesus achieved such a miracle.
  1. The ″feeding of the four thousand,″ which is a miracle that is done with just seven loaves of bread and a ″few″ fish, is another miracle that is comparable.
  2. This one appears only in Matthew 15:32-39 and Mark 8:1-9, which may explain why it’s less well-known than other versions of the Bible.
  3. And, after all, feeding four thousand people isn’t nearly as amazing as feeding five thousand people, is it?

This miracle also specifies four thousand males, with women and children not included in the overall number of people who participated in it.

What an Atheist Might Say About the Story of the Loaves and Fishes

  • And he ordered them to have everyone sit in groups on the lush green grass, which they did.
  • 40 And they sat down in a line, by hundreds, by dozens, by a few.
  • When he had collected the five loaves and two fishes, he lifted his eyes to the heavens and blessed them, then broke the loaves and distributed them among his followers for them to eat; and the two fishes he split among them all.
  • 42 And they ate till they were completely satisfied.
  • And they collected twelve baskets full of pieces and fishes, which they distributed among themselves.
  • 44 And there were approximately five thousand persons among those who ate from the loaves.

Loaves and Fishes

  • A favorite gospel story for centuries has been the account of Jesus feeding five thousand men (were there no women or children present, or did they just go hungry?) with only five loaves of bread and two fishes from a single harvest.
  • Although it is an interesting and visually beautiful story, it is especially appealing to ministers and preachers since it follows the usual understanding of individuals seeking ″spiritual″ nourishment also finding ample material sustenance.
  • According to verse 6:13, the tale opens with a meeting of Jesus and his apostles who have returned from the journeys that he has sent them on.
  • Unluckily, we don’t know anything about what they accomplished, and there are no historical records of any claimed disciples of Jesus teaching or healing in the area.
  • The events of this narrative take place sometime after they have begun their job, but it is unclear how much time has elapsed since they began.
  • Although it isn’t explicitly mentioned, and most people regard the gospels as though they were written over a very short period of time, it is reasonable to believe that they were separated for many months because travel was time-consuming in itself.

It was only natural for them to want to talk to one other and share their experiences after such a long period apart, but they couldn’t since it was too crowded and hectic wherever they were, so they went looking for somewhere calmer.The masses, on the other hand, continued to follow them.Jesus is reported to have regarded them as ″sheep without a shepherd,″ which is a fascinating metaphor, implying that he believed they were incapable to lead themselves and hence need a leader.In addition to the meal itself, there is another symbolism at play here.First and foremost, the narrative alludes to the feeding of others in the desert, namely God’s feeding of the Hebrews after they were released from Egyptian slavery.

  • In this passage, Jesus is attempting to release people from the shackles of sin.
  • Another important source is 2 Kings 4:42-44, when Elisha miraculously feeds one hundred men with only twenty loaves of bread.
  • This passage is widely referenced in the tale.
  • In this instance, however, Jesus outperforms Elisha by feeding even more people with even less resources.
See also:  Israel Where Jesus Walked

There are several instances in the gospels of Jesus performing a miracle from the Old Testament, but doing it in a greater and grander manner, which is believed to demonstrate Christianity’s superiority over Judaism and the Jewish people.Third, the story references the Last Supper when Jesus breaks bread with this disciples just before he is to be crucified.Anyone and everyone is welcomed to break bread alongside Jesus because there will always be enough.Mark, though, doesn’t make this explicit and it’s possible that he didn’t intend for this connection to be made, despite how popular it would become in ​the Christian tradition.

Where did Jesus feed the 5000

Where did Jesus feed the 5000? Near Bethsaida Galilee / Near Bethsaida Julias? Mobile Friendly: m.messiahstudy.net Alternative: Use Transcode on iPhone (Safari) or Android (Chrome) THE BAKER OF CAPERNAUM NOW AVAILABLE The baker of Capernaum meets the carpenter of Nazareth. NASA Photo. Markers and names inserted by author. The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle of Jesus described by all four gospels (Matt. 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, and John 6). It signaled the end of Jesus’ Galilean ministry that lasted about two years. When he refused to be their earthly king, they lost interest and deserted him (John 6:66). After the feeding of the 5000 Jesus visited Phoenicia, Decapolis, Caesarea-Philippi, Judea and Perea. For centuries, the locality of the miraculous feeding of 5000 has been clouded in uncertainty. Great scholars have disagreed. William Hendriksen decided on a spot near Bethsaida Julias, but conceded that according to Mark 6:45 there must have been a second Bethsaida on the western shore of the lake. John Calvin thought that a place near Bethsaida Galilee (John 12:21) was more acceptable. This spot, known as Tabgha, was already accepted in the Byzantine era as locality for this miracle. Sea of Galilee, Western Shore (photo by Jacob M. Van Zyl) Tabgha, Byzantine Church (photo by Jacob M. Van Zyl) Tabgha, mosaic of bread and fish (photo by Jacob M. Van Zyl) The locality of thisevent does not affect its meaning and importance in the ministry of Jesus. However, for historical and geographical purposes it is always a plus if the location of an important event can be pinpointed. Tourists like to know they stand on the very spot where something great happened. The apostle John grew up in that region. He knew the name of every small place. He wrote his gospel about twenty years after Mark, Matthew, and Luke had completed theirs. John sometimes gives extra information to eliminate uncertainties. His remark in John 6:23 may hold the key to the Bethsaida controversy. Tiberias, Sea of Galilee (photo by Jacob M. Van Zyl) Sea of Galilee, western shore, looking south (photo by H. Isahar). Source: Sea of Galilee, north-west shore, looking north (Source: It was already evening (John 6:16, Mark 6:45-47) when Jesus sent the disciples by boat to the nearby Bethsaida Galilee, south-west of Tabgha (they later landed at Gennesaret, still farther south in the direction of Tiberias). If Jesus had fed the 5000 near Bethsaida Julias, the news about the miracle could not have reached Tiberias overnight. Because of the strong wind the disciples exerted themselves to row a few kilometers from sunset to daybreak. It is highly unlikely that people would have rowed the 15 km from Bethsaida Julias to Tiberias in the dark and in that kind of weather. However, going on foot from Tabgha or Gennesaret to Tiberias overnight would be easier. The disciples wanted to return to Capernaum (John 6:16) but the strong wind against them (Mark 6:48) drove them to Gennesaret. When the wind died down they returned to Capernaum. Because Tabgha was close to Tiberias, people in Tiberias learned the next morning about the miracle and decided to investigate. John says,″they came in SMALL boats (ploiaria) from Tiberias near the place where they ate the bread″ (literal translation). It is doubtful if they would have dared to row (after a stormy night) with small boats for 15 km over the open lake to Bethsaida Julias. It is much more feasible that they would have kept close to the western shore, first reaching the spot of the miracle, and then proceeding to Capernaum where Jesus later addressed them in the synagogue (John 6:24, 59). A few other practical considerations argue against Bethsaida Julias as the site of the miracle.
The River Jordan enters the north side of the lake through a marshy delta. The people who followed Jesus and the Twelve on foot along the shore (Mark 6:33) would have found the route from Capernaum to Bethsaida Julias very difficult. If there were a bridge, it would be north of the delta, causing a long detour.
Furthermore, John says that it was shortly before the Passover (John 6:4). Many people were traveling south to Jerusalem, so Bethsaida Galilee would be on their way while Bethsaida Julias would be totally out of their way.
The main reason for the controversy is probably the phrase ″crossed over.″ It was not only used for West/East trips but also for North/South ones. They had only two ways to move from one spot on the shore to another: either going around the lake on foot or crossing over a part of the lake by boat. Those who prefer Bethsaida Julias as the site of the feeding of the 5000 have misinterpreted the phrase ″crossed over.″ Because it refers to East/West crossing in Mat. 9:1, Mark 5:21, and 8:13, scholars erroneously concluded that it must have the same meaning in Mat. 14:34, Mark 6:53, and John 6:1 and 23, which actually refer to North/South crossings. Have a good look at the map again, read the four gospels, keep the scenario explained above in mind, and the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place. For more pictures of Capernaum click here. ~~~~~

Question

After he finished feeding the five thousand, whither did Jesus go? Mark 6:53 and John 6:24-25 are two examples.

Answer

  • Mark 6:53 When they reached the other side, they landed at Gennesaret and established an anchorage there.
  • John 6:24-25 They boarded the boats and headed to Capernaum in search of Jesus after realizing that neither he nor his disciples were present.
  • ″Rabbi, when did you get here?″ they inquired when they discovered him on the other side of the lake.
  • Borchertstates: Despite the fact that the geography is a little hazy in these verses, it is not too difficult to reconstruct the movement of the people described.
  • The eastern side, or ″other side″ (John 6:22), of the lake below the Golan Heights, where some people appeared to have stayed overnight, it has been reported.
  • There was no doubt that they were expecting to see Jesus again, as they were aware that he had remained behind when the disciples boarded the boat to Capernaum (John 6:16).

Others arrived in the morning by crossing the lake from the western shore of Tiberias, where they had been waiting all night.People crossed over to Capernaum, which was apparently a home of Jesus’ friends or relatives on the northeastern side of the lake when Jesus could not be found on the eastern side, where the feeding had taken place (John 6:23, rather than at the traditional site of Tabgha near Capernaum), and Jesus was eventually found there (John 2:12).

Reference

Borchert, G. L. (2001). Vol. 25A: John 1-11. New York: Columbia University Press (electronic ed.). The Logos Library System and The New American Commentary are two examples of such resources. Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 14:13-21 – New International Version

New International Version(NIV) Version

Jesus Feeds the Five ThousandA)″>(A)B)″>(B)

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on themC)″>(C) and healed their sick.D)″>(D) 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loavesE)″>(E) of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.F)″>(F) Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Read full chapter dropdown New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

Bible Gateway passage: John 6:1-15 – New International Version

New International Version(NIV) Version

Jesus Feeds the Five ThousandA)″>(A)

  • 2 When Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias) a short time later, a large number of people followed him, attracted by the signsB)″>(B) he had demonstrated by curing the sick.
  • 3) After that, Jesus went up on a mountainsideC)″>(C) with his disciples and sat down with them.
  • 4 It was getting close to the Jewish Passover FestivalD)″>(D).
  • 5 When Jesus glanced up and noticed a large throng approaching him, he said to Philip,E)″>(E) ″Where can we go to get bread for these people to eat?″ 6 He merely asked this as a test, since he already had a plan in mind for what he was going to do.
  • ″To purchase enough bread for everyone of them to eat a mouthful would need more than half a year’s income,″ Philip said.
  • Another of his disciples, Andrew F)″>(F), Simon Peter’s brother, raised his voice, and the rest is history.

Nineteen ″Here’s a lad with five little barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they be able to walk in a crowd of so many?″G) ″How far will they be able to go in a crowd of so many?″G)″> (G) 10 Then Jesus replied, ″Get the people to take their seats.″ In that area, there was lots of grass to sit on, so they did just that (about five thousand men were there).Jesus then took the loaves and broke them, giving thanks, and distributing them to those who were seated as much as they desired.He followed the same procedure with the fish.12 When they had finished eating, he instructed his followers to ″gather the pieces that have been left over.″ ″Don’t let anything go to waste.″ 13 As a result, they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves that had been left over by those who had already eaten.14 Immediately after witnessing the signI)″>(I) that was given by Jesus, the people started to speculate, ″Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.″J)″> (J) 15 Knowing that they meant to come and compel him to become kingK)″>(K) by force, Jesus retired to a mountain by himself yet another time.

  • L)″>(L) Read the entire chapter.

Footnotes

  1. John 6:7 Greek take two hundred denarii
dropdown New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

What’s the difference between the feeding of the 4,000 and the 5,000?

Ted Harvey |Tuesday, February 11, 2020 (This article was written by David Bates for the website As a result, what’s the difference between Jesus’ feeding of 5000 to 20,000 Jews (if you including the women and children) and his feeding of 4000 to 18,000 Gentiles?The difference is, without a doubt, one thousand!However, there is another significant distinction that I would want you to notice.

  1. This past Sunday, we looked at the tale of the feeding of the 5000 and beyond, which is found in Mark 6 and John 6, respectively.
  2. The feeding of the multitudes was evidently important to the Gospel writers, as it is the only miracle recounted by all four of the Gospel writers, aside from the Resurrection of Jesus.
  3. It is crucial to note, however, that both Matthew and Mark mention two distinct feedings of the multitudes in their respective accounts.
  4. The first feeding will be for 5,000 people, while the second will be for 4,000 people: 35 His disciples approached him as it became late and said, ″This location is vacant, and it is already late.″ 36 Send them out so that they can travel into the neighboring countryside and villages and get something to eat for themselves.″ … 38 ″How many loaves do you have?″ he inquired of them.
  • ″Take a look for yourself.″ It was ″five and two fish″ before they realized what had happened.
  • 41 He took the five loaves and two fish from the table and, lifting his eyes to the heavens, he blessed and divided them.
  • … 44 There were now five thousand persons among those who had consumed the loaves.
  • – Mark 6:35-44 (New International Version) Those days, there was a huge crowd and they had nothing to eat, which was disappointing.

He summoned the disciples and addressed them as follows: 2 ″I feel sorry for the group since they’ve already been with me for three days and haven’t had anything to eat.3 The fact that they have traveled a considerable distance means that if I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way.″ … 5 ″Can you tell me how many loaves you have?″ he inquired of them.″Seven,″ they informed us.6 He told the people in the throng to take their seats on the ground.Then, taking the seven loaves, he thanked God and divided them among his disciples, who then distributed them to the congregation.

As a result, they were served to the audience.7 A few little fish were also there, and after blessing them, he announced that they would be served with the main course.8 They finished their meal and were satisfied.After that, they gathered seven enormous baskets of leftovers from the site.

  1. 9 There were around 4,000 people in attendance.
  2. – Mark 8:1-9 (KJV) Why did Matthew and Mark contain two miracles that were exactly the same as one another?
  3. Because, after all, if Jesus has previously provided food for 5,000 people, what exactly is contributed to the Gospel tale by providing a second feeding of a lesser number?
  4. It appears to be strange.

It would have been preferable to have used that valuable ink and parchment to record another miracle, wouldn’t you say?The solution is in the location, location, and more location…Because of the location of the event, the feeding of the 4,000 is significant in history.This event took place in Bethsaida, close to the Sea of Galilee, and was attended by 5,000 people.The feeding of the 4,000, on the other hand, took place in the territory of the Gerasenes, in the area surrounding the Decapolis.Okay, so the two miracles occurred in separate parts of the world, but so what?

  1. It is significant because the first section had Jews (about 5,000), but the second region contained Gentiles (around 4,000).
  2. In addition, there are certain numerical indications in the text that indicate to this differentiation (numbers in the Bible are rarely accidental).
  1. Feeding of the 5,000

During this miracle, Jesus feeds five thousand people with just five loaves of bread, which is suggestive of the five books of the Jewish Law (Genesis, Exodus, and so on…). On top of that, twelve baskets of left-overs were collected after everyone had done eating, which was most likely a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel and, more specifically, to the twelve disciples.

  1. Feeding of the 4,000

Seven loaves of bread are utilized in this second miracle, and seven baskets of food are collected.A wholeness (i.e.not just Jews but also Gentiles) is represented by the number seven, and the number seven is evocative of the seven days of creation, during which God created the entirety of mankind.So, what is the meaning of the two feedings of the multitudes that had place this week?

  1. Those two miracles demonstrate the Lord’s provision and affection for all of His people, Jew and Gentile, in the same way.
  2. ″I am the Bread of Life,″ Jesus will proclaim later in John 6, referring to himself as the Bread of Life.
  3. As part of these miracles, Jesus feeds them with miraculous bread, preparing them for the day when His own flesh would be broken like bread on the cross, providing spiritual and everlasting food to those who would call upon His name, place their faith and confidence in Him, and die in their place.
  4. Because there is only one loaf of bread, we who are many become one body because we all share of the same loaf of bread.
  • -1 Corinthians 10:17 Spread the word

Mosaic near Sea of Galilee may mark new site for Jesus loaves and fishes miracle

According to Dr.Michael Eisenberg, the lead archaeologist at the site, a mosaic depicting fish, birds, and what appears to be baskets of what appears to be bread, recently discovered near the Sea of Galilee, may commemorate the historic location of the miracle recorded in the New Testament in which Jesus miraculously feeds a multitude.The brightly colored mosaic was discovered during the ongoing Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project in the Sussita National Park’s South-West or Burnt Church site at the park’s South-West or Burnt Church.Fishermen, birds, and 12 baskets of fruit, flowers, and — most importantly — bread adorn the 15-meter-by-10-meter mosaic carpet, which measures 15 meters by 10 meters.

  1. A renowned mosaic portraying two fish on either side of what is believed to be a bread basket may be seen across the sea at the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish in Tabgha, which holds the traditional location of the miracle.
  2. It is the combination of fish and bread baskets in the Sussita church that has led Eisenberg to believe that the mosaic could be a record of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, as well as a clue pointing to a historical location for the feat.
  3. Eisenberg is currently researching the mosaic.
  4. He told The Times of Israel on Wednesday that this miracle took place under the direct gaze of the church, which is located near the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
  • Eisenberg added that a multitude of Jesus’ other miracles took place in front of the church, which was built on the site of a former Roman fortification.
  • He feels that they are all represented in the mosaic in a meaningful manner.
  • ″Because of the symbolism involved, as well as the church’s strategic location overlooking the Sea of Galilee, where most of Jesus’ miracles took place, I’m quite certain that the people were aware of and interacted with the geographic and physical locations where the miracles took place,″ he added.
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By registering, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the conditions.According to Eisenberg, the mosaic depicts fish, two of which occupy a prominent ″heraldic″ position in the church apse, as well as 12 baskets, some of which are filled with pomegranates and one with apples and flowers, according to Eisenberg’s research.His explanation is that the other baskets more directly refer to the well-known miracle and are packed with round loaves of bread: one with five loaves, one or two with seven loaves, and two with six loaves.At the Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project site in the Susita National Park, the mosaic at the ‘Burnt Church’ was discovered during the summer 2019 season.(courtesy) According to Eisenberg, who spoke with The Times of Israel in July, the Burnt Church was built in two sections, in the second half of the 5th and 6th centuries, and the mosaics, which include at least three inscriptions, are believed to be from the 6th century.

This structure, according to archaeologists, was demolished during the Persian and Sassanian invasion of the area, which took place in the early 7th century AD.None of the other six churches that have been unearthed at the site have suffered the same level of devastation.According to him, one of the distinctive qualities of the Burnt Church’s mosaic is that it is ″extremely basic, unsophisticated, and even lovely in its depiction of the Nativity.″ As a result, there are more intriguing portrayals than usual,″ he explained.″It was requested by the local people.″ Another 20% of the mosaic has still to be discovered and excavated.

  1. This mosaic at the ″Burnt Church″ is part of the Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project at the Susita National Park’s ″Burnt Church,″ which was discovered in the summer of 2019.
  2. (With permission from Michael Eisenberg) According to Dr.
  3. Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio, a Galilee-based priest who possesses a PhD in archaeology, the miracle of the loaves and fishes appears in two New Testament tales.
  4. Jesus performed two independent miracles of multiplication of loaves and fishes, both of which occurred around the Sea of Galilee.

As Voltaggio explained, ″According to the Gospel and the traditional Christian tradition,″ there are two multiplications as well as two locations.A passage in Mark 8:16-21 alludes to two miracles involving loaves and fishes in the course of a single conversation.The first featured five loaves and two fish, which were multiplied to provide enough food for around 5,000 Jewish men (women and children were not included) on one side of the Sea of Galilee, according to tradition.This site’s location has historically been identified as Tabgha.The other, according to Voltaggio, was held on the shore of the lake and was attended by some 4,000 heathen males.It takes seven loaves of bread and ″a few tiny fish,″ as recorded in the gospels of Mark and Matthew, to perform this miracle.

  1. Summer 2019, a mosaic from the ‘Burnt Church’ at the Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project in the Sussita National Park, which is part of the Sussita National Park.
  2. (courtesy) According to Voltaggio, the apostles took away 12 baskets of loaves (one for each of the 12 tribes) during the first multiplication for Jews; during the second multiplication, there was enough leftover food to fill seven baskets.
  3. According to him, the numerals seven and 70 are symbolic of non-Jews.
  4. In Tel Hadar, which is about 10 kilometers north of the location of ancient Hippos/Sussita, where the Burnt Church mosaic may be discovered, ″pilgrims maintain the memory of this second miracle alive,″ Voltaggio added.
  5. ″The pilgrims keep the memory of this second miracle alive.″ Despite the fact that the first miracle is generally associated with Tabgha, on the west side of the sea, archaeologist Eisenberg asserted that a thorough reading of the text revealed a different scenario.
  6. ″There is possible that the miracle of the loaves and fishes occurred at Tabgha,″ he speculated after Jesus went across the sea towards it following the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

Sussita National Park, summer 2019, archaeologist Dr.Michael Eisenberg, dig director of the Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project, and his team.(courtesy) Eisenberg hypothesized that it could have occurred on the northern edge of Hippos’ domain, known to the Romans as the Hippos Territorium, which stretched from the southern part of the Sea of Galilee almost to the northern corner, north of Kursi, which is very close to Tel Hadar.Eisenberg’s theory was supported by archaeological evidence.It was there, Eisenberg believes, that ″the miracle happened.″ However, although the miracle is documented in two of the four books of the gospels, there are people who do not think the second miracle took place in historical times and instead believe that it did.

  1. In the opinion of some academics, the second multiplication is nothing more than a figurative double,″ said Voltaggio, who is the dean of a seminary in the Galilee.
  2. According to him, the new finding ″reevaluates the historicity of the two miracles,″ which, according to the gospels, took place on either side of the Sea of Galilee, respectively.
  3. ″The two areas, Tabgha and Sussita, are not in competition with one another,″ Voltaggio clarified.
  4. Several Byzantine mosaics have been preserved at the Tabgha church dedicated to the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes, located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
  5. Although Eisenberg correctly identified the bread baskets, not everyone agrees with his identification.
  6. (Rishwanth Jayapaul/FLASH90) Despite the fact that Dr.
  • Anat Avital is an archaeologist who specializes in mosaics from the Byzantine period and is not affiliated with the Sussita excavation, she does not agree with Eisenberg’s stance.
  • After examining thousands of mosaics from the region, as well as other regions of Europe and North Africa, she came to the conclusion that the so-called bread loaves were in reality fruits rather than bread.
  • ″It could only be fruit, on the magnitude of apples in terms of size.
  • ″I have seen many other mosaics with baskets that are virtually precisely the same as these, which are generally filled with fruit and occasionally with flowers,″ she told The Times of Israel.
  • The ‘Burnt Church’ at the Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project in the Sussita National Park is being cleaned by conservation manager Yana Vitkalov, who was on site throughout the summer 2019 season.
  • (courtesy) According to Avital, ″another fantastic indicator and hint that the artist intended to display fruit is that you can see a trimming tool represented near one of the baskets,″ which indicates that the artist intended to exhibit fruit.

It is the painters’ intention, she explained, ″to inform us that we used this little curved knife for the harvesting of the fruit.″ In addition to Tabgha, the only other known place with a portrayal of a basket of loaves, although, while she would not touch a conventional interpretation, she is not totally persuaded of its authenticity there, as well.She explained that the carpet, like other mosaics in Israel and Jordan, is supposed to be taken literally and to demonstrate that ″if you come to the church, trust in God, and work hard, you will have really delicious fruits to eat,″ she explained.The representation of plenty in the mosaic is ″symbolic of one of the most essential things in our existence, which is the urge to eat,″ according to the artist.

  1. Summer 2019, a mosaic from the ‘Burnt Church’ at the Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project in the Sussita National Park, which is part of the Sussita National Park.
  2. (courtesy) Symbolic art in churches was extremely rare throughout the Byzantine period, according to her.
  3. Artists should instead ″represent terrestrial living, the most urgent things you need – air, water, food, and protection from enemies/beasts, etc.,″ according to the National Geographic Society.
  4. According to Avital, there is also no significance in the number of baskets or medallions in the mosaic, and adding levels of meaning is an anachronism that is out of place in ancient times.
  5. ″It’s important to remember that the majority of the population were illiterates.″ She explained that mosaics represented ideas ″in a form that is easy to grasp, rather than in hints, as is the case now.″ Avital acknowledged that unless the mosaic creator comes from the dead, we will never truly know what he intended, but she speculated that when the remaining 20% of the mosaic is unearthed, the team would most likely discover something completely different.
  6. The ″healthy discussion,″ according to lead archaeologist Eisenberg, was commended and welcomed.

″Can you tell me exactly where the border is between religion, decoration, and symbolism?″ he wondered aloud.He stated that the team will continue to debate the significance of the mosaic.″We have enough miracles for everyone,″ Eisenberg said with a giggle.

  • Sussita National Park, summer 2019, aerial picture of the Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project in Sussita National Park.
  • (courtesy)

Have Archaeologists Found Where Jesus Fed the 5,000?

Archaeologists excavating near the Sea of Galilee may have discovered the site where Jesus is said to have miraculously fed a crowd of five thousand people using only five loaves and two fish.The miracle, which is mentioned in all four of the canonical Gospels, is regarded by some historians as one of the more ancient traditions associated with Jesus.Beast Travel Digest Get the entire world in your inbox.The new claim is based on discoveries made by scientists from the University of Haifa.

  1. During excavations at the Byzantine era “Burnt Church” in the Hippos National Park (the church is named because it was one of seven churches destroyed as part of the Sasanian conquest in 614 CE) (the church is named because it was one of seven churches destroyed as part of the Sasanian conquest in 614 CE).
  2. Archaeologists uncovered a 1,400 year old mosaic on the floor of the church that depicts the feeding miracle.
  3. According to the Gospel of Mark, Jesus and his disciples withdrew to a “deserted place” in the Galilee region after the death of John the Baptist in order to rest (Mark 6:31).
  4. (Mark 6:31).
  • The location must have been relatively close to the shore of the Sea of Galilee because they used a boat to get there.
  • Once the group came ashore they were swamped by a crowd of people who had followed them there.
  • The ever-practical disciples advised Jesus to send the crowd away as it was growing late and there was nothing for people to eat.
  • The miracle that follows is by biblical standards a rather low-key affair.

Jesus had the disciples gather up the nutritional resources of the group.Then, Jesus looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the bread, and had the loaves and fishes evenly distributed among the people.“And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.” (Mark 6:42-44).The story is repeated in Matthew, Mark, and John.

There’s even a similar incident in Mark and Matthew known as the Feeding of the Four Thousand and even more food is left over.Traditionally, people have believed that the feeding of the five thousand miracle took place in Tabgha, Capernaum, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.There’s even a church there, called the Church of the Multiplication, that celebrates the event.The earliest evidence of Christian worship in Tabgha dates to the mid-fourth century but the mosaics that refer to the feeding of the five thousand come from around 480 A.D.

  1. Hippos, the site of the newest discovery, is on the southeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
  2. The history of the city there dates back to the turn of the era and there’s some evidence of occupation there as early as the third century B.C.
  3. There are several mosaics from the Burnt Church that appear to refer to the miracle story.
  4. The first depicts Jesus performing the miracle; the second shows twelve baskets filled with bread and fruit.

Dr.Michael Eisenberg, who oversaw the excavation on behalf of the University of Haifa, noted that these may be a reference to the baskets of bread that were left over after the multitude had eaten.Beast Travel Digest Get the entire world in your inbox.Eisenberg cautiously hypothesized that perhaps Hippos was the place that the miracle supposedly took place.He told The Jerusalem Post:“Nowadays, we tend to regard the Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha on the northwest of the Sea of Galilee as the location of the miracle, but with careful reading of the New Testament, it is evident that it might have taken place north of Hippos within the city’s region.” If Eisenberg’s theory is correct this would mean that Christians had been, to borrow a phrase from Indiana Jones, celebrating the miracle ‘in the wrong place.’ Before jumping to conclusions, however, it is important to evaluate precisely what kinds of evidence we have for both the site in Hippos and that in Tabgha.Both sites contain mosaics of the miracle of the multiplication and these mosaics (and the churches that contained them) date to the fifth century.

  1. The earliest evidence for Christians visiting any site associated with the miracle comes from the Pilgrimage diary of Christianity’s first female travel writer, Egeria, who visited the Holy Land ca.
  2. 381 A.D.
  3. According to her diary, the site she visited, “where the Lord fed the people with the five loaves and the two fishes” was near Capernaum.
  4. Even if the Church of the Multiplication is the same place visited by Egeria (and it is likely to be in the general vicinity), she was still traveling some 350 years after Jesus is reported to have performed this miracle.
  5. None of the archaeological or literary evidence can confirm either that the miracle took place, or where it took place.
  6. What we do have evidence for is a trend in the artistic and theological program of late fifth century Christians living in the Holy Land.

Whether or not those who commissioned the mosaics intended to claim that this was where the feeding miracle was performed, they are both very interested in this story about the divine provision of food.(Interestingly the artist who produced the mosaic in Tabgha was not a local fisherman: the mosaics there show the fish with two dorsal fins while fish from the Sea of Galilee only have one dorsal fin).Both these churches were constructed during a period in which Christians made pilgrimages to religious sites looking for the alleviation of physical suffering.This suffering was usually related to sickness but people also asked for help with the hardships that resulted from crop failure, famine, taxation, and conflict.Perhaps what we have here are different religious centers that competed for and catered to the needs of pilgrims and tourists.

  1. These churches might have been equally appealing to members of the local fishing industry, who relied upon good hauls of fish in order to sustain themselves and their families.
  2. Bread and fish are evocative symbols for early Christians, but, for those who lived around the Sea of Galilee or were agrarian workers they also had a great deal of practical economic significance.
  3. Equally, the discovery of multiple churches claiming a connection to the feeding of the five thousand story might just be directing us to the importance of food in ancient religion and religion in general.
  4. We tend to define religion as about religious books and prayers, but food has often played an important role in our relationship with the cosmic and supernatural order.
  5. As Meredith Warren, a lecturer at the University of Sheffield and author of Food and Transformation in Ancient Mediterranean Literature, told the Daily Beast “Eating is one of the most fundamental ways that humans interact with the world, so it is no surprise that food and meals feature so prominently in the creation of meaning by early Christians.”Have we discovered where the feeding of the 5000 actually took place (assuming that you believe that it happened)?
  6. Probably not.
  • But archaeologists may well have unearthed another location where Christians genuinely believed Jesus had performed this miracle and remembered and commemorated that event.
  • The discovery of these new mosaics can tell us a great deal about was important to Christians living in the region, the Bible stories that appealed to them, and the ways that various religious centers competed with each other.
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Archaeologists find city where Jesus performed loaves and fishes miracle

JERUSALEM (JTA) – It has been discovered the ancient city of Bethsaida, where the New Testament states that Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes, according to a researcher at Haifa University who announced the discovery Sunday.Arav, an archaeologist at the University of Haifa’s Golan Research Institute, claimed Bethsaida has been ‘clearly located’ around 2 miles inland from the northern side of the Sea of Galilee, according to the university.For more than a century, researchers have speculated that Bethsaida was located near the Jordan River at one of two locations, but they have been unable to identify either Et-Tell or El Araj as the ancient city, according to Arav.During a telephone conversation from Katzrin in northern Israel, Arav said that archaeologists excavated holes at the two sites in September in order to hunt for remains dating back to the time of Jesus.

  1. ‘At Et-Tell, we discovered a very deep layer of a settlement that dates back to the time of Jesus,’ Arav said.
  2. ‘We were unable to locate the same stratum in El Araj.’ At its most prominent location, Et-Tell has grown into a mound covering around 20 acres and rising to a height of 25 yards.
  3. A demilitarized zone separated Syria and Israel from 1948 and 1967, and the location was part of the zone during that time.
  4. Historically, the Syrians maintained an observation station atop the mound, which affords a commanding view of the surrounding region.
  • During the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict, Israel captured the region.
  • Arav explained that Bethsaida was a place where Jesus was particularly active.
  • A blind man was healed there by Jesus, who performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes there.
  • Jesus, according to the New Testament, miraculously fed hundreds of followers with only a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish on a single occasion.

In the first century AD, three of Jesus’ apostles were from Bethsaida, a city that had been established in the Bronze Age around 3,000 B.C.and had been destroyed by the Romans during the Jewish insurrection.It has been shown via excavations that Et-Tell was not a Greek or Roman city, according to Arav, who obtained his doctorate in archaeology from New York University.’It was a predominantly Jewish community,’ Arav said.As the researcher pointed out, ″it makes a lot of sense since we know that Jesus went between Jewish villages and that he didn’t perform many miracles among the Gentiles.″ Beginning in January, archaeologists will commence excavations at the site, with a full-scale dig set to begin in June.

In a few years, Arav hopes to be able to travel down the same streets as Jesus walked, which he describes as ″magical.″

A Summary and Analysis of the Feeding of the Five Thousand

Let’s start with a question from a quiz.Approximately how many people did Jesus feed with the loaves and fishes during the renowned miracle described in the Book of Acts?a) A total of 5,000 persons b) A total of 4,000 men c) a total of more than 5,000 persons The answer is either b) or c), depending on which section of the New Testament you reference; nonetheless, the answer is not a).The following analysis will attempt to explain why a response of ″5,000 persons″ cannot be considered acceptable, at the very least in part.

  1. What all of this has to do with a little-known location called Bethsaida will be the subject of our discussion.
  2. Because we commonly refer to ‘Jesus and the feeding of the five thousand’ in everyday discourse, it’s worth taking a closer look at what the Bible truly says about it.
  3. The Feeding of the Five Thousand (also known as the Five Thousand): summary When Jesus learned that John the Baptist had been executed, he became fearful that Herod Antipas, the man who had ordered John’s death, would come for him as well.
  4. As a result, he boarded a ship and sailed into a ‘desert spot’ (i.e., a desolate location) near the city of Bethsaida, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
  • Bethsaida literally translates as ‘house of the fishermen’ (the ‘Beth’ in ‘Bethlehem’ literally translates as ‘house of meat’ or ‘house of bread, depending on how it’s interpreted; Bethlehem’s ‘Beth’ comes from the same origin as the Greek letter beta, from whence we get the word alphabet).
  • Fish, of course, will play an important role in this narrative.
  • Interestingly, in his intriguing Asimov’s Guide to the Bible: The New Testament: 002, author and all-around polymath Isaac Asimov points out that Jesus’ choice of site has additional significance: ″Jesus’ choice of location has another significance:″ Bethsaida was located in Iturea rather than Galilee, and as a result, it was outside of Herod Antipas’s jurisdiction.
  • However, even if Herod was unable to locate Jesus in this new fishy location, Jesus’ own supporters were able to do so.

With regard to Jesus’ practices, Matthew in particular recounts how multitudes of others rushed to be with Jesus as knowledge of his teachings spread.Jesus, on the other hand, was going to demonstrate his divinity to the assembled throng.During his ministry, Jesus showed compassion for the people who followed him, healing the sick and infirm among them as well.However, as nightfall neared, Jesus’ leading followers informed him that they were in a distant location and that he should send the multitudes away so that they might travel to the adjacent towns and get food for the evening meal.However, Jesus stated that they were not need to go since he and the disciples could provide enough food for everyone.

They, on the other hand, said they only had five loaves of bread and two fish.As a result of its occurrence, this miracle is sometimes referred to as ‘the miracle of the five loaves and two fish.’ Jesus requested for the bread and fish to be brought to him before instructing the throngs of people assembled to take a seat on the grass in front of him.When Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, he lifted his eyes to the heavens and blessed them before breaking the meal into pieces.Then Jesus distributed the food to the disciples, who in turn distributed it to the throngs of onlookers.

  1. They had all finished their meals and were satisfied, so the disciples went and collected twelve baskets full of leftovers.
  2. The total number of people who ate was ‘about 5,000 males, in addition to women and children’ (Matthew 14:21).
  3. Note the language used: the five thousand men were fed precisely – or ‘around’ – five thousand men, as opposed to the whole population of five thousand men.
  4. Because this figure did not include the women and children there, those five loaves and two fish were able to feed an even greater number of people than the five thousand hungry mouths they were intended to feed.

feeding the Five Thousand: a critical critique In all four gospels (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:12-17, and John 6:1-14), the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle done by Jesus that is documented in all four gospels.The details of the story vary somewhat from gospel to gospel, notwithstanding modest changes in the way they are presented.It has already been reported in John’s Gospel that Jesus is a prophet with healing powers, and the people have taken notice.The execution of John the Baptist has occurred, yet many believe that the prophesy will be fulfilled and that a descendant of David (from ‘the stem of Jesse’) will arise who will be the Messiah or anointed one.And sure enough, the book of John (6:14) informs us that ″when those men saw the miracle that Jesus performed, they declared, ″This is of a fact the prophet who is to come into the world.″ Thus, the feeding of (roughly) five thousand (men), which occurs at precisely the proper time to demonstrate Jesus’ supernatural abilities, and the fact that a multitude of thousands witnesses it firsthand, gives credibility to the belief that he is the Messiah.In addition to being symbolic on another level, the narrative serves to illustrate Jesus’ teachings on the significance of feeding and caring for the poor.

  1. Rather than dispersing the multitude and leaving them to fend for themselves, Jesus takes on the task of feeding them all personally, displaying not only his own divinity but also God’s strength by causing the five loaves and two fish to suffice for everyone – with plenty of leftovers to spare.
  2. It should be noted, however, that this was not the first time that Jesus achieved such a miracle.
  3. The ″feeding of the four thousand,″ which is a miracle that is done with just seven loaves of bread and a ″few″ fish, is another miracle that is comparable.
  4. This one appears only in Matthew 15:32-39 and Mark 8:1-9, which may explain why it’s less well-known than other versions of the Bible.
  5. And, after all, feeding four thousand people isn’t nearly as amazing as feeding five thousand people, is it?
  6. This miracle also specifies four thousand males, with women and children not included in the overall number of people who participated in it.

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