Bible commentary on the miracle of the loaves and fishes

Authors Avatar by tnguyen1366 (student)

         Vi Nguyen

October 5, 2012

Journal # 5

Chapter 9


            Jesus calls the twelve disciples together and tells them not to take anything with them.  This is a recurring theme in Luke because he wants to emphasize that when we leave this world, we will not be able to bring anything along with us into heaven.  I was surprised when he told his men not to even bring bread.  He tells the disciples to enter the same house they departed from, which I don’t really understand the meaning of, and for the people that do not welcome them, they should shake off the dirt as a sign of testimony.  This sign seems very subtle, and not in any way violent, which is what I expect from his disciples.  Jesus does not teach them to be violent.  After Herod hears that John has somehow risen from the dead by an Elijah, he is enraged and wants to meet Jesus.  I didn’t really understand why Jesus and the Apostles withdrew to Beth-saida when the crowd followed them anyway.  I wonder how the crowd found out, and why they continue to follow him.  Are the people that follow him new? Or are they new and they just following him in order to have some amusement and be cured.  Even though Jesus took the Apostles in the countryside, away from the crowd, he still welcomed them when they came to him.  He blessed them and cured their diseases.  

It was getting dark, and the disciples told Jesus to send the people home, but Jesus told them to feed the people.  However, they only had five loaves of bread and 2 fishes.  There were five thousand men, not including women.  I don’t really understand why they didn’t include the women and children.  I am aware, that back then, men were more important than women, and children.  Is there an importance to the number five thousand, if so, what is it?  He tells them all to sit down and split into groups of fifty.  Jesus took the bread and fish and looked into heaven.  Where did all the bread come from?  Did it just fall out of the sky?  Did it just appear in basket? Why didn’t Luke explain more about it?    I’ve heard this story so many times, and every time, I wonder where it comes from.  I know that Jesus is able to do many miracles, but maybe the more dramatic miracles are just symbolic.  I don’t really know how 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes can feed more than five thousand people.  He not only fed them, but there was extra food. I guess this can also mean that God will take care of us, whenever we need him.  

The disciples know that Jesus is the Messiah, but he says that he is the son of man, so he has to suffer and he must be rejected.  He knows that he will experience that, and if he doesn’t then he wouldn’t be the Messiah.  He is also aware the he will be killed and will rise on the third day, so he knows what will happen.  He then takes about the reversal theme; he mentions that the ones that want to be saved will lose their life, and the ones that lose their life will be saved. When Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, he took Peter, John, and James along.  They saw a physical change in Jesus and Jesus was talking to Moses and Elijah.  They then enter the cloud and God says that this is his son.  This scene is sure to make the three disciples believe that Jesus is the one.  I think that this is a sign that Jesus is ready to die, and rise again.  After they go down from the mountains, Jesus encounters a man with a son who was possessed by a demon.  He healed him, and everyone was amazed.  When the man says that he after he buries his father, he will follow Jesus, but Jesus says, that the dead will bury themselve.  I find it quite harsh that he will say that.  I know that proclaiming to the kingdom is the important, but it wouldn’t hurt to give the man some time to bury his dead father.  

Join now!

Key Insights

“Up to this point, the disciples have been portrayed primarily as observers, accompanying Jesus as he preaches and heals.  Now he gives the authority and power to do just what he has been doing: casting out demons, healing the sick, and proclaiming the message of the kingdom of God.” I didn’t even notice that it was the changing point in to disciple’s life because now, they are taking one step forward.

“It has been suggested that the people are organized in ranks (50 people per group) like an army and that some of the people present ...

This is a preview of the whole essay