how big were the five loaves and two fish

(1,4; Mk 6:7,30,31) Why had Jesus and the disciples apparently come And this is the lesson that we can learn from the five loaves and two fishes. The one who had only two talents was able to say, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. Thus said the Lord, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy lord (Matt. Fish became among the Greeks a chief dainty to gourmands, so that Demosthenes describes a glutton and spendthrift as one who is extravagant in fish. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 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. Was Jesus telling his disciples here to preach the good news to world? And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. Suetonius speaks of a turgid rhetorician as a barley orator, inflated like barley in moisture: and Livy relates how cohorts which had lost their standards were ordered barley for food. And they did all eat, and were filled. Of course, our apostle Continue Reading, Whats the significance of the five loaves and two fishes the Lord used to feed the multitudes (Matt. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! 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. To dispel this perception of cracks in our members faith, we need only to observe the joyful people who worship in any of our forty-five temples worldwide. , Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. Most Christian commentaries are quick to make a connection to sacramental gestures in connection with the Last Seder, but the symbolism is then incomplete. John 11:21,32 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died, 2 Kings 4:42-44 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. Bible Based.We believe in solo-scriptura. It is certainly an engaging and visual taleand the traditional interpretation of people seeking spiritual food also receiving sufficient material food is naturally appealing to ministers and preachers. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men. (Mark 6:42-44). Rather the unleavened wafers of barley bread resembled small, flat pitas, each one, perhaps sufficient as one or two servings. An ordinary formula was, "May God, the Ever-blessed One, bless what So these are the clues. The Master said, Bring them here to Me (Matthew 14:18). Some became angry and wanted to take vengeance. The land of Canaan was a land of barley, as well as wheat, Deuteronomy 8:8; this sort of grain grew there in plenty, and was in much use; the Jews had a barley harvest, Ruth 1:22, which was at the time of the passover; for on the second day after the passover, the sheaf of the first fruits was waved before the Lord, which was of barley; hence the Targumist on the place just cited, paraphrases it thus; "they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the passover, and on the day the children of Israel began to reap the sheaf of the wave offering, which was of barley.''. 14When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them(C) and healed their sick. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The boy went from comfortable, having sustenance, to uncomfortable, having no sustenance. 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. If you feel an answer is not 100% Bible based, then leave a comment, and we'll be sure to review it. For less than $5/mo. 7. Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. Web19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to In Matthew 16:6-12, what does Jesus mean when he says, "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees"? Recently an out-of-state journalist used the phrase that there were appearing cracks in the walls of the temple, figuratively speaking, of course. But the fact that there were leftovers wasn't bad planningit served as proof of the miracle. However, as you noticed, 12 (and multiples of 12) are often used in the Bible. The boy with five loaves and two fish saw this firsthand. Numbers are often figurative or symbolic in the Bible. The two fish were probably dried sardines such as the fisheries from Magdala produced. What is the central characteristic of those having only five loaves and two fishes? We can forgive.. Yeshua fed a multitude of five thousand with five barley loaves and two small fish. 381 A.D. He learn that multiplication often The ego enlarges our feelings of self-importance and worth. Web13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. Does Jesus's change in attitude about drinking wine on the cross relate to his statement It is finished? This word, too, is rightly regarded as a diminutive, but it is not a diminutive of fish. The original root means to boil; thus the substantive is used, as in Homer, of boiled meat, and then of anything eaten as a relish with bread, and specially of fish. At some point, he had to settle in his heart and mind that the food was not his to hold. Real Answers. Did the disciples, the priests ,David with his men, and Yeshua (Jesus) sin by transgressing the Torah? They like Jesus would go through extreme sacrifice and suffering and the majority martyrdom - with their lives to be used to provide spiritual food to feed the "hungry" in Israel. This is purely my understanding and so should be considered as such - but in my study of the text the primary thing that jumps out is: The symbology of breaking bread. It is a blessing for some to be given minds and talents equal to fifteen loaves and ten fishes. with just five Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men. Everyone present is fed to satisfaction. Trust that God will use the resources for his purposes; trust that God will care for our needs. White Castle. I was just pondering the same text and searched to see if a similar question had been asked and found this. (F) Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Smoked fish is a means of fish preparation in Jewish cuisine, thus making it probable. Why does the original KJV use fishes instead of fish? Read insightful commentary on the Torah and Gospels every week, adapted from Torah Club resources. The stories of multiplying the food shows that even though the believers possession may not seem to be sufficient for Gods work, if they move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before them. There were five thousand people all eating from this boy's small lunch, and they could eat as much as they wanted. The same is true for us. 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. Researchers with the University of Haifa in Israel claim that a newly unearthed mosaic may indicate where Jesus performed this miracle. Jesus used His disciples and the boy with the bread and fish to feed a multitude. The boy with two fish and five loaves learned a lot that day. A Divine Prescription for Spiritual Healing, We All Have a Father in Whom We Can Trust, Teaching Children to Walk Uprightly before the Lord. Two small fishes.--Better, two fishes. He took an elderly, childless couple and made a people more numerous than the stars. WebRemember, these were five small loaves of bread and two small fish, only enough for a boy to eat. They struggle to have enough to hold body and soul together. It kept multiplying until everyone in the crowd was full. Neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of optos; a relish to other food, i.e., fish. Loaves and Fishes The story of how Jesus fed five thousand men (were there no women or children there, or did they just not get anything to eat?) John 6:1-15. Help You give them something to eat., Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Jesus Himself gave an example of cooking fish with His disciples, which further makes it a possibility that the fish prior mentioned had been cooked. Because the tomb was empty! We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. God wants us to trust him with our possessions and work to advance his Kingdom. The great promise of the Savior is that they shall receive [their] reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come (D&C 59:23). Being evening at this point, (Matthew 14:14), implies that the fish was cooked in some way to keep from perishing, rather than raw. 21The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. which hath five barley loaves. But, except, however. The word for "lad" is a diminutive occurring only here (not in the best text of Matthew 11:16), and in many MSS. contrariwise. The significance lies not in the actual number, but in the fact that loaves of bread were smaller in Bible days, with three loaves being about the right amount for one mans meal (Luke 11:5,6). The whole force of Andrew's remark, with its diminutive words, rests upon the smallness of their power to help, while Philip had dwelt on the greatness of the need. 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). Matthew 16:9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Learn Religions. The gospel of Matthew has a lot of interesting things to say about bread. 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. ( F ) Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. over. 15. The boy gives up his food to the disciples and Jesus. The word occurs only here and at John 21:9. And God uses the sacrifice to shape the givers heart and advance His Kingdom. NLT Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. The significance of the seven? Was the boy hungry in that moment? What makes it possible, under the Masters touch, for them to serve, lift, and bless so that they touch for good the lives of hundreds, even thousands? Here, Jesus is trying to free people from the bondage of sin. A major reason this church has grown from its humble beginnings to its current strength is the faithfulness and devotion of millions of humble and devoted people who have only five loaves and two small fishes to offer in the service of the Master. But he released the food, nonetheless. Has 90% of ice around Antarctica disappeared in less than a decade. Two thousand people from the area had gone out day after day to search for her. There are many examples in the gospels of Jesus repeating a miracle from the Old Testament, but doing so in a larger and grander style that is supposed to point to Christianitys surpassing Judaism. This word, too, is rightly regarded as a diminutive, but it is not a diminutive of "fish." His meal was small, and the need was so great. 42 And they did all eat, and were filled. Their sweet daughter was like the lad who had only five barley loaves and two small fishes to give to the cause of the Savior, but by the power of God, countless thousands have been spiritually fed. Is it correct to use "the" before "materials used in making buildings are"? Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. Nor did the disciples feed the five thousand. Some months ago, as Elder Spencer J. Condie and I were in the Salt Lake airport, we unexpectedly met a devoted and faithful couple who have been friends for long years. Deuteronomy 8:8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; Deuteronomy 32:14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. Subsequently their hearts were hardened in that they forgot the divine mission of Jesus, for they considered not the miracle of the loaves (Mark 6:52). Apparently, Ray Kroc was skeptical that this new sandwich concept would work, but it turned out to be a big hit. No injuries in massive Cleveland warehouse fire. WebAnd when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and Jesus Uses People to Bless Others. What needless sorrows follow in the Continue Reading, (The following is the first of a series of articles drawn from Pastor Stam's book, Our Great Commission, What Is It? In this story, you can see how powerful Jesus is. Daily Devotional: March 4, 2023 Matthew 14:16-18 (NIV) 16 Jesus replied, They do not need to go away. rev2023.3.3.43278. He looked to His disciples for any food to serve, saying: How many loaves do you have? And they said, Seven, and a few little fish(Matthew 15:34). In Jesuss hands the small meal became great. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. Thereupon the people would have made him king; but withdrawing himself, he walks on the sea to his disciples; reproves the people flocking after him, and all the fleshly hearers of his word; declares himself to be the bread of life to believers. Learn Religions, Aug. 25, 2020, learnreligions.com/jesus-feeds-the-five-thousand-248697. From a Jewish perspective, five loaves might represent five books of Torah. The earliest evidence for Christians visiting any site associated with the miracle comes from the Pilgrimage diary of Christianitys first female travel writer, Egeria, who visited the Holy Land ca. Before we came to this earth, we may have been fashioned to do some small good in this life that no one else can do.