John 6:1–15
“After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, ‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!’ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” Amen.
Five Loaves and Two Fish: Eyes to Behold Jesus, Not Just the Miracle
The passage we share today is the widely known account of the feeding of the five thousand. Because the theme of the "five loaves and two fish" is so familiar through various channels, our attention often lingers on how a young boy’s small offering of five barley loaves and two fish brought about such a staggering miracle. Consequently, we frequently find ourselves contemplating how we, too, might offer such a "five loaves and two fish" sacrifice to God.
However, my purpose today is to provide you with the fundamental background of this text, thereby establishing a clearer framework of interpretation for your understanding. First, as mentioned in our previous time together, this event did not occur by mere chance. It was not simply an act of Jesus providing food; rather, it was a presentation of a "shadow"—a reflection of the events that transpired in the wilderness when the people of Israel were delivered out of Egypt.
When the Lord carries out His work, He does not proceed mechanically. Instead, He reveals how the history of God’s salvation flows majestically through this world. He always keeps in mind how that history is to be applied to this earth when He brings His works to pass. Therefore, this is by no means an isolated incident but one held in an intimate relationship with the Old Testament. It is a unique ministry in that it does not merely imitate the Old Testament but completes it, demonstrating how it is fulfilled.
Jesus Christ, Who Became the Bread of Life for Us
Another point to remember is that while the wilderness of the Old Testament was a shadow, this wilderness event in today's text—where Jesus fed the Judeans—is the reality of that wilderness, fully and perfectly accomplished. Therefore, what the five loaves and two fish suggest to us is not merely the moral lesson of "let us give with all our hearts like the young boy." Rather, the focus lies in revealing the true identity of the "five loaves and two fish." In other words, the core background of this story is that Jesus Himself became the five loaves and two fish, allowing us to partake of Him.
Jesus did not take our meager offerings to cause a mere quantitative expansion—like puffing up a small amount of rice—simply to fill the bellies of five thousand people. The Lord manifested that His power is without end and His abundance is boundless; above all, through this event, He showed that He has given Himself to us.
The Lord’s patience and long-suffering have truly become our bread. Thus, even in situations where it is nearly impossible to endure, He enables us to persevere by relying on Him. Even when anger toward our enemies surges, the Lord, who became the Bread of Love, allows us to realize and practice that love. It is Jesus Christ who is our Bread of Joy and our Bread of Gentleness.
The Test in the Wilderness and the Limits of Human Existence
If this story were to end simply as a tale about bread, why would Philip and Andrew need to appear in the text? The Lord could have simply proclaimed, "From now on, I am your bread, and I will feed you," and then distributed the loaves. Yet, today’s passage very clearly explains the reason for their appearance. We often compare the two, evaluating Philip as a negative person and Andrew as a positive one. Or, we assume the miracle occurred because Andrew brought a child to Jesus, demonstrating an act of evangelism. However, before harboring such prejudices, we must first pay attention to the specific words recorded in the text. Let us look at verse 6:
“He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.” The Lord is testing Philip at this moment.
Recall the background I mentioned earlier. The miracle Jesus performed in the wilderness is in the same vein as the wilderness journey during the Exodus. Therefore, this act of testing Philip shares the same essential context as God’s testing of the Israelites in the wilderness. The Lord’s purpose was not merely to check Philip’s capability or to rebuke his small faith. Just as He tested Israel in the wilderness, the Lord was testing Philip, who stands as a representative of the Twelve Apostles—the symbolic Israel. Why, then, did God test them? To understand this, let us look at Deuteronomy 8:2:
“And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” God says He humbled and tested Israel to know if they would keep His commandments. We must not misunderstand this to mean that God was truly ignorant of their hearts and needed a test to find out. God already knows all thoughts and intentions. Therefore, the purpose of the Lord’s test is not for God’s benefit, but rather to allow the ones being tested to realize "who they are and by what they truly live."
This purpose is stated even more clearly in verse 3:
“And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna... that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” This is the true purpose of the test. God does not gain information by watching our actions; rather, through the process of the test, He allows us to realize for ourselves what we are truly depending on. From this perspective, the act of eating the bread itself becomes a test and a message. If we understand this principle, we will realize that the test Philip and Andrew undergo carries the same purpose and essential meaning.
Life Trapped in Calculation and the "We" of Companionship
Let us examine the Lord’s question. In verse 5, Jesus lifts His eyes, sees the large crowd, and asks Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” This question is quite different from what we usually imagine. Philip answered with a monetary amount, saying "two hundred denarii" would be needed, but Jesus’ question was different. The Lord asked "where" they should buy bread. This was not a question of cost, but a fundamental inquiry into the source: “From where will you bring this?”
In a sense, Philip’s answer sounds like he is talking at cross-purposes, but he had a valid reason. Philip was from Bethsaida, and the other side of the Sea of Tiberias where this event took place was very close to his hometown. He was familiar with the area and knew better than anyone where bread could be bought. Asking him "where" was almost like acknowledging that it was an environment where bread could be purchased. To this, Philip was essentially protesting, "Lord, we need money to go anywhere, don't we?" It was a realistic reaction, like asking how to cook rice when there is no rice to be found.
In this moment, Philip appears far more rational and logical than Jesus. While Jesus asks about a place to buy, Philip points out the lack of funds, facing reality head-on. However, the true heart of this dialogue lies in the subject of the question. Verse 5 says, "Where are we to buy bread." Note that the Lord did not ask "Where will you buy it," but used the word "we." This was not merely giving Philip an errand; it was focusing on the fact that "I am doing this work with you."
Looking at Philip’s response, we see how little he understood this "togetherness." He replied that even if each person received only a little, two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough. Two hundred denarii was a vast sum—the wages for two hundred laborers for a full day. Philip counted the people and calculated the budget, but in that calculation, the Lord was missing. In his mindset that "money is the only solution," the concept of "we" was absent. Forgetting that he was facing the situation with Jesus, he completely excluded the Lord from the process of solving the problem.
The Failure of the Old Self That Does Not Rely on God
In this context, we see that the event in today’s text is remarkably similar to the event when God tested Israel in the wilderness. What was the greatest problem with the test Israel faced then? As seen in Deuteronomy 8, they did not rely on the word coming from God but instead relied on Egypt. They had a realistic calculation that while there was nothing to eat in the wilderness, there was plenty in Egypt. They complained, “We would have lived well if we returned to Egypt; why are we suffering in the wilderness?” and even went so far as to call Egypt “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
This was a profoundly rebellious attitude, flatly denying the Canaan that God had promised. Instead of trusting God’s word, they put their rational calculations first, judging that returning to Egypt was the only way to avoid death in the wilderness. Ultimately, the decisive reason for Israel’s failure in the wilderness was that the subject "we" disappeared from their confession. Instead of believing that God was with them and would solve the problem, they believed Egypt was the only solution. Because of this unbelief, Israel completely failed the wilderness test. The Philip of today’s text is no different. He gave a response entirely unrelated to what the Lord desired, thus failing the test.
However, there is a truly remarkable difference here. The Old Testament Israel all met their deaths in the wilderness as a result of failing their test. Most of the adult males of the first generation that came out of Egypt, including the sons of Korah, ended their lives without stepping into the promised land. Some might ask, “Does even the chosen people die if they cannot obey?” But you must remember one important fact: the later generations who entered Canaan did not enter because they were perfectly obedient either. The death of the wilderness generation serves as a spiritual lesson and a sample for us. They died due to disobedience, and Philip was no different from them in failing his test. What about Andrew then? Many evaluate Andrew positively because he brought a boy and the five loaves and two fish. Was the fact that he brought a child’s meager lunch before Jesus truly the basis for "passing"?
The Lord as the Bread of Life, Not Human Devotion
I still vividly remember the sermons I heard about this event during my Sunday School days. ‘A boy set out with a lunch box his mother had lovingly packed to hear the words of Jesus. Mesmerized by the words for days, he forgot his hunger, only to realize no one else had anything to eat. The boy hesitated for a moment but gave his lunch to the Lord, and the Lord blessed those five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand. Therefore, let us also give everything we have to receive blessings ten, a hundred, or a thousand-fold.’ This was generally the content of those sermons.
Even now, it is a touching story. However, I tell you firmly: do not be deceived by such interpretations. The feeding of the five thousand is not a story teaching us about a child’s devotion or what we must sacrifice. The heart of this event lies in Jesus Christ, who came as the "five loaves and two fish" Himself. This is not my private opinion; it is a truth that cannot be denied because Jesus Himself interpreted it this way in the Scriptures.
In the latter half of John 6, the Lord says clearly: “I am the bread of life. I did not give you bread to provide something like the manna your ancestors ate in the wilderness only to eventually die. My purpose is not to fill you physically, but to let you know who I am. I am the bread of life.” Before this declaration of the Lord, there is no room for other interpretations. We cannot decide this truth by vote, nor can we change it at will. Therefore, do not fall into the prosperity-gospel thinking of “how to give my five loaves and two fish” or “how to puff up my small devotion.” The logic that “a small offering bought a large building” or “I became wealthy by praying despite poverty” is not the five loaves and two fish spoken of in the Bible. The five loaves and two fish Jesus speaks of refers only to Jesus Christ Himself.
Let us see how firmly the text expresses this fact. In verse 9, Andrew says: “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Andrew did not make a confession of faith like we often imagine, saying, “Lord, though this is all we have, I give it all. If you work, anything is possible.” Rather, he was saying, “What use is this meager amount? It would be better to send these people home to solve their own problems.” This was the common reaction recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Ultimately, Andrew was not a "passer" of this test either; he was simply a man who crumbled before human limitations, just like Philip.
The Grace of Jesus Christ, Who Took the Test in Our Place
However, there is a decisively different point between Philip and Andrew and the wilderness generation of old Israel. This is the most frightening and wonderful part of this story. We often think the events of the Old Testament interpret the New, but in reality, the Cross of Christ is the key that explains all events of the Old Testament. Behold: the people of Israel in the old wilderness all died because they failed the test, but in this "perfected wilderness" where Jesus is present, not a single person dies. The Lord does not even scold Philip. He does not offer a rebuke like we might expect, such as, “Philip, why can you only think that far? Believe in me, not money.”
Furthermore, the biblical record is far too thin for us to focus on the devotion of a single child. Look closely at the Scriptures. Does the story of that child ever appear again, even once? Not at all. It is mentioned once in John, and the Bible has absolutely no interest in what happened to the child later or what blessings he received for his devotion. What the Bible is actually interested in is the fact that the disciples did not die, despite being completely unable to solve the test the Lord gave them. The ancestors died in the wilderness, but these men lived. Is this not amazing? Just as He said, “Your ancestors ate manna and died, but those who eat me, the bread of life, will live forever,” the reality of not dying even after failing the test is the radical message of this text.
How was this possible? Let us look at Luke 22:28–29: “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials (tests), and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom.” The phrase to note here is “those who have stayed with me in all my trials.” These trials do not merely refer to the forty-day fast in the wilderness, but to the trials Jesus faced throughout His entire life.
Who exactly was being tested? From the perspective of today’s text, we realize that Jesus Christ Himself took on the test that Philip and Andrew should have faced. The Lord was the one who gave the test, but He was also the one who directly took it and solved it. The Israel of the old wilderness died because they could not solve the problem, but the disciples in this wilderness lived because they were with Jesus. It was because Jesus Christ solved that test. The wrath, judgment, and death that humans should have received for failing to solve the problem were taken entirely by the Lord. The Lord Himself became the barley loaf; He gave up His glory and died to become our true food. The grace by which we eat abundantly because Jesus was tested and died—that is the reality of the Gospel that you and I enjoy.
Identifying Myself with Biblical Characters
How did you and I come to sit in this blessed place today? The reason the word "grace" does not deeply resonate with us, even though we hear it often, is that we forget one most important fact. You must first enter deeply into the position of Philip and Andrew. Do not view the Bible from the outside with a detached eye, but realize that you are the very ones who can only give answers like Philip and Andrew.
Originally, those who give answers like Philip and Andrew are those who can never survive the wilderness—those who deserve to die. But if we do not enter into the Bible and instead watch from the outside, no matter how much biblical knowledge we have, the outcome may be different. What is the use of sitting in the place where heaven is most visible if that place is hell? A faith that only spectates will only leave us frustrated every day in front of the gates of heaven. Therefore, you must clearly recognize that the Philip and Andrew in the Bible are "me." Only then do we realize who stands before the test given by Jesus Christ.
The Lord does not intend to give us a curse or death through this test. Instead, the judgment is taken by the Lord Himself, and to us, He reveals that "what we have is nothing and is of no use." To Philip, He reveals the limitation that he cannot buy bread because he has nothing. To Andrew, He reveals the helplessness that even if he has something, it is of no use. Ultimately, the core message the Lord gives to Philip and Andrew is the self-confession: “I am one who has nothing, and I am one who can do nothing with what I have.” We must know that anything a human possesses is of no help in entering the Kingdom of God.
The Confession of a True Believer Coming Empty-Handed
In the third verse of Hymn 188 which we just sang, there is a lyric: “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling.” Everyone, this hymn was not sung or written with an ordinary mind. When you come to God, you do not bring something in your hand. You come empty-handed. Because nothing you have will work, you have nothing to bring when you come to the Lord. You come empty-handed. That is the characteristic of those who come to the Lord.
We often misunderstand when we look at Moses. We ask, “Look at Moses. Didn't he do such great work because he lived in Pharaoh’s palace for forty years and was trained in the great wilderness for forty years? Didn't he become a great leader and lead the people of Israel?” However, the Bible tells the exact opposite story. What was the result of those forty years of diligent learning in Pharaoh’s palace? He merely killed one Egyptian official. What did he do for forty years in the Midian wilderness? He only realized he was truly a "nobody" as a shepherd. That was when the Lord appeared. When? When he realized, “I can do nothing and I have nothing,” God appeared to Moses and said, “Now I will use you.” This is not merely about Moses’ humility. God did not intend to increase Moses’ knowledge; He did not have him receive such training in the great wilderness to make him great, but to show him how useless his possessions and learning were.
The Lord calls us when we are "ones who have nothing." It is a staggering irony. The church is a place that does not make sense to the world. Things treated with respect in the world receive little respect in the church. The Lord looks at everything we believed to be our strength, our ability, and our accumulated achievements and says, “It is nothing.” He says we must know this. We say, “Lord, I want to build the Kingdom of God with what I have. I will dedicate all I have and even sacrifice my life, so please establish Your Kingdom.” But the Lord says that even your life and everything you have are useless for the Kingdom of God. Does it hurt? What the Lord wants is for us to come to Him not with what we have, but with empty hands. What does an "empty hand" mean? It is the heart to cling only to the Cross. It is the determination to rely only on Jesus Christ and God, confessing that everything I have is nothing. The one who makes that confession is called a "believer."
I worry that you might think, even for a moment, ‘This church is being run by the offerings I give.’ And I truly worry that you might think you are giving a portion of your money to God. Giving an offering means you are giving your whole self, and it contains the confession: “God, I do not live by relying on this.” It is the same when you give your life to the Lord. It is not about saying, “I give this life, so please puff it up,” but saying, “Lord, I do not live to maintain my life, but for the glory of God. To live is Christ, to die is Christ, and everything is gain to me.” It is the same with service. You do not come before God with the service you have done; you must truly say, “The service I do is of no use. I do not rely on this. The reason I do all this is to show that I do not live by relying on this, but by holding onto only Jesus Christ.”
The True Happiness and Victory of Being with Christ
However, everyone, this is not all. Reaching this point is great, but it is not everything. Confessing "Lord, what I have is of no use; I live relying only on God and Jesus Christ" is not the end. The Lord wants to let us know that when we say "I have nothing," He says, "But because I am with you, you are one who has everything." Counting all things as loss is so that the life of Jesus Christ may fill me. This is the true meaning of the five loaves and two fish.
Things that are absolutely impossible with what we have offered are accomplished through the Lord. Looking at ourselves, there is no basis for the Kingdom of God to be established, yet the Lord’s Kingdom stands majestically. The Gospel is preached, God’s people are gathered, and the Lord’s power is constantly revealed. Only then do we realize: ‘I am nothing and my work is of no help, yet the fact that the Kingdom of God stands so firmly is proof that there is someone with me!’ Realizing this is what matters. The reason we are in this blessed place of God instead of under His wrath is not because we have done well, but because of the grace of the One who called us despite our utter lack of qualifications.
Whenever you pray, you confess, “I am a sinner worse than a worm,” and “I am a sinner who can only die.” Is that confession merely lip service? Surely not. It is the desperate admission: “God, I have no hope, and I cannot go to the Kingdom of God with what I have.” How good would it be if we could go with money? How good would it be if we could go with our character? We would then strive to cultivate those things, but the homework God has given us cannot be solved by such things. No matter how good your character is, how can you follow the character of Jesus? No matter how much money you have, how can you fill God’s storehouse? It is a battle that cannot even be compared by the world's standards.
But at that very point, you call Him “Father.” You fall prostrate and weep. You cry out, “Does God not love me?” You say, “God, I love You too. I lived because of the Cross, so thank You. I see now that during my daily life, the Lord never let go of me. How is this happening when it is something that could never be accomplished?” Then what has been proven? If I did not do it, it means there was someone who carried me on His back all the way here. There was someone who held me and was with me.
Through this, the word of God in Deuteronomy is fulfilled in Philip, Andrew, and us today: “Giving all these tests and humbling you was ultimately to give you a blessing.” This is the true blessing that a believer must know and enjoy. To see oneself being with Jesus Christ and eating the bread of Christ—when can I truly live? It is when I am with Christ. That is when we become participants in heaven, not just spectators. Do not stop at confessing, “Lord, I have not been able to change even one of my habits during my life; I confess I can do nothing.” You must go as far as the confession: “But I am happy simply because the Lord is with me.”
Everyone, do you think I say this to comfort your hearts or because I am a pastor trying to spread Christianity somehow? Do you think I say these things to get more people to come to church and give more offerings, so the church becomes grander and more successful? If that were the case, then kill me instead, and do not listen to those words. The reason I speak to you so desperately with tears is because this is truly your happiness. If you truly know the fact that you are with Jesus Christ and can be satisfied because of it, then you are one who knows happiness. I hope you, too, will be satisfied with this fact above all else. Today, the Lord says to Philip and Andrew: “We, you and I, are together. How do you think this problem will be solved?”
To this question, we must answer: “Lord, if You are with me, what meaning do physical lack or hardships have for me? I am satisfied with Jesus Christ alone.” Dear saints, do not be shaken, please do not be deceived, and I hope you will be the ones who rejoice because He is with you.
Let us pray.
Loving Lord, in what do we rejoice and what do we praise? Even after confessing that we do not rely on ourselves, why are our hearts still so empty? What use is it for us to confess that we are a life of "nothing"? That is a fact we already know.
However, Lord, because You are with us, let us confess that our lives are like those who possess everything. Let us know that joy and happiness, and whenever we forget that fact, Lord, let us remember these words of Yours and remember Jesus, who truly became our bread and allowed us to eat.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.