John 6
Feeding five thousand
After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
Near the Sea of Galilee, with Passover approaching, a large crowd follows Jesus. With five barley loaves and two fish from a boy, Jesus feeds about five thousand men, and twelve baskets of leftovers are collected. The crowd hails him as "the prophet" and Jesus withdraws when he sees they mean to make him king by force.
What does this mean?
"Pennyworth" (KJV) and "denarii" (WEB) refer to the denarius, a Roman silver coin roughly equal to a labourer's day's wage, so two hundred was a large sum. "Sea of Tiberias" is another name for the Sea of Galilee.
Historical context
Barley bread was the cheaper bread of the poor. Herod Antipas founded the city of Tiberias on the lake around AD 20, naming it after the emperor Tiberius. Popular expectation of a Messiah was often political: a king who would free Israel from Roman rule.
Why does it matter?
The feeding is the only miracle of Jesus' ministry recorded in all four Gospels. In John it sets up a long discourse on Jesus as "the bread of life". Many readers also note the echo of Moses and the manna that fed Israel in the wilderness, which the crowd itself raises in verse 31.
Editorial notes, not scripture.
Told in all four Gospels
Matthew 14:13–21
The feeding of the five thousand
How Matthew tells it
Only Matthew adds that the five thousand men were counted 'besides women and children'. Matthew links the event to Jesus' withdrawal after John's death, and has him heal the sick where Mark says he taught. John's Gospel names Philip and Andrew, mentions a boy's barley loaves, and says the crowd wanted to make Jesus king.
Continue reading in Matthew →Mark 6:30–44
Feeding five thousand
How Mark tells it
Mark links the feeding to the apostles' return and need for rest. Only Mark explains Jesus' compassion by the crowd being 'as sheep not having a shepherd'. Mark says he taught them (Matthew: healed; Luke: both). Mark alone mentions 'green' grass, groups 'by hundreds and by fifties' and leftover fish. John adds Philip, Andrew and the boy with the loaves.
Continue reading in Mark →Luke 9:10–17
The feeding of the five thousand
How Luke tells it
Only Luke names Bethsaida as the setting and says Jesus "received" the crowd and spoke of God's kingdom. The people sit in groups of fifty (Mark: hundreds and fifties). In John, Jesus asks Philip about food and a boy supplies the loaves. Luke moves straight from the feeding to Peter's confession, omitting the material Mark places between them.
Continue reading in Luke →How John tells it
Only John says the loaves were barley and came from a boy, and names Philip and Andrew in the exchange. Here Jesus raises the problem himself rather than the disciples. John notes that Passover was near, and alone reports that the crowd hailed Jesus as "the prophet" and wanted to make him king by force, so he withdrew.