Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 

In March of 29 CE, Jesus was increasingly occupied with teaching. But he was also followed everywhere he went by people who wanted him to heal them or their sick relatives or friends. On March 27, he decided that he desperately needed a break from the crowds. He and the apostles planned to row across the lake unnoticed. But the multitudes did notice, and thousands followed him on that day and the following three days. By Wednesday, March 30, more than five thousand people had gathered in this large park.

By the third day, food began to be an issue, as most people had not brought enough. Even the provisions that Jesus and the apostles had brought along were dwindling by this time. Rumors were going around that Jesus was going to use this spot to declare himself the king of the Jews, and the crowd was in a state of anticipation.

On Wednesday, Jesus asked that the apostolic food be brought to him and, after organizing the large multitude in groups, he began to hand out food to the apostles who carried it to the evangelists and then into the crowd. By the end of the day, five thousand people had been miraculously fed from the apostolic stores of five barley loaves and two fishes. There were twelve baskets of food left over after everyone was fed, which were collected by the disciples.

This was a true miracle – a nature miracle – and one that was never repeated.

By the end of March in the year 29 CE, Jesus continued to be followed wherever he went, with the crowds growing larger each day. He spent his days teaching the people and instructed the apostles and evangelists at night. As his schedule became increasingly busy and exhausting, Jesus decided to take a break on Sunday the 27th. He and the apostles planned a getaway to the opposite shore of the lake, hoping to escape the attention of the crowds. They anticipated finding rest in a beautiful park located there.

However, their plan to find solitude was thwarted. The people noticed the direction in which the boat went, and they once again began following Jesus. Some even walked around the lake when they couldn't find a boat. Eventually, nearly one thousand people managed to locate Jesus by that afternoon. Many of those who came to the park at Bethsaida-Julias brought food with them. So, after an evening meal, Jesus and his apostles continued to fellowship and teach the people in small groups.

But the influx of people did not stop. By Monday, there were over three thousand individuals present. They kept arriving, often bringing their sick friends and relatives along. Since the Passover weekend, hundreds had come from distant places to see Jesus, and now they all converged in the park. On Wednesday, March 30, approximately five thousand individuals had gathered there on this beautiful rain-free day.

As time passed, the scarcity of food became an issue for many. Those who had initially brought food with them now had very little left, and there hadn't been enough time to organize a camp for providing food. Jesus and the twelve apostles had brought enough food for themselves to last three days, which was in the care of John Mark, the young “chore boy” who traveled with the apostolic group. Some people had been in the park for three days already, and while food became scarce and hunger prevailed, they were reluctant to leave. There was a sense of anticipation in the air; a rumor had circulated that Jesus had chosen this secluded spot, free from his enemies' rule, to be crowned the king of the Jews. Though nobody directly mentioned this rumor to Jesus, he was already aware of the murmurs.

So, on Wednesday afternoon, during dinner time, Jesus approached Andrew and Philip, asking them what they should do about the multitude. He pointed out that they had been with them for three days and many of them were hungry with no food. Philip suggested sending them away, and Andrew quickly agreed. However, Jesus expressed his desire not to let the people go hungry, asking if they couldn't provide food for them. Philip replied, saying that even if they had two hundred denarii, it wouldn't be enough to buy bread for such a large crowd in this remote area.

Jesus reiterated that he did not want to send the people away and noted their need for guidance, comparing them to sheep without a shepherd. He expressed his desire to feed them and inquired about the available food. Andrew found John Mark, and together they examined what remained of their food supply. Andrew informed Jesus that they had only five barley loaves and two dried fishes left, to which Peter added that they had yet to eat that evening.

Jesus fell silent, gazing into the distance. Suddenly, he instructed Andrew to bring him the loaves and fishes. When Andrew did so, Jesus directed him to organize the crowd in groups of one hundred on the grass and choose a leader for each group.

Then, taking the loaves in his hands, Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread into pieces, and began handing the food to the apostles, who then passed it on to the evangelists, and finally, it reached the crowd. He did the same with the fishes.

The multitude enjoyed the meal and everyone was satisfied. After everyone finished eating, Jesus instructed the disciples to collect all the leftover pieces, ensuring nothing went to waste. They gathered twelve full baskets of food from the remaining fragments. This was an extraordinary and unexpected feast for the crowd of around five thousand men, women, and children.

This is the first and only natural miracle that Jesus performed as a result of his forethought. True, his disciples were prone to calling many things miracles that were not miracles, but this was a genuine supernatural act resulting from his conscious preplanning.

According to what is known, Jesus multiplied food items in this circumstance as he normally does, with the exception of the elimination of the time factor and the visible life channel. The feeding of the five thousand by supernatural energy was a circumstance where Jesus’ human pity plus his creative power equaled the end result.

The miracle of feeding the five thousand had a significant impact on the perception and acclaim of Jesus among the people. It marked the peak of their expectation for miraculous wonders and their desire to make Jesus their king. Jesus, however, made it clear that the decision to perform this extraordinary act was in accordance with the Father's will.

The news of the feeding of the five thousand and the subsequent attempt to make Jesus king created curiosity and fear among religious leaders and civil rulers in Galilee and Judea. This event marked the end of the early phase of Jesus' ministry focused on teaching, training, and healing, and this paved the way for the proclamation of more spiritual aspects of the new gospel.

The feeding of the five thousand had a profound impact on the multitude, who were deeply moved by the sudden and spectacular provision of their physical needs. However, the gospel of the kingdom did not advance in the hearts of materialistic and half-hearted believers as a result of this tremendous miracle. Jesus ultimately used this event to challenge the popular notion of a materialistic Messiah and to confront the people's expectations.