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Lesson 1 - Where Shall We Buy Bread That These May Eat?

Lesson 1 - Where Shall We Buy Bread That These May Eat?

Topic 2004 - Mystery of the Body and Blood

Introduction

  

As Jesus traveled around Galileeand  healed many sickpeople, thousands of people began to follow Him .  These crowds presented Jesus with a unique training opportunity.  In John chapter 6:1-14, Jesus takes advantage of this setting to teach His disciples what they must do to effectively disciple the nations.  The twelve are about to learn WHERE to "buy" the bread needed to feed the multitudes. 

 

 

The Multitudes Follow Jesus

 

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. John 6:1-3

 

John chapter 6 opens with Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee. Many thousands of people, who had seen Jesus perform miracles, are searching for Him.  It is noteworthy that these people followed Jesus at great personal risk.  They traveled far and expended great energy to find this "miracle worker".  We will discover that they did not even know who He really was. Matthew's gospel informs us of how Jesus saw this situation.

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:36
 

Jesus had compassion for these people, they were weary, they had no Shepherd, they needed to be fed. They also presented Him with an opportunity to teach His disciples with a "living parable".

Training Day

This day is going to be a special "Training Day" for Phillip and the disciples. As we move forward in this lesson, it is important to consider what Jesus was training the 12 disciples to do! His mission was to prepare them to "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19-20), to "feed His lambs" (John 21:15).  To be successful, the disciples had to learn where to "buy bread" to feed the nations!  So, Jesus asks Phillip a question which had no "reasonable" answer:

Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” John 6:5-7

 

It is obvious that Jesus did not expect Phillip to go and buy enough bread to feed the thousands of people that were coming.  First of all, they did not have enough money and even if they did, what market had enough bread on hand to feed over 10,000 people?  Note that some commentators place the crowd at over 25,000!   Phillip was being tested.  In order to know what Jesus was really talking about, Phillip had to consider how the terms  "bread" and "buying bread" were used metaphorically in the scriptures.  We must do the same to unlock this mysterious question.  There is a "Kingdom" truth here waiting to be discovered! 

 

Jesus' question is actually a riddle which is also a type of parable.  This riddle is difficult or impossible to solve naturally.  This is what King Solomon referred to as a "dark saying" (a puzzle not easily understood)  in Proverbs 1:6.

 

Key Study Principle (Read); Proverbs 1:1-6

 

The wisdom to decipher biblical riddles only comes as we diligently search out and consider God's word and allow His Spirit to speak to our heart.

 

 

Whenever a passage of scripture is difficult to understand or explain in a natural sense, there is always a hidden treasure just waiting to be discovered!  Here are some passages about "bread" and "buying bread" that I found.  Certainly, there are many others that confirm what we are about to learn.

 

 

He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding. Proverbs 12:111

He who tills his land will be satisfied wit bread, But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!. Proverbs 28:19

 

These two verses echo an important principle. To understand the principle we have to recognize that these are parables and contain a hidden message. Every farmer knows that it is necessary to till the land in order to have a good crop.  There is no need to teach anyone this well known truth.  So, what is this land we have to till?  In order to have "bread", we must till.  If we refuse to expend the energy required to till our land, we will remain igmorant and spiritualy impoverished!  The word "frivolity" used in the NKJV literally means "empty" or "worthless".  A failure to recognize the value of tilling your land, results in the blind pursuit of non-productive activity..  Carefuly consider this passage from the prophet Hosea:  

 

Ephraim is a trained heifer
That loves to thresh grain;
But I harnessed her fair neck,
I will make Ephraim [ride on] a plow.
Judah shall plow;
Jacob shall break his clods.”
 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
You have plowed wickedness;
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
Because you trusted in your own way,
In the multitude of your mighty men.

Hosea 10:11-13 (NKJV)

 

We could spend an entire study on this passage, but the message is clear.  Trusting in our "way" produces iniquity.  However, if we prepare our heart by "breaking up our fallow ground" (or tilling our land), God will "rain righteousness" on us. He will  change and empower us to do His work effectively.   In simple terms, we must acknowledge our shortcomings and pursue the One who actually provides the bread that will enrich our soul.  Other pursuits are empty and will lead to spiritual poverty!  This is why Jesus taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread"!  Acquiring bread for the soul begins by humbly asking for it.

 

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David."
Isaiah 55:1-3

 

Wow! Here we learn that "buying bread" means humbly coming to God and bending your ear (listening carefully to His wordd)!  This is the "bread" that satisfies, strengthens and delights our soul. In this context, The Hebrew term for "delight" means to be soft or pliable. We must be willing to allow God's word to bless and change us. This is one of those passages that we should read several times very slowly.

 

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there, But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me [c]void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.""
Isaiah 55:10-11

 

This passage speaks to the power and purpose of God's word. Buying bread from the Father changes us and equips us for ministry. When we allow His word to delight us, we are transformed and empowered to fulfill our destiny! Just as rain waters the earth and causes it to bring forth new life, so it is with us! We cannot "disciple the nations" without being empowered by the bread we "buy" from the Father. We lack understanding when we do not recognize our need to "buy bread". We cannot fulfill our destiny in our own strength., we must allow Him to change us.

 

Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."
Revelation 3:17-18

 

This is what Jesus was teaching His disciples. They could never feed His sheep in the condition they were in. They needed to be transformed by buying bread from the Father. Jesus is about to demonstrate this truth with a living parable that we call, The Feeding of the Five Thousand.

 

Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
John 6:10-13
 

Let's briefly examine this living parable. Hungry people are sitting and waiting to be fed. Jesus communicates with His Father, gives bread to the disciples and miraculously multitudes are fed and food is left over. Is this not exactly how we make disciples of the nations? God through Jesus (the living word) gives us what we need to sow into the nations. As we feed them, miracles take place. After our labor, there is bread leftover for the sower. Note that we are commanded to "gather the fragments, so that none is lost". As we contemplate the glorious things that He has done, we grow stronger and continue to become more and more like Jesus.

 


 

END OF LESSON 1 - See MORE LINKS (below) for additional resources for this lesson!

 

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These Bonus Topics are on our Forum: Read Mark 8:13-21

And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.
 Now [they] had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.
 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”
 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?
 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?
When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
They said to Him, “Twelve.”
Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
And they said, “Seven.”
So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?”

What dud Jesus mean by "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees"?
How is this related to the fragments collected by the disciples?

Go to the Forum~~~ to discuss these bonus topics!
 
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Larry Shepard

Larry ShepardLarry Shepard

Larry is the founder and visionary of the Parable Power Network. His mission is to ignite a passion for God's word and to see the Power in the Parable elevate people to exemplary living.. Larry has served in various Christian ministries for over 40 years; including teaching in Bible Schools and as a Senior Pastor.

Other posts by Larry Shepard
Contact author Full biography

Full biography

Larry Shepard committed his life to Jesus Christ over 40 years ago. During those years, he worked in evangelistic radio and publishing ministries. He has served as an Education Director, Special Ministries Director, Associate Pastor and as a Senior Pastor. Larry has studied and taught at Cornerstone Theological Seminary. He also developed and taught classes at The Texas Institute of Biblical Studies. Larry worked in Corporate America as an IT professional and developed software for numerous small businesses. He lives in Houston, Texas, and is married and has two children and two grandchildren.

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