John 6:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But this failure of the benefaction did not occur. The Savior’s desire reaches fulfillment. Therefore what is impossible with men is possible with God (Lk 18:27).

Divine omnipotence proves in every respect to be higher than the natural order inherent in our realities. It has power to accomplish all things wondrously, even what surpasses our mind.

Finally, even the disciples who were with the Lord among the hungry wished to feed this multitude, so as not to remain indifferent. Yet they had nothing with which to feed them.

The Lord asked where bread might be bought to feed the hungry multitude. And Scripture says, “He said this to test him,” that is, the disciple Philip, whom He asked, “for He Himself knew what He would do” (Jn 6:6).

Why did He test him? Was it to show the disciple’s ignorance? Or, perhaps, by showing the disciple’s ignorance, was He pointing to something else?

This will become clear when the mystery of the five loaves begins to speak to us and disclose what He was indicating. Then we shall see why, in that deed, the Lord wished to show the disciple’s ignorance.

He asked what He Himself knew. For sometimes we ask about what we do not know, wishing to hear so that we may learn.

Sometimes we ask about what we know, wishing to know whether the one we ask knows it. The Lord knew both things.

He knew what He was asking about, for He knew what He wished to do (Jn 6:6). Likewise, He knew that Philip did not know this.

Why then did He ask him, if not to show his ignorance? As I have said, we shall understand later why He did this.

Andrew says, “There is a boy here who has five loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many?” (cf. Jn 6:8-9). When Philip, being asked, said that two hundred denarii would not suffice to buy bread to refresh such a multitude, there appeared a certain boy carrying five barley loaves and two fish.

A brief consultation followed. To buy even a piece of bread for such a mass of people would require at least two hundred denarii.

But even if they had such a sum in their common purse, there was now neither time nor possibility to make the necessary purchases. Andrew mentioned that one boy there had five barley loaves and two small fish.

Yet obviously the supply was so slight that it was hardly worth mentioning. “Make them sit down,” Christ calmly answered (Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-15).

This is the miraculous feeding of five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. Even this miracle John describes briefly (vv. 1-21), using it as the occasion for a detailed exposition (vv. 23-71) of Jesus Christ’s discourse with the people “on the bread of life,” that is, the Mystery of Holy Communion.

By many experiences Jesus had shown His disciples not only the far-reaching deliberation and wisdom of His actions, but also His deep insight into the hearts of others (Jn 2:24; 6:64; 7:8; 11:4, 41, 42).

For His own sake He had no need to ask Philip what should be done. He was directing Philip’s attention to the state of affairs and prompting him to examine the matter from every side.

The other disciples also needed to examine the reality surrounding them. Yet Philip more than the others had to attend to the situation preceding the deed that Jesus wished to perform.

Philip did not yet fully believe in the divine power of Jesus (Jn 14:8). “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for them, that each of them might receive even a little,” Philip answered in v. 7.

A denarius equaled twenty kopecks. Thus about forty rubles in all would be needed to buy simple barley loaves, the ordinary food of the poor (3 Kings 7:1, 16, 18).

The Apostle Andrew finds with a boy five barley loaves, less nourishing than wheat loaves (Judg 7:13), and two baked fish. This was an insignificant supply for the multitude (Jn 6:8-9).

We should note that the return from preaching of the seventy disciples “with joy” (Lk 10:17) took place later. They were weary (Mk 6:31).

But there was no rest for the Lord and His apostles (cf. Mk 3:20). Crowds of people thirsted for the Word and sought to drink from the life-bearing spring (Jn 7:37).

The Lord gave them spiritual drink and healed those in need of healing. Before feeding this people, He tests the hearts of the disciples by addressing a question to Philip.

The name of the disciple to whom the question was addressed appears only in the Evangelist John. When the Lord tests someone, it is not so that He, the all-knowing Knower of hearts, may learn anything.

It is so that the one tested may know himself and the action of God. So it was with Abraham when he offered his son in sacrifice (Gen 22).

Abraham himself had to learn by experience the strength of his faith, and to behold God’s mercy and the mysterious ways of the Lord for the development of man and mankind.

The Apostle Philip, chosen by the Lord to receive the question about how to feed the people, was probably only an echo of the opinion of all the disciples. In the first three Gospels, Philip’s words are attributed to all the disciples.

See loco supra citato and especially Mk 6:37. They all still knew neither what the Lord would do, nor that He is the King of the world.

They were still learning the mysteries of the Kingdom of God (Mt 13:11; Mk 4:11; Lk 8:10). More and more they came to know the God-man.

He was pleased to give them His final instructions in the last discourse (Jn 14-17). At last He enlightened and regenerated them by the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Who proceeds from the Father and is sent by the Son.

Thus He would be glorified with the Father and the Spirit (Jn 16:14-15).