John 6:5 – When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (NIV)

Today’s reading is a familiar story to most, if not all, Christians.  The stories of the feeding of the multitudes are as familiar as John 3:16.  What we don’t focus on very often is why Jesus left in such a hurry following the miraculous feeding.  If he had wanted to get his message of God’s love and grace out to the masses, here were some folks who hung on his every word.  Or did they?

The Jewish people of Jesus’ day were looking for a Messiah, but not the kind of Messiah that Jesus came to be.  They were looking for a political or military messiah, one who would ride into Jerusalem and remove the occupying Roman army.  If Jesus could miraculously feed thousands, they believed that he could certainly defeat the Romans, and I suppose that Jesus could have.  The people did not really listen to Jesus’ teaching as much as they saw his signs.  This is why Jesus so often told those that he healed not to tell anyone.

This makes me wonder – what kind of Messiah are we looking for?  I’ve know people who got mad at God and quit going to church because someone they loved died.  We all will die.  I’ve known people who have gotten disillusioned with God because they prayed and prayed, yet still lost their job.  We are all at the mercy of economics.  I could go on with more examples, but the fact remains, not all who call upon the name of Jesus are seeking the Messiah that Jesus came to be.  

Ultimately, Jesus came to make us right with God.  Our sin separates us from God, and Jesus bridges the gap.  This was Jesus’ goal.  He healed because he had compassion, but his ministry was to die for our sin.  Today, let’s celebrate a Messiah who makes us right with God!  

Posted by Ramón Torres