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Seventh Sunday after Trinity
26th July 2009

The feeding of the Five Thousand and Jesus walking on water

Today's reading (given below) covers two of the best known miracle stories in the gospels; the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on water.

Later on St John tells us why he wrote his gospel. He says he wrote it so "that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (St John's Gospel, chapter 20, verse 31).

He was writing to make it clear to everyone who Jesus is. And although he doesn't spell it out in today's readings, there are clear signposts. In the first century, the Jewish nation were waiting for a Messiah who would deliver them from Roman oppression, much like Moses led them out of slavery in Egypt. Indeed, Moses had prophesied the coming of just such a Messiah.

And the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 has lots of parallels with the Exodus from Egypt. We're told it happened around the time of the Passover, the Jewish festival in remembrance of the Exodus. Jesus fed the people miraculously with bread. In their 40 year crossing of the wilderness after leaving Egypt, the Jewish nation were fed by manna, bread that appeared miraculously on the ground each morning. And the setting is on a mountain, reminiscent of Mount Sinai where Moses encountered God and received the Ten Commandments.

And these prompts aren't lost on the crowd. "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world", they say.

Jesus recognises danger. The crowd are on the brink of proclaiming him Messiah, but their understanding is too small. They are thinking of an earthly king, a military leader who will kick out the Romans. Jesus has a much bigger agenda, an agenda that will lead to the cross and a much bigger victory, a victory that will affect the whole of humanity, forever.

He will not be deflected from this path, and so he retreats further into the hills, alone.

The disciples meanwhile set off by boat, but before long they get into trouble. There's strong winds and rough water, and it's heavy going. But then Jesus comes to them, walking on the water. For the Jewish nation, the sea was feared, associated with chaos, evil, and untameable forces within the natural and the spiritual world. Only God could rule over them. It's obvious to us that walking on water isn't a human attribute and it would have been just as obvious to John's original readers; but those familiar with the Old Testament would also have recognised the reference to the book of Job - which speaks of God who "spread out the heavens and walks upon the sea as on solid ground".

When the disciples see him they are afraid at first, but Jesus reassures them with the words "It is I, do not be afraid" - It is I is the English translation. Jesus would have been speaking Aramaic, and in Aramaic the words would have been I am, the name God gave to himself when he appeared to Moses in the burning bush.

John has left the meaning of the story as an exercise for the reader. Who walks on water? Who calls himself I am? His primary concern is that we should recognise Jesus for who he is, the Son of God. Hopefully we can take that as read. But there are other messages we can draw, and I'd like to offer three suggestions:

• First, what do we make of the twelve baskets of scraps gathered up after the meal? It points to God's lavish provision and gracious generosity. But note the scraps were gathered, not left where they lay. They would have been taken away by people in the crowd and used. God blesses us so that we may bless others. The Christian life involves caring for each other and also caring for our environment and wise use of resources. The planet is not ours to exploit and despoil, but to hold in trust future generations.
• Secondly, think of the boy with his loaves and fishes. A truly paltry contribution compared with the size of the problem. And yet he offered them to Jesus, and somehow it was enough. Our calling as Christians is nothing less than to stand for Christ in the world, to make a difference, and thereby to change the world. That's a daunting task, for sure. And yet, if we offer what we have, and what we are, to Christ, for him to use, the result can be truly amazing.
• And finally, think of the disciples in the storm-tossed boat, alone, afraid, struggling hard but making little headway. Life often feels like that, doesn't it? But Jesus is never far away. Do we have the presence of mind, the faith, and the grace to listen through the roar of the wind and waves for that voice which says It is I, do not be afraid, to welcome Jesus on board with us, to let him guide us towards our destination, and maybe find peace and calmness on the way?

Amen

.

The Gospel according to St John, Chapter 6, verses 1 - 21 (English Standard Version)

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little". One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down". Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost". So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world"! Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid". Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

© PCC St Martin's and St Paul's Canterbury 2008 - 2009