Defending a Miracle

Have you heard the story of how Jesus feed 5000 men (plus women and children)? After learning that John the Baptist had been beheaded Jesus withdrew from the city to be alone. He left by boat, but when the people heard He had gone they rushed around the shore and many of them arrived before Him. Wow, no time to pack a lunch, let alone a supper. Jesus had intended to spend the day in solitude, but He had compassion on the crowd and healed the sick among them – lots of “little” miracles – and He taught them about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Early on that day He asked one of His disciples, Philip, where they were going to buy bread for all these people. (Jesus was just testing him, He already knew what He was going to do.) Philip exclaimed that 8 months’ wages wouldn’t be enough to feed so many.

As evening approached the disciples said to Him, “Send them away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Then at that point Jesus told His disciples to give them something to eat. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, had found a boy who had 5 barley loaves and 2 small fishes. Not enough, right? Jesus said, “Bring them here to me.”

Jesus is the Author of Creation. John 1: 3 says “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” How easy it must have been for Him, who created everything, to look to Heaven, give thanks and break the bread and fishes, multiplying them into enough to satisfy thousands of people.

When the people were done eating there were 12 baskets of leftovers – just enough for the 12 disciples. Now there are skeptics today who will say that oh, the people just all shared what they had. No, no, no, no, no, these skeptics weren’t there, they don’t know what they’re talking about. The crowd was there, they realized that this was a miracle. In fact, they were so amazed that they wanted to take Jesus by force and make Him king. Jesus had to depart to a mountain to get away because it wasn’t the right time.

Now, what do you think? This event was recorded in all four gospels: Matthew 14: 13-21; Mark 6: 32-44; Luke 9: 10-17; and John 6: 1-14. I think it was a miracle.