Saint John - Chapter 6
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| The miracle of the loaves and the fishes. J-J Tissot |
After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias.
After this, &c. Tiberias is here named, because the desert in which Christ fed the five thousand was near to Tiberias.
After this, not immediately, but almost a year afterwards. For the healing of the paralytic, and the dispute of Jesus with the Jews consequent upon it, which John had related in the foregoing chapter, took place in the beginning of the second year of Christ’s ministry. But the things which he relates in this sixth chapter took place at the close of the same year. This is plain because Christ healed the paralytic at the Passover (v. 1). But He did the things now to be related shortly before the Passover of the year following, as appears from the 4th verse. John therefore omits all that Christ did in the second year of His ministry, viz., His creation of Twelve Apostles, His Sermon on the mount, His sending His Apostles forth, as well as many other things. John omits them because they had been fully narrated by the other Evangelists. But he here inserts the narrative of the multiplication of the loaves, because, though related by the other Evangelists, it was the occasion of Christ’s discourse concerning spiritual food, and the food of the Eucharist, which John here gives at length, and which was wholly passed over by them.
[2] et sequebatur eum multitudo magna, quia videbant signa quae faciebat super his qui infirmabantur.
And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
[3] Subiit ergo in montem Jesus et ibi sedebat cum discipulis suis.
Jesus therefore went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
He saith unto Philip, &c. Observe, this was the order of what was done. Christ beholding from the mountain the crowd which followed Him, came down to them and received them kindly, taught them, and healed their sick until the eventide. The evening being at hand, His disciples asked Christ to dismiss the multitude, and refresh Himself with food. But Christ bade them first feed the hungry throngs. This, they said, was impossible, because 200 denarii worth of bread would not suffice for so many. By and by Christ proposed the same thing to Philip, probably because he had been most anxious in asking Christ to dismiss the multitude. Philip gave the same answer as the others with regard to the quantity of bread that would be required.
[4] Erat autem proximum Pascha dies festus Judaeorum.
Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand.
[5] Cum sublevasset ergo oculos Jesus, et vidisset quia multitudo maxima venit ad eum, dixit ad Philippum : Unde ememus panes, ut manducent hi?
When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
[6] Hoc autem dicebat tentans eum : ipse enim sciebat quid esset facturus.
And this he said to try him; for he himself knew what he would do.
[7] Respondit ei Philippus : Ducentorum denariorum panes non sufficiunt eis, ut unusquisque modicum quid accipiat.
Philip answered him: Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.
[8] Dicit ei unus ex discipulis ejus, Andreas, frater Simonis Petri :
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him:
[9] Est puer unus hic qui habet quinque panes hordeaceos et duos pisces : sed haec quid sunt inter tantos?
There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are these among so many?
[10] Dixit ergo Jesus : Facite homines discumbere. Erat autem foenum multum in loco. Discumberunt ergo viri, numero quasi quinque millia.
Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand.
[11] Accepit ergo Jesus panes : et cum gratias egisset, distribuit discumbentibus : similiter et ex piscibus quantum volebant.
And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would.
When He had given thanks to God the Father, looking up to heaven, He implored the help of God to multiply the loaves. Then He blessed them (as the other Evangelists relate), and the Syriac has here, He distributed to those who had sat down, miraculously multiplying the loaves during their distribution. S. Dominic and S. Francis imitated Christ in this matter. When in the General Chapter of the Friars Minor there was nothing to eat, they being full of faith, said, “Let us go and pray to Almighty God, who satisfied five thousand men besides women and children in the desert. His power and His mercy are no less now than they were then, that we should despair of His goodness.” They continued in prayer until they were assured concerning the Divine will. Then at the hour of dinner S. Francis bade the brethren sit down in the refectory. This done, they see enter twenty young men of noble appearance, girded, and prepared for service. These supplied bread, wine, and every kind of needful refreshment to the company, in number five hundred. When dinner was ended they bowed and saluted the brethren, and went out of the refectory two by two, to the admiration of the brethren, who praised God for His marvellous care and providence. (See Luke Wadding’s Annals of the Friars Minor, A.C. 1219, num. 11.) S. Dominic did the same thing at Rome at S. Sixtus’. When there was no food in the house he commanded the brethren to sit down to the table, and blessed it. Then lo, there came in two angels, having the appearance of beautiful youths, who placed before each one of the hundred brethren a very white loaf. Then they bowed their heads, and departed. (See the Life of Dominic, lib. 3, c. 4.) I have visited and venerated the place at Rome where this was done, and seen a painting of it.
[12] Ut autem impleti sunt, dixit discipulis suis : Colligite quae superaverunt fragmenta, ne pereant.
And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost.
[13] Collegerunt ergo, et impleverunt duodecim cophinos fragmentorum ex quinque panibus hordeaceis, quae superfuerunt his qui manducaverant.
They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.
[14] Illi ergo homines cum vidissent quod Jesus fecerat signum, dicebant : Quia hic est vere propheta, qui venturus est in mundum.
Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the world.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam
Ad Jesum per Mariam
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