“JESUS CHRIST - A MAN APPROVED OF GOD (Acts 2:22)”

The Doctrines of Grace people aka the Calvinists, would have Jesus miraculously produce only just enough food for the 5,000 … none over … and measured out in one ounce lots  … “Ooops! Too much! Give it back!” … just like Christ’s limited blood supply for only those that get saved … not enough for all the world without exception. Enough said? … let’s move on!

Dear Reader, there are numerous commentaries by various authors on this miracle, with many lessons. However, we will look at John’s approach being the only account to mention Philip … with Christ looking to prove (test) Philip, and Christ knowing full well the outcome, in that he would be performing a miracle (John 6:6). Here we have the approved man (Christ) seeking to approve of Philip.

We remember that John, one of the disciples being involved, was watching Christ, Philip and all the other disciples.

Philip would have been present at the Cana wedding, and seen the water turned into wine. Jesus is simply testing, not tempting, the character and tone of Philip’s mind. Here they are in the desert with an impossible situation of a huge crowd, not enough money, getting late, starving people, they’re all tired, no supermarket nearby and so on.

It’s almost as if Jesus was saying to Philip “Look Philip, you saw me do the impossible at the wedding … how about this time?” The difference between tempting and testing, is that Satan does the former to see us fail, while Christ will encouragingly test us to increase our faith.

As with all of the disciples, Philip was still coming to grips as to the real nature and character of Jesus Christ. Indeed, although prophesied and talked about, Christ’s resurrection was a complete surprise to the disciples.

Dear Reader, it’s like you and me, as we have seen the Lord rescue us time and time again … but unsure as to whether he can do it the next time we are faced with a crisis … Amen? “Look Lord, I know you’ve rescued me hundreds of time … is it just possible you can do it one more time?”

Lack of belief causes lack of faith. Philip was like the rest of us … still at the sight stage … “Come and see” (John 1:46), and “Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficieth us.” (John 14:8)

The disciples discussed buying 200 pennyworth of bread (Mark 6:37) … about $20,000 or less today. In those days, a labourer, with no basic guaranteed wage, would earn a penny per day (Matthew 20:2), which in today’s money would equal $100 or less … the basic guaranteed wage being $175. But even this impossible amount, has Philip saying that this would not even be enough (John 6:7).

Even if the disciples had that amount of money, Christ asks Philip where they could buy this food at such a late hour (John 6:5). They are in the desert, it’s getting dark, and everyone’s tired. The disciples just wanted to send the crowd away, go home, put their feet up and flick on the TV and take their mind off things.

However, there is a lad, with barley bread (John 6:13), the poorest sort of bread there was, being the food for animals, with two small fish. 

Dear Reader, this account of the miracle is absolutely littered with applications for us all, and books could be written. Suffice to say, one of the lessons here, runs along the lines of the one talent parable … no matter how small you are, with miniscule resources, are you willing to offer all to Christ. Indeed will you give like the widow? (Mark 12:42).

The end result of the lad’s small contribution, with Jesus Christ on the case, far outweighed the $20,000 dilemma of the disciples with no solution.

Dear Reader, it’s all about what God approves! Jesus Christ, an absolute failure in the world’s eyes, is approved, and always was in God’s eyes (Acts 2:22) … and folks, that’s all that mattered.

Even our best, our all, even with millions of dollars, avails for nothing unless for the power of the Almighty God, the I am, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 8:58) is in operation … and this is one of the lessons of this miracle.

Dear Reader are you, will you, be approved of God …
because that’s all that matters!

Harley Hitchcock
April 2023

www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com

“JESUS CHRIST - A MAN APPROVED OF GOD (Acts 2:22)”
  Miracle #21-   “JESUS WALKS ON WATER”
Matt 14:24-27,28-31,32-33;
Mark 6:47-50,51-52; John 6:16-19,20-21

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