Harmony? Not In Everything

Christ Feeding The Multitude

Eye witness accounts differ. Although Matthew and John were Disciples, and with Mark and Luke they all four were with Jesus in a wide variety of places, not all of them wrote exactly the same words, times, or incidents. There are many who searched the gospels for the same incidents to create what is called a Harmony of the Gospels. Reasons for their existence vary – from the above article:

Harmonies are constructed for a variety of purposes: to provide a straightforward devotional text for parishioners, to create a readable and accessible piece of literature for the general public, to establish a scholarly chronology of events in the life of Jesus as depicted in the canonical gospels, or to better understand how the accounts relate to each other.

One of the incidents that appears in each of the Gospels is the feeding of the 5,000, which was Pastor’s sermon Sunday morning.

And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. (John 6:2 KJV)

These people did not follow Jesus for what they heard, what He said or what His friends said – “they saw his miracles . . .”, especially those that were done “. . . on them that were diseased.” Wouldn’t that be enough for any one of us to want to be close to a healer? I drive 50 miles each way monthly for a specific procedure that I’ve seen renew my husband’s health in his fight against Myasthenia Gravis. Yes – if I saw such healing, I’d stay close.

Think of another thing – it’s about 20 miles to our closest full service grocery store. We can buy bread and processed items at six miles, but no fresh produce. To get a head of lettuce, it’s at least 30+ miles round trip. What do you think it might have been in the hills around the Sea of Galilee? And, there were at least 5,000 people in this multitude when Jesus said:

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? (John 6:5 KJV)

Philip responded just about the same way I would if someone told me we needed to feed a family of thirty on an hour’s notice. We do that at holidays, but that takes planning. At least Philip could do sums in his head:

Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. (John 6:7 KJV)

Andrew, whom I know as being one who brought people to Jesus, saw a possibility but understood the impracticability of his own suggestion:

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? (John 6:8-9 KJV)

Go back to Jesus’ original question – which He asked while knowing the answer. He didn’t ask how much money it would take, which was Philip’s focus. He didn’t ask what would be bought. He didn’t ask anything except: Where? None of those around Him responded to what He asked, just to the problem that had no answer.

Christ knew – and knows now – the answer to questions He asks, and that we ask. What miracle did He do with what was offered? What was available was put in His hands:

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. (John 6:11 KJV)

The miracle was through Jesus’ handling the problem. One person gave all they had to Him. He took what was available and shared it with thousands. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote down what happened what they saw – the same way men wrote what they heard and saw of God’s work in their own time. Jesus spoke of that in the last verse of John’s 5th chapter:

For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:46-47 KJV)

He spoke of it again after His resurrection:

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:29 KJV)

I haven’t seen, yet I believe and have been blessed. I doubt that you’ve seen Him, though you may have seen the results of His works. Do you believe? Are you blessed? Ready to give all to receive what He has to offer? The answer may be different than mine.