Thomas Aquinas, on John 6:1

Having set forth the teaching on the spiritual life by which Christ gives life to those who have been regenerated, the Evangelist consequently deals with the spiritual nourishment by which Christ sustains those he has given life to; and first he sets forth the visible miracle which Christ performed by providing bodily nourishment; second he deals with spiritual nourishment, at the place, "Jesus answered them and said: Amen, amen, I say to you, you seek me, not because..." etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the visible miracle of bodily nourishment; second he shows the effect of the miracle, at the place, "Those men therefore, when they had seen..." etc. Concerning the miracle he sets forth two things: namely its circumstances, and its performance, at the place, "And when Jesus had lifted up his eyes..." Concerning the first he does three things. First he describes the multitude which he fed; second he determines the place where he fed them, at the place, "Jesus therefore went up into the mountain"; third the time when he fed them, at the place, "Now the Passover was near," etc.

Concerning the first he does three things. First he determines the place to which the multitude follows him; second, the crowd following; third he assigns the cause of their following. Now as to where the crowd followed the Lord, the Evangelist indicates this when he says, "After these things Jesus went away across the sea of Galilee"; that is, after the mystical words which the Lord had spoken concerning his power. Now this sea of Galilee is frequently named in Scripture, and in different places. But because this sea is not salty, but is a certain gathering of waters from the inflow of the Jordan, it is therefore called a lake by Luke, as is found in Luke 5:1; but because, according to the property of the Hebrew idiom, all gatherings of waters are called seas, according to that text of Genesis 1:10, "and the gatherings of waters he called seas," it is therefore called a sea. But it is surnamed Gennesareth from the nature of the place: for it is much agitated by the buffeting of winds, which are generated from the very evaporations of the water; hence Gennesareth in Greek is the same as "generating a breeze." It is also named "of Galilee" from the province of Galilee, in which it is. But "of Tiberias" from the city so called, which was on one side of this sea, having opposite it the city of Capernaum on the other side; which city was formerly called Zenereth, but was afterward restored by Herod the tetrarch in honor of Tiberius Caesar, and was called Tiberias.

Now the literal reason why Jesus went away across the sea is assigned by Chrysostom: that Christ might yield to the fury and disturbance of the Jews, which they had conceived against Christ on account of the things he had said above concerning himself. Hence, as he himself says, just as missiles, when they strike against something hard, strike more heavily, but those which have nothing to meet them, once launched, are quickly spent and come to rest; so too, when we advance impetuously and by resisting against bold men, they rage the more; but if we yield to them, we easily soften their madness. For this reason Christ, by withdrawing across the sea, mitigated the fury of the Jews that had arisen from his foregoing words, giving us in this an example of doing likewise. Ecclesiasticus 8:14: "Do not stand against the face of an insolent man."

Mystically, however, by the sea, the present turbulent world is signified; Psalm 103:25: "This sea, great and wide of hands." The Lord crossed this sea when he took on the sea of mortality and of penalty by being born, trod it underfoot by dying, and, crossing over by rising, arrived at the glory of the resurrection. Concerning this passing-over it is said below, John 13:1: "Jesus knowing that his hour had come, that he should pass from this world to the Father." As he passed over, great crowds followed him, by believing and by imitating, gathered from both peoples; Isaiah 60:5: "Then your heart shall wonder and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be turned to you"; Psalm 7:7: "Arise, O Lord, in the command which you have commanded, and the assembly of peoples shall surround you." The following crowd is described therefore as abundant, because "a great multitude followed him." Now the cause on account of which they followed was the working of miracles; hence he says, "because they saw the signs which he performed upon those who were sick."

It should be known that some followed him on account of his teaching, namely those who were better disposed; but others, more imperfect, followed him out of admiration for the visible signs, being of a coarser mind. For signs, as is said in 1 Corinthians 14:22, "are not given to believers, but to unbelievers." Some also followed him out of devotion and faith, namely those whom he had healed in body: for they were healed by the Lord in body in such a way that they were also perfectly healed in soul; Deuteronomy 32:4: "The works of God are perfect." And this is clear, because to the paralytic (above, 8:11) he said pointedly: "Go, and sin no more"; and Matthew 9:2: "Son, your sins are forgiven you"; words which pertain more to the health of the soul than of the body. Now it should be noted that, whereas the Evangelist has made mention only of three miracles, namely of the wedding, of the ruler's son, and of the paralytic, here nevertheless he speaks indefinitely of "the signs which he was performing," so as to give one to understand that Christ performed many other signs, as is said below, at the end, of which he makes no mention in this book. For he intended especially to make known the teaching of Christ.

Next he determines the place of the miracle, which is the mountain; hence he says, "He therefore went up into the mountain," that is, Jesus ascended privately, "and there he sat with his disciples." And indeed the mountain is a quite fitting place for a refreshment: for by the mountain is signified the perfection of justice, according to that text of Psalm 35:7: "Your justice is like the mountains of God." Since, therefore, these earthly things do not satisfy — indeed "whoever drinks of this water will thirst again," as is said above, II, 13 — but spiritual things do satisfy; therefore the Lord ascended to higher things with his disciples, to show that satiety is found in spiritual things, and the perfection of justice: concerning which mountain it is said in Psalm 67:16: "A mountain of God, a fat mountain." Hence there too he exercised the office of teacher, sitting with his disciples: for he it is who teaches every man knowledge.

Next the time is described, when he says, "Now the Passover was near," which time indeed befits a refreshment. For Passover is interpreted as "passing-over": Exodus 12:11: "For it is the Phase, that is, the passing-over of the Lord," so as to give one to understand that whoever desires to be refreshed with the bread of the divine Word and the body and blood of the Lord must pass over from vices to virtues. 1 Corinthians 5:7: "Christ our Passover is sacrificed; therefore let us feast on the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Ecclesiasticus 24:26, divine Wisdom says: "Pass over to me, all you who desire me." Now this is the second Passover of which the Evangelist makes mention: to which, indeed, according to the precept of the law, which is found in Exodus 23:17, the Lord did not go up to Jerusalem. The reason for this is that Christ was God and man: and inasmuch as man he was indeed subject to the law; inasmuch as God he was above the law. Therefore, that he might show himself to be man, he sometimes kept the law; but that he might show himself to be God, he set the law aside. Hence also, by the fact that he did not go, he gave one to understand that the observances of the law would little by little, and shortly, cease.

Next he deals with the performance of the miracle, when he says, "When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and had seen," etc.; and first the necessity of performing the miracle is shown; second the performance itself is added, at the place, "Jesus therefore says: Make the men sit down," etc. Now the necessity of the miracle's being performed is taken from the Lord's question and the disciples' answer; and therefore first the Lord's question is set forth; second the disciples' answer, at the place, "Philip answered him," etc. Concerning the first he does three things. First the occasion for questioning is set forth; second Christ's question is added; and third the intention of the one questioning is disclosed.

Now the occasion for questioning was the sight of the multitude coming to Christ. And therefore he says, "When Jesus had lifted up his eyes," being on the mountain with his disciples as with those who were more perfect, "and had seen," etc. In which two things are to be considered concerning the Lord. One, that we may learn the maturity of Christ, who did not raise his eyes here and there, but sat modestly and attentively with his disciples: contrary to which it is said in Proverbs 30:13: "A generation whose eyes are lofty, and whose eyelids are lifted up on high"; and Ecclesiasticus 19:26: "A man is known by his look." The second, that we may learn that he did not sit idly with his disciples either; but, teaching them attentively, and turning their hearts to himself, he looked upon the disciples whom he was teaching; Luke 6:20: "And he, lifting up his eyes upon his disciples, said," etc. And therefore it is said, "When Jesus had lifted up his eyes," etc. Mystically, however, the eyes of the Lord are the spiritual gifts which, when he mercifully grants them to his elect, then he lifts up his eyes upon them, that is, he bestows a look of loving-kindness. This is what Psalm 85:16 asked, saying: "Look upon me, O Lord, and have mercy on me."

Now the question concerns the feeding of the multitude; hence he said to Philip: "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" He presupposes one thing, and asks about another. He presupposes indeed their want, because they did not have the means to provide food for so great a multitude; but he asks the manner of finding it, when he says, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" Here it should be noted that every teacher must spiritually feed the crowd that comes to him. And because no man has of himself the means to feed it, he must therefore buy it from elsewhere, by labor, by study, by assiduity in prayers; Isaiah 55:1: "You who have no money, make haste, buy, without any exchange, wine and milk." And again: "Why do you weigh out your money" — that is, your eloquence — "and not for bread" — that is, not for true wisdom, which refreshes (Ecclesiasticus 15:5: "he fed him with the bread of life and understanding") — "and your labor not unto fullness," by learning things that do not satisfy, but rather empty out?

Now the intention of the one questioning is disclosed when he says, "But this he said trying him," etc. Here the Evangelist, excluding one doubt, leads into another. For it could have been doubted that the Lord questioned Philip as though he were ignorant; but he excludes this, saying, "for he himself knew what he would do." But since to try someone seems also to belong to one who is ignorant, since it is the same as taking a trial of something, it seems that the Evangelist introduces another doubt when he says, "trying him." But it must be said that one person tries another in different ways, so as to take a trial of him: for a man tries in one way, in order to learn; the Devil in another way, in order to deceive; 1 Peter 5:8: "Your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour." But God, and Christ, indeed try not in order to learn, since he it is who searches hearts and minds; nor in order to deceive, since "he tries no one," as is said in James 1:13; but he tries in order to give to others a trial-proof of the one tried. Thus God tried Abraham; Genesis 22:1: "God tried Abraham," etc., and it follows: "Now I know that you fear the Lord" — that is, I have made it known that you fear the Lord. Thus from this he tries Philip in order that he might make known to others his answer, leading them thereby into the most certain knowledge of the sign to come.

Next the disciples' answer is set forth, when he says, "Philip answered him," and first Philip's answer; second Andrew's answer, at the place, "One of his disciples says to him," etc. Now it should be known concerning the first, that Philip was, among the others, rather slow and untrained, and therefore among the others he questioned the Lord more frequently; below, John 14:8: "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." But in the questioning of these two, as far as the letter is concerned, Andrew was better disposed than Philip, because Philip seems to have had no intention or disposition toward the miracle's being performed. And therefore he introduces that manner by which all those men could be fed, namely by money, saying, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them" — which we do not have, and therefore we cannot give them to eat. In which the poverty of Christ is suggested, who did not even have two hundred denarii.

Andrew, however, seems to have regard to the miracle's being performed. For perhaps he had in memory the sign which Elisha had performed with barley loaves, when he fed a hundred men with twenty loaves, as is read in 4 Kings 4:42 and following, and therefore he says, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves." But nevertheless he supposed that Christ would not perform a greater miracle than Elisha. For he reckoned that from fewer loaves fewer would be miraculously produced, and from more, more (although for him who does not need the underlying matter, it is equally easy to feed the crowds from more or from fewer), and therefore he adds, "But what are these among so many?" As if to say: even if they are multiplied as Elisha multiplied them, it is not sufficient.

Mystically, spiritual refreshment is signified by wisdom. Now there is one wisdom, which Christ taught, who is true wisdom; 1 Corinthians 1:24: "Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God." But before the coming of Christ there was a twofold teaching. One human, which the philosophers had; the other of the written law. Of the first, therefore, Philip makes mention, and therefore uses the term of buying, saying, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them." For human wisdom is possessed through acquisition. The number one hundred imports perfection. Hence two hundred suggests the twofold perfection necessary for this wisdom; for its perfection is arrived at by a twofold path: namely, by experience and by contemplation. He says therefore, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them," because whatever human reason can experience and think concerning truth is not sufficient for the perfect satiety of wisdom; Jeremiah 9:23: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the strong man glory in his strength, and let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories, glory in this, to know and understand me." For no philosopher's wisdom was so great that men could be recalled from error by it; rather they lead many into error.

Of the second, however, Andrew makes mention; and therefore he did not wish that other loaves be bought, but that the crowd be fed from what was at hand, namely from those things which the law contained; hence he was better disposed than Philip; and therefore he says, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves." This boy can be called Moses, on account of the imperfection of the state of the law: Hebrews 7:19: "The law brought no one to perfection"; or the people of the Jews, who served under the elements of the world, as is said in Galatians 4:3. This boy, therefore, has five loaves, that is, the teaching of the law: either because it is contained in the five books of Moses — above, John 1:17: "The law was given through Moses" — or because it was given to men occupied with sensible things, which are expressed by the five senses: and they are of barley, because the law itself was given so that in it the vital nourishment might be covered over by bodily sacraments — for the pith of barley is covered by a very clinging husk — or because the people of the Jews were not yet stripped of carnal desire, but clung to their hearts like husk: for in the Old Testament they experienced an outward hardness, on account of the ceremonial observances; Acts 15:10: "This is a burden which neither we, nor our fathers, were able to bear." And the Jews themselves, given over to bodily things, did not grasp the spiritual sense of the law; 2 Corinthians 3:15: "A veil is placed over their hearts."

Now by the two fish, which gave a pleasant flavor to the bread, is understood the teaching of the Psalms and the prophets: and thus the Old Law had not only loaves, namely the five books of Moses, but also two fish, namely the prophets and the Psalms. Hence the Scripture of the Old Testament is divided into these three, Luke 24:44: "the things which are written in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me." Or by the two fish, according to Augustine, two persons are signified: namely the royal and the priestly, by whom that people was ruled; which two persons, however, prefigured Christ, who was true king and priest. "But what are these among so many?" Because through these the human race could not be perfectly led to the knowledge of truth: for although God was known in Judea, the nations nevertheless did not know him.

Next, when it says, "Jesus therefore said," the performance of the miracle is dealt with, and first the arrangement of the men is set forth; second their feeding, at the place, "Jesus therefore took the loaves," etc.; third the gathering of the fragments, at the place, "But when they were filled," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First the command concerning the arrangement of the crowds is set forth; second the opportuneness of the arrangement; and third the number of those arranged.

Now the command was from the Lord to the disciples, that they should arrange the crowd for eating; hence Jesus says, "Make the men sit down," that is, sit down to eat. For, as was said above, II, in ancient times men used to dine reclining on couches, whence the custom grew up that those who sit down to eat are said to "recline." By which is mystically signified the rest which is necessary for the perfection of wisdom; Ecclesiasticus 38:25: "He who is diminished in activity will perfect wisdom." This arrangement is made through the disciples, because through them the knowledge of truth has been passed down to us; Psalm 71:3: "Let the mountains receive peace for the people."

Now the opportuneness of the arrangement is drawn from the place: "now there was much grass in the place," which, according to the letter, is convenient for those reclining. Mystically, however, by the grass, flesh is signified, Isaiah 40:6: "All flesh is grass"; and according to this it can be referred to two things. It fits the teaching of the Old Testament, which was given to one resting in carnal things, and to a people wise in a carnal way; Isaiah 1:19: "If you be willing, and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land"; Deuteronomy 33:28: "The eye of Jacob upon a land of wheat, wine, and oil." Or it fits one who perceives true wisdom, to which one cannot come except by treading carnal things underfoot; Romans 12:2: "Do not be conformed to this age."

Now the number was great; hence he says, "The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand." The Evangelist numbers only the men, following the custom of the law, in which Moses numbered the people from twenty years old and upward, with no mention made of women, as is said in Numbers 1. This the Evangelist did for this reason, because these alone are capable of perfect teaching; 1 Corinthians 2:6: "We speak wisdom among the perfect"; Hebrews 5:14: "Solid food is for the perfect."

Next, when he says, "Jesus therefore took the loaves," he deals with the feeding, and first the disposition of the one feeding is suggested; second the matter of the feeding; and third the perfect satiety. Now in the disposition of Jesus as he feeds them, first indeed his humility is noted; second, his giving of thanks. Humility indeed, because he took the loaves, and distributed them. And indeed Christ, about to perform the miracle, could have fed the crowds with loaves created out of nothing. But by dispensation he multiplied pre-existing loaves for the feeding of the crowds. First, indeed, that he might show that sensible things are not from the Devil, as the erring Manichees say. For if this were true, the Lord would not use sensible things for the work of divine praise, especially since he himself came "that he might destroy the works of the Devil," as is said in 1 John 3:8. Second, that he might show it to be false what they themselves say, namely that the teaching of the Old Testament is not from God, but from the Devil. Therefore, in order to show that the teaching of the New Testament is no other than that which was prefigured and contained in the teaching of the Old Testament, he multiplied the pre-existing loaves, indicating that it is he who perfects and fulfills the law; Matthew 5:17: "I have not come to destroy the law."

Now the giving of thanks, because he gave thanks, so as to show that he has from another, namely from the Father, whatever he has: in which he shows us an example of doing likewise. He gave thanks especially, however, so as to give us an example that, when we begin a meal, we ought to give thanks to God; 1 Timothy 4:4: "Nothing is to be rejected which is received with the giving of thanks"; Psalm 21:27: "The poor shall eat, and shall be filled, and they shall praise the Lord." Likewise, that he might show that he was not praying for his own sake, but for the sake of the crowd, which was present, and it was necessary to persuade them that he had come from God. And therefore, when he performs a miracle before many, he prays, so as to show that he is not contrary to God, but works according to his will.

It is said, however, in Mark, that Christ distributed the loaves to the crowds through the apostles. But here it is said that he himself distributed them, because he is seen to have done what he did through others. But both, according to the mystery, are true, because he alone refreshes inwardly, and others refresh outwardly and as ministers. Now the matter of the refreshment was bread and fish, concerning which enough has been said above. The satiety of the refreshment, however, was perfect, because they had "as much as they wanted." For Christ alone is he who feeds the empty soul, and fills the hungry soul with good things; Psalm 16:15: "I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear." Others, however, as having grace by measure, perform miracles; but Christ, by absolute power, worked all things with great overabundance: hence it is said that "they were filled."

Next, when he says, "But when they were filled, he said to his disciples," etc., the gathering of the fragments is dealt with, and first the Lord's command is set forth; second the disciples' execution of it, at the place, "They gathered therefore," etc. He says therefore, "But when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain." This indeed the Lord did not do for superfluous ostentation, but so as to show that the miracle performed was not illusory, through the fact that the remains, once gathered, were kept for a long time, and served as food for others. He also wished by this that that miracle should cling more firmly to the hearts of the disciples, whom he also commanded to carry the fragments; since he wished especially to instruct those who were to be the teachers of the whole world. But the disciples faithfully carry it out; hence it follows, "They gathered therefore," etc.

Here it should be noted that the remains left over were not just any amount, nor by chance, but according to a fixed measure: because he made neither more nor less, but as much as he willed, to be superfluous. A sign of this is that each apostle's basket was full. Now a basket is a vessel assigned to rustic service. The twelve baskets, therefore, signify the twelve apostles and their imitators, who, although in the present they are held in contempt, are nevertheless inwardly filled with the riches of the spiritual sacraments: and they are said to be twelve, because the faith of the Holy Trinity was to be preached by them in the four parts of the world.