Each of the four Gospels recounts a variety of miracles that Jesus performed: healings,
exorcisms and even raising the dead. The multiplication of the bread was apparently
very well-known because it is the only miracle that is in each Gospel.
What is unique in John’s Gospel (Jn 6:1-15) are his reflections upon the meaning of this
miracle, even beyond Jesus’ compassion for the multitude. We will see how John
probes the meaning of the event in the Gospels over next four Sundays, in which Jesus
will declare that His teaching is the bread of life: He Himself is the “bread” of life: and
His flesh is the “bread of life.”
In his commentary on this Gospel, Thomas Aquinas considers the meaning of the
miracle. Thomas recognizes that Jesus could have fed the people by creating bread
from nothing but He chose to multiply the bread that they had. For Thomas, this action
of Jesus demonstrates the error of the Manicheans as well as the Cathars of his day
who believed that material things were evil: “He did this, first, to show that sensible
things do not come from the devil, as the Manichean error maintains.”
“A multitude of people” followed Jesus to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, as the
Gospel tells us: “They had seen “the signs which He did on those who were diseased.”
Thomas doesn’t think these are the best of motives: They were “less perfect and less
perceptive” following Jesus just to see visible miracles. St. Paul states: “Signs were
given to unbelievers, not to believers” (1 Cor 14:22).
Others were “better disposed” because they followed Jesus because of His teachings.
The best followers were those who followed Jesus because they had been personally
affected by His healing: “Still others followed Him out of devotion and faith, those,
namely, whom He had cured of some bodily defect: for our Lord had so healed their
body that they were also completely healed in soul.”
Jesus’ deeper healing was healing the souls of those present. Jesus acted out of
compassion but Jesus would not be present whenever people were hungry. His feeding
of the crowd would raise their minds to the feeding of their souls: “We cannot be
satisfied by earthly things—indeed, ‘Whoever drinks this water will be thirsty again’ (Jn
4:13)—but spiritual things will satisfy us, our Lord leads his disciples to a higher place to
show that full satisfaction and the perfection of justice are found in spiritual realities. We
read of this mountain: “The mountain of God is a rich mountain” (Ps 67:16). Thus, he
also exercised his office of teacher there, sitting with his disciples; for he is the one who
teaches every man” (Commentary on John, 854).

The Gospel makes us aware that the Passover was near. This time was also well suited
for their refreshment, for “Passover” means “passage”: “’It is the Passover of the Lord,
that is, His passage’” (Ex 12:11). We understand from this that anyone who desires to

be refreshed by the bread of the divine Word and by the body and blood of’ the Lord,
must pass from vices to virtues (Commentary on John, 856).
Thomas recalls references to ‘passing over” in the Scriptures: “Our Passover, Christ,
has been sacrificed, and so let us feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”
(1 Cor 5:7). And again, divine Wisdom says: “Pass over to me, all who desire me” (Sir
24-26). 856
Thomas affirms Christ did not sit on the mountain with his disciples out of laziness: “He
was looking right at them, teaching them carefully and attracting their hearts to Himself.”
As The Gospel of Luke tells us: “Then he lifted his eyes to his disciples” (Lk 6:20).
“He was looking right at them, teaching them carefully and attracting their hearts to
himself.” Ultimately, the purpose of the Incarnation was that wanted to draw the hearts
of the people to Himself”
Thomas understands Jesus’ lifting His eyes in a spiritual sense: “Then, when Jesus
lifted his eyes, in the mystical sense, our Lord’s eyes are his spiritual gifts; and he lifts
his eyes on the elect, i.e., looks at them with compassion, when he mercifully grants
these gifts to them: This is what the Psalm asks for: ‘Look upon me, O Lord, and have
mercy on me’ (Ps 85:16)” (Commentary on John).
According to Thomas, teachers feed spiritually: “Here we should note that every teacher
is obliged to possess the means of feeding spiritually the people who come to him. And
since no man possesses of himself the resources to feed them, he must acquire them
elsewhere by his labor, study, and persistent prayer: ‘Hurry, you who have no money,
and acquire without cost wine and milk’ (Is 55:1)” (Commentary on John).
Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough, “… because no matter what
human reason can experience and contemplate of the truth, it is not enough to
completely satisfy our desire for wisdom” Thomas appeals to the words of God to
Jeremiah: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength,
nor the rich man in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this: that he knows and
understands me” (Jer 9:23).
Thomas explains “In the mystical sense, wisdom is a symbol for spiritual refreshment.”
Before Jesus came there were human teachings of philosophers and the teachings of
the Mosaic Law. Thomas affirms that even though human reason “can experience and
contemplate truth, it is not enough to completely satisfy our desire for wisdom.”
Christ alone can satisfy our desires with “wisdom taught by Christ, the true wisdom.” St.
Paul declares: “Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24).
Philosophy cannot satisfy the desire for wisdom: “For the wisdom of no philosopher has
been so great that it could keep men from error; rather, the philosophers have led many
into error”

Thomas considers “bread” to be the teacher’s “eloquence” that does not satisfy
compared to the “wisdom” that refreshes: “Wisdom will feed him with the bread of life
and understanding” (Si 15:5). Thomas understands Isaiah’s words, “and why do you
work for what does not satisfy you?” to mean “learning things that drain you instead of
filling you.”
The law of Moses came closest to satisfying desire: “These loaves were of barley
because the law was given in such a way that what was life-giving in it was concealed
under physical signs: for the kernel in barley is covered with a very firm husk.”
Thomas agrees with Augustine that the five loaves resembled “The five books of
Moses, but also two fishes, that is, the Psalms and the prophets. So the Old Testament
writings are divided into these three, as Jesus declared: ‘The things written about me in
the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in the Psalms’ (Lk 24:44).”
“According to Augustine, the two fishes signify the priests and kings who ruled the Jews;
and they prefigured Christ, who was the true king and priest.”
Jesus “gave thanks” “He did this to show that whatever he had, he had from another,
that is, from his Father. This is an example for us to do the same. More particularly, he
gave thanks to teach us that we should thank God when we begin a meal: ‘Nothing is to
be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving’ (1 Tim 4:4). (Commentary on John, 861)
The Gospel affirms, “those who ate were completely satisfied.” Thomas observes
“Because they took as much as they wanted. For Christ is the only one who feeds an
empty soul and fills a hungry soul with good things: “I will be satisfied when your glory
appears” (Ps 16:15) … Christ does so with unlimited power, since he does all things
superabundantly.”
Thomas calls attention to the disciples collecting the leftovers for their future apostolate:
“He wanted to impress this miracle more firmly on the hearts of his disciples, whom he
had carry the leftovers: for most of all he wanted to teach his disciples, who were
destined to be the teachers of the entire world … the basket of each apostle was filled.”
The crowd wants to seize Jesus and make Him king: “Now it is true that God’s plan from
all eternity had been to establish the kingdom of Christ; but the time for this was not
then opportune. Christ had come then, but not to reign in the way we ask for his reign
when we say, “Your kingdom come” (Mt 6:10); at that time he will reign even as man”
(Commentary on John, 270).
Thomas reflects on why Jesus fled from those who wished to make Him king: “It would
have been harmful to his teaching if he had accepted this dignity and support from men;
for he had worked and taught in such a way that everything was attributed to divine
power and not to the influence of men: ‘Praise from men I do not need’ (Jn 5:41).”
Denis Vincent Wiseman, O.P.

References to Thomas Commentary on the Gospel of John may be found in the
translation by Fr. James A. Weisheipl, O.P. and Fabian R. Larcher, O.P., published by
St. Bede’s Publications.