Luke 9:13

Luke 9:13, in plain English

Jesus told them, 'You feed them.' They were stunned: 'We only have five loaves of bread and two fish. Should we go buy food for all these people?'

Why it's here

Jesus loves to take our 'not enough' and make it more than enough. The disciples looked at what they had and saw scarcity. Jesus looked at the same thing and saw an opportunity for God's abundance.

Who's speaking

Jesus challenges the disciples, and they respond with their limitations.

Where it sits in the story

Feed them yourselves, Jesus said. The disciples looked at their five loaves and two fish and then at the massive crowd. The math did not work. But Jesus was not interested in math.

The scholarly reading

Jesus' command dote autois hymeis phagein ('you give them something to eat') places responsibility on the disciples. Their response reveals only pente artoi kai duo ichthyes ('five loaves and two fish'), with the conditional ei mēti ('unless') suggesting the impossibility of buying food for the entire crowd.

Language and setting

Jesus' command deliberately creates an impossible scenario to demonstrate divine provision. The five loaves and two fish become the raw materials for a sign that echoes Elisha's multiplication miracle (2 Kings 4:42-44) but vastly exceeds it.

Voice

Jesus issues a challenging command, and the disciples respond with bewilderment.

Significance

Jesus stunned the disciples by telling them to feed the crowd themselves. Their incredulous response, that they had only five loaves and two fish, set the stage for a miraculous demonstration of God's abundant provision.

11But the crowds found out and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and He healed those who needed healing.

12As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.”

13But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.”

14(There were about five thousand men.)

15They did so, and everyone was seated.

Read all of Luke 9 — Peter confesses, the Transfiguration blazes, and Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem. Everything from here moves toward the cross.