This coming Sunday is the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This chapter begins the second major ministry section in John (6:1-10:42). There are similarities to the beginning of the first major ministry section (2:1-5:47). O’Day [591] suggests: “It is probably no accident that the two inaugural miracles involve wine and bread, the sacramental symbols of God’s grace in Jesus.” Both sections start with miracles in Galilee that show God’s abundant grace and Jesus’ divine glory:

• In 2:1-11, Jesus turns a whole lot of water into an abundance of wine, which is “the first of his signs,” in which “revealed his glory” (2:11)
• In 6:1-15, Jesus turns five loaves and two fish into an abundance of food for thousands. This is followed by 6:16-21, Jesus walking on the water, which is primarily a theophany — an occasion where Jesus’ divine glory is revealed.

The story of the miraculous feeding occupied a central place in the oral tradition about Jesus – it is the only miracle story found in all four gospels. (Matthew and Mark also include the feeding of the 4,000.) The pivotal place of this miraculous feeding occupies a central place in all the gospel traditions. The accounts are not the same; there are unique features, omissions, additions, and parallels. Yet the central placement of the story means it is not necessary to conjecture if John relied upon others for the recalling of the story. Fr. Raymond Brown [239], after a detailed study of the all the accounts, concludes about John’s account: “There is one logical explanation for all of these features, omissions, additions, and parallels, namely, that the evangelist did not copy from the Synoptics but had an independent tradition of the multiplication which was like, but not the same as, the Synoptic traditions.” The difference, as well as the similarities, can be accounted for in John’s perspective. Seeing all the other gospels had written the factual account of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, John had set out to write the theological gospel according to Clement of Alexandria (ca. 200 AD). Such a perspective will naturally capture more the intent of the dialog as is the natural inclination of the theological undertaking.

Image credit: James J. Tissot, ‘Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes’ (1886-94), Brooklyn Museum, NYC | PD-US