In yesterday’s post several scholarly views were presented. Perhaps we can also hear from some leading Catholic scholars. Fr. Raymond E. Brown,  author of The Birth of the Messiah and An Introduction to the New Testament sees this passage not merely as a miracle but as a prefiguration of the Eucharist. Jesus feeds the multitude just as He later offers His body to the disciples at the Last Supper. “The language and structure of this account deliberately resemble the words used at the Last Supper. The verbs ‘took,’ ‘blessed,’ ‘broke,’ and ‘gave’ (v. 16) clearly echo the Eucharistic formula.” 

Luke Timothy Johnson, author of The Gospel of Luke (Sacra Pagina Series, Vol. 3) draws parallels between Jesus and Moses, suggesting that this scene demonstrates Jesus as the New Moses, guiding and providing for a new people of God in the wilderness. “The setting of a ‘deserted place’ evokes the wilderness experience of Israel, and Jesus feeding the people mirrors God’s provision of manna through Moses.”

Joseph A. Fitzmyer, author of The Gospel According to Luke I–IX (Anchor Yale Bible) emphasizes that Jesus invites the disciples into active ministry, not as bystanders but as those who will serve and distribute His blessings. When Jesus says, ‘Give them some food yourselves,’ he is inviting the apostles to participate in the mission—to care for and serve the people, not just to observe.”

Daniel J. Harrington, author of The Gospel of Luke (Sacra Pagina Series, Vol. 3) interprets the abundance and the number twelve as signs of God’s providence to all of Israel, foreshadowing the Church’s mission to the world. “The twelve baskets of leftovers (v. 17) likely symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel, indicating Jesus’ sufficiency for the whole people of God.”

As Green has indicated one should consider that this pericope involves fish rather than bread – in his mind weakening the connection between the miraculous feeding and the Last Supper institution. Yet an early Christian Symbol  was ICHTHYS, the Greek word for fish (ΙΧΘΥΣ). It is an acronym: Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr — Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. This made the fish a secret symbol of Christ in the early Church, especially during persecution. Daniel Harrington (Sacra Pagina) points out that fish likely represent the apostolic mission—as Jesus called the apostles to be “fishers of men” (Luke 5:10). In this context, the fish are not Eucharistic elements but supportive signs of the Church’s evangelizing and feeding role.

In addition, Fitzmyer and others suggest that while the bread carries the Eucharistic typology, the fish enhances the miraculous nature of the event, showing God’s provision using ordinary means.

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