John 6:5

When Jesus then lifted up [his] eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

When Jesus {G2424} then {G3767} lifted up {G1869} his eyes {G3788}, and {G2532} saw {G2300}{G3754} a great {G4183} company {G3793} come {G2064} unto {G4314} him {G846}, he saith {G3004} unto {G4314} Philip {G5376}, Whence {G4159} shall we buy {G59} bread {G740}, that {G2443} these {G3778} may eat {G5315}?

so when Yeshua looked up and saw that a large crowd was approaching, he said to Philip, “Where will we be able to buy bread, so that these people can eat?”

When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”

Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat?

Commentary

John 6:5 sets the stage for one of Jesus' most remarkable miracles, the feeding of the five thousand. This verse introduces Jesus' divine awareness of human need and His method of preparing His disciples for a demonstration of His power.

Context

Following His ministry in Galilee, Jesus had crossed the Sea of Tiberias (also known as the Sea of Galilee). A vast multitude, drawn by His signs and teachings, followed Him. As the day drew to a close, Jesus, seeing the immense crowd, initiated a conversation with Philip, one of His disciples. This moment occurs before the miraculous provision of food for the hungry multitude, as described later in this chapter.

Key Themes

  • Divine Awareness and Compassion: Jesus, without being prompted, saw the practical need of the large crowd. His question to Philip highlights His proactive concern for their physical well-being, demonstrating His deep compassion for humanity (see also Mark 6:34).
  • Testing of Faith: Jesus' question, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" was not because He lacked a plan. As the next verse, John 6:6, clarifies, "this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do." This was a direct test of Philip's faith and understanding of Jesus' capabilities.
  • Foreshadowing of Divine Provision: The seemingly impossible challenge posed by Jesus' question sets the scene for a miraculous display of God's power to provide abundantly, even from seemingly insignificant resources (like the five barley loaves and two small fishes).

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses the archaic word "Whence," which simply means "from where." This emphasizes the seemingly insurmountable logistical challenge of feeding such a vast number of people in a remote location. The phrase "great company" underscores the sheer scale of the crowd, making Philip's human assessment of the situation even more dire.

Practical Application

This verse reminds us that Jesus is keenly aware of our needs, even before we articulate them. Like Philip, we often face situations that seem humanly impossible. Jesus' question encourages us to consider our own resources and limitations, but ultimately points us to His infinite capacity to provide. It challenges us to trust in God's provision, even when the solution is beyond our comprehension, and to allow Him to use us as instruments in His work, no matter how small our contribution may seem.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Matthew 15:33

    And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

  • Luke 9:12

    And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.

  • Luke 9:13

    But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

  • John 4:35

    Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

  • John 1:43

    ¶ The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

  • Matthew 14:14

    And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

  • Matthew 14:15

    And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
← Back