John 6:7

KJV

Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

KJV (with Strong's)

Philip {G5376} answered {G611} him {G846}, Two hundred {G1250} pennyworth {G1220} of bread {G740} is {G714} not {G3756} sufficient {G714} for them {G846}, that {G2443} every one {G1538} of them {G846} may take {G2983} a {G5100} little {G1024}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Philip answered, “Half a year’s wages wouldn’t buy enough bread for them — each one would get only a bite!”

Berean Standard Bible

Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”

American Standard Version

Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings’ worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
John 6:7 captures Philip’s pragmatic, financially-driven response to Jesus’ question about feeding the vast multitude, revealing the human perspective of scarcity and limitation in the face of an overwhelming need. His immediate calculation of two hundred denarii highlights the perceived impossibility of the task from a purely earthly standpoint, setting the stage for Jesus to demonstrate His divine power of miraculous provision.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated at a crucial juncture in John's Gospel, immediately preceding Jesus' miraculous feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-15). Jesus, seeing the large crowd, initiates the conversation by asking Philip in [John 6:5](/john/6-5 "Jesus' Question to Philip") where they might buy bread. Philip's response in [John 6:7](/john/6-7 "Philip's Calculation") is a direct reply, showcasing his reliance on human economics and logic rather than divine potential. This exchange serves as a narrative setup, emphasizing the disciples' human limitations and setting a stark contrast to Jesus' impending demonstration of supernatural power, which culminates in the crowd's desire to make Him king, revealing their misunderstanding of His true mission as the "Bread of Life" (as elaborated in [John 6:26-59](/john/6-26-59 "Jesus, the Bread of Life")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The event takes place in a desolate area near the Sea of Galilee, likely during the time of Passover (as noted in [John 6:4](/john/6-4 "Passover Nearness")). Large crowds were common followers of Jesus, drawn by His teachings and miracles. Philip's mention of "two hundred pennyworth" refers to two hundred denarii. A denarius was a common silver Roman coin, typically representing a day's wage for a laborer. Thus, "two hundred pennyworth" was a substantial sum, equivalent to roughly eight months' wages for a typical worker. This detail underscores the immense financial burden Philip perceived and the practical impossibility of feeding such a vast multitude (estimated at five thousand men, besides women and children, in [John 6:10](/john/6-10 "Number of People Fed")) through conventional means. The disciples, including Philip, were accustomed to managing their limited resources, making his pragmatic, almost despairing, assessment understandable within their human experience.
* **Key Themes:** John 6:7 profoundly contributes to several key themes within the Gospel of John and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Human Limitation versus Divine Provision**. Philip's calculation starkly reveals the inadequacy of human resources and logic when confronted with a seemingly impossible task, contrasting sharply with Jesus' boundless power to provide. Secondly, it underscores the theme of **Testing of Faith**. As [John 6:6](/john/6-6 "Jesus Tests Philip") explicitly states, Jesus asked the question to test Philip, not because He lacked a plan. Philip's response, rooted in earthly economics, reveals a nascent faith that had yet to fully grasp Jesus' divine capabilities. This serves as an ongoing lesson for discipleship: to look beyond personal limitations and trust in God's infinite resources and power to meet needs, often in ways that defy human foresight. This event also foreshadows Jesus' later teachings on Himself as the true "Bread of Life," moving beyond physical sustenance to spiritual nourishment (as seen in [John 6:35](/john/6-35 "Jesus, the Bread of Life")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **pennyworth (Greek, _dēnárion'_):** From Latin origin, referring to a denarius, a Roman silver coin. This word specifies the unit of currency Philip uses in his calculation, emphasizing the economic and practical lens through which he views the problem. It represents a day's wage for a common laborer, making "two hundred pennyworth" a significant, yet ultimately insufficient, sum for the task at hand.
* **sufficient (Greek, _arkéō'_):** This verb means "to ward off," or "to avail," implying being satisfactory or enough. Philip's use of this word ("is not sufficient") directly conveys his assessment that the proposed amount of money would be utterly inadequate to meet the massive need, even for a "little" for each person. It underscores the perceived impossibility from a human perspective, highlighting the vast gap between human resources and the divine solution.
* **little (Greek, _brachýs'_):** This adjective denotes something short in quantity or number. Philip's addition of "that every one of them may take a little" further emphasizes the sheer scale of the crowd. Even if they had 200 denarii, the amount of bread each person would receive would be minuscule, barely enough to satisfy, underscoring the futility of human effort alone.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Philip answered him,"**: This opening phrase immediately establishes the dialogue, highlighting Philip's direct engagement with Jesus' question. It positions Philip as the one chosen by Jesus for this specific test, making his subsequent response particularly significant for understanding the disciples' initial perspective.
* **"Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them,"**: This clause reveals Philip's immediate, pragmatic, and financially-focused assessment of the situation. He quickly calculates the immense cost (two hundred denarii, approximately eight months' wages) and concludes that even this substantial sum would be entirely inadequate to feed such a vast multitude. This statement underscores the human-centric view of the problem, limited by material resources and economic realities.
* **"that every one of them may take a little."**: This concluding phrase further emphasizes the overwhelming scale of the crowd and the perceived futility of human effort. Philip recognizes that even with a significant sum, the distribution would be so diluted that each person would receive only a minuscule, unsatisfying portion. It highlights the stark contrast between human scarcity and the divine abundance that Jesus is about to demonstrate.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs **Understatement** and **Irony**. Philip's statement that "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient... that every one of them may take a little" is an understatement of the problem's magnitude from a human perspective, yet it is profoundly ironic given Jesus' imminent miraculous provision. The very "insufficiency" Philip declares highlights the vast chasm between human capability and divine power. The **Contrast** between Philip's human, economic calculation and Jesus' divine, supernatural solution is central to the narrative, setting up the dramatic demonstration of Jesus' identity and power.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
John 6:7 serves as a powerful theological pivot, illustrating the fundamental biblical truth that human limitations are opportunities for divine intervention. Philip's logical, yet faithless, assessment of the situation mirrors humanity's tendency to rely on its own finite resources and understanding when faced with overwhelming challenges. This narrative moment echoes countless instances in scripture where God's provision transcends human capacity, demonstrating His sovereignty and boundless power. It reminds us that our "not enough" is always met by God's "more than enough," calling believers to shift their gaze from the visible constraints to the invisible, infinite resources of God. The passage sets the stage for Jesus to reveal Himself not merely as a miracle worker, but as the ultimate Provider, the true "Bread of Life" who satisfies spiritual hunger in ways no earthly provision ever could.

* [2 Kings 4:42-44](/2_kings/4-42-44 "Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men")
* [Matthew 14:15-21](/matthew/14-15-21 "Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand")
* [Philippians 4:19](/philippians/4-19 "God Will Supply All Your Needs")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Philip’s immediate, pragmatic response in John 6:7 resonates deeply with the human condition. When faced with overwhelming needs or seemingly impossible situations, our first instinct often mirrors Philip's: to calculate, to assess resources, and to conclude, "It's not enough." This verse challenges us to consider where our focus truly lies in moments of crisis. Are we, like Philip, primarily calculating human impossibility, or are we remembering the boundless nature of God's power and provision? It is a profound call to move beyond merely human arithmetic and to cultivate a radical trust in God's infinite resources, His creativity, and His willingness to meet needs in ways we cannot foresee or engineer. This trust frees us from the anxiety of scarcity and opens our eyes to the miraculous potential that arises when human limitations are surrendered to divine omnipotence.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When faced with overwhelming challenges, do I tend to calculate human limitations or consider God's limitless power first?**
* **In what areas of my life am I currently saying, "It's not sufficient," rather than trusting in God's provision?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper faith that looks beyond what I can see and trust in what God can do?**

### FAQ

**Why did Jesus ask Philip this question if He already knew what He would do?**

Answer: [John 6:6](/john/6-6 "Jesus Tests Philip") explicitly states that Jesus asked the question to test Philip. Jesus, being omniscient, already knew His plan to miraculously feed the multitude. The question was not for His information, but for Philip's instruction and the disciples' benefit. It was a pedagogical moment designed to reveal their limited human perspective and to prepare them to witness and understand the magnitude of His divine power. It highlighted the contrast between human insufficiency and divine abundance, deepening their understanding of who Jesus truly was and what He was capable of.

**What is the significance of "two hundred pennyworth" in this context?**

Answer: "Two hundred pennyworth" refers to two hundred denarii. A denarius was the typical daily wage for a laborer in the Roman Empire. Therefore, two hundred denarii represented a substantial sum, roughly equivalent to eight months' wages. Philip's mention of this specific amount underscores the immense financial burden and the practical impossibility of feeding such a vast crowd (estimated at five thousand men, plus women and children, in [John 6:10](/john/6-10 "Number of People Fed")) through conventional means. It highlights the human perception of scarcity and sets the stage for Jesus to demonstrate His supernatural ability to provide far beyond any human economic calculation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Philip's pragmatic assessment in [John 6:7](/john/6-7 "Philip's Calculation") – that "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient" – serves as a powerful backdrop for the revelation of Jesus as the ultimate and sufficient provision. This incident, where Jesus miraculously feeds thousands, points directly to His identity as the "Bread of Life," as He later declares in [John 6:35](/john/6-35 "Jesus, the Bread of Life"). Philip's human calculation of insufficiency is swallowed up by Christ's divine abundance, foreshadowing the spiritual sustenance He offers. Just as He provided physical bread to a hungry crowd, Jesus provides spiritual life to a spiritually starving humanity. His body, broken on the cross, is the true bread from heaven, offering eternal life to all who believe, a provision infinitely beyond any earthly "pennyworth" (as seen in [John 6:51](/john/6-51 "Jesus, the Living Bread")). This miracle, therefore, is not merely about food, but about Jesus' unique capacity to satisfy the deepest hunger of the human soul, fulfilling God's promise of ultimate provision and demonstrating that in Him, there is always more than enough, for He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "Jesus, the Lamb of God")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Mark 6:37

He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

Numbers 11:21

And Moses said, The people, among whom I [am, are] six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.

Numbers 11:22

Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

John 12:5

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

2 Kings 4:43

And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave [thereof].

Matthew 18:28

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.