Five Barley Loaves
2 Kings
4:4244; Psalm 145:10-11,15-18; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15
Elisha was brought barley loaves. The
boy in the crowd had five barley loaves and two fish. In each reading five
barley loaves, why are they so important?
Barley was a common grain used as fodder
for horses, feed for cattle and bread for the poor. It grew during winter in
poor soil. This grain represented overcoming the impossible. In the book of
Judges, Gideon’s victory over the enemies of Israel is foretold in a dream. A
barley loaf tumbles into the enemies’ camp at night and knocks down their
tents. In the book of Second Kings, Elisha throws barley meal into a stew to
overcome poison to feed the hungry. Barley was the sin offering required for
jealousy and wrongdoing.
A man from Baal-shalishah came bringing
barley loaves. He was from the Northern Kingdom, where the rulers, the priests,
and the prophets had forgotten God. They built temples and named cities for the
god Baal. They were not feeding those hungry for the true God.
He comes to the man of God, Elisha, with
barley loaves. Some were still faithful to God. It was an offering from those
who had not forgotten the true God. Even though the powerful in Israel had
sinned and done wrong, many still worshiped the one true God.
The barley loaves represented something
else. The loaves were a sacrifice for all the wrongdoings and forgotten
promises of people of the covenant. A poor man brought 20 barley loaves for the
forgotten promises and wrongdoings of the people. Twenty in the bible is a
symbol for redemption. The man of God takes and multiplies this sacrifice for
the many.
So many were following Jesus - the poor,
the sinners, the sick, and the lost. Five thousand men but there were also
women and children. A boy was there with five barley loaves and two fishes. It
was all he had.
So many were following Jesus that it was
asked what good was five barley loaves and two fishes. Jesus knew.
The temple officials had not fed them;
forgotten what God had asked of them.
They had forgotten to bring God to the poor, to the sinners, to the
sick, and to the world. They were not
feeding those hungry for God.
Again, these five loaves represented the
Torah and the promise of God. They implied the original covenants between God
and his people; but, now more. The two fish would make the meal complete. The
two fish stood for the comparison between the old and the new.
These five barley loaves represented a
sacrifice for forgiveness of their sins, broken promises and wrongdoing. Jesus
himself would take away our sins.
In both readings the barley loaves were
multiplied. They provided food for many. The man of God, Elisha, multiplied
five loaves to feed a hundred. The Son of God, multiplied the five loaves to
feed a multitude.
Everyone there knew the story of Elisha.
The multitude saw the greatness in Jesus and wanted to make him King.
Jesus wanted to remain as humble as the
barley loaf, food for the poor, the sick, the sinners, and the world. Jesus was
to be a sacrifice for our sins. He is the final covenant and the fulfillment of
God’s promises. He is the risen Christ whose body is the bread we share in the
Eucharist.
Lastly, in the Bible the number five is
used as a symbol of God’s grace. These are two stories about God’s grace.
Most of us probably never thought about
the five barley loaves. But, God can use the simplest of things to teach us so
much. A simple grain used to nourish bodies, nourish spirits, and nourish
faith. Two stories showing us it is the hand of the Lord the feeds us; feeding
those hungry for God. Two stories about five barley loaves that show God’s
grace through Jesus Christ is over all and through all and in all.
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