When Christ Jesus tested his disciples' confidence in the power of God to supply whatever was necessary to feed the multitude, the response emphasized the picture of insufficient supply and belittled what was on hand: "Five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?"
Jesus, with his clear vision of substance as wholly spiritual, demonstrated the inexhaustible abundance of divine Love's giving. He "took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would."John 6:9, 11; Some five thousand people ate as much as they wanted, and twelve baskets were filled with leftover fragments of the barley loaves.
Not for one moment did Jesus acquiesce in the limitation represented by five loaves and two fishes. With sublime assurance of the adequacy of all-encompassing divine Love to meet any need, he expressed gratitude for what was on hand and proved it more than sufficient. The disciples looked for a solution outside the situation, as witness their suggestion, given in another account, "Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread."Mark 6:36; But Jesus demonstrated the evidence of ample supply at hand through his recognition of the unfailing resources of divine Love ever present to meet all human needs.
