五餅二魚是解放 The Liberation By Five Loaves & Two Fish

五餅二魚是解放（若6:1-15）

人的心被各式各樣的「結」封鎖著，例如情意結、執著、偏見和常識等等。可幸，耶穌基督是一個偉大的鎖匠，我們的得救是有希望的！

斐理伯憑常識，知道二百塊「德納」的餅，不足以讓在場的每一個人分得一小塊（若6:7）。實際上，門徒們未必攜帶著二百塊「德納」；即使有，山上及四周的村落，何來餅店，可以焙焗足以供應五千人食用的麵包呢？但為認識天主的慈悲，這一次，「常識」是一個鎖。

安德肋實事求是，找到一個兒童帶來的五餅二魚。姑勿論為甚麼這兒童帶著五餅二魚來跟隨耶穌，這兒童證明了四周村落能提供的食物，是有限的。為認識天主的慈悲，這一次，「實事求是」是一個鎖。

有些學者，為了迎合現代人的科學頭腦，刻意淡化聖經中的神蹟，包括耶穌基督為了顯示天主的臨在和天父的慈悲所行的神蹟，學者們祇強調當中的倫理意義。他們傾向認為是兒童無私地奉獻了五餅二魚，感動了在場的五千群眾。於是眾人都拿出自己帶來的食物云云。為認識天主的慈悲，這些迎合世人口味的心態，孔子所謂的「鄉愿」，是一個鎖。

「逾越節臨近了」（6:4），是慶祝解放的時候。大家可曾想過逾越節與五餅二魚神蹟，有甚麼關係呢？對觀福音的描述，讓我們聯想到五餅二魚的神蹟，是耶穌基督與五千群眾一起吃「最後晚餐」。耶穌基督那些「拿起」、「祝謝」和「分開」的動作，就是記號；厄瑪烏的兩個門徒，亦憑著這些記號，認出耶穌（路24:30-31）。所以這樣解讀五餅二魚神蹟沒有不對，但缺乏了解放的元素。

若望特別提及逾越節，並記載了斐理伯和安德肋心中常識的鎖和實事求是的鎖。耶穌基督以五餅二魚神蹟，解開了他們心中的鎖，讓他們認識天父的慈悲。未知學者們心中的鎖，甚麼時候得以解開呢？
天父啊！賀三納，請快來解放我們。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：freebibleimages.org

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The Liberation By Five Loaves & Two Fish (John 6:1-15)

Human hearts are sieged by all kinds of locks, such as complexes, obsessions, prejudices and common senses etc. Luckily, Jesus Christ is a great locksmith. Our salvation is hopeful!

With common sense, Philip knew that “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little bit.” (John 6:7) In fact, the disciples might not even possess two hundred days’ wages in their purses. Even if they had, where came the bakeries in the surrounding villages to supply enough bread for the 5000 people? But in order to know God’s mercy, this time “common sense” was a lock.

Andrew was more pragmatic. He found five loaves and two fish from a boy. Never mind why the boy brought along five loaves and two fish to follow Jesus. This boy proved the limited supply capacity of the surrounding villages. In order to know God’s mercy, this time being pragmatic is a lock.

Some scholars who want to please the scientific mentality of modern people deliberately water-down miracles in the Bible, including this miracle which shows the presence of God and the mercy of the Father. These scholars stress more on the morals of the event. They opine that the altruism of the boy so touched the 5000 people that they were willing to share what they had brought along etc. In order to know God’s mercy, pleasing the crowd is a lock.

“The Jewish feast of Passover was near.” (6:4) It was time to celebrate liberation. Have you ever thought about what Passover had to do with the miracle of five loaves and two fish? From the narration of the Synoptic gospels, we have the impression that the miracle was a “Last Supper” Jesus ate with the 5000. Jesus’ actions of “taking the loaves”, “giving thanks” and “distributing” were signs with which the two disciples on the way to Emmaus recognized Jesus (Luke 24:30-31). To interpret the miracle in this perspective is not wrong but it lacks the liberation element.

John mentions the Passover in particular and tells of the common sense lock of Philip and the pragmatism lock of Andrew. With the miracle of five loaves and two fish, Jesus Christ unlocks these locks in their hearts and allows them to see the Father’s mercy. I wonder when the locks in those scholars would be unlocked.
Father! Hosanna. Come to liberate us. Amen.