Five Barley Loaves

 

NLT John 6:9

“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

 

Five Loaves And Two Fish – Jimmy Akin

 

 Why is this passage ponderable?

In Bible times, barley was much more widely cultivated than now and was the main food of the poor. It was always valued less than wheat 

The five loaves did not resemble large loaves of bread such as one might purchase at a bakery today. Rather the unleavened wafers of barley bread resembled small, flat pitas, each one, perhaps sufficient as one or two servings. The course barley bread, less expensive than wheat flour, made a staple for the poor. The two fish were probably dried sardines, such as the fisheries from Magdala produced. 

Loaves made of barley feature in the story of the feeding of the 5000 in John's Gospel in the New Testament (John 6:9). It is often mentioned in Islamic sources as a commoner's food in comparison with wheat bread, perceived as a sort of luxury item.

Barley bread is low in carbohydrates and provides vitamins and minerals, fiber, selenium and many other nutrients that are not found in breads made with refined bread flour — and nutritionists say the dietary benefits of barley are significant and more beneficial than other grains.

Barley is a plant. The grain of barley is used to make medicine. Barley is used for lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and for promoting weight loss. It is also used for digestive complaints including diarrhea, stomach pain, and inflammatory bowel conditions.

Barley grass powder is rich in several sleep-promoting compounds, including GABA, calcium, tryptophan, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. According to a 2018 review, barley grass powder may promote sleep and help prevent a range of other mental disorders. 

Barley is a nutritious whole grain that's high in fiber. High fiber diets rich in whole grains have been shown to have a protective effect on lung function and may reduce the risk of mortality from lung-related diseases

This is ponderable because John's Gospels are laden with hidden meanings that, like the parables of Jesus, are crafted to convey eternal Truths to those who trust God but remain hidden from those who would blemish the truth for personal gain. Dr. Daniel G. Amen, who has done extensive research on "brain health" lists barley as the one grain with nutrients that are most beneficial to brain health. Yet, just as it was in the time of Jesus, barley is considered a less desirable flour more suited for the poor and for animal feed than the wheat and rye flour popular today. 

Standing on Holy Ground

NLT Exodus 3:1-6

  “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. ⁶ I am the God of your father^[c]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

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Why is this ponderable?

It happened circa 1514 BCE--not millions of years ago. The burning bush got Moses’ attention so that a Higher Power could speak with him privately up on mount Sinai [Coordinates: 28°32′23″N 33°58′24″E]. This location is, in itself, ponderable. Mount Sinai or Mount Moses is located on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It is the traditional site where Moses received the Covenant from God. At 2285 meters in height, it takes about 3 hours to climb the 7,498-foot peak following the Path of Moses, a stairway of nearly 4,000 steps. There, Moses received instructions about returning to Egypt to meet with Pharaoh to release the enslaved people. The burning bush effect was just that, a special effect performed by an angel of God. The bush was not actually burning. It was only meant to look like it was so that Moses would know it was a very unusual event that he must check out. It was not unusual for lightning to set a thorn-bush ablaze and jeopardize his sheep. But in this case it was unusual as the bush was not being consumed by the rapid oxidation. Also, an angel was calling Moses name from the bush’s center.. 

So we should ponder what it was about this particular site that made it "holy ground" and why was Moses instructed to remove his sandals here. Keep in mind that Moses heard the voice of God without seeing who or what was speaking to him.

The Bible says Moses made two sojourns here to receive God's instructions, spending 40 days on the mountain each time, Moses met with God again sometime after the burning bush incident, but before he went to free the children of Israel from Egypt. This time, Moses  asks God "Show me your glory." God responds that He cannot be seen by any human being. But, advises Moses, "Stand in the cleft of the rock" and "you will see My back, but my face must not be seen." This proclamation is also ponderable, but that will be covered in another discussion. For now, we are pondering the holy ground where all of this takes place.

At the start of the exodus, Moses brought the people out of the camp to witness God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. It was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. To the readers in ancient times, this scene must have had a magical nuance. To us in the 21st Century it sounds very familiar, It sounds like a rocket landing or taking off. But that would still be speculation and does not answer why this was deemed "holy ground" nor why bare feet were necessary for this encounter. Although our pondering has provided a few clues to the mystery, it is still unresolved.

 

The mystery goes beyond this burning bush incident. Moses was not the only human being to see God. According to ancient Jewish tradition, the first one occurs in 2 Enoch 22 which portrays Enoch's encounter with the Lord in the celestial realm. Enoch recounts: "I saw the view of the face of the Lord, like iron made burning hot in a fire and brought out, and it emits sparks and is incandescent. Thus even I saw the face of the Lord." But there were also earlier incidents in which God was heard but not seen. God spoke with Adam and Eve in Eden (Gen 3:9–19); with Cain (Gen 4:9–15); with Noah (Gen 6:13, Gen 7:1, Gen 8:15) and his sons (Gen 9:1-8); and with Abraham and his wife Sarah (Gen 18). He also appears twice to Hagar, the slave-girl who has Abraham's first child, Ishmael (Gen 16).

There’s no way to know exactly when Moses encountered the burning bush, it was however just before Moses and his brother Aaron approached Pharaoh to release Moses’ people. We know that it was not any of the Ramses, as some speculate, as they were not in power during the 1500s BCE (which was the Eighteenth Dynasty for Egypt). The 3 Pharaohs it could have been were Nebpehtire Ahmose I, Djeserkare Amenhotep I, Aakheperkare Thutmose I, or some combination of all 3 of them.

The Truth Will Set You Free

NLT John 8:31-32 

 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

 Why is this passage ponderable?

This is one of those passages that is easy to pass over without much thought. John is quoting Jesus who is the icon of truth. So if Jesus said it; it must be true. What's to ponder?

The ponderable issue here is that Jesus goes beyond assuring us that only Truth flows from his lips. Any Believer accepts that without question. But Jesus takes it a bit further by assuring us that knowing the Truth will set us free.  Even Believers might give pause at that assertion. It raises many questions that John does not ask nor does Jesus answer in this passage. 

From what will this Truth set us free? Free from eternal damnation? Free from those who oppress us? Free from financial worries? Free from guilt? Free from health problems? Free from depression? Free from our enemies? 

We might also ponder a more optimistic view of this promise. Perhaps Jesus means it will set us free to be ourselves? Free to ponder such questions without fear of being shunned or excommunicated? Free to give over our will and our lives to God as we understand God.

It has been said that "the language of God is silence." However, that doesn't mean that God does not communicate with us. It means that God can bypass our ears and go directly to our mind and heart. Sometimes, this happens in dreams,  sometimes through meditation, and often through basic mindfulness.  

Ever experience trying to solve a problem with little success, only to notice a roadside sign that provides a gateway to the solution? That is how God frequently communicates in silence. But we don't hear or feel the communication because we are not paying attention.