5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
“Our extremities are the Lord’s opportunities.” Spurgeon
Philip should have taken his cue from the prophet Ezekiel’s response to his Q and A from God in the valley full of dry bones. We find their discourse in the following verses below:
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know." Ezek 37:1-3 (NIV)
We discover great truth in the prophet’s words - "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know." Indeed, God alone knows the end from the beginning, from ancient times what will yet come hence the great emphasis on faith and trust in Him throughout all of Scripture. I love the command and promise presented to us in Proverbs three:
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Prov 3:5-6 (NIV)
Man both sees and reasons imperfectly with his limited vision and understanding. Human insights and reasoning will always be found wanting – it is just simply incomplete. Contrast, on the other hand, God’s ways which are incomprehensible, His paths beyond tracing out. Thankfully, He is also trustworthy and true; slow to anger and abounding in love. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians this Truth regarding our incomplete knowledge:
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Cor 13:12 (NIV)
We also find in Romans Paul stating the following Truth:
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" Romans 11:33-34 (NIV)
God is the first, effective and final cause of all things. Everything comes from Him and through Him. He alone is to be exalted above all, every creature to sing forth His praises.
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:36 (NIV)
Indeed, God asks of al l - through the pen of the prophet Isaiah - the following penetrating question:
25 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. Isaiah 40:25 (NIV)
His majesty clearly being revealed later in the same chapter:
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:28 (NIV)
Needless to say, Jesus already knew the answer to the question He put forth for Philip before He asked. Our Savior was not searching for information, He was simply seeking to educate – helping Philip to go deeper still.
“God tries our faith so that we may try His faithfulness.” Anonymous
Philip, who had been His disciple from the first and had been privy to His miracles – in particular that of turning water into wine- should have known without a doubt that Jesus could provide. Those who have witnessed and participated in the benefits and pleasures of God’s works should certainly maintain the benefit of a deeper understanding of His ways. We are never standing still in our faith walk - we are either going forward or backward. I am confident that is why Paul urges us in Philippians:
16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Phil 3:16 (NIV)