John 6:7

7 "Seven pounds' worth of bread," replied Philip, "is not enough for them all to get even a scanty meal."

John 6:7 Meaning and Commentary

John 6:7

Philip answered him
Very quick and short, and in a carnal and unbelieving way:

two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them.
Two hundred pence, or "Roman denarii", which may be here meant, amount to six pounds five shillings of our money; and this sum is mentioned, because it might be the whole stock that was in the bag, or that Christ and his disciples had; or because this was a round sum, much in use among the Jews; (See Gill on Mark 6:37). Or this may be said by Philip, to show how impracticable it was to provide for such a company; that supposing they had two hundred pence to lay out in this way; though where should they have that, he suggests? yet if they had it, as much bread as that would purchase would not be sufficient:

that everyone of them might take a little;
it would be so far from giving them a meal, or proper refreshment, that everyone could not have a small bit to taste of, or in the least to stay or blunt his appetite: a penny, with the Jews, would buy as much bread as would serve ten men; so that two hundred pence would buy bread enough for two thousand men; but here were three thousand more, besides women and children, who could not have been provided for with such a sum of money.

John 6:7 In-Context

5 And when He looked round and saw an immense crowd coming towards Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for all these people to eat?"

6 He said this to put Philip to the test, for He Himself knew what He was going to do.

7 "Seven pounds' worth of bread," replied Philip, "is not enough for them all to get even a scanty meal."

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

9 "There is a boy here with five barley loaves and a couple of fish: but what is that among so many?"