Upon seeing a large crowd gathered to hear him, Jesus speaks to Phillip.
John 6:5 Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
John 6:5 Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?
Jesus was just teasing when he asked this question.
Jesus only asks "where" in eight other verses. Phillip does not answer the "where" question, but questions the "how" pointing out the money it would take. Jesus also mentions buying at a market in only eight other verses.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "shall" does not mean the future tense.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "shall" does not mean the future tense.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "people" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "to" should be something more like "may."
Whence -- "Whence" is from an adverb which means "whence" and "from what source."
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
we -- This is from the first-person, plural form of the verb.
buy -- "Buy" is a verb that Jesus only uses nine times that means "to occupy a marketplace," "to buy in the market," and "to buy for oneself."
bread, -- The word translated as "bread" means "small loaf or cake of bread." It is more like a slice of bread today. It describes a thin 1/2 inch thick round or an oblong loaf of wheat bread, meant to be torn into pieces and not cut. It was closer to a flour tortilla or a piece of pan than a loaf of bread. "Bread" is one of Christ's most basic symbols, representing temporary physical nourishment as contrasted with permanent spiritual nourishment.
that -- The word translated as "that" is an adverb "in that place," "there," "where," "when," or as a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause "that," "when," "in order that" or "because."
these -- "These" is translated from a Greek word that means "this," "that," "the nearer."
may -- This helping verb "may" indicates that the verb indicates a possibility, a subjunctive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
eat? -- The word translated as "eat" is one of the two common words used to mean "eat. "It means "to eat," "to eat up," and "to devour." It also means to "fret" as we say "to eat up."
Where -- "Where" is from an adverb which means "whence" and "from what source."
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
we -- This is from the first-person, plural form of the verb.
buy -- "Buy" is a verb that Jesus only uses nine times that means "to occupy a marketplace," "to buy in the market," and "to buy for oneself."
bread, -- The word translated as "bread" means "small loaf or cake of bread." It is more like a slice of bread today. It describes a thin 1/2 inch thick round or an oblong loaf of wheat bread, meant to be torn into pieces and not cut. It was closer to a flour tortilla or a piece of pan than a loaf of bread. "Bread" is one of Christ's most basic symbols, representing temporary physical nourishment as contrasted with permanent spiritual nourishment.
for -- The word translated as "for" is an adverb "in that place," "there," "where," "when," or as a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause "that," "when," "in order that" or "because."
these -- "These" is translated from a Greek word that means "this," "that," "the nearer."
people -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "people" in the Greek source.
to -- (WW) This "to" should be the helping verb "may" to indicate that the verb indicates a possibility, a subjunctive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
eat? -- The word translated as "eat" is one of the two common words used to mean "eat. "It means "to eat," "to eat up," and "to devour." It also means to "fret" as we say "to eat up."
Πόθεν [9 verses](adv ) "Where" is from pothen, which means "whence" and "from what source."
ἀγοράσωμεν [9 verses](verb 1st pl aor subj act) Shall we buy" is agorazo, which means "to occupy a marketplace," "to buy in the market," and "to buy for oneself."
ἄρτους [32 verses](noun pl masc acc)"Bread" is artos, which means specifically a "cake of whole wheat bread," and generally "loaf," and "bread."
ἵνα [134 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hina, which means "in that place," "there," "where," "when," but when beginning a phrase "that," "in order that," "when," and "because."
φάγωσιν [20 verses](verb 3rd pl aor subj act) "May eat" is phago which is a form of the word, phagein, which means to eat," "to eat up," and "to devour."
οὗτοι; [83 verses](adj pl masc nom) "This" is houtos, which as an adjective means "this," "that," "the nearer." There are two other common forms, the genitive toutou, [51 verses] and the accusative, touto, [93 verses]. There is also an adverbial form.