Neco 2017 Christian Religious Studies Question 7

Read the following excerpt from the Gospel of John (John 6:1‑14), which records the feeding of the five thousand: "After this, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is also called the Sea of Tiberias. And a great crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs that He performed on the sick. ... So Jesus said to them, ‘Give the people something to eat.’ They said to Him, ‘We have only five loaves of bread and two fish.’ ... Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples collected twelve baskets of leftovers." Answer the following questions: a) Explain the theological significance of this miracle in the context of Jesus’ public ministry. b) Compare this miracle with the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1‑44), focusing on the purpose of the miracle and the audience addressed. c) Evaluate how the feeding of the five thousand challenges a contemporary skeptical view that miracles are merely myth or legend. Use at least two philosophical arguments (e.g., argument from best explanation, credibility of eyewitness testimony).