Benjamin and the Feeding of the 5,000
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Overview
Benjamin and the Feeding of the 5,000 is the third installment in The Witness Series by Josh Hardin, a collection of middle grade historical fiction that places young characters inside Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments. In this book, readers join Benjamin, a nine-year-old boy living in the fishing village of Capernaum.
When four trusted fishermen walk away from their boats to follow a traveling teacher named Jesus, Benjamin sets out to find the truth. He witnesses healings, forgiveness, and power he can't explain. Then comes a hungry crowd of thousands and a choice only Benjamin can make.
Faithful to the biblical account in the gospels, this story invites readers ages 8-17 to experience Scripture as living history.
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Product Details
| SKU | M441-1 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Master Books |
| Weight (in lbs) | 0.14 |
| Title | Benjamin and the Feeding of the 5,000 |
| Series | The Witness Series |
| ISBN 13 | 9781683444411 |
| Contributors | Josh Hardin |
| Binding | Paperback |
| Page Count | 88 |
| Publisher | New Leaf Publishing Group, LLC |
| Dimensions (in inches) | 4 1/4 x 7 |
More Information
Nine-year-old Benjamin aspires to be a fisherman just like his father Jacob. Since he's too young to fish, he helps the fishing crews by building cooking fires on shore and by negotiating with vendors to sell his father's catch.
One day the scene on the Capernaum shore is different. Four well-known fishermen have abandoned their boats! Zebedee explains that they're following a new teacher named Jesus.
Could this be the promised Messiah? This is the central question of Benjamin and the Feeding of the 5,000, the third book in The Witness Series.
The story follows Benjamin on his quest to understand who this Jesus is and see exactly how he's turning their community upside down.
- Benjamin gathers firsthand accounts from townsfolk, recounting what they have seen Jesus do.
- In the synagogue, Benjamin hears Jesus read the Scripture and teach with startling authority.
- He watches in shock as Jesus commands a demon-possessed man to be quiet, and the demon obeys.
- A paralyzed man, lowered from a rooftop, is healed after Jesus forgives his sins.
Throughout, Benjamin receives loving support from his grandmother Ruth who uses prophetic Scripture as the litmus test of Jesus's divinity.
In the climactic scene, Benjamin has a chance to make a decision. Will he use his skills of salesmanship to hawk his precious fish and loaves to a hungry crowd? Or will he follow Jesus's example of compassion and generosity?
What he sees that day will change him forever.
Even readers who know these miracles by heart will see them differently here. Through Benjamin's eyes, the evidence builds until the answer feels undeniable: Jesus truly is the Messiah.
Customer Reviews
I especially appreciate how the book helps children see that Jesus is not limited by what we think is possible. The story encourages faith and reminds us that even what seems small or insignificant can be used by God in a big way. It gives parents a natural opportunity to talk with their children about trusting Jesus and His provision.
The illustrations and storytelling make this a great choice for family read-aloud time, Bible time, or simply enjoying a good book together. It is a wonderful addition to a homeschool library and a meaningful way to reinforce biblical truths without making the lesson feel like a lesson.
I would definitely recommend Benjamin and the Feeding of the 5,000 to homeschool families looking for engaging, faith-filled books that point children toward Jesus and Scripture.
We have enjoyed all the books in the The Witness Series to date. My kids really enjoyed reading this New Testament story from the perspective of a boy their age. This series is targeted for middle schoolers, but I would say this volume worked great for my 2nd grader as it was definitely shorter and not as detailed as the other two in the series were.
We can’t wait for the next book in The Witness Series!
Note to be made: images throughout the book are AI generated. Also, being a book during the time of Jesus, there are also images depicting him included as well.
I love how there are some character lessons brought out through this journey as well with some common attitudes kids at this age may have towards independence but it is done in a tasteful way that feels fitting with the time period still. In the end he ends up bringing his whole family to see Jesus and his bread and fish are the ones that Jesus multiplies to feed the multitude.
This series would go well as an independent reading assignment for homeschool but also would make a good Christmas gift which is what I plan to do with it. I hope that there will be many other installments in this series. It is definitely one of my favorite juvenile fiction series out there right now. Be sure to check out Angeliki and the Shipwreck and Eliakim and the Ten Plagues!
As our Pastor has been preaching through the gospel of Mark, he frequently encourages us to try to envision the scenes as though we didn’t already know everything else that we know from Scripture, but to try to think as people who were there hearing these things for the first time, and trying to figure out if Jesus really was the Messiah. Well, this book set us right down into the middle of that, and definitely helped us to envision it. It was a wonderful family read aloud because it led to excellent conversations, but would make for captivating, independent reading as well.