JESUS FEEDS THE 5,000

Mark 6:30-44 / Keywords 6:34

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

 6:30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages[e]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Footnotes

e. Mark 6:37 Greek take two hundred denarii

1. Jesus had compassion on them (30-34)

Jesus wanted to give his disciples a break, but the crowds relentlessly sought them. Instead of seeing them as an annoyance, Jesus saw them with messianic compassion as sheep without a shepherd. Jesus taught them the word of God which could help them. Jesus reveals that we are happy not when we can get a sweet escape, but when we go beyond ourselves to love others with God’s love.

 

2. You give them something to eat (35-44)

Where there is a shepherd, people gather. The crowd became 5,000 men plus their families. When the day became late, Jesus’ disciples became impatient and told him to send the crowds away to find their own dinner. But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat” (37). His command was beyond reason, yet he had in mind to teach them a challenging lesson in compassion. When they brought what little they had by faith, Jesus blessed it to feed 5,000 with 12 basketfuls leftover. Where there is compassion and faith, there is a miracle.

 

Prayer Lord, help me to have compassion and experience a miracle by faith.

One Word Jesus blesses our love and faith