Jesus feeds a crowd of five thousand people. In doing this he as an important lesson to teach his disciples. A lesson about faith in God and trusting he will use the meager amount we have to give.
After being rejected in his hometown (Mk 6.1-6), Jesus sent out his disciples – two by two. The picture and number reminds us of the animals who came to Noah’s ark. The time of rescue before the coming destruction. He gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal. Preaching the coming kingdom of God and Jesus as its king, they called people to repentance (Mk 6.7-13). Meanwhile John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod (Mk 6.14-29). Their kingdoms are vastly different from one another.
Our passage picks up when the disciples return from their mission trip. They are understandably tired and could use a break.
Goodman, S. & Myers, R. with Logos Bible Software, Sarti Design, and Faith Based Expeditions, 2012. Faithlife Study Bible Photos, Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.
31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. (Mk 6.30-32)
‘The apostles returned‘. Apostle comes from the Greek ἀποστέλλω which is transliterated apostellō. It means ‘to send’ or ‘send away’. The disciples are called apostles because Jesus sent them out.
When they return Jesus and the disciples have a debrief. The disciples ministry involved teaching about the kingdom, healing and casting out demons so it looks like a successful mission.
There are large crowds around them. Milling and expectant.
‘Rest for awhile‘. The disciples are tired and hungry and more and more people keep coming to see them. So they depart by boat to another place around the sea of Galilee where they can be alone and rest.
Their plans however don’t work out the way they planned.
33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
And he began to teach them many things. (Mk 6.33-34)
The people see where they are going and take off in pursuit. They arrive at the intended destination before Jesus and the disciples do.
Jesus has compassion on them because they are like sheep without a shepherd.
So he teaches them more about the kingdom.
35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” (Mk 6.35-37)
Its getting late and the disciples are tired from their mission trip and the day of ministry. They ask Jesus to send the crowd away so they can buy something to eat and I think so they can finally rest.
But Jesus wants them to go the extra mile. He wants his disciples to give the crowd something to eat. In response the disciples ask if they should spend two hundred denarii worth of bread on feeding the crowd. This is two thirds of a years wages for most people and its probable they wont have this amount of money. So in their mind their question has an obvious answer. Let the people provide for themselves because we can’t.
At the heart of the dilemma are the questions, ‘Who is going to provide food for the crowd? Will they provide for themselves? Or will Jesus and the disciples provide for them?
Who provides you with food? Do you look to yourself? Or do you look to Jesus?
Anon, 2009. 1000 Bible Images, Stuttgart, Germany: German Bible Society.
38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.
41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. (Mk 6.38-42)
The people are divided up into groups of hundreds and fifties. These are large groups. We will find out later there lots and lots of people there who are hungry.
Jesus simply takes what they have, he looks up to heaven and says a blessing. Then he divides it up among the people.
‘And they all ate and were satisfied‘. The key word here is ‘all‘.
The groups of hundreds and fifties all ate and were satisfied. All they needed was provided for them. Read between the lines and you will see a miracles has happened.
43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. (Mk 6.43-44)
About Jesus
If the disciples or Jesus sent the crowds away they would not have learned a valuable lesson. The disciples thought the task of feeding the crowd was impossible.
Part of what Jesus wanted to teach them and us is that we need faith and trust in God to accomplish the job and provide everyone with enough. This includes spiritual as well as material nourishment.
Jesus insists that the disciples share in his ministry to the world and take responsibility for the crowd. We may be exhausted and need a well-deserved rest. But on the other hand his disciples are always servants of others—called to feed the sheep and not just themselves.
Jesus lesson is clear: If we trust in him we will always have enough to feed the crowds.
Jesus feeds a crowd of five thousand people. In doing this he as an important lesson to teach his disciples. A lesson about faith in God and trusting he will use the meager amount we have to give.
33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
