Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand - Mark 8:1-13
Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
8 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9 About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, 10 he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.
11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
Reflection: A while back Jesus fed the five thousand with some the same circumstances as we find today. There were big crowds following Jesus who had felt needs and Jesus and the disciples had a few scarce resources to meet the need. Jesus could have easily dismissed the crowd thinking he had better things to do. Instead of sending them on their way hungry, Jesus inquires as to how much they have to meet the need. He gave thanks for what he did have instead of what he didn't have. This in itself is a good principle to remember. The scarcity mentality says there is never enough to go around. And the abundance mentality starts with what one has and goes from there. The problem with the scarcity mentality is that one never steps out in faith to allow God to multiply our meager offering.
And we see in this case as they offer up what they have, the abundance keeps on flowing so much so they need to pick up seven buckets of leftovers. Ironically the Pharisees, when they see Jesus, ask him for a sign. Sometimes we ask for a sign instead of asking for the faith to trust even without a sign. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Looking for a sign is like saying, "show me God the evidence before I will trust you." Ironically the Pharisees are trying to test Jesus by asking for a sign after he just gave 4,000 people a major sign.
The greatest sign Jesus gave was dying on the cross for us and three days later being raised from the dead. This is really the only sign we need. This sign shows us that Jesus really is the Son of God. This sign shows us that if we have faith in Jesus even though we die, yet shall we live. Jesus rising from the dead is the greatest sign the world has ever seen, yet there will be some who say, "show me another sign!" It is a sign that God came into our world and became one of us. This sign is the forever sign that Jesus is Immanuel, or God with us. Amen.
8 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9 About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, 10 he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.
11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
Reflection: A while back Jesus fed the five thousand with some the same circumstances as we find today. There were big crowds following Jesus who had felt needs and Jesus and the disciples had a few scarce resources to meet the need. Jesus could have easily dismissed the crowd thinking he had better things to do. Instead of sending them on their way hungry, Jesus inquires as to how much they have to meet the need. He gave thanks for what he did have instead of what he didn't have. This in itself is a good principle to remember. The scarcity mentality says there is never enough to go around. And the abundance mentality starts with what one has and goes from there. The problem with the scarcity mentality is that one never steps out in faith to allow God to multiply our meager offering.
And we see in this case as they offer up what they have, the abundance keeps on flowing so much so they need to pick up seven buckets of leftovers. Ironically the Pharisees, when they see Jesus, ask him for a sign. Sometimes we ask for a sign instead of asking for the faith to trust even without a sign. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Looking for a sign is like saying, "show me God the evidence before I will trust you." Ironically the Pharisees are trying to test Jesus by asking for a sign after he just gave 4,000 people a major sign.
The greatest sign Jesus gave was dying on the cross for us and three days later being raised from the dead. This is really the only sign we need. This sign shows us that Jesus really is the Son of God. This sign shows us that if we have faith in Jesus even though we die, yet shall we live. Jesus rising from the dead is the greatest sign the world has ever seen, yet there will be some who say, "show me another sign!" It is a sign that God came into our world and became one of us. This sign is the forever sign that Jesus is Immanuel, or God with us. Amen.
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