Feeding the 4000
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.
2nd October 2024: Paphos, Cyprus
There are those who read this passage of Scripture and assume that this is some kind of duplicate of the more familiar ‘Feeding of the 5000’. Of course, there are some similarities, but these two passages are not the same – they don’t describe the same incident. There are some distinct differences. The location of each incident is specific but different. The nature of each location is very different (Bethsaida is a predominantly Jewish area, Dalmanutha is not). The number of people involved is very different. There are significant technical differences in the language (including the type of bread, the type of baskets used, and so on), and of course this incident includes 7 loaves rather than 5. Both stories are faithfully reproduced, using the same details and language, in the Gospel of Matthew and Mark. We shouldn’t doubt that Mark has faithfully recorded information about a second extraordinary miracle where thousands of people are fed and satisfied.
The story speaks for itself. I’m not going to analyse it, but I want you to notice this. These people are hungry, but they are not in immediate peril. They are at risk of being in peril, and Jesus says ‘I have compassion on these people.’ Our tendency to turn to Him for help when we are in dire straits. This story tells you that Jesus has compassion on you before you even know you are in need.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Also notice that faced with the need for an extraordinary miracle, Jesus works with those closest to him, encouraging them to put into his hands the little they have, and allow him to use their gift and their hands to achieve something which seemed utterly impossible. So many people around us are in need, or at risk of being in need. Christ has compassion on them and he calls us to do so too.
“The closer we are to Jesus, the more likely it is that he will call us to share in his work of compassion, healing and feeding, bringing his kingdom-work to an ever wider circle.“ NT Wright p100
“He still lives who had compassion on the hungry crowd in the wilderness and supplied their need. How much more, may we suppose, will He supply the need of those who trust Him” Ryle, p115
End Piece
At the core of this story is the compassion and power of Christ contrasted against the lack of faith of the disciples. His response to the question ‘How can we possibly feed all these people?” Is “what do you have with you?” Seven loaves and a few fish were never going to feed more than a handful of people, except, that is, in the hands of the Messiah. As followers of Jesus, we need to hear that question. “What do you have with you?” However little or inadequate it looks in your hands, make it available to Jesus, then step back and see what he might use it for his kingdom. The task might look vast and your resources scarce, but never forget, “Nothing is impossible for God. “
17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.