Mark 8:1-10 (NKJV) Feeding the Four Thousand
(Matt. 15:32–39)
1 In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”
4 Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”
5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”
6 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. 7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. 8 So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. 9 Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, 10 immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.
V1 “In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them…” Jesus was very popular at this time, but later, He was not. Jesus discerns their hunger and has compassion for their needs.
V2 “…I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.” The Creator has compassion, the real compassion, not a compassion to win followers. Compare Psalm 86:15. The Greek word for compassion is (G4697) σπλαγχνίζομαι splanchnizomai, which means (Vine): “to be moved as to one’s inwards (splanchna), to be moved with compassion, to yearn with compassion.” If a person has heartlessness, it makes one wonder their relationship with God, the Creator. Review these verses about compassion—Psalm 86:15, Hebrews 5:2, and Jude 1:22-23 (“on some have compassion” thus, noting a difference). God has compassion on all in a general sense, but if a person rejects it by words, actions, and desires, they will lose God’s compassion and receive His wrath. What is important? We must believe God (Hebrews 11:6), obey His rules (John 14:15), and faithfulness (1 Corinthians 13:7 (endures) and 2 Timothy 2:12-13).
V3 “And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.” Jesus has the knowledge of why they need food and the ability to correct it.
V4 “Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?” They will soon find out.
V5 “He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”
A comment about food and bread:
(Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary) “Protein is essential to life; it was readily available to everyone in the land of Palestine. Meat was part of every person’s daily fare. Animal products such as milk, butter, and cheese were also readily available. A noon meal for a workman might consist of two loaves of barley bread—one filled with cheese, the other with olives.”
V6 “So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.” At His command, the bread and fish were miraculously increased. It was a never-ending supply of fresh-baked bread. This is the power of God authenticating Jesus’s credentials. God the Father provided the manna in the wilderness (Nehemiah 9:20). Compare John 6:51.
V8 “They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them.” The same happened for the fish. Jesus blessed the fish to be nutritious and plenteous.
V9 “Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away…” Four thousand this time and location. After their feasting, Jesus sent them away.
V10 “…immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.” Then Jesus and the disciples got into a boat and went to Dalmanutha.
We learn:
- Jesus’s authentic Messiahship.
- Jesus’s compassion.
Questions:
- Do we have faith that Jesus can do this?
- Do we believe the authenticating signs of Jesus’s Messiahship?