But many who saw them leaving recognized who they were, running all the way on foot from all the towns to get there before they arrived. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he was moved deeply for them, for they were just like sheep with no shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is such a remote place," they said, "and it's already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." But he answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take eight months of a man's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?" "How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish." Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 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 set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
In a Nutshell
After the young lad provided Him with bread and fish, Jesus'
disciples realised He had powers and abilities they knew nothing about.
Questions
What was this big crowd doing? It consisted
of 5000 men, and they were out there far from their homes at the edge of the
desert on the other side of Lake Galilee, and they hadn't thought to take any
provisions with them? What kind of event was this?
Remember,
just after Jesus started teaching? His mother and family were worried about the
catering. Many were coming to His school, but it seems Jesus had already
organised some women to provide meals, and His mother and family weren't
involved. They hadn't known about it. They knew He wasn't asking His disciples
to fast, but He hadn't asked them to do the catering. He hadn't told them what
was arranged. By doing it in this way, Jesus taught His disciples that He
wanted women and girls and children in His school and He accepted their help.
He also told His disciples off when they ignored children and women.
At
the end of his gospel, Mark tells us that the women standing around the cross
with His mother were the ones who had provided for Him and His disciples in Galilee.
It is as if Mark writes knowing that his first readers will understand. My
hunch is that Jesus had taken care of the catering long before His mother and
family realised it was going to be needed. But now I wonder. Does this help us
understand something that famous event when the 5000 were fed? It might.
Think
about it. Ask yourself: what would such a large crowd be doing, travelling
kilometres around Lake Galilee? They may have travelled quickly but how come
they ignored their need for food? Doesn't that part of the story puzzle you? It
seems pretty strange to me!
Another
thing, Mark tells us the number of men was 5000. So what about the boy with the
loaves and the fishes? Was he counted with the 5000? Or was the 5000 just the
number of male grown-ups? That would mean that there were many more when the
children and women were added, too. And who counted them anyway, and why? We
should think about these things when we try to understand this event. It helps
if we also think about what had to happen before and after ….
So we
know for sure that Jesus' disciples were in need of rest and recreation. They
had sailed quietly to this place. Meanwhile the crowd had run around the coast
to catch the Rabbi. Sounds like the crowd was hysterical,
"over-the-top". Was that why they came without provisions? We aren't
told the whole story, but we know that Mark has also inserted the story of John
to remind us that they were living under the rule of the blood-thirsty Herod
Antipas. We know that the teaching and example of Elijah was alive among many
of these same people seeking God's Kingdom. Could this crowd have been part of
John's movement, and were they seeking to copy Elijah's example after John's
execution? Could it be that they were seeking God's help by fasting? Were they
travelling around the lake to hear Jesus just before they headed off into the
desert when, they hoped, God would speak His small voice to them.
Some
of those who advised Herod suggested He might have been Elijah. Were some
wanting Jesus to fire them up before they went walking days on end into the
desert like Elijah had done years before. Elijah had fled King Ahab and the
evil Jezebel and only when he had heard the still, small voice, of the Lord,
could he summon courage to return to Israel. So were these 5000 men wanting
Jesus to fire their rebellion. Imagine it? In your face, Herod!
John
had baptised them and sometimes he was referred to as the second Elijah. Now he
was dead, and maybe, before too long they would be too, if God didn’t come to
their aid and rescue them from Herod!
If
that's what they were up to, then let's look at what happened. Jesus didn't
want His disciples to fast; for Him that would be a side-track. His task was to
proclaim the year of God's favour, the Kingdom of God. Fasting, He said, would
have to come later for His disciples (6:7; 3:20; 2:18). Jesus certainly taught
us that God our Father doesn't want us to make ourselves sick, even if we do
say we are on "Kingdom business". Jesus' disciples were in need of a
rest. They needed a break. And so … but the crowd had put an end to that. The
boat came in to the shore and there were all the people. Jesus had said,
"Come away to a lonely place" and some of the disciples were probably
saying to themselves "Great! Some lonely place, this is!"
Jesus
cared for all who came to Him. He saw them as they really were. They were a
flock of sheep needing a shepherd. They may have been wild and stupid, but
Jesus received them and taught them …. Jesus was the Good Shepherd. He also fed
them. That is what this event is all about.