Mark 6:30-44; 8:1-9

Introduction

Beginning of Chapter 6 Jesus has gone back to Nazareth and begun to teach in the synagogue. We learn though they were astonished by His miracles and teaching, the people of the town couldn’t get past who Jesus was to them: Mark 6:3 “3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”

We remember Jesus saying: Mark 6:4–6 “4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.”

We learn in 6:7-13 the 12 are sent out with authority to cast out demons and preach “that men should repent”

6:14-29 We learn of the death of John the Baptist at the command of Herod and the plan of Herodias that resulted in john’s head on a platter and John’s disciples coming to get his body and laying it in a tomb.

Jesus Heals 5000

Mark 6:30–44 KJV

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. 33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. 35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. 37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? 38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. 39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. 41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. 42 And they did all eat, and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. 44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

Other than the resurrection, this is the only miracle listed in all four Gospels: here, Matthew 14:22-31, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-13.

Mark will again show us a contrast: Herod’s birthday dinner and this meal.

I have thought of this as just another crowd drawn to Jesus wanting what he could do for them but the next verses in John after the feeding showed me there’s more than that here John 6:14–15 “14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.”

Mark 6:30–32 “30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.”

The whole book we see the ministry of Jesus growing. So much so, Jesus has now sent out the 12 as an extension of himself. They come back after a period of time and start to share with Jesus all they did and taught.

Jesus sees the toll it’s taken on them and tells them to come with him and get away from the crowd and rest and eat. So they got into a good sized boat and took off

Mark 6:33 “33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.”

The people start to run around the edge of the Sea of Galilee as they cross a corner of it in the boat heading north. The pastor has mentioned how much smaller Israel is than we here in America think. Thank’s especially to teaching through Genesis, I’m getting there too. i used to think the crowd out running them to the destination was part of the miracle, but watch this:

Taking what we learned in John 6 a minute ago, if we cautiously assume this 5000 was a group of trained men in a military formation

And through some “AI assisted research” this is what I learned:

The distance between Tiberias and Bethsaida along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee is approximately 11 to 12 kilometers (about 7 to 7.5 miles), depending on the specific route taken.

Assuming an average running speed of around 8 kilometers per hour (5 miles per hour) and considering the natural curves of the shoreline, it might take anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours to run from Tiberias to Bethsaida along the edge of the sea.

Mark 6:34 “34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.”

“sheep without a shepherd” I’ve long thought of this part of this miracle and in my mind just saw “dumb sheep” wandering around lost; while this isn’t necessarily wrong in studying I’m starting to see something else happening here. This is where we start to see Mark’s main point in this miracle. It’s not just about a miracle of multiplying bread and fish.

Instead of getting irritated at the interruption, Jesus is moved with compassion toward them.

The idea of shepherd-less sheep isn’t just about wandering in the field lost, its about a leader. If this 5000 was a military group the disciples would have thought about the Torah and the book of Numbers when Moses commissioned Joshua:

Numbers 27:15–17 “15 And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, 16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.”

This group had no leader, either military or spiritual. They were like the people Jesus saw in Matthew 9:35–36 “35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”

400 years without a prophet to give a word from Yahweh God between Malachi and John the Baptist. Under the thumb of the Romans and Pharisees, they knew there had to be more and this man Jesus was the one to lead them to freedom!

Mark 6:35–37 “35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. 37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?”

Not even fill them, John 6:7 “7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.”

Jesus had been teaching the crowd not history or tactics, but Luke 9:11 “11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.”

But it was growing late and the disciples knew they needed food so they tell Jesus to send them away to go buy food for themselves. Jesus’ answer was for the disciples to feed them. They basically ask Jesus “are you nuts?, are we gonna take 8 months of wages and buy food for the group?”

Jesus told the disciples “you feed them”. Just as a little side note, this is what God’s purpose for men being pastors and preachers holds. They are the “under-shepherds” 1 Peter 5:1–4 “1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

Like at this miracle, the Lord provides the Bread of the Word and preachers distribute it.

Mark 6:38–41 “38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. 39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. 41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.”

this group knew how to assemble: “sit down by companies…in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties”

Jesus blessed the loaves and broke the bread then gave to the disciples to pass out.

Mark 6:42–44 “42 And they did all eat, and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. 44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.”

When Jesus provides, the impossible happens. They went from barely enough food to feed one to enough and leftovers to feed an army.

Mark says and Matthew leaves no doubt this group was men

Jesus Heals 4000

Mark 8:1–9 KJV

1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

Another group of hungry people following Jesus that he’s shows compassion for.

In most if not all the rest Mark ends his account of a miracle Jesus does with “astonishment”. They were astonished, they were amazed…in these he doesn’t. Why could that be?

Conclusion

Jesus, like always, knew what He was doing.

John 6:5–6 “5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.”

This whole portion of Mark is about who Jesus is.

I spent most of the time talking about this idea that this group was a military group to help us see who He is as well. The disciples will come to understand who Jesus is but it will take more time:

The rest of this chapter is the disciples being terrified when Jesus walks to them on the water and they think He’s a ghost in 6:45-50.

They were amazed at Him walking on the water to them this close after the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 because they just saw it as food handed out and not who it mean Jesus was. Mark 6:51–52 “51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”

They can’t accept what this miracle actually means and who Jesus is saying He is! The key is in the OT theme of the shepherd-less sheep.

Ezekiel 34:1–5 “1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.”

Judgement is against the pharisees and the old system because they have left the flock shepherd-less

But God will not leave His people without a shepherd;

Ezekiel 34:11–16 “11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.”

Jesus is that Shepherd. It will eventually become clear to the disciples. Before He goes to the cross to become that spotless lamb of sacrifice, at the last supper Jesus will give them another reminder where he took, blessed, and broke the bread:

Mark 14:22–25 “22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”