The Mighty Compassion of Christ (Part 1)

Introduction: The Provision of a Compassionate God

There is a simple and yet powerful tradition in the lives of many Christians, a ritual so ingrained that many do not even think about it. A meal is prepared, and the father of the house sits down and calls the family to sit down with him around the food. He then prays, blessing the food and giving thanks to God for his merciful provision of it. The family than eats together, enjoying each other’s company, relaying the events of the day, and warmly sharing in the bounty which the Lord has provided. I hope this is a tradition you keep, for there is deep biblical significance especially in the text we are looking at today. Here, Jesus takes the food, has the crowds sit around him, and gives thanks. Jesus is providing for us a picture of the way in which he, the Anointed One of God, the King of God’s people, acts as a father to us, gathering us around in expectation of the blessings of a heavenly world which we will share together as a family shares a meal, provided for by the Lord Himself!

This is the most important of Jesus miracles, and we can say that because it is the only miracle which all four Gospel writers record. There is so much this miracle represents and displays about Jesus and the fulfillment of God’s promises that it is impossible for us to sufficiently cover them all here in the short time we have.

The way Matthew brings this famous story, which is attested to in all four gospel accounts, into his narrative of the life of Jesus brings a deep contrast between what we read last time, the birthday feast of Herod Antipas, and the feast enjoyed by crowds on this occasion. While Herod put on a feast to celebrate himself in front of distinguished guests, this feast is held for those who willingly hear the Word of God. While Herod’s feast was held in a palace with plenty of delicacies, this feast is simple, outdoors, and the result of God’s providential work. While the events of Herod’s feast are the results of a tyrant-king’s pride and self-image which results in the death of a great prophet, this feast is the result of an eagerness to hear God’s Word and the compassion of the Saviour’s heart, resulting in the miraculous work of God. While Herod sent his soldiers to deal out death, Jesus employs his disciples to distribute life, showing us the compassion of a legitimate King whose heart is for all who would come to him in faith.

A Private Excursion Turned to a time of Compassionate Ministry

“When Jesus heard” speaks not of him hearing of John the Baptist’s death, but of Herod’s belief that he was the reincarnation of the prophet John (see verse 2, verses 3-12 provide a flashback). So we see that Jesus is not here withdrawing because of what happened to John, but rather because this declaration of Herod’s created a tricky political situation of which Jesus wanted no part. He withdraws from public ministry likely because he saw that his cause of preaching the Kingdom would be hindered by those who would be looking at his ministry from a political angle, and perhaps also knowing that Herod might try to have him killed before his time had come. Whatever the case, hearing of what Herod was saying about him is connected to his withdrawal from public life to a desolate place just as he had done in 12:15 when the Pharisees had begun to plot his death.

Although we read he went “by himself” it should be understood that his disciples were still with him, as the story later implies. His goal is to be with his disciples alone. As his ministry went on, more and more of it became focused on equipping his disciples to carry on his work after he would return to the Father.

However, news gets out and the crowds follow him on foot to this desolate place where he had decided to be alone. There is certainly a need for rest, even for Christ for exhaustion was part of embracing his humanity. However, when Jesus’ rest and escape from public life is interrupted by the eager crowds, he does not dismiss them, nor does he show annoyance with them for taking him away from his time alone. Instead, we read:

Matthew 9:36 ESV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus’ healing of the sick is commonly the proof of his compassion. His heart, fully submitted to the Father, is to benefit God’s people. As such, his heart is moved within him to help them, even in their physical illnesses. His heart is for them, and although Christ primarily desires their spiritual healing, his heart of mercy and love is not limited to this, but to the whole person.

The Christian whose heart has been truly changed by God’s love embodies this compassion. This will primarily result in a desire to see other come to know Christ, since this is their greatest good. However, it is not limited to that. We are called to love, which is not bound by only some needs but all. If a father cares for his child’s need for food, clothing, and shelter, but gives his child no affection, we would assume the father lacks love for his child. He may argue that he does love because he provides for the child, but this is done out of duty and not love. I’ve met Christians who do their duty of evangelizing the lost but no love exists in this duty because they show no interest in any of the lost person’s needs outside of what they see as their duty. On the other hand, other Christians will focus only on the external needs of the lost and ignore the spiritual need, which is driven not by love but rather by a desire to appear as a good person, and sharing the Gospel may offend them. True, Christ-like love overflows to support the whole person. So those who are moved by God’s love are first interested in the healing of a lost soul, but such love overflows into the desire to bring relief to their physical needs as well. As we see in this passage, Jesus fulfills their need for healing in the context of a ministry that was primarily focused on preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God through faith in himself.

The Problem, the human solution, and Christ’s Command

The Disciple’s Limited perspective

As the day has been filled with healing, now evening has come. The disciple’s suggestion to send them into the local towns isn’t a good one, but its the best in a bad situation from a human perspective. The people cannot go home tonight, and there is nothing to eat. Even the local villages would not be able to provide for such a crowd.

Christ’s Impossible Correction

They don’t need to leave. Jesus’ compassion for them continues. There is no time when one must leave Christ, and Jesus is ready to take on the burdens of the people, for he came so that all might rely on him. Will he send them away now for lack of food.

You feed them. This is a startling command. Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t tell them that “I will give them something to eat.” But rather, instructs his disciples to do the impossible. Jesus went into the wilderness, in part, to teach his disciples to carry on his work after him, and that is exactly what he is doing here. Christ will not always be with them in bodily form, but he will always be with them in the power of the Spirit.

The Feeding

The Disciple’s Offering of what little they have with doubt

While the disciples linger in doubt according to and Mark, Luke, and John’s accounts, they do offer of what they are able to find in terms of food. Barley loaves were the food of the poor, and fish was a common source of protein in Galilee as well as the rest of the Mediterranean region. In Mark and John, the disciples seem to think that Jesus wants them to buy food, and inform him that even 200 denarii, about 4 months wages, could not buy enough to feed everyone.

“Bring them here to me”

What a picture of the worker for Christ. Christ commands his disciples, then and now, to provide for the needs of the world. We are unable, in ourselves, to provide this. Jesus then takes what his disciples have and makes it enough. Our ability to minister to the needs, especially the spiritual needs, of the world does not come from ourselves, and it is in this humility that Jesus would have us work.

Jesus says a blessing, making real the picture of a father blessing the food before a meal. The picture here is a Kingdom image, where the people of God are a family with Christ at the head.

The Disciple’s Enabled to Work Out Christ’s Compassion

Again, the disciples are employed to give the people food, now that Christ has done the miracle. We are not told how this miracle takes place. However, there are several OT passages that reflect it. The story of Elisha and the widow with the Jar of Oil that wouldn’t run out, or again Elisha feeding 100 men with 20 barley loaves, or the Israelites in the wilderness fed with Manna. Jesus is here connecting himself with the ministries of Elijah and Moses, and in both these stories showing himself to be the God who was always providing for them.

John 6:32–33 ESV

Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

The disciples calling is to distribute the grace of Christ through God’s work in them. They will multiply the grace of God because of Christ in them, the hope of glory.

Conclusion: The Impossibly Compassionate Calling of a Disciple

John 6:35 ESV

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

This is ultimately what we get out of the passage, Jesus is the one who feeds our souls as well as our bodies. It is the job of disciples to distribute the body of Christ in the preaching of the Gospel. Those who accept him have his life enduring in them.

This ministry to the lost world is done in compassionate love by Christ. Though he must be sought, he does not turn away. He provides, and at no point turns one away to seek help and life somewhere else. Jesus is the fullness of our souls in totality. In distributing the grace of Christ, he leaves much left over for each disciple because, though we give ourselves to the world in his service, we will not go without if we remain in him.

So the final application of this text is twofold:

Come and feast with our loving and compassionate Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Become willing to be the tool of his grace by showing this compassion, especially through the spread of the Gospel which is the true healing of our souls and eternal life, to all. This is what he was preparing his disciples to do, and this is what he expects of his disciples today. Though you give out such grace, you will never run out. Though to spend it on those in need, there is plenty left over. Dive into the compassion of Jesus and see in that ministry the true Joy of walking after him who is our Lord and God.