Mere Satisfaction

“More?”

From chapter two of Oliver Twist

'Please, sir, I want some more.' The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear. 'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice. 'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.' The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle. The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said, 'Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!' There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance. 'For MORE!' said Mr. Limbkins. 'Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?' 'He did, sir,' replied Bumble. 'That boy will be hung,' said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. 'I know that boy will be hung.'

The evening arrived; the boys took their places. The master, in his cook's uniform, stationed himself at the copper; his pauper assistants ranged themselves behind him; the gruel was served out; and a long grace was said over the short commons. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered each other, and winked at Oliver; while his next neighbours nudged him. Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity:’ Please, sir, I want some more.' The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear. 'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice. 'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.' The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle. The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said, 'Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!' There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance. 'For MORE!' said Mr. Limbkins. 'Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?' 'He did, sir,' replied Bumble. 'That boy will be hung,' said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. 'I know that boy will be hung.'

'Please, sir, I want some more.' The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear. 'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice. 'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.' The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle. The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said, 'Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!' There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance. 'For MORE!' said Mr. Limbkins. 'Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?' 'He did, sir,' replied Bumble. 'That boy will be hung,' said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. 'I know that boy will be hung.'

We are made to be satisfied.

Satisfaction does not come by materialism alone.

We don’t just need stuff.

Locke’s Second Treatise on Government

“It being by him removed from the common state nature placed it, it hath by his labour something annexed to it, that excludes the common right of other Men. For this Labour being the unquestionable Property of the Labourer, no Man but he can have a right to what that is once joined to, at least where there is enough, and as good left in common for others.”

The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear.

A miserably wealthy culture

Property requires purposefulness.

'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice.

Patrick Deneen, Why Liberalism Failed

Because social status is largely a function of position, income, and geographic location, it is always comparative and insecure. While advancing liberalism assures that individuals are more free than ever from accidents of birth, race, gender, and location, today’s students are almost universally in the thrall of an economic zero-sum game. Accusations of careerism and a focus on resumé building are not the result of a failure of contemporary education but reflect the deepest lessons students have imbibed from the earliest age: that today’s society produces economic winners and losers, and that one’s educational credentials are almost the sole determinant of one’s eventual status.”

Christ reminds the disciples and the hungry multitudes that he must not only set the trajectory of their entire lives but also be the very grounds for their ultimate satisfaction in this world.

'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.'

A Revelation of True Abundance (vv. 1-11)

The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle.

A Misunderstanding of Eternal Life (vv. 12-15)

The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said,

1. A Revelation of True Abundance (vv. 1-11)

'Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!'

On the heels of a withering critique (5:31-47)

There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance.

The Jews have lack a true understanding of the nature of the God they claim to worship

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 5

For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47 But if you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe my words?”

“For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. But if you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe my words?” ()

For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47 But if you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe my words?”

'For MORE!' said Mr. Limbkins. 'Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?'

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Jesus is revealing through instruction (6:1-3)

'He did, sir,' replied Bumble.

The religious teachers of the times of Christ were n

Many are tagging along because of what they have seen him do (v. 1)

'That boy will be hung,' said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. 'I know that boy will be hung.'

Glamour doesn’t ensure certainty

Christ is now in session (v. 3)

The mountaintop continually serves as a place where God’s presence is made known

The burning bush on Mount Horeb ()

The ten commandments are given on Mount Sinai ()

Elijah comes into contact with Yahweh on Mount Horeb ()

Rather than giving a presentation of His eternal glory, Jesus takes a seat.

He has come to edify us.

The meaning of the feast (vv. 4-11)

The Passover was an example for God’s grace ()

“Keep this command permanently as a statute for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, you are to observe this ceremony. When your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ you are to reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when he struck the Egyptians and spared our homes.’ So the people knelt low and worshiped. Then the Israelites went and did this; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron” ().

Keep this command permanently as a statute for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, you are to observe this ceremony. 26 When your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 you are to reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when he struck the Egyptians and spared our homes.’ ” So the people knelt low and worshiped. Then the Israelites went and did this; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron ().

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). ().

The resounding theme of Exodus and the wilderness wanderings is God’s sovereign provision of His covenanted people

Two different kinds of disciples (vv. 7-9)

The pragmatist: Philip (v. 7)

He sees what they could have

The idealist: Andrew (vv. 8-9)

He sees what is already present before them

Both acknowledge a lack, but whereas Philip resigns to futility, Andrew believes there is still something to be done, regardless of apparent vanity.

This is Christ’s fundamental mission: to make known who God truly is in light of the confusion bred by fallible, finite human understandings of him.

“No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him” ().

No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.

The people receive God’s gift of provision (vv. 10-11)

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). ()

John mentions only 5,000 men, not 5,000 people (which would then include women and children in its estimation)

The inclusivity of the kingdom of God

Women were instrumental to Jesus’ earthly ministry

Then children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ().

“The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of her); Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions” ().

The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of her); 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

(). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

They were also the first ones to announce Christ’s resurrection ()

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Then children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ().

Calling Christianity a misogynistic and patriarchal religion has no warrant when we look to the testimony of Scripture.

Children represent the ideal disposition of a disciple

“Then children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, ‘Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” ().

Echoes of Exodus

So at evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew evaporated, there were fine flakes on the desert surface, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” because they didn’t know what it was.

“So at evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp. When the layer of dew evaporated, there were fine flakes on the desert surface, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, ‘What is it?’ because they didn’t know what it was. Moses told them, ‘It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’ ” ()

Moses told them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’ ”

God is giving something new to the world, a gift that they were not ready to receive but nonetheless desperately needed.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

2. A Misunderstanding of Eternal Life (vv. 12-15)

Christ provides a clear interpretation of the sign (vv. 12-13)

The importance was not in the sustenance itself; it was how it was illustrative of God’s plan for redemption.

The 12 baskets = the 12 tribes

The true kingdom of God is being restored through Christ, one of spiritual and not just material and political abundance.

They saw a sign, not the Son of God (vv. 14-15)

The recognition of glory in and of itself is not a sufficient means for understanding the nature of God (v. 14)

“You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder” ().

Our faith is not in miracles alone.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

The Son of God does not seek His own glory; he only desires to fulfill the will of the Father (v. 15)

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was taken away because of oppression and judgment; and who considered his fate? For he was cut off from the land of the living; he was struck because of my people’s rebellion” ().

he did not open his mouth.

No reign within the natural world can fulfill the ends of the eternal plans of God.

Carl F. H. Henry: “Is there political unrest? Seek first, not a Republican victory, or a labor victory, but the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Then there will be added – not necessarily a Republican or labor victory, but – political rest.”

8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment;

Conclusion

and who considered his fate?

Eternal life through Christ is all that will ever truly satisfy us.

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

Whenever we grow restless in our spiritual walk, perhaps it’s time we contemplate anew what first brought us to surrender our lives to the Lord in the first place.

Regardless of what might change, the bread of life will always be at the table, for the hands who offer it suffered so that we might have it forevermore.

he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.