Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied.43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Take time to reflect on the passage. Jesus was teaching the crowd, but his primary teaching is about to occur with the 12 disciples. At the end of His time with the disciples, they still don’t understand the power of Jesus.
1)How could this be after they had been sent out and done miracles?
In vs. 43, after the crowds had eaten, a remaining 12 basket-fulls were collected. For “basket” the Greek word “kofinos” is used as opposed to “spyris” which is used in the latter feeding of 4000. Mark’s point is exacting. “Kofinos” means small, lunch sized baskets, opposed to larger carrying baskets. Jesus had provided the exact right amount for the crowd and also His disciples, only small lunch basket-fulls are left. Jesus knows how to provide. His understanding is exact. He can be trusted.
3) Why does Jesus begin to “pass by” the disciples who are in the wave-rocked boat?
4) How do the people’s responses on shore confirm the message of the story?
5) What do the crowds want from Jesus? Do they want to experience what He gives them in the form of a good life, safety, morality, feeling good about themselves? Or, do they want Him?
He feeds people miraculously. He walks on water and calms a storm. Yet he is not even welcome in his hometown and constantly rejected. This man is full of irony. Yet the greatest irony is coming “immediately”. The God-King will suffer on a cross.
6) If you are a Christian, why? Why do you follow or want to follow Jesus?