5000 Fed (and That’s Just the Men)

Remarkable Success Followed the Twelve

Earlier in Mark 6:7-13, Jesus sent out the twelve, two by two. He sent them with authority over unclean spirits and with specific instructions to take nothing extra with them. As they went, doing as Jesus instructed, they saw people respond to their message, they saw demons leave and they saw sick people made well.

Excited about their success, they gathered around Jesus to tell him about it.

Mark 6:30 (NET) Then the apostles gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.

Young, Energetic, Full of Themselves

Imagine for a moment. Twelve young football players lingering around together after their team just won the championship game. The coach enters the locker room and says, “I want each of you to tell me about your biggest plays, your best hits and your most surprising moments of the game.” The excitement the players would feel retelling their big plays would be the kind of excitement the apostles felt when they gathered around Jesus to tell them about their success on their mission.

The apostles were all young men, probably in their twenties and early thirties. Some were unrefined fishermen, boisterous and full of themselves. There was a political zealot and a tax collector among the collection of uneducated, but energetic young men. As they told Jesus about their journey they interrupted and talked over each other in their excitement to share with Jesus the news of their journey.

How I Imagine the Conversation

I can imagine Peter, wide-eyed with enthusiasm jumping into conversation, “Jesus, Jesus, I started telling this man he needed to change his thinking and turn to God!” Then, this voice came out of him.” “I remembered how you did it and I told the demon in him to get out!” “And it worked.” “First, he . . .”

Before he finished, John interrupts, saying, “And he fell down, writhing around . . .”

“Yeah!” “He writhed around like a, like a snake that had been hit with a stick,” Peter said.

John jumped back in, “Yeah, exactly!”

Peter continued, “Then I yelled at the demon.” “The man convulsed.” “Then, he was so still, we thought maybe he was dead!” “After a while, he moaned and blinked his eyes and said, ‘What happened?'”

“So we told him.” “Then he wanted to know about God.” John added.

“Yeah, so we started telling the crowd that had gathered about God and how he wanted to heal them and . . .”

“So then we started touching people and praying for them.” “They were being healed.” “It was amazing.”

Jesus Made Time for Celebration

Jesus listened attentively to all their stories, encouraging them as they shared. He encouraged them to celebrate their success.

In the same way, it is important for us to share our success and tribulations with one another. In the life of a believer, there will be both. There will be times of enthusiasm, growth and success. There will be times of discouragement, stagnation and failure.

It is appropriate to share with one another the good times and the bad times. Sharing in that way is part of the meaning of fellowship.

Jesus Used Times of Isolation

31 He said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat). 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to some remote place.

Jesus often went away by himself. At other times, he took others with him. Here, he and his closest followers were so busy tending to the needs of others, they didn’t have time to eat. At Jesus’ suggestion they sought to escape the crowds for the purpose of having a meal and a time of rest.

Rest Was Not to Be

33 But many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they hurried on foot from all the towns and arrived there ahead of them.

Since they were traveling by boat, the people on land, anticipating where he might go, hurried on and arrived ahead of them. There was no time to eat or rest.

It was not unusual for people to travel great distances to see and hear Jesus. His fame was unmatched except possibly by Caesar himself. To the Jews of this day, Jesus represented possibility.

Staggering under the weight of Roman oppression and taxation, they were looking for a political solution to their problems. They were looking for someone to deliver them from Roman rule. They were looking for a Jewish king, a conquering Messiah. Because of his works of power, many hoped Jesus was the solution, the king, the Messiah they hoped for.

Of course, Jesus was bringing in a new kingdom. But, not the kind the people were expecting. They were looking for an earthly kingdom. They were looking for a king to conquer the Romans and sit on the throne in Jerusalem.

Jesus was a king. He was inaugurating a kingdom. But, it was a completely different kind of kingdom. It was a kingdom where the greatest among them would serve rather than be served. It was a kingdom where righteous, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit would prevail. It was a kingdom of salt in the decaying parts of the world. It a was a kingdom of light in the shadows of the earth. It was a kingdom that will not be fully manifested until later when Jesus returns to this earth in power and glory.

The Jews were looking for the power and glory, now. They were looking for the kingdom in a form that will not come until Jesus returns, a kingdom that is to be a part of the resurrection of the dead. A kingdom of humility and service as well as power and glory.

Jesus’ Gracious Response

34 As Jesus came ashore he saw the large crowd and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things. 

As the good shepherd, even though he was tired and hungry, Jesus first met the needs of those he served. He taught them truths to help them order their lives and strengthen their hearts. He gave them encouragement so they could continue on in the difficulties and oppression they endured daily.

When we are concerned about how God feels about us, remember, he came to this earth to be our good shepherd. He has compassion on us. He sees our physical and spiritual needs. He looks for ways to meet them.

He is also aware we are in search of meaning. To meet that need, he enlists those who choose to be a part of his kingdom. He gives us gifts, talents and opportunities to use in service to others and to God so we are able to have a life of meaning and reward.

The Disciples Response

35 When it was already late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place and it is already very late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.”

While the apostles were concerned for the people, they were unaware of the way Jesus would choose to use his power. Not as a conquering Messiah, but as a servant King. Jesus will use this upcoming miracle to teach them how he wants his power used. It is a lesson they miss.

Understand, the kingdom of God is a kingdom of power. It has the power to stop a society from decaying and begin to flourish. It has the power to bring light to the darkest places. It has the power to transform lives.

Looking ahead to verses 51 and 52, Scripture says, “They were completely astonished, because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.”

There hearts were hardened because they were unaware their whole religious system was upended at Jesus baptism. In Luke 16:16, Jesus said, “The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed and everyone is urged to enter it.” 

They did not understand this kingdom. It was too different from their expectations.

They did not understand, Jesus was more than a present day solution, more than a political solution. They did not understand, he is living water. They did not understand, the kingdom Jesus was inaugurating was an eternal kingdom. They did not understand because their hearts were hardened by their expectations of a political, conquering Messiah king.

The disciples later argued about who would be greatest in the kingdom. That argument demonstrated their lack of understanding of the true nature of the kingdom and their continued hardness of heart.

Their hearts were not hard in terms of being uncaring. They cared deeply. Their hearts were hardened to any possibilities beyond their expectations of an earthly kingdom.

It was not until after Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that they understood the nature of their mission. It was only then that they understood the nature of the Kingdom of God.

37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said, “Should we go and buy bread for two hundred silver coins and give it to them to eat?” 38 He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five – and two fish.” 39 Then he directed them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to his disciples to serve the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and they picked up the broken pieces and fish that were left over, twelve baskets full. 44 Now there were five thousand men who ate the bread.