(Matthew 15:33-39)
33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.
(Mark 8:1-10)
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.
10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.
Well? I can’t help but wonder what the difference is between the feeding of the 4000 and the feeding of the 5000. Are they truly two distinct miracles in Jesus ministry? You can read about the 5000 being fed in John 6:13 Over and above… There you’ll find that all four gospels give an account of the feeding of 5000. And you will find that there are distinct similarities between the accounts that definitively separate the 5000 from the 4000. After reading them all, I’m convinced that these are truly two different miracles; one with 5000 and the other with 4000. So I’m just gonna look at this independently of the other one and see what I can glean from here.
What stands out to me in these passages is one thing in the two different accounts. There’s a slight difference as to the distribution of the bread.
(Mark 8:6) [He] gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
Now both accounts say that Jesus gave to his disciples. But in Mark, it’s added this phrase, to set before them. This indicating a specific purpose as to why Jesus gave to the disciples. He gave them the task of setting the food before the multitude.
Jesus said to his disciples, (Mark 16:15) Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Boaz said unto Ruth, (Ruth 2:14) Come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar… By the Prophet Isaiah, (Isaiah 55:1) Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. And in the great words of the Revelation, (Revelation 22:17) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come…
He gave to his disciples to set before them. To those who walk with Jesus, his students and his disciples, he commissions this task, to set before them the bread; to distribute the bread, to give the bread, to present the bread, to serve the bread.
I think about John as Jesus’ disciple. As they sat to eat, he said of himself, (John 13:23) Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. The privilege and joy of being so close to Jesus does not come without responsibility.
(Matthew 15:36) [He] gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude…
Now in Matthew we see that a little better. The way Matthew writes it, we see an amazing order to all this. Jesus gives to his disciples, and then his disciples give to the multitude. Listen, it’s not visitors go first in this buffet. No. The disciples go first. (Now it doesn’t say that they ate before the multitude, but it doesn’t say they didn’t) My point is that the disciples, they who lean on Jesus’ bosom, get the bread from the hand of Jesus; while the multitude receive it by the hand of the disciples.
I like it when God moves in a service and we get help from the man of God. There’s no doubt. Oh, but there is no substitute when it’s just you and God, whether in prayer or in bible reading, by his own hand he gives you manna from above. Can I say this? There’s nothing like just snuggling up with God alone and receiving his sustenance, his provision, his bread.
Thoughts…
It is wondrous that Jesus fed 4000 people plus women and children from only seven loaves and a few fish. That is a miracle. But I suppose part of that miracle is who he used to accomplish that. I can’t help but get a picture of Jesus breaking that bread and giving it to the disciples. But it may be possible that the disciples then took the bread that Jesus gave them and likewise broke and distributed it to the multitude. It doesn’t say that Jesus particularly broke the bread 4000 times.
There’s nothing shocking about Jesus turning water to wine, feeding 4000 men from seven loaves of bread, and calming the storm. I mean, He’s God. (That’s why we sometimes capitalize His pronoun) He has all power and authority of this earth. But when he uses mortal, sinful, natural man to accomplish his divine, supernatural purposes, that can get pretty shocking and miraculous.
But then I suppose that is why Jesus said, (Luke 10:20) Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. We have to be careful to worship the miracle maker and not the miracle; Christ our minister not the ministry; the giver not the gifts. We worship the creator not the new creation. Seems like I’m getting off topic, but you do see that there can be idolatry in Christianity? There is privilege; yet there is responsibility. Maybe to be so concentrated on either to the neglecting of the other leads to idolatry. There’s a balance there. Anyhow, I’m gonna have think on this one some more.