The Gospel of Mark Part 27

Joshua Steele

The Gospel of Mark • Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

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In Psalm 23, we have a portrait of the LORD as a Shepherd…a loving, tender protector and provider of His people.

Here in our Mark 6 passage, we have another portrait of that same Shepherd.

Like the one portrayed in the well-known Psalm, this Messianic Shepherd, Jesus of Nazareth, is filled with compassion, willing to teach, and provides for those in need.

I. The Shepherd’s Call (v.31-32)

II. The Shepherd’s Compassion (v.33-34)

III. The Shepherd’s Command (v. 35-40)

IV. The Shepherd’s Care (v.41-44)

I. The Shepherd’s Call

Mark 6:31–32 NKJV

31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

The 12 apostles had just returned from their mission - which had taken some time…many days at least…to complete.

They were excited about what had happened, but they were also exhausted.

And Jesus, the Good Shepherd, asks these 12 sheep to rest, get away from the crowds, and be refreshed and recharged and restored.

We see this same focus in Psalm 23:3

Psalm 23:3a (NKJV)

3 He restores my soul;

the word “restores” here is really not much different than the Greek word Mark used there in verse 31, where Jesus instructs them to “rest”.

Jesus, knowing the limitations of the human body and mind, desired for His men to rest…and He desires us to rest as well. We need to make time for rest in our lives.

Busyness is not always the same as holiness…we need to be restored and rested from time to time.

And the Shepherd is not recommending rest…He is requiring rest.

Mark 6:31–32 (NKJV)

Notice that this rest is AWAY from the crowds…remember that in Mark, the crowds often represent problems for the ministry…of course in many ways the crowds ARE the ministry…but they do present their share of problems for the ministry as well.

The Shepherd’s rest is not only rest in itself, but it is rest alone, with just you and Him.

Matthew 6:6 NKJV

6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

II. The Shepherd’s Compassion

Mark 6:33 (NKJV)

33 But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him.

We will see Jesus’ compassion in verse 34, but first we need to catch some interesting things here in verse 33.

It seems that the people seemed to have at least some knowledge of Jesus movements…He had travelled to this lonely place before and people began to pick up on that.

Also, this was not a trip across the main body of the lake…it was cutting across the northern corner.

Luke’s account tells us that the desolate place belonged to the town of Bethsaida, which was northeast of Capernaum.

Mark 6:34 (NKJV)

34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.

Now we see the compassion of the Good Shepherd on display.

The crowds present problems, to be sure, but they are also needy and without leadership or care.

The plans for solitude and rest are temporarily abandoned when the need presents itself.

Mark tells us that He taught them many things. The people were in need of truth…in need of leadership…in need of help and wisdom and knowledge.

Luke’s account states that He also healed those that needed healing.

Luke 9:11 NKJV

11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

The Gospel according to Mark Feeding the Five Thousand (6:31–44)

Although this image elicits pictures of Jesus helping weak and helpless sheep (Matt 9:36), a pastoral connotation is not its primary connotation in Jewish tradition. As a metaphor, the shepherd of sheep was a common figure of speech in Israel for a leader of Israel like Moses (Isa 63:11), or more often of a Joshua-like military hero who would muster Israel’s forces for war (Num 27:17; 1 Kgs 22:17//2 Chr 18:16; Jer 10:21; Ezek 34:5; 37:24; Nah 3:18; Zech 13:7; Jdt 11:19). It is, in other words, a metaphor of hegemony, including military leadership and victory.

Isaiah 63:11 NKJV

11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying: “Where is He who brought them up out of the sea With the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them,

III. The Shepherd’s Command

Mark 6:35–37 (NKJV)

35 When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. 36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.” 37 But He answered and said to 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 them something to eat?”

Now the weary disciples are even more weary…it’s been a LONG day, and they are ready for a break.

They know that Jesus is in charge - He is one that can break up the crowd…He is the one that they will listen to.

But then Jesus turns the question around on them…He commands THEM to provide the needed food.

The disciple’s response reveals the impossibility of their completing this task.

Jesus remains calm and undaunted by this lack of resources - He is in command!

Mark 6:38–40 NKJV

38 But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.

Jesus isn’t interested in what they DIDN’T have…He wants to know what they DID have.

God responded to Moses in much the same way when he questioned God’s command:

Exodus 4:2 NKJV

2 So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”

Jesus is not concerned about lack of resources…lack of ability…lack of talent.

Jesus is most concerned with their willingness to obey Him…and it is no different with us. Jesus wants our obedience first…then He will provide what is needed and many times in abundance of what is needed, as wee will see in this case.

Mark 6:38–40 (NKJV)

So the disciples return with the report of current resources - a tiny amount of food…just enough for one person’s meal…not thousands.

Notice Jesus’ unflinching response - Have them sit down…He doesn’t even seem to acknowledge the ridiculously small amount of food. He is unfazed by the obvious shortfall.

His only requirement is obedience…and organization - they need to sit and they need to be in organized groups so that all can be done decently and in order. (1 Cor. 14:40)

Notice that the grass is green - not a common thing in the arid middle east…which tells us that this happened in the spring of the year, probably around the Passover time.

This was likely about one year before the Passover on which Jesus died.

Also, there is a note of Psalm 23:2 here:

Psalm 23:2 NKJV

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

The Good Shepherd is caring for His sheep!

Also Psalm 23.5

Psalm 23:5 NKJV

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

Jesus was about to provide a table for His sheep.

IV. The Shepherd’s Care

Mark 6:41–42 NKJV

41 And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. 42 So they all ate and were filled.

Notice that Jesus “had taken” the food.

The men had to give it to Him - the resources had to be surrendered to the only One who could do anything with them.

Also, Jesus prays by “looking up to heaven”. This was a common way to pray by this era of Judaism.

He likely began with the common words of the table prayer often used by the Jewish people:

“Praise be to you, O Lord our God, King of the world, who makes bread to come forth from the earth, and who provides for all that you have created.”

Mark 6:41–42 NKJV

Then, after He blessed the food, He broke the bread and He divided the fish.

Certainly we see a glimpse of the Lord’s Supper here, but this was not meant to be a foreshadowing of that ordinance.

The breaking of bread was typically done by the father or leader of the home and then distributed to the family. Jesus was simply following that procedure.

Also, no fruit of the vine is present, and fish have no place in the Seder meal, neither do leftovers, which we will get to shortly.

Besides the resurrection, this miracle is the only miracle contained in all four gospels.

This is a symbol of how God provides for His children.

We have already seen examples of this previously in Scripture:

Deuteronomy 8:16 NKJV

16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end—

Psalm 78:24 NKJV

24 Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.

This was a sign from Jesus that He was here to shepherd His people Israel.

Mark 6:41–42 NKJV

Notice that both the food and the disciples playa role in this miracle.

Certainly, the food being multiplied was done by Jesus alone, and likely happened in His hands as He broke apart loaf after loaf and dried fish after dried fish...

…but the food had been provided by someone and the disciples had the task of distribution…Jesus utilized multiple individuals in this miracle.

And the disciples had acted on faith - they didn’t understand what this one little lunch would do, but Jesus had asked for it, He had asked for the people to sit in groups, and He had asked the men to distribute the food…and they obeyed…without knowing why.

And the result is there in verse 42: “all ate and were filled.”.

No one was left out.

No one left hungry.

All were cared for - it was a feast!

Jesus took one small portion and turned it into a massive Thanksgiving feast! People had as much as they wanted and more!

This wasn’t a snack to tide them over…they went away COMPLETELY SATISFIED!

Mark 6:43–44 NKJV

43 And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

Each disciple had a basket of food left over from what he had been delivering the food with.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is making sure that when His men do get to rest, they have something to eat .

The word used here for “men” is indeed the word for male individual - not mankind or humans.

Matthew’s account confirms this:

Matthew 14:21 NKJV

21 Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Likely 10,000 plus people ate until they were stuffed that day!

Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield, West Virginia is a high school football stadium that has just over 10K seating capacity.

As we consider this amazing miracle, we often picture it as we might have as children…seeing the happy crowd eating and being satisfied…and they certainly were!…But there is another part of this that we need to grasp if we are to see things as they were:

Acts 5:37 (NKJV)

37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.

John 6:14–15 NKJV

14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

It was not yet time for Jesus to be King on earth.

This was what Satan offered Him and now men were offering it to Him and He refused by disappearing into the wilderness…it was not the right time.

Before Jesus could ride His white stallion down to the Mount of Olives, He had to first ride a borrowed donkey into Jerusalem and be crucified as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

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