Mark 8:1-10
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1 In those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He called the disciples and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a long distance.” 4 His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to feed these people?” 5 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked them. “Seven,” they said. 6 He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. So they served them to the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish, and after he had blessed them, he said these were to be served as well. 8 They ate and were satisfied. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. 9 About four thousand were there. He dismissed them. 10 And he immediately got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
Repetition
Repetition
Many can often confuse the feeding of the 4,000 with the feeding of the 5,000 that we just read over in Mark chapter 6.
Only Matthew & Mark have both of these stories in their gospels. There is a lot of debate as to whether or not there was really just one feeding or if there were actually two feedings.
Definitely could have been two. Not out of the realm of possibility.
The people that I read tend to think that there were actually two. And for good reason. It’s in the details.
Feeding of the 5,000 in chapter 6:
in Galilee, involved mostly Jews
5 loaves & two fish
people had been with Jesus one day
twelve baskets of fragments had been left over
small wicker lunch baskets
Feeding of the 4,000 in chapter 8:
near Decapolis, involved mostly Gentiles.
7 loaves & “a few fish”
people had been with Him 3 days
Seven baskets were left over.
Large hampers, big enough to hold a man.
When you get into the details… it’s easy to be able to see where it would be hard for this to have been the same situation.
Parallels between 6:31-7:37 & 8:1-30 as a whole is also interesting! We see more repetitive things happening.
Feeding the multitude: 6:31-44; 8:1-9.
Crossing the lake: 6:45-56; 8:10.
Dispute with Pharisees: 7:1-23; 8:11-13.
Discussion about bread: 7:24-30; 8:14-21.
Healing: 7:31-36; 8:22-26.
Confession of faith: 7:37; 8:27-30.
Most humans need repetition to learn. JESUS KNOWS THIS. And still to this day Jesus knows this.
How many of you are just great at hearing a name the very first time and having it down??
MEGA-DRILLING: technique to say something 30 times over and over.
Studies have shown that people need to see a message at least 7 times before it sinks in. Supporting the notion that people learn, & therefore remember by repetition.
Here we see the dullness of the disciples and how Jesus had to repeat His teaching & healings before they could really begin to understand who they were really following.
We should also understand here that we also need repetition. Not just with school work, but with understanding Jesus through the Word of God. And when you recognize that you continue to go through the same heartaches, pay attention because God may be allowing you to go through a lesson.
Discouraged
Discouraged
If we are thinking of this story in scripture as one that has happened again, different details, different people, different place… then in the perspective of the disciples this is very discouraging.
We find here discouragement from the blindness, unbelief, dullness of the AWE INSPIRING DISCIPLES!
These are people in scripture that we tend to hold up on top of these huge pedestals within our thinking… but this is just another reminder that these men were just like anybody else!
How had they completely forgotten the mercies of the Lord?
BUT, if some months had passed since the first feeding, and if since that time there had been several occasions when Jesus did not feed crowds, the disciples would have no reason to think that He would do so on this occasion.
So the statement in verse 4 may not indicate their forgetfulness, or that they had no idea that Jesus could do this. but that they did not know what He would do.
It could reflect an unwillingness to be bold in their understanding of Jesus and His power.
It does beg the question: How many times have we forgotten the mercies of the Lord, His work in our lives, only for Him to have to allow you to go through something again for you to learn and remember?
Encouraged
Encouraged
There is another piece of this story where we are again encouraged by our Lord’s compassion over the situation.
It seems as though He is more concerned in this story than the last over their physical well being.
We see Jesus have compassion over people in all sorts of ways. Compassion for those who are suffering physically, who are hungry, who are disabled, who are sick, who are unclean, when they are debt that they cannot pay back, when they are suffering and in need of a Savior.
Thank you Lord for a God & Savior who’s compassion is one of His top character traits!
We are also encouraged by His complete control over the situation.
Like an understanding parent looking after their children who are freaking out about a situation of which they have no idea how to handle...
Everlee right now is in this stage where it seems as though everything that happens is the end of the world!!
Jesus says don’t worry.
He’s got this. Jesus is at no point taken by surprise.
Another character trait that we praise Him for today is his sovereignty.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Students, this is the Savior we serve! THIS IS JESUS.
We need to remind ourselves that Jesus is still the same and has the solution to every problem.
Our actions from hearing this story is to trust Him- trust in His sovereignty.
give Him our all. & realize that it’s a process.
& obey. Specifically the model of compassion.