The Feeding of the Five Thousand

Jesus cares for our souls and our spiritual needs. He said, “For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life?” (8:36). However, He also cares for our body and our physical needs. In Matthew 25:31-46 He tells us to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, give rest to the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit prisoners. There is no social gospel, but there are social ministries that are the natural outgrowth of the gospel. As Jesus had compassion for spiritual and physical needs, so should we. The hour is now late. The disciples bring this to Jesus’ attention and actually command Him to “send [the people] away” so they can “buy themselves something to eat.” The tone of their request may be a bit harsh, but we can certainly understand the logic of it. Further, the people are becoming something of a nuisance.

139The number of men present was five thousand. Add women and children and the number may have been between 15, 000 and 20, 000! This makes Jesus’ response all the more outlandish: “You give them something to eat.” The Twelve say, “Send them off,” and Jesus says, “Feed them.”

God wants us to have compassion on those in need, and He wants us involved in their lives meeting both spiritual and physical needs. We indeed minister to the whole person. That’s what Jesus did.

Mark 6:37-44

It is one thing to recognize a legitimate need. It is another to do something about it (cf. Jas 2:14-17).

At first blush Jesus’ command to feed them seems unreasonable, even insane. Still the disciples give it their best shot. Full of unbelief, they at least obey the instructions of their Master, and they will actually participate in one of the Lord’s greatest miracles.

Given a command to feed the people, the apostles do a quick cost assessment. They calculate it would take two hundred denarii—eight months’ wages—to feed the crowd. They do not have that kind of money. Strike one! Jesus then asks them what they have. They quickly survey the crowd: five loaves and two fish. John 6:9 teaches us these sardines and crackers were given by a young boy. So all they have is the lunch a mother would pack for her boy. This is strike two!

The disciples obeyed, and this is all they were able to do. Their problem was now clearly beyond their resources. If Jesus does not intervene, then it’s not going to happen. But He does intervene. He commands them to get organized, so in obedience they sit down by groups of fifties and hundreds (cf. Exod 18:21). Now let the party begin!

God loves to demonstrate His power and sufficiency in our lives. Often He allows problems to invade our lives that are far beyond our abilities or resources to handle. Why? He wants us to look to Him. Warren Wiersbe is exactly right: “Jesus looked at the situation, not as a problem, but as an opportunity to trust the Father and glorify His name” (Be Diligent, 65).

Jesus now serves as the Host of a messianic banquet. The desolate place becomes a place of plenty. As Moses met Israel’s physical needs with manna140 and quail, a greater Moses, who is not only the “good shepherd” (John 10:11) but also the “bread of life” (John 6:35), will now feed His people with an abundant feast unlike any they have ever known.

He took the five loaves and two fish and blessed it. Perhaps He prayed the common table prayer of the Hebrews: “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” (Edwards, Mark, 192). Then He broke it into pieces and distributed it through the disciples to the people.

“And they all ate and were satisfied.” None left hungry. His compassion is overflowing. His provision is satisfying.

Following the banquet, the leftovers were gathered. It was 12 small baskets full, one for each of the apostles. Where we see a lack, Jesus sees abundance. Where we see human problems, He sees and accomplishes divine possibilities. A little can become a lot with Jesus!

Sally Lloyd-Jones writes, “The Bible is not a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a story.... You see, the best thing about this story is—it’s true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling the one big story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them” (Storybook Bible, 17). Jesus showed His love and came to the rescue in a desolate place to feed the five thousand. He showed His love and came to the rescue in a lonely place on a hill called Calvary. There is a great hero in the Bible. He is our God. He is our Rescuer. He is our Shepherd. He is our Savior. He is Jesus.

Spurgeon said, “Come, then, weary hungry sinner. You have nothing to do but to take Christ.... Open your mouth and receive the food! Faith to receive what Christ provides is all that is needed” (Spurgeon’s Sermons, 21:1218).

Isaiah 40:11 says, “[The Lord] protects His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in the fold of His garment.” Let Him gather you. Let Him carry you.