1/24/10 Mark 6:30-44

Mark 6:30-44 ³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  ³² So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.  ³³ But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.  ³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.  ³⁵ By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late.  ³⁶ Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”  ³⁷ But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”  ³⁸ “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five– and two fish.”  ³⁹ Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.  ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.  ⁴¹ Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.  ⁴² They all ate and were satisfied,  ⁴³ and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.  ⁴⁴ The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

1. I. The Context
   1. Disciples are returning to Jesus after he sent them out on their own for “ministry training”
   2. V. 31- Mark again portrays the crowd hindering Jesus’ ability to do things
   3. V. 32- He seeks (yet again) to get away with his disciples; v. 33 their attempt is foiled
   4. Preceding text is about death of John the Baptist; possible that Jesus was getting away to mourn his death
   5. Set in contrast to preceding text of sensual indulging banquet of Herod’s court; Jesus satisfied the crowd with the simple meal of a peasant’s diet

1. II. The Story
   1. Jesus has compassion on the crowds; sheep without a shepherd in need of guidance; he teaches them all day
   2. His teaching holds their attention all day; evening comes and they’re in a remote place
   3. Disciples want to send crowd away (perhaps for selfish reasons); Jesus uses it as opportunity to display his authority over nature and show compassion
   4. Jesus uses disciples to carry out the miracle; v. 37- You feed them
   5. Crowd organized into groups; disciples distribute food (2 loaves & 2 fish)
   6. They feed the crowd (may have been around 15,000) and end up with more than when they started

1. III. OT Connection and NT Claim
   1. Evokes image of God providing for people in the Wilderness with quail and manna during time of Moses (Exodus 16; Numbers 11:31-32)
   2. Jesus
      1. i.      The New and Greater Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Hebrews 3:1-6)
      2. ii.      Displays his authority as the Provider
      3. iii.      Is the bread of life (John 6:26-40)

1. IV. Application
   1. Our fulfillment comes from Jesus: the bread of life; find satisfaction in him
   2. God desires to use us in his work
   3. Jesus met the needs of the people; as the body of Christ, we (the church) are to carry out that ministry