7th Sunday After Trinity 2016

July 10, 2016

Mark 8:1-9

“Feeding the four thousand”

I heard a story about an ancient Eastern king, which illustrates our human delusion respecting natural processes, and also God's work and presence in them. The story goes like this: The king was seated in a garden, and one of his counselors was speaking of the wonderful works of God.

"Show me a sign," said the king, "and I will believe."

"Here are four acorns," said the counselor, "will you, Your Majesty, plant them in the ground, and then stoop down for a moment and look into this clear pool of water?"

The king did so, "Now," said the counselor, "look up."

The king looked up and saw four giant oak-trees where he had planted the acorns. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed, "This is indeed the work of God."

The counselor then asked him, "How long were you looking into the water?"

"Only a second," said the king. That is when the counselor told the king, "Eighty years have passed as a second." The king looked at his garments and they were threadbare. He then looked at his reflection in the water and saw he had become an old man. The king angrily said, "There is no miracle here, then."

The counselor answered, "Yes, there is. It is God's work, whether he did it in one second or in eighty years."

In today’s gospel, the feeding of the crowd of four thousand is generally considered to be a separate event and not a repeat of the first miracle when Jesus fed the five thousand. Jesus mentions both miracles, later, in verses 19–20 showing they are separate events. And there are enough differences between the two to believe that they are accounts of two separate events.

This time, the crowd was gathered not by Lake Galilee, but in the region of the Decapolis. The Decapolis, which is Greek for “Ten Cities,” was on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire, in the southeastern Mediterranean. Jesus had been in Tyre and Sidon, earlier, and as we have seen in a previous chapter, both Jews and Gentiles populated this region. There is a very interesting point about the crowds gathered here. Remember the demon-possessed man named “Legion,” who lived in the tombs and cut himself with stones, in Mark chapter 5 and Luke chapter 8? After Jesus drove the demons out of him and into the swine, the crowds urged Jesus to leave. But, the healed man stayed behind and asked to go with Jesus. For a long time I found it odd that Jesus told this man, “No.” Throughout the Gospels Jesus asked people to “take up your cross and follow me,” but here he told the man he healed, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” It is possible that the people now gathered were a result of his witnessing to Christ’s intervention in the healed man’s life.

This miracle of feeding four thousand men probably included numerous Gentiles. While Jews had been the recipients of the first miraculous meal, the Gentiles were fed this time. This symbolizes a time when all people, regardless of race or national origin, will share in the Lord’s Supper. The two feeding miracles emphasize that the kingdom will be made up of Jews and Gentiles. Previous to this, in chapter 7, Jesus talked about things that were “clean” and “unclean.” Gentiles were “unclean” to Jews. Jews couldn’t eat with them or even have contact with them, without becoming unclean. The miracle of the feeding of the four thousand validates Jesus’ teaching that only God can decide who is clean and who is unclean.

Jesus’ teaching had filled a spiritual hungering on the part of these people. They were so intent on his words that they had not eaten for three days. This audience had proved their right sense of spiritual values by three days of eager listening to the Lord’s preaching. Most of us have trouble sitting through a 45-minute sermon and they followed Him for three days without eating. It is not just that they were hungry, but that they were hungry in God’s service. Theirs was to be an experience of “seek ye first the kingdom of God … and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Jesus had probably gone without food for this time as well. But it was for his flock that he was concerned and felt compassion. He was also concerned about sending them home. Many of them had traveled great distances and might not make it home without fainting or becoming ill.

The location of this miracle was more remote than the location of the previous feeding miracle. In that place, there had been nearby towns where the people could buy food if necessary. This place was too desolate. Some interpreters take the disciples’ question, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?” as evidence of a lack of faith and a failure to remember the previous miracle. Others feel that the disciples were acknowledging there was no way for them to feed the crowds and that they were looking to Jesus in faith for another miracle. I think their question was more of the latter.

As in the previous miracle, Jesus asked the disciples to determine the amount of food they had. Again, it was inadequate. But Jesus took what they had—seven loaves and a few small fish—blessed them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute. As before, Jesus took a little and made much of it. In Jesus’ hands, there is no such thing as too little.

All the people were satisfied and the fragments were gathered. It is not necessary to affix a spiritual meaning to the number of baskets of fragments picked up. There were probably seven baskets because that is how many baskets they had. On this feeding occasion, four thousand men were present, not counting the women and children. So, the actual number was probably closer to ten thousand people or more. After feeding the crowd, Jesus dismissed them and then left, returning to Galilee.

In returning to Galilee, Jesus was returning to a discussion with the Pharisees. In contrast to the faith encountered in Gentile territory, Jesus encounters disbelief in Galilee. The Pharisees demanded a sign from Jesus. One wonders just how many signs they needed! These people, with their superior intellect and knowledge, should have recognized Christ at once. And yet, they refused to have their eyes opened. Through their stubbornness and rebellion, they remained blind and deaf while others around them were healed.

The phrase sign from heaven may mean that they expected a miracle from heaven, not the earthly miracles Jesus had been performing. If they had just heard about the miraculous multiplication of the bread and fish, perhaps they wanted Jesus to bring down manna from heaven. As Luke records in 16:31, however, those who are set against the Lord will not be convinced even if a person is raised from the dead.

Jesus would not perform signs or miracles on demand. He would not bless unbelief. He could do nothing to convince these people, so he left them to their unbelief and blindness. Jesus’ rapid departure is a signal of his great indignation for these leaders.

There are times when talk is useless. In Jesus Sermon On The Mount, He told us, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” That is very clear guidance to recognize who you are trying to witness the gospel too and don’t waste your breath on those who refuse to believe.

When we move on from this part of Mark’s gospel, it is important for us to remember that nothing is inadequate in Jesus’ hands. That includes your faith. Many times you will feel as though your faith is not enough to sustain you. But, when your faith is in the Lord’s hands he will multiply it beyond anything you could hope for.

Let’s pray. Lord, we thank you for your Word. We thank you for showing us, through the Scriptures, how you will provide for those who put their trust in you. We pray that you would put in us a Spirit of trust and faithfulness that will shine as an example to Your glory for those around us to see. And Lord, we also ask that you would grow in us a desire to be faithful witnesses to your gospel. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Fr. Bill†

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Fr. Bill Shepard†