The Life of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels
FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND
The Life of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels
FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND
Lesson Plan:
1. Disciples Return – News of the Murder of John (v 30)
2. Seeking a Quiet Retreat Across the Lake (vs 31, 32)
3. Jesus’ Private Hillside School (Jn. 6:3)
4. A School of Practice (vs 33, 34)
5. The Committee on Ways and Means (vs 35-38)
6. Feeding Five Thousand Men (vs 39-42)
7. Gathering Up the Fragments (vs 43, 44)
8. Conclusion
Lesson Setting:
Time: In March, 20 A.D., directly after the martyrdom of John the Baptist and the return of the
Twelve.
Place: In the region of Bethsaida east of the Jordan, in the plain bordering on the northeast shore
of the Sea of Galilee.
Place in the Life of Christ: About a year before His crucifixion. The close
of His main work in central Galilee. His withdrawal into the regions north of the lake.
Research Thoughts: Geography of the lesson. Description of the scene in the desert. Why Jesus retired from Galilee. What drew the multitude to Jesus? The story of the little boy. Gathering up the fragments. Christ the bread of life
A Crisis in the Life of Christ: The Miracle of the Loaves, our present lesson, is the only one recorded in all four of the Gospels. This fact implies that it was of special importance in the Life of Christ; and we learn from the narrative that follows that it was a crisis, a turning point in His ministry. (a) He had completed His main ministry in lower Galilee, spending some time in the less populous regions to the north. (b) He was in the full tide of popularity. Never had greater multitudes crowded to hear Him and to be healed. His work outwardly was no failure. (c) The people were inclined, especially after the feeding of the multitudes, to receive Him as their leader in casting off the Roman yoke (Jn. 6:15), and to accept Him as fulfilling their idea of what the Messiah should do. It was a repetition of the third temptation of Satan, to turn from His spiritual work, gaining all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, by a way which would ruin His whole work. (d) The time had come when He must give more time to instructing His disciples, and preparing them for their great work. He had sent them forth alone to gain experience, to escape from the multitudes, and change His method. (e) He must change His teaching to a higher grade. He must overthrow their previous ideas of the Messiah, revealing to them that He must be a suffering Messiah, and must die in order to succeed (Matt. 16:21-28).
Scripture Reading: Mark 6:30 (also read Matt. 14:12)
1. Disciples Return – News of the Murder of John
The disciples who had been sent forth two by two throughout Galilee to carry on the work of Jesus without His immediate presence, had returned to Capernaum or its vicinity "and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught" (v 30), for Him to review, correct, and confirm. Then, like a flash of lightning, came the news that John the Baptist had been murdered, brought to Jesus by John’s disciples from Macherus. This crisis no doubt caused great excitement and commotion among the people, and the wild hopes raised among certain classes by John’s preaching might be transferred to Jesus, perhaps attempting to force upon Him their program of revolt.
Scripture Reading: Mark 6:31, 32
2. Seeking a Quite Retreat Across the Lake
v 31 ... "Come ye yourselves apart into a dessert place." Two reasons are given for this plan to leave Capernaum. (a) The change, according to Matthew, was made in view of the report of the execution of John. Jesus and His disciples were within the dominion of Herod. If he remained there, Jesus might be involved (at least in appearance) in a political revolt which would have been contrary to His principles, as well as destructive to His success in inaugurating a spiritual kingdom. It might cause the arrest of Jesus and His disciples, who were opposed to Herod’s sins as earnestly as John had been. And His death in such a case would put an end to the training of Jesus’ disciples, presenting Him in a false attitude before the world. (b) The need of rest.
v 31 ... "Rest a while." For they were weary from their laborious mission throughout Galilee, with unaccustomed responsibilities. They needed a quite retreat with Jesus, for rest and comfort and instruction, which they could not obtain where they were, for "there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat." Jesus may have also been away, and if so the people would have certainly missed His teaching and healing power. They needed this restful retirement: (a) For physical rest. (b) For instruction in review of their labors. (c) For communion with God. (d) For that wider and truer view of their work which comes from seeing it as a whole, as a landscape is seen from a mountain top. No one can do his best work without periods of rest from work. Every night a good sleep; every week a few days rest; periods of rest during the year; friendly visits; holidays; meeting with Christians to worship God and remember the death of our Savior – all needed if we would make the most of living life. Every tree and plant must have its resting time. Hyacinths need the dark for a few weeks to bloom well. There is a kind of crystallizing process, an unconscious cerebration, going on in one’s mind and soul during such periods of rest.
v 32 ... "Accordingly they departed into a desert place," pasture land, in the outskirts of Bethsaida in a sheltered plain on the lake shore enclosed by hills. It was part of Bethsaida much the same as farm land today is part of a nearby town.
v 32 ... "By ship," one of the fishing boats belonging to one of the Lord’s disciples.
v 32 ... "Privately," by themselves alone. Herod was bounded by the Jordan, so this was beyond his realm.
Scripture Reading: John 6:3
3. Jesus' Private Hillside School
Here the disciples could tell Jesus about their work in Galilee, a report which had been interrupted by the crowd. Now they would report in detail their successes and mistakes, where they were in doubt, and where they seemed to have acted wisely. Everything was laid before Jesus for His criticism, His praise, His guidance, and His suggestions. Doubtless as in the return of the seventy a few months later (Lk. 10:17-20) they “returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us,” when Jesus showed them that they placed too much emphasis on their power over evil spirits, and not enough on the spiritual and moral nature of the kingdom of heaven. How long this private session with Jesus continued, we do not know, but probably for some time. So should we tell Jesus all we do and speak? (a) It will comfort us to have His sympathy. (b) It will make us feel more clearly that we are workers together with Him. (c) It will keep us from those things we are unwilling to tell. (d) It will bring us into more intimate friendship and acquaintance with Jesus.
Scripture Reading: Mark 6:33, 34
4. A School of Practice
After a time the private instruction of Jesus was interrupted by the gathering of great multitudes in the plain below. Yet this was most opportune in that it enabled Jesus to re-enforce His lessons by practice, for the best criticism of any work is to place by its side the perfect ideal.
v 33 ... "The people saw them departing," knowing by the direction of the boat to what part of the lake they were going. Some recognized them and reported to others.
v 33 ... "Ran afoot," that is by land, in contrast with the disciples in the boat. This was doubtless early in the morning.
v 33 ... "Out of all cities," such as Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida. They ran round by the head of the lake, taking one of the fords of the river, so as to meet Jesus, who was crossing with the twelve by ship. They probably could watch the boat where Jesus was located the whole way.
v 33 ... "And outwent them." Some of them reached the place before the boat landed. These multitudes were largely increased by the fact, reported by John, that many pilgrims were on their way to the Passover Feast at Jerusalem. These would not only gather into the region of Capernaum to take the great road toward the south, but others would come down from the north through Bethsaida. The multitudes were attracted by what Jesus had already done. They had heard His gracious words for which their hearts hungered, and they “had seen the signs which he did on them that were sick” (Jn. 6:2), for they had need of the same help and were attracted by His personality and power.
v 34 ... "And Jesus, when he came out" from His hill-side retreat, "was moved with compassion" for their bodily needs as well as spiritual. Such a feeling should have inspired the disciples. “He healed their sick” (Matthew and Luke). Jesus did not repulse any because they came to Him due to lower motives; He sent them away with better ones. But His deepest feelings were for them as sheep not having a shepherd. Their religious teachers were not leading them to the true fold of God. And he began to teach them many things. Luke, “He welcomed them and spake of the kingdom of God.” How the disciples must have listened with new interest to what Jesus taught and how, as they recalled their own preaching during the previous weeks. Note: The way to draw crowds to the Gospel is to have something which men need, in a form that appeals to their hungering souls. There is little use in ringing the bell, be it ever so loudly, to call men to empty tables. This is the secret of full congregations of the body of Christ; full prayer-meetings; full Bible School classes; successful mission work. People crowd where there is something to satisfy their hunger, to heal their sick souls and weary bodies, to bind up their broken hearts, and lift them body and soul nearer heaven.
Scripture Reading: Mark 6:35-38
5. The Committee on Ways and Means
v 35 ... "When the day was now far spent." The first evening (Matt. 14:15) had come. His disciples came unto him. The fuller conversation is given in John. Putting all four accounts together we obtain a simple natural story. The Apostles come unto Jesus toward evening (Mark). Jesus (speaking to Philip, whose home was at Bethsaida, and who, therefore, was acquainted with the region and people); “Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?” (John). (This he said to test Him, for He Himself knew what He would do). Philip: “Two hundred pennyworth (‘denarii’ - a single denarii equivalent to a day’s pay for a day laborer; two hundred would equal 8 months’ wages; beyond the disciples means) of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little” (John). The Apostles: “Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat” (Mark). Jesus: “They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat” (Mark). The Apostles: “Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread and give them to eat?” (Mark). Jesus: “How many loaves have ye? Go and see” (Mark). Andrew (returning from the search, and speaking for the apostles): “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fishes; but what are these among so many?” (John). Jesus: “Bring them hither to me” (Matthew).
Scripture Reading: Mark 6:39-42
6. Feeding Five Thousand Men
An orderly arrangement: "Make all sit down" (v 39), ‘recline’, i.e., leaning on the left elbow as at a banquet, though on the ground. According to oriental usage women and men sat in separate companies.
v 39 ... "By companies," (Greek, ‘Symposia’) Like banqueting parties. The groups would be arranged in hollow squares open on one side for the waiters to pass in and out, after the Jewish and Roman manner at feasts.
v 39 ... "Upon the green grass," of which there was much (John). It was the beautiful fresh spring-time.
v 40 ... "And they sat down in ranks." The Greek means a garden bed, a parterre of flowers, referring to the regular rectangular arrangement in "ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties." Order thus preserved; distribution and counting made easy. Picture the sight: Five thousand men (besides women and children), reclining in orderly arrangement along the green mountain slope, no doubt spreading over an extensive space, probably several acres. It must have looked like a flower garden, as the afternoon sun shone on their bright-hued oriental garments.
v 41 ... "The five loaves" were round flat cakes about six inches in diameter, one-third to one- half an inch thick. These loaves were made from barley, used by the poorer people.
v 41 ... "The two fishes" (opsa’ria) were like our sardines, or smoked herring, or Russian caviar, or pickled herring of Holland, used to give flavor to bread.
v 41 ... "He looked up to heaven," as the source of all good, "and blessed." The Greek word means praised, celebrated with praise. The meaning differs little from the word used by John, “He gave thanks,” as was customary for the head of a Jewish household when his family gathered around the table. This is a beautiful custom, helping to make the true atmosphere of the family.
v 41 ... "And brake." "Gave them to his disciples to set before them." By thus allowing His disciples a share in the miracle, our Lord not only reached all the multitude more quickly, but He trained the disciples to work with Him and with one another, and He dignified them in their own eyes and those of the people by admitting them into this public partnership.
v 42 ... "And they did all eat, and were filled." So Jesus with His bread from heaven satisfies the hunger of the soul with enough for each, enough for all, enough forever more.
Scripture Reading: Mark 6:43, 44
7. Gathering Up the Fragments
v 43 ... "And they took up," at Jesus’ command, and that nothing be lost (John), "twelve baskets full of the fragments," remaining broken pieces; one basket full by each of the twelve disciples.
v 43 ... "Baskets." They were small hand-baskets specially provided for the Jews to carry Levitically clean food while traveling in Samaria or other heathen districts. They were made of rushes, reeds or ropes. Their sizes were probably variable, but the word is used for a Boeotian measure of capacity equal to two gallons. The gathering of the fragments was an object lesson of precious truth, completing the proof of the miracle. Why? Because more at the end than was there at the beginning. The gathering up of the broken pieces, as the crowd was dispersing in all directions amid the brilliant colors of the setting sun, makes a most interesting scene.
8. Conclusion
Applications For Today of the Multiplied Loaves – The hungering multitudes A large part of the world today is like the grassy plain near the Lake, crowded with people hungering for the bread of life, thirsting for living waters. They need: (a) Eternal life, (b) Their souls nourished and strengthened, (c) Love, (d) Forgiveness, (e) Hope, (f) Faith, and (g) Courage. They are dying for want of the bread of life. And Jesus, as of old, still looks down upon them with compassion, ready to heal the body and give life to the soul. Consider this statement: Jesus gave that meal to the multitude to teach His followers through all ages that, unless they cared for men’s bodily wants, they would never touch the moral and spiritual in them. Can you think of ways this might be applied today? Jesus Himself is the Bread of Life, as He told the people the next morning when He returned to the Capernaum shore. He not only gives us eternal life by His Spirit, but His coming, His life, His death, His resurrection, and His abiding presence, are all means to this life. Jesus Christ satisfies every hunger of the soul. Mind and spirit are filled with more hungers than the body, i.e., forgiveness, happiness, and knowledge. Christ’s salvation is as many sided as the nature of man. Jesus is the bread of life because He fulfills for the soul another function of food for the body, which is to generate warmth, vitality, energy, power, activity. This is one work of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus gives to us. “I live,” says Paul, “and yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me” (See Gal. 2:20; Col. 2:19). Whatever enlarges the soul, builds up character, increases faith, hope, love, knowledge, and all the virtues; whatever makes the conscience more tender and true, cultures the will, perfects judgment, enables the soul to work out a pure and holy life, fitting it for heaven – whatever does these things is the bread of life. We gain some helpful hints as to how Jesus is the bread of life from the power strong people have to inspire, strengthen, upbuild us. “No nobler feeling,” says Carlyle, “than admiration for one higher than himself dwells in the breast of man. It is to this hour, and at all hours, the vivifying influence in man’s life.” Now from these and similar statements familiar to educators, it is easy to see that ‘knowing Christ’ is coming into close contact with His heart and character, by studying Him, by loving Him, by keeping in sympathy with Him, by working with Him for His cause. It means a definite choice of Him, keeping Him ever before us as an ideal, till each of us finds Him.
Co-Workers with God: In Partnership with Jesus – Jesus conferred a great privilege on the disciples in making them the instruments of conferring His bounty. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Indeed we cannot receive the best things, material or spiritual, unless we give them to others. Jesus could have rained down manna, so that each person could have personally picked up enough to supply all his needs. But He chose to work in such a way that there must be co-operation on the part of His disciples before the multitude could be fed.
Illustration: A little boy heard his daddy pray for the hungry, the tired, and poor. When his daddy finished praying, the little boy said, “I wish I had your money, daddy.” “Why, what would you do with it?” the father asked. “I would answer your prayer,” the little boy answered.
What Are These Among So Many? – Again and again in their future work would arise the question, “What are these among so many?” These few disciples, these few instrumentalities, these weak powers, these few principles of truth, what are these among the millions of people to be brought into the kingdom, and the mighty powers of opposition to be overthrown? Jesus by His miracles showed them that in Him lay the power that could multiply these feeble instrumentalities. It was a miracle of instruction in cheer, hope, faith; a miracle of promise, of victory. Most of us have only one talent, but he who has one talent sometimes makes ten of it. We have only five barley loaves, etc., which indeed in themselves are useless, but when given to Christ He can make them enough to feed five thousand. And still we ask the same question, as we stand in the presence of the evils to be overcome, the work to be done, the multitudes to be converted to Christ, the power of the enemy. The hope of the world’s salvation is in the wonderful power of God in multiplying the little. Most of the great results in the world have begun in such a way.
Distributors of God’s Blessings – The business of every group of the body of Christ and every individual Christian is to distribute God’s blessings to others. When we give freely what God gives us, when we as individuals and a group distribute to others the blessings God bestows, we shall find that more is left than we received at first. A ‘missionary church’ doing most and giving most for the lost is most prosperous at home in all spiritual usefulness. Individuals will find the same rule holding true. They gain spiritual life by imparting it. They gain clearer views of truth by teaching others. This is one of the teacher’s greatest rewards. They grow richer in all that is best in life by giving freely of the money God give them.
Illustration: The Arithmetic of God – This is the arithmetic of the kingdom. Earthly arithmetic says, ‘Give, and want.’ Heavenly arithmetic says, ‘Give, and grow rich.’
Gathering the Fragments that Remained – Many of the most useful things we now have are made out of what was formerly thrown away as refuse and waste. The modern world is full of examples. A man makes a fortune by changing waste rubber and yarn into baseballs. The former refuse in making kerosene oil is now worth more than the oil. The same is true of the body of Christ, though not developed as fully as might be, i.e., changing slums into decent dwellings, utilizing many who were idle before; training the children and the young people for service to God; and in many other ways.
