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 that 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 more than half a year’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 distribute to 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]
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What struck me today in reading the familiar account of the feeding of the 5000 is its connection to Jesus words in Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” In that passage Jesus was calling his disciples to place a priority on seeking the kingdom. They were not to worry for their earthly necessities, trusting in Jesus to provide all that is needful.
What we see in our passage from Mark is a crowd doing just that. Jesus had compassion on them since they seemed to be sheep with no shepherd. But they had found a shepherd in Him and were intent on hearing Him and being taught by Him – with little apparent thought for the passing time and the need for food. And so Jesus, true to His promise, provided for them. His miracle of the fish and loaves has connections to the miraculous feeding during the Exodus, but also connects to Jesus’ promises concerning the Kingdom.
This raises tough questions for us as we seek to apply this to our lives: Am I trusting Jesus’ promises enough to give the Kingdom the priority in my life? Am I more devoted to seeking the Kingdom and His righteousness, or in the acquiring of “all these things”? May Jesus grant us
Lord Jesus, lead my heart to pursue your kingdom and your righteousness, trusting in Your promises to provide.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Mk 6:30–44). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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