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Commentaries
English
Mark
  
10. The Return of the Apostles From Their Missionary Journey, and the Feeding of the Five Thousand in the Wilderness
(Mark 6:30-44)
30Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.31And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.32So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.33But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him.34And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.35When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.36Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”37But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”38But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? God and see.” And when they found out they said, “five, and two fish.”39Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.40So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.41And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.42So they all ate and were filled.43And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.44Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.


Christ’s disciples returned to him from their missionary journey, and told him all the words and the power they gave to their nation in his name. First, Jesus took them aside to the wilderness that they might recognize quietly what God had done through them, and that they might not forget to give thanks for the joy of their experiences in the dwelling of the kingdom of God through them. Do you thank Jesus for the authority of his power through your service to your friends? Jesus leads you repeatedly to the calmness of thanking to praise God through your deep penetration into his works that you may not become proud and superficial, but humble and thankful.
However, the multitudes did not allow Jesus any peace or calmness, but followed him, arrived ahead of him, and crowded around him. How astonishing! Christ did not send them away though he was tired, but loved them. He knew their hunger for righteousness, and their longing for love and mercy, so he preached them with the law of his Spirit, and explained to them the saving grace of God.
Imagine how the Holy One preached the people for long hours while they sat around him on the grass of the wilderness, and paradise came down into their thirsty hearts! When it was evening, the people became hungry after their fatigue during the day.
The disciples thought of the food required for the body, feeling with the hunger of the multitudes, this hunger, which causes today revolutions of destruction and increasing ruin in our world.
And when Jesus asked his followers to prepare food for the multitudes, the disciples counted quickly and exactly that feeding such people needed considerable amounts of money with many carriages to carry the materials and foods. They planned with their consideration as if they were skilful traders, managers of charities, and psychologists. However, Christ being the Son of God had no need of men’s calculations and means. He was determined to be merciful to the spiritually hungry multitudes around him, and to fill them with bread too. So he invited all the people to a holy banquet, for he had the power to make a little go a great way, as he wipes off many sins with his precious blood.
Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish from the hands of his disciples. He put them before God his Father, and thanked him openly for the little that they had. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to distribute them. They stared in amazement, and witnessed how the Son of God sat among men giving of his fullness grace for grace.
The remaining food and fragments after the banquet were more than the food in the beginning. This was done by the blessing of God through the thanksgiving of Christ. As he broke the bread for the multitudes, so he broke his body that we might be reconciled to God, be nourished spiritually with him in the Lord’s Supper, and become strengthened in love and service.
Did you recognize the mystery of the blessing of God offered to every man? It is thanking God for the little that we have. This thanksgiving in faith is the key of the door leading to the treasures of God. Believe in the help of Christ who is near to you, thank him for the little that you have, and trust his will and power, for he wants to help you together with your friends with bodily and spiritual food at all times. Never forget to thank.

Prayer
O Lord, forgive us our unbelief, and little thanking. Teach us to love the multitudes, as you were merciful to them. We thank you for your forgiveness, and for all your known and unknown blessings. We seek wisdom to bring these privileges to our friends that they may be changed and not think of bread first, but serve the strangers and all those who long for your kingdom. Amen.
Question
What is the mystery of feeding the five thousand?