Mark 8:1-10 – A lesson re-enforced

This account continues from the healing of the deaf and dumb man whom Jesus had healed in the previous chapter. Verse 36 of Chapter 7 tells us that despite Jesus’ instruction not to publicize the healing, they did it all the more. So the great crowd of people who learned of the healings of that deaf and dumb man gathered to listen to the Lord. They remained with Jesus for three days to listen to Him.

There are those who claimed that this account is the same as the feeding of the five thousand recorded in Mark 6:33-44 but put in a different way. A closer look will help us see that the circumstances that had the crowd coming was different. Furthermore, both Matthew and Mark took care to make sure that we, the readers, understand that they were two separate incidents. The number of people that partook of the bread was also different. Although the food used to feed the crowd were also bread and fish, the loaves were seven and not five and the number of fish was not two but described as a few. So this is definitely a different occasion when the multitude was fed.

Notice also in this account it was Jesus who initiated the idea to feed the people. It arose from His compassion for the people who had gone without food for three days. He was also concerned that they might faint on the way home. Apparently, the disciples did not learn from the feeding of the 5,000. It did not occur to them that the last time the bread that were produced to feed the multitude was also in a desolate desert place. At least this time they had two loaves of bread more and a few more fish. So the people were made to sit down as the Lord took the bread and boke it and gave thanks. Then He gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people. The Lord also did the same for the few fish and had them served as well. Like the last time, they all had their fill. Despite feeding 4,000 people whom He sent away satisfied, the remnant of the leftover that was picked up were seven baskets full.  Jesus immediately left in a boat with His disciples and went to Dalmanutha.

The question we ask is: what further lessons can we learn from another account about people who were fed with supernaturally multiplied bread? For one, we know that the same lesson about Jesus being the bread of life, had to be made known not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles as well. Jesus wants all to know that He is the bread of life. Secondly, we know that for a miracle to happen there must be a collaboration between us and our Lord. Like the disciples, we need to begin with what we have. The Lord asked them how many loaves they had. In other words we have to begin with whatever we have. We begin by practically doing what we can do. Then the Lord will undertake to undergird it with His power and supply. We don’t wait for a perfect condition when we have the perfect gift to serve. We just begin with whatever we have and we begin now. Thirdly, whatever we have is never too little for the Lord to begin with. He is the all sufficient One. And He is more than enough for us. That’s the reason the 4,000 went away satisfied. This second incident also tells us that the Lord will teach us again and again till the lesson is caught and understood. If we wonder why we are traveling the same familiar route in our spiritual journey, it’s because we still haven’t learned the lesson He wants us to learn.