Luke 9:10-17 - Christ’s supply always equal or exceed demands

In Luke 9:9, Herod’s question precipitated Jesus’ move to take His disciples to Bethsaida. Remember, He had sent the Twelve out to preach and minister. Their ministries had made great impact and many sick folks were healed. It was true that while healing took place through the disciples’ hands, the source to the healing came from the Lord. So Herod thought that John the Baptist had returned from the dead. He reasoned to himself saying, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things.” Immediately following that musing, Luke recorded the account of the feeding of the 5,000.

This supernatural provision of bread for the people is also found in the other three Gospels. Here in Luke, as in all the Gospels, this account marks a major turning point in Jesus’ life and ministry. It brought His Galilean ministry to a conclusion. From here, He would move to the coastal cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Caesarea Philippi, and then to the Transjordan area, before going down to Judea and Jerusalem. This great miracle is primarily a revelation of the person of Christ. Through it, He’s being portrayed as the all sufficient Lord, who would provide for all our needs. In fact in John’s Gospel on this account, He proclaimed, “I am the bread of life” after the 5,000 were fed.

According to verse 12, Bethsaida was a desolate place. From where they were, it would take approximately about four miles to travel to by boat or about eight miles by walking. When the people saw that Jesus and His disciples set sail toward Bethsaida, they started up north along the edge of the lake. Finally thousands congregated on the retreat site where Jesus and His disciples were. We were not told how the disciples felt, but there are hints that they were annoyed and even resentful for being deprived of their much needed rest and retreat. But it was not so with Jesus. In verse 11, Luke tells us that He “…welcoming them …began speaking to them about the Kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.” Basically Jesus was calling them into Kingdom ethics and living, and to a life of humility and repentance.

Jesus had ministered for hours. Then the disciples came telling Him, ‘Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” They were not suggesting. They were instructing the Lord what to do. They were being disrespectful. Could the success they had experienced in the ministry earlier had gotten into their heads?  This tells us how far short they were in their understanding of Christ, despite being with Him and watching Him meeting every need without turning anyone away. Although they were absolutely right that the people needed food and rest, they were in fact thinking about themselves.  

Verse 14 tells us that there were about five thousand men. The disciples couldn’t imagine where to find food for so many people. But verse 13 tells us that they knew exactly the amount of food they had with them. They had no more than five loaves and two fish. It was certainty grossly inadequate to feed such a huge multitude. The logical thing to do is to send the people away to get their own food and lodging. Their suggestion, though a pragmatic one, was picked up by the Lord as a good teaching moment. Having had the crowd organized into groups of about 50, the Lord took the loaves and fish, raised them to heaven towards God and blessed them. He then broke it and gave it to the Twelve to be distributed to the people. What's amazing is this: every time they had distributed what's in their hand, more would appear. So at that very evening, everyone had their fill, and yet there were 12 baskets full of broken pieces of leftovers.

This account points to Christ as the source of all our needs and longings in life. He is generous! Regardless of what need we have, be it a spiritual, mental, emotional or physical, His supply always exceed, if not equal to, all the demands of our needs! There is no problem too big that Christ cannot solve; no resource too little that He cannot multiply. What is needful is our willing surrender. When we are willing to surrender our loaves and fish, no matter how little, He multiplies to meet needs!