You Give Them Something to Eat

The feeding of the 5,000 has occupied my thoughts a great deal lately.

This is the only one of the many miracles of Jesus that is recorded in all four gospels.

Matthew's account is in chapter 14.

Mark records this in chapter 6.

Luke documents this in chapter 9.

Finally, John describes this miracle in chapter 6.

All four accounts are remarkably similar.

Jesus ministers to a very large crowd.

Feeling compassion for them, He heals their sick.

His followers then want to send them away so they can buy food for themselves.

Jesus surprises His followers and says to them, "You give them something to eat."

His followers protest and reply, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."

John's gospel states that these were barley loaves and belonged to a boy as did the two fish.

It is reasonable to assume that these loaves were probably more like buns and the two fish were not very large.

In other words, this was probably the boy's lunch and surely not enough to feed thousands of adults.

Jesus instructs His followers to bring the loaves and the fish to Him.

He then tells His followers to have the people sit down.

Before anything else happens, Jesus gives thanks!

He then distributes the food to the masses and all 5,000 eat their fill.

Jesus then instructs His followers to collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.

The leftovers are collected and fill twelve baskets.

This miracle must have made a great impression upon Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as each included it in his gospel.

In reflecting upon it, three things stand out in my mind.

The first is that before the multitude was fed, Jesus gave thanks.

The second is that Jesus initially told His followers, "You give them something to eat."

Everything we have belongs to God.

Whenever we give we are, in essence, giving back to God what already belongs to Him.

Jesus reminded His followers that the poor would always be among us.

John 12:8 (NET) - "For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me!"

This is still the case and the words of Jesus ring truer than ever.

"You give them something to eat."

When we do, we should first give thanks and remember that what we give belongs to God already.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NET) - Each of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.

What is the third thing?

As abundant as His blessing was, He wanted none of it wasted.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 1, 2014.
I’All be back here on Friday, August 8, 2014