MARKAN MEDITATIONS

Meditations in the Gospel of St.Mark

St. Mark 8:1-13

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THE FEEDING of the 4000 is another well known story in the Gospels, and again we read the story in all the Gospels. The story yields some worthwhile lessons. Let us seek to see what they are.

Firstly let us note the attitude of Jesus to the problems and pains which life in this world brings. The crowd made up people from all sorts of background and character. Jesus treated them all alike when he fed them. He did not inquire into their worthiness before he showed compassion to them. We are told in verse 2 that Jesus had compassion on everyone there. His compassion made him set about supplying their need of food.

It is so common to hear people attributing every problem and suffering in the world to Jesus. He is blamed for all the disasters. It is true that the Bible reveals to us that God does from time to time send judgement upon areas and nations, but the general source of all suffering and pain in the world is found in the devil. Ever since sin entered the world, Satan has had authority in the world and over humanity. He spends his malice in creating disasters, and exciting the sin within humanity to explode into all kinds of failures, disasters and sufferings. This is not to say that human beings are not responsible for their actions because they are, but the devil manipulates the sin within us to bring about the pains we experience in the world; and also within the authority allowed him, he engineers disasters to bring the maximum destruction and pain.

Jesus on the other hand has compassion on us in these sufferings. He acts to alleviate suffering through various means. He came to destroy the works of the devil, and so he won the victory over the devil through the cross. Jesus will final come again to judge the world, and the devil will finally and forever be bound in hell. Until that final consummation of all things, the devil still has power in the world. It is not Jesus, but the devil we must attribute all suffering. Jesus is always one we can turn to for help and blessing. His character is full of compassion for us.

Next when Jesus tells his disciples he is planning to feed the 4000, the disciples say in verse 4 "but where can we get bread". This reminds us of human weakness and impotence. With all the scientific advance in the world today, mankind thinks that it is powerful, and getting more powerful. No amount of examples of impotence to solve the problems of the world ever seems to blight this overall arrogance. The truth is that with all our knowledge and cleverness today, we are still unable to control our environment or control our sinful propensities, but rather find ourselves unable to stop humanity corrupting and destroying God's creation. There are so many problems today, and most are identified, but there is no answer to them, and little will to solve them. Self-interest in the present mitigates against change for the better.

Let us face the impotence of humanity illustrated here in this story. If we will only accept it, face it, and fear it, then we will seek the Saviour as the only one who can bring salvation.

Then we come again in verses 5 to 9 to be presented with proof of Jesus' power to bring salvation to humanity if only they will turn to him. Jesus did the impossible and created bread and fish to feed all these people. Jesus demonstrates his power as God here over the world, and all that is in it. He is overthrowing here the works of the devil. We know from the Bible that he provided our salvation in his life and death.

So we learn the way of power, the answer to our impotence. The disciples had no means to feed the crowd, however when they trusted Jesus implicitly, and then followed his instructions exactly, the impossible was done. The food was provided and the crowd fed. Here is the answer to human impotence. First we must trust Jesus as Saviour, then we must live our lives seeking always to live according to the way of the Lord found in the Bible, and also in every detail of life looking to Jesus for his guidance and direction. We shall not hear audible instructions, but with such a prayerful attitude of mind we can expect that Jesus will order our lives for good.

Then let us notice how wonderful Jesus is to those he blesses. We read that the crowd were satisfied. Their hunger was completely met, even to the provision of more food than was necessary. This is an example of bodily satisfaction, and those who trust the Saviour can look to him to see that they are provided for in relationship to this temporal life. But the truth goes deeper. Jesus satisfies our whole being. When we are Christians and are living for Jesus, then we find true satisfaction in life. Our life is fulfilled. We also find that we are given the grace to face and come through all the trials and troubles of life. The more we totally give ourselves in trust to Jesus, the more we shall prove that he satisfies.

Verses 11-13 talks of something that follows the miracle of the feeding of the 4000. We find Jesus facing the opposition of the world and the darkness engendered by Satan. It seems on the surface that Jesus is treating the questioners in less than a loving and helpful way. However Jesus knew what was in their heart. They were not asking the question for a sign so that they could be brought to faith. They had plenty of signs already. Rather they were asking the question in order to bolster up their unbelief. We can see this when we read they asked for a sign to test him. There is a very solemn lesson here. It is that if people consistently seek to deny the evidence of Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and their only reason for enquiry is to seek to prove that Jesus is not God and Saviour, the time will come when no more helps to faith will be given, and Jesus will give them over to their unbelief. This is a terrible thing, because they are then shut out of the kingdom of God.