THE feeding of the 5000 is a miracle performed by Jesus which almost everyone has heard about. Yet at every fresh reading of this extract from the life of Jesus there comes blessing. Sometimes the blessing of seeing something new, and sometimes a deeper and more profound understanding is given. In the Word of God, even the most familiar words, never lose their blessing however much we may read them.

There can be no greater blessing than to see the character of Jesus more perfectly. This account in Matthew commences with something not found in the other Gospels. It commences with an insight into the heart of Jesus. When Jesus heard of the murder of John the baptist we are told here that he withdrew to a solitary place. This is all we are told but we can see that the cause of his seeking solitude from the world here was because of the death of John. We see Jesus feeling the pain and sorrow of the suffering in the death of the one sent by his Father to prepare people to receive himself. No doubt he grieved over this awful sin and the sinfulness which produced this act. No doubt he reflected again and more deeply on the saving work he was going to do by his death. No doubt he grieved over the rejection of himself which he saw and felt in the people of Israel.

Taking this with the revelation of the compassion Jesus felt for crowds who thronged around him with their needs, we see something so very precious. Paul tells us in his epistles that we can see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This revelation of Jesus here before us is one of the places this glory is revealed. When we think of God, specially as we feel our sins and their guilt, God may seem a person of terror and unapproachable, but when we see God in Jesus, that terror is removed, and we have God revealed to us as one with a heart of compassion for us poor sinners. This means that no one need be afraid to come to God in their need for forgiveness and cleansing from sin, knowing that the sorrowing, repentant and faithful heart will always be healed. This revelation of compassion enhances our understanding of the heart of God in giving Jesus, his only Son, to die and so suffer the death and hell we deserve in our place, so that we may be saved from God's wrath, and reconciled to God.

This compassion of Jesus is seen in the whole miracle. The disciples wanted to send the people away, but Jesus in compassion was prepared to feed them. This brings us to the next thought which is so rich for our blessing as Christians. We see quite easily the love and power of Jesus in such a notable miracle, but do we see how Jesus uses us in his acts of compassion, and makes us the ministers of his compassion in the world.

The disciples saw only five barley cakes and two small fish, a meal for just one, and they could not see the potential in this small amount when it was placed in the hands of Jesus. This is so exhilarating as we apply it to the spiritual work of Christ's people. Like the disciples our resources for ministry and witness are so small. We have so little understanding of spiritual things, and so little gift in sharing it. The church has so few resources for its mission in the world. We can't see how we can make any difference, let alone how we can provide spiritual food for the great number in our society which need the blessings of salvation and the gospel. What we need to see is that our little, placed in the hands of Jesus, is returned to us as abundance that is able to feed multitudes with the spiritual food of the gospel of salvation.

Notice the progression in the story. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He lifted them to his Father for his blessing. Then he began to divide up this food and give it back to the disciples for them to feed the large crowd who were waiting for their need of food to be provided. In the hands of Jesus this small amount was more than sufficient to feed all those who were hungry, and with a great deal left over to be used another time.

Do we see the spiritual truth here. We have so little to minister to others. Our resources, our understanding and wisdom, are so small, but when we place them in the hands of Jesus with total surrender and faith, Jesus hands back to us more that enough to feed multitudes with the spiritual food of the Gospel. Here is where we all seem to have a blind spot in our understanding, and simply struggle along in our own wisdom and effort. We must bring our lives with their small potential to Jesus, and he will give back to us much more than we placed in his hands, and we will have more than enough in wisdom and skill to share the bread of life with others, and because the food comes from Jesus, people will receive it for the nourishment of their souls.

Jesus came to provide food for the soul of all who will seek it from him. The story here ends with the testimony that all ate the food and were satisfied. The food was enough and thoroughly nourishing. So it is with the message of the Gospel that Jesus has placed in our hands. The food of the Gospel does satisfy the soul. When we feed by faith on the Word of salvation our souls are satisfied. We eat and live.