The Life and Ministry of Jesus
In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.” Mark 8:1–3
The feedings of the 5,000 and the 4,000 are separate accounts which vary greatly in detail. The 5,000 were with Jesus for only one day, but the 4,000 were with him three days. When Jesus fed the 5,000, he ordered them to sit down in ordered groups on the green grass.
With the 4,000, there was no green grass. Jesus offered one prayer of “thanks” for the food for the 5,000, but with the 4,000 there were two prayers. In the first miracle Jesus utilized five loaves and two fish. Here he used seven loaves and a few small fish. In cleaning up after the first miracle, they picked up twelve small baskets of bread. After the second, there were seven large hamper-like baskets of remnants. 1
Personal Encouragement
When was the last time you had an abundance of compassion on those that were the more helpless ones of your community?
“Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” Mark 5:19
It is good to bestow compassion on those who will never return the favor.
A Prayer
Lord, please keep my heart tender, just like yours.
1. Hughes, R. K. (1989). Mark: Jesus, servant and savior. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books.
