Mark 6:35-44 (TPT)
35 Late that afternoon, his disciples said, “It’s getting really late and we’re here in this remote place with nothing to eat. 36 You should send the crowds away so they can go into the surrounding villages and buy food.”
37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” “Are you sure?” they replied. “You really want us to go buy them supper? It would cost a small fortune [8 month’s wages] to feed all these thousands of hungry people.”
38 “How many loaves of bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” After they had looked around, they came back and said, “Five—plus a couple of fish.”
39 Then he instructed them to organize the crowd and have them sit down in groups on the grass. 40 So they had them sit down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Then Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, gazed into heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread and the two fish and distributed them to his disciples to serve the people—and the food was multiplied in front of their eyes! 42 Everyone had plenty to eat and was fully satisfied. 43 Then the twelve disciples picked up what remained, and each of them ended up with a basket full of leftovers! 44 Altogether, five thousand families were fed that day!
In our passage today, Jesus is teaching the disciples a wonderful spiritual lesson about the abundant law of grace for the unworthy “crowd”—which is every human being due to sin. Grace is the gift that gives us access to the Father, saves us through faith, brings victory over sin, fear, and doubt, and is the love of God working in our lives forever. The disciples continue to be amazed in the presence of Christ (the one who will pay the price for grace). Jesus has been teaching the thousands gathered with him the Good News of the gospel of grace—serving them the spiritual Bread of Life. Now, the disciples want to send the people home to eat physical food as if the Word was not enough to meet the needs of the people. It’s lesson time!
Jesus decides to pull back the veil and help the disciples gain understanding; he merges the gift of grace with the physical world in an eye-opening miracle. Jesus brings revelation by commanding the disciples to take responsibility and “give” the people something to eat (v. 37). Christ’s command to feed over five thousand people is perceived by the disciples as impossible. Of course, we all know that, right? However, “What appears humanly impossible is more than possible with God. For God can do what man cannot.” (Luke 18:27).
The law of grace is always about revealing the unfathomable, abundant, and all encompassing love of the Father. So, Jesus asks the disciples to declare what they have available to them (5 loaves of bread and 2 fish—5 represents the number of grace and 2 is about connection or union). Then, Jesus prays and thanks the Father for provision—the food is miraculously multiplied.
We are never going to be worthy of the gift of grace; however, a connection to Christ will give you access to the Father. Pray and seek God’s will, ask for your needs to be met, and keep knocking until a door opens (Mat 7:7). So, let’s pray as Jesus taught, “Give us this day our daily bread!” (Matt 6:11).
Prayer: Lord, true life is found in every word that flows from your mouth. Sustain me with the Bread of heaven, multiply the word in me, Lord, and send me out to proclaim it so others can be fed. In Jesus’ name. Amen.