3. CHRIST FEEDING THE FOUR Mark 8:1-9 (Matthew 15:32-38) 1 In those days, when there was again a great multitude,--Similar to that which had often gathered about him in Galilee, and especially the one he had previously fed not far distant on the northeastern shore of the lake. and they had nothing to eat, he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them,--Having come unprovided, or having consumed what they had brought. He tells them of his sympathy for the multitude. 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat:--The reason for his compassion is here given. Whether they had been without food three days is not clearly expressed. If they brought any food it was all consumed, and they were in a wilderness (verse 4) where no food could be bought and were in immediate need. 3 and if I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way;--Become exhausted, for want of food and by fatigue on their way home. and some of them are come from far.--Come a long distance and they could not possibly reach their respective homes without perishing, unless they got food. Jesus by his power could as easily have preserved them from fainting without food as have created food by multiplying the loaves and fishes for their support. 4 And his disciples answered him, Whence shall one be able to fill these men with bread--Where is the food to be had to satisfy their appetite? The disciples, it seems, did not reflect on the miracle which Christ had lately wrought for the relief of the five thousand. here in a desert place?--The location is pointed out. The disciples were still babes in faith and knowledge, as is frequently illustrated. (Mark 7:18; Mark 9:10; Mark 9:28-29; Luke 24:27.) We find similar examples of weak faith among God's people. The Israelites murmur immediately after their deliv-erance at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:24; Exodus 17:1-3); and Moses showed unbelief when God was about to feed Israel with flesh in the wilderness (Numbers 11:21-23). 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.--"They had a few small fishes." The disciples seem now to have suspected what Jesus was about to do, for they do not ask, as on the former occasion, "What are these among so many?" (John 6:9.) Jesus did not reprove the disciples for their forgetfulness of what he had so lately done in feeding the five thousand, but meekly asked what food they had. 6 And he commandeth the multitude to sit down on the ground:--Probably under the direction of the disciples, who, on the occasion of feeding the five thousand, arranged the people in companies by hundreds and fifties. (Mark 6:39-40.) and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.--We should follow the example of Jesus and offer thanks for our daily meals before eating them. Here, as in the former miracle, the disciples distributed the food to the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes:--In addition to the seven loaves. This was all the food they had on hand. and having blessed them, he commanded to set these also before them.--Jesus gave thanks for the fishes separately, thus showing the order in which the two kinds of food were served. 8 And they ate, and were filled:--Matthew says: "They all ate, and were filled." All were abundantly satisfied. Not a partial but a full satisfaction. and they took up, of broken pieces that remained over, seven baskets.--The fragments after the people were filled were more than they had at the first. Jesus ordered the gathering of the fragments that he might convince them, in the strongest manner, of the greatness of the miracle and teach them also at the same time to practice economy in the midst of plenty. 9 And they were about four thousand:--"About," may have been a few more or less than four thousand. This together with the feeding of the five thousand gives us some idea as to what the historians mean when they speak of great multitudes following Jesus. At what moment was the miracle performed? Was it before or after the breaking and distribution? Did the increase take place while the bread was passing through and from the hands of Jesus similar to that of the widow's oil (2 Kings 4:5-7), which filled vessel after vessel, and was only stayed when there were no more to fill? Was it after small pieces were placed in the hands of the multitude? We do not know. Since Jesus did not reveal this point, we will not undertake to do so. But the important point is stated that the miracle was performed; just when is comparatively of no consequence. Some think this miracle is only another account of feeding the five thousand. This, however, is absurd. The questions Jesus asked in verses 19 and 20 prove beyond a doubt that there were two instances of miraculous feeding. Besides the accounts of the two show marked differences. The journey to the former was from Galilee, probably from Capernaum; to the latter from Sidon through Decapolis. That was in the spring; this in the summer. The one was in the vicinity of Bethsaida, northeast of the Sea of Galilee; the other in Decapolis, a few miles further south. In that the people were principally Jews from the western side of Jordan who had been with Jesus one day; in this they were a mixed multitude, partly Jews and partly heathen, from the west of Jordan and had been with Jesus three days. There the number of men was five thousand, who reclined on the grass; here four thousand who reclined on the ground. In that case there were five loaves and after eating twelve baskets of fragments; in this there were seven baskets of fragments. All this shows there were two miraculous feedings.