Devotions

You Give Them Something to Eat

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When we read these passages, the focus is almost always on the feeding of the five thousand and this was certainly a notable miracle. But there were several other things going on.

  • John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod leaving John’s disciples without a leader. They came to Jesus in Matthew 14:12-13 and Jesus wanted to minister them in their grief by going away to an isolated place.
  • Jesus Apostles had returned from being sent and reported all that had been done and in Mark 6:30-31 and Luke 9:10 Jesus wanted to take them away also to rest from the crowds.
  • The section just prior to the feeding of the five thousand in John 5:33 Jesus says that “John … testified to the truth”, and in John 5:36 “But I have a testimony greater than John’s” and this sounds like Jesus is saying goodbye to John as he is opening the door for the next step for himself and also for John’s disciples.

John The Baptist Beheaded

Mark 6:14-29
Matthew 14:1-12
Luke 9:7-9 

He Knew Him To Be a Righteous and Holy Man

Mark 6:14–29
John’s account here is a little out of order as he is writing after these events occurrence. In Mark 6:14-16 Herod is reacting to the miracles Jesus is performing after he (Herod) had beheaded John the Baptist. And some were saying Jesus was John raised from the dead. Then John goes back to the sequence of events leading to John’s death. And in Mark 6:20 we find that “Herod was afraid of John”. Even so, Herod made a public vow and in

Mark 6:26 (LEB) And although he was deeply grieved, the king, because of his oaths and dinner guests, did not want to refuse her.

He Wanted to Kill Him

Matthew 14:1–12

He Was Greatly Perplexed

Luke 9:7–9

The Disciples Preach Repentance

Mark 6:12-13
Luke 9:6

And They Went Out

Mark 6:12–13

They Departed and Went Throughout the Villages

Luke 9:6

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

Mark 6:30-44
Matthew 14:13-21
Luke 9:10-17
John 6:1-15 

You Give Them Something to Eat

Mark 6:30–44
Mark 6:30-31 says that “the apostles regathered to Jesus and reported … and they did not even have time to eat”. Then Mark 6:32 “they went away in the boat to an isolated place”. And in Mark 6:33 “many people saw them … and ran there … and arrived ahead of them.”

Here, Jesus saw “the large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things” in Mark 6:34. And as the hours passed in Mark 6:35-36 “his disciples came up to him, saying, “The place is desolate and the hour is already late. 36 Send them away”. The disciples were tired before they started this day and now they are are at the end of themselves. And, this isn’t like things are today, there wasn’t a hotel nearby, the people would need to find local hospitality. And Jesus responds to them saying in Mark 6:37 “you give them something to eat”. 

He Had Compassion on Them and Healed Their Sick

Matthew 14:13–21
We understand from this account that John the Baptists disciples had buried John after he was beheaded by Herod and they came to tell Jesus in

Matthew 14:12 (LEB)
12 And his disciples came and* took away the corpse and buried it, and went and* told Jesus.

Jesus reacted to this message in

Matthew 14:13a (LEB) Now when Jesus heard it, he withdrew from there in a boat to an isolated place by himself.

But Matthew also records the crowd. Jesus didn’t turn them away when he saw them and as the day progressed and the disciples grew tired, they came to Jesus and said “release the crowds”. Here also Matthew records Jesus saying “you give them something to eat” in Matthew 14:16. The disciples respond in

Matthew 14:17 (LEB) And they said to him, “We do not have anything* here except five loaves and two fish.”

We Are Here In a Desolate Place

Luke 9:10–17
Luke’s account is similar with an emphasis on “the day was far spent” and “we are here in a desolate place”. The disciples are reacting to their own physical fatigue and want to stop for the day. Jesus reacts to the needs of the people and shows them how to carry on until the needs of the day are met. Luke ends with

Luke 9:17 (LEB) And they all ate and were satisfied, and what was left over was picked up by them—twelve baskets of broken pieces.

They Were Observing the Signs That He Was Doing

John 6:1–15
The gospel of John doesn’t record King Herod and what he did to John. Instead, in John 5:31-37 it includes a message that Jesus gave about who John was, you might say a eulogy. And John 6:1 begins with Jesus confronting the large crowd on “the other side of the sea of Galilee”. John also tells us in

John 6:2 (LEB) And a large crowd was following him because they were observing the signs that he was doing on those who were sick.

These were needy people that Jesus cold easily have sent away, but instead, he healed them and taught them and fed them as if they were his very own family.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Mark 6:12-44
  • Matthew 14:1-21
  • Luke 9:6-17
  • John 6:1-15

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels

This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview