1. What stood out to me from this chapter?
The feeding of the 5,000 is one of the few miracles that appears in all four gospels. I don't know if that makes it the most significant (outside of the resurrection of course) or just one of the most memorable for the gospel writers. But there were a few details that caught my attention this time. The first detail is that Jesus didn't set out to do that miracle, or even to have a large crowd around him. We see from verse 31 and 32 that Jesus and the disciples were trying to get away from the crowds, but the crowds came to him. He didn't yell or scream at them to get away and get a life. Instead, "he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." Another detail is that they had 12 baskets leftover. Not only is that "a lot" but there were 12 disciples. God even provided for them. Finally, I was reminded that it wasn't 5,000 people. Scripture clarifies that this is just the number of men, not including women and children that may have been present.
2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?
In Matthew 16, Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" The disciples respond by saying, "Some say you are John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others say you are one of the prophets." This theme exactly is represented here in this chapter, as Herod was wrestling with that very question. But unlike Peter, who confessed Jesus as Christ, Herod figured that Jesus was a resurrected John the Baptist and was never saved because of that answer.
3. What does this mean for my life?
Jesus sends the disciples out in a boat ahead of him, while he heads up to a mountain to pray. The timing of this next part caught me. "Later that night" he saw the boat struggling against the wind, but it wasn't until "almost dawn" when he went out to them. Sometimes I think God does that. He can see that we are struggling, but he promises to be with us during times of trial and seeming defeat. Sometimes we don't see God in it until we're almost totally through it.
4. What questions do I have about this passage?
In verse 5 and 6 there seems to be a direct correlation between the faith of the people and the ability to perform miracles. Is that how Jesus operated? Operates? Would we as a church " see more miracles if we had more faith? Just a question.
Those are my thoughts for the day. I'd love to hear yours. Keep Digging In!
In Christ,
Dan
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I love what you say about Jesus coming toward the boat. It helps us remember that even when we are overwhelmed, Jesus is right there next to us helping us every step of the way!
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