Bible Study - Mk. 8:1-10 Feeding the Four Thousand

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Chapter 8 – 8:26

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1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, He called His disciples to Him, and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; 3 and if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long way.” 4 And His disciples answered Him, “How can one feed these men with bread here in the desert?” 5 And He asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven.” The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.

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6 And He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground; and He took the seven loaves, and having given thanks He broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He commanded that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate, and were satisfied; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.

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10 And He sent them away; and immediately He got into the boat with His disciples, and went to the district of Dalmanutha. The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.

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Some say this feeding is the same miracle as the feeding of the 5,000 in chapter 6. WRONG! The feeding the 5,000 occurred in the Bethsaida/ Capernaum area which was largely Jewish area. The feeding of the 4,000 occurred at Decapolis (7:31) a largely gentile area.

Different Amounts of Food : 

Different Amounts of Food Jesus also began with different quantities of bread and fish. Here he did not require his disciples to admit their own inability to solve the problem as he did in (6:37). Jesus’ compassionate ministry to non-Jews would be very reassuring to Mark’s primarily Roman audience.

Jesus Speaks of The Two Miracles : 

Jesus Speaks of The Two Miracles Both Matthew and Mark include both miracles of feeding 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000. Jesus himself referred back to each incident separately . 18 . . . And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”

The Universality of the Church : 

The Universality of the Church Mark’s second feeding assures the Gentile members of his community know they are welcome at the Eucharist. Matthew inclusion of the second feeding tells his Jewish audience that Gentiles are also welcome at the table of the Lord. Seven loaves might represent the Seven Gentile nations who once occupied the land of Canaan. Seven baskets might represent one basket for each Gentile nation. From the feeding of the 5,000 the 12 baskets might represent the 12 tribes of Israel and the 7 baskets from the feeding of 4,000 might show God’s intent to include the entire world in His church.

Jesus Continues to Travel : 

Jesus Continues to Travel It was in the Dalmanutha / Magdala area the Pharisees demand a sign. And then Jesus moves on to Bethsaida. Jesus will cure a blind man and his disciples will recognize him for who he is, the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God.