Mark 8:6

Mark 8:6

Feeding the Four Thousand.

I. Observe the extreme tenderness and love of Christ in this work of power. In it He taught us (1) To reflect how constantly and in how many ways He still exercises the same wonderful power of feeding His people by multiplying their food. See in the harvest how every year a much mightier work even than filling the five thousand or the four thousand is done in every land I might say in every cornfield. (2) Again, we can hardly think of the corn of wheat sown in the ground, and multiplied so wonderfully for His people's food, without being reminded of another corn of wheat I mean the Body of the Lord Himself, dying and being buried, and springing up into the enormous multitudes of Christian men and women. All of them, in every country and in every age, He feeds with the perpetually multiplied food of His spiritual Body and Blood.

II. Observe, again, that our Lord, though He did this miracle twice over, did it only twice. He did not interpose His Divine power every time His disciples were hungry, or save them from the ordinary industry and forethought which should provide themselves with food. Twice He did it, to prove His power, to confirm their faith, to teach us various good and useful lessons; but neither when He was among His disciples, not afterwards, did He encourage them to expect miraculous helps to save them in times of difficulty and danger, still less to save them from the consequences of their own neglect and improvidence.

III. Our Lord, in doing this wonder, does not do it without some use of means. Seven loaves and a few small fishes are, no doubt, quite insufficient for so great a number of people; still, He uses the seven loaves and the few small fishes. He does not put the small quantity aside, and create a great deal new. No; He blesses the little, and it becomes enough.

IV. Again, He used the help of His disciples. Men in themselves are, no doubt, of no power to feed the souls of men. They cannot of themselves reach their brethren's hearts, or do them spiritual good by any power of their own. But yet the Lord of the feast employs them. He does not ordinarily act direct, but makes use of men and things to act by; men to teach, water to baptize, bread and wine to eat and drink; all in themselves utterly weak and powerless; but when authorised and blessed by God, made powerful to win souls, and to regenerate souls, and to feed souls, and to save souls unto eternal life.

G. Moberly, Parochial Sermons,p. 191.

References: Mark 8:8. J. M. Neale, Sermons in Sackville College,vol. ii., p. 214.Mark 8:9. W. F. Hook, Sermons on the Miracles,vol. ii., p. 66. Mark 8:10. A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve,p. 157; H. M. Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man,p. 170. Mark 8:11. Preacher's Monthly,vol. iii., p. 294.