Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

First Reflections:

Jesus moved from crowd to solitary place throughout Mark. Both were essential to his strategy to bring the Kingdom. In the “One Boy” narrative, these two strategies collide. Jesus takes his disciples away to pour into them and the crowds run after him. The five loaves and two fish become a link between the small and insignificant and the big and grand, the simple and behind-the-scenes and the bigger than life.

How many excuses can the disciples make: too late, too remote, too little, too many, too expensive, too far for the markets, too tired, and my favorite. Not my responsibility; not my job?

The young boy’s response. Here’s what I’ve got!

(PRT) Pastor Rick’s Translation:

6:30 Then the apostles drew in tightly to Jesus and they reported all they had done and the things they had taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away with me to a quiet place and rest yourselves a little.” For many were coming and going so that the disciples had no opportunity to even eat. 33 But many in the crowd saw them leaving and, taking the trails from each town and village, they converged at that spot before the disciples arrived. 34 Then Jesus stepped out of the boat and saw the throng; and compassion welled up inside him for this great gathering because they were like a flock of sheep without the care of a shepherd. So, he began to teach them many things. 35-36 But by then, the hour was late, so the disciples came to him to remind him, “This place is desolate and it’s late in the day. Send them away so they might buy something to eat somewhere in the vicinity or villages.”

37 He answered them, “You give them something to eat.” But they said, “We could go to the market with several month’s wages and barely give this crowd any food.” 38 “See how many loaves you have,” He asks. And figuring it out, they said “Five, along with two fish.”

39-40 Then he directed them to have everyone sit down on the fields of green grass, group-by-group. And they sat down in bunches of fifties and hundreds. 41 And taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus blessed it. He then broke the loaves into pieces and portioned out the fish and gave them to the disciples so they could set it before all the people. 42 And all ate and were satisfied. 43-44 Then they collected the leftovers, filling a dozen hand baskets with bread and fish. And the total who ate was five thousand men.

45-46 And right afterwards, he urged his disciples to get in the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side towards Bethsaida while he wrapped things up with the crowd. And after sending them off, he turned aside toward the mountainside to pray. 47-48 When evening came and the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone and ashore, he saw them struggling at the oars because the treacherous wind was against them. And in the early pre-dawn hours, Jesus came near them walking on the sea intending to arrive close to them. 49-50 Then, seeing him walking on the sea, they feared he was a ghost and screamed aloud; for what they saw terrified them. And at that moment, Jesus reassured them and said, “Be brave. Don’t be afraid. It’s really me.” 51-52 And he climbed up into the boat with them, and the treacherous headwind stopped; and more than ever the disciples were extraordinarily perplexed; for they had not even processed the loaves-miracle with their dulled emotions.

53-54 And the sailed over to the shore and arrived at Gennesaret and set anchor. As soon as they climbed out of the boat the people recognized Jesus. 55-56 Word travelled throughout the region that Jesus was back, and wherever they heard he was, they carried the sick on pallets.  And no matter where he went – the villages, the cities, the fields or the marketplaces – they laid the feeble and sick prostrate before him and pleaded only to touch the edge of his clothes; and whoever touched him was healed.

v. 30 Then the apostles drew in tightly to Jesus and they reported all they had done and the things they had taught.

The disciples had a brief mission trip around the region and they came back to report. This was the next level of training Jesus insisted on; the disciples are Plan A.

The tone is present and together they themselves jockey for position around Jesus to tell their stories.

v. 31 And he said to them, “Come away with me to a quiet place and rest yourselves a little.” For many were coming and going so that the disciples had no opportunity to even eat.

The plan was to rest, hear the stories, refresh for the mission ahead, get ready for the Passover. And the crowds showed up.

v. 32 So they pulled away by boat to a secluded place to be by themselves.

Jesus moved from crowd to secluded throughout Mark. He knew his main impact was helping the disciples grow, gain skills, process what they were experiencing.

v. 33 But many in the crowd saw them leaving and, taking the trails from each town and village, they converged at that spot before the disciples arrived.

The verb could be “they out-went the disciples and Jesus.” Surprise. There they were sitting on the shore waiting on Jesus.

v. 34 Then Jesus stepped out of the boat and saw the throng; and compassion welled up inside him for this great gathering because they were like a flock of sheep without the care of a shepherd. So, he began to teach them many things.

This is the pattern, too. Jesus is moved by the hurts and lostness of people. He teaches; he heals.

vv. 35-36 But by then, the hour was late, so the disciples came to him to remind him, “This place is desolate and it’s late in the day. Send them away so they might buy something to eat somewhere in the vicinity or villages.”

The day was spent, the hour was inclining. Idiom.

v. 37 He answered them, “You give them something to eat.” But they said, “We could go to the market with several month’s wages and barely give this crowd any food.”

v. 38 “See how many loaves you have,” He asks. And figuring it out, they said “Five, along with two fish.”

John stresses they were barley loaves, not the fine stuff of upper class, and notes that mom packed it for the little boy.

vv. 39-40 Then he directed them to have everyone sit down on the fields of green grass, group-by-group. And they sat down in bunches of fifties and hundreds.

The imagery Mark uses here is that of a patchwork of flower beds. The colors of Middle East were out in full. They were in parties or bunches of 50’s and 100’s. Translation: garden beds, garden beds.

v. 41 And taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus blessed it. He then broke the loaves into pieces and portioned out the fish and gave them to the disciples so they could set it before all the people.

Like the father at the table with his children, he looked to heaven, said the blessing that a father would be accustomed to say, and God did the rest.

Jesus broke the bread in a verb that is instantaneous, and then continuously gave it to the disciples in a steady stream to give to 5000 men (and their family members.)

v. 42 And all ate and were satisfied.

There was a common belief that the Messiah would replicate in some way the miracles from heaven that Moses performed. The manna from heaven and the miracle of bread and fish parallel.

vv. 43-44 Then they collected the leftovers, filling a dozen hand baskets with bread and fish. And the total who ate was five thousand men.

The wicker baskets were normal food carriers like we might have for a picnic. It was designed to keep the food separate from the people pushing and bouncing around the crowds.

vv. 45-46 And right afterwards, he urged his disciples to get in the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side towards Bethsaida while he wrapped things up with the crowd. And after sending them off, he turned aside toward the mountainside to pray.

Some think that Jesus needed to be directly involved in helping the disciples get out of the crowd and get the crowd out of there because they were in a “messianic fervor” and would make Jesus, king.

vv. 47-48 When evening came and the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone and ashore, he saw them struggling at the oars because the treacherous wind was against them. And in the early pre-dawn hours, Jesus came near them walking on the sea intending to arrive close to them.

Jesus spent time with the Father on the hillside and then on the beach as he watched over the disciples’ progress.

vv. 49-50 Then, seeing him walking on the sea, they feared he was a ghost and screamed aloud; for what they saw terrified them. And at that moment, Jesus reassured them and said, “Be brave. Don’t be afraid. It’s really me.”

They weren’t sure who it was, but they didn’t think someone would be strolling by on the water. Sailors have all kinds of “myths” about phantasms on the water.

vv. 51-52 And he climbed up into the boat with them, and the treacherous headwind stopped; and more than ever the disciples were extraordinarily perplexed; for they had not even processed the loaves-miracle with their dulled emotions.

This is what happens when they don’t get time with Jesus in private conversations and a chance to process what was happening. They hadn’t even gotten a grip on the fish and loaves; and now Jesus walks on water, stills the waves.

vv. 53-54 And the sailed over to the shore and arrived at Gennesaret and set anchor. As soon as they climbed out of the boat the people recognized Jesus.

v. 55-56 Word travelled throughout the region that Jesus was back, and wherever they heard he was, they carried the sick on pallets.  And no matter where he went – the villages, the cities, the fields or the marketplaces – they laid the feeble and sick prostrate before him and pleaded only to touch the edge of his clothes; and whoever touched him was healed.