Day 15

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

from the The Life of Jesus reading plan


Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 6:7-56

BY Beverly Berrus

Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 6:7-56

Jesus was the most perfect person ever to walk the earth. Often, we relate it to what He said and did. Rarely do we relate His perfection to His emotional state. But Jesus was perfectly emotional, never overreacting or underreacting in any situation. 

When we read about the life of Jesus in the Gospels, we see His heart of compassion. Jesus and His disciples were tired and hungry (Mark 6:30–32). They were looking forward to rest and recovery when the crowds gathered. What did Jesus feel? Compassion. 

He didn’t see them as obstacles in the way of self-care. He didn’t see leeches who needed to go away. The most perfect human laid eyes on the crowd and saw lost sheep without a shepherd. In His compassion, He deals with their spiritual need by teaching them and then deals with their physical need (Mark 6:34). 

Can’t we relate to the disciples’ reactions to the people? “Come on Jesus, we’re tired, it’s late. We’ve been on a mission trip. Let’s send them away. Hold up, you want us to feed them? Do you know what that would cost us?” I get tired just making a meal for our young church plant. Yet in His tiredness, Jesus takes five little loaves of bread and two fish, blesses them, and satisfies over five thousand people (v.42). His compassionate and costly hospitality is a beautiful example for us. Can people around us taste the hospitality of Christ in our actions?

This narrative also highlights the compassion of God throughout Israel’s history. Jesus is the better Moses all of us have been waiting for. A mediator between God and sinful man, who feeds the people the “manna” of His Word and delivers them from the wilderness of sin and death. Jesus is the better David, the compassionate Good Shepherd who lays down His own life for the sheep (Psalm 23, John 10:11).

And this is how Jesus regards you and me today. He isn’t repelled by our sins and weaknesses. They’re why He came. We were sheep without a shepherd, and He had compassion on us. Are you tempted to think of Him as distant or begrudging? His perfect heart is perfectly compassionate and excited to demonstrate lavish love toward you. Don’t be afraid to approach or need Him. He came so that we might one day be perfectly and finally satisfied forever. 

Written by Beverly Berrus

Post Comments (71)

71 thoughts on "Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand"

  1. Brandy Deruso says:

    Lord I thank you! I love you Jesus I worship and adore you just want to tell you Lord I love you more than anything I lift my hands in total adoration unto you you reign on the throne cause you are God and God alone because of you my cloudy days are gone and I can sing to you this song I just want to say that I love you more than anything! Lord let me continue to love through it all as you have so graciously loved me in spite of you have extended your amazing grace and mercy! Lord I thank you for the love of Jesus and your love for us to let him make the ultimate sacrifice Lord you are good and your mercy endureth forever! He loves us oh how he loved us that he rescued us from sin so we may be free in Christ and those who are set free are free indeed! Love! Love! I love you! Bless you Jesus!

  2. Rhiannon Schmidt says:

    Jesus cares about both our physical and spiritual needs.

  3. Jen Thompson says:

    Thank you for sharing this! I struggle with the same.

  4. Jen Thompson says:

    G

  5. trina beckwith says:

    “The miracle of Jesus is himself”-Rumi

  6. Kyle Hopkins says:

    ❤️

  7. Anne Carlson says:

    51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. – Mark 6:51-52

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