Feeding 5,000

Message to the People

Shema – HebrewShema Israel, Adonai elohenu – Adonai

echadVe’ahavta et Adonai eloeikahB’khol levavkahUve’khol naphshekahUve’khol m’odekahVe’ahavta le’reacha Kamocha, Amen

Shema

Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God. The Lord alone. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

And Love your neighbor as yourself. Amen.

Numbers

• 1 – 1 God• 2 – 2 tablets• 4 – pagan #, 4 corners of the earth• 5 – Books of Torah• 7 – Completeness• 12 – 12 tribes• 50 – Moses dividing Hebrews into judging

groups

Jesus sends out the 12

• Matthew 10: 5 and 10– “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town

of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.”

– “take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or staff”

• They were going to communities who were supposed to know how to be God’s people – city gates

Disciples return

• Luke 9 – disciples return immediately before the feeding of 5000.– They were “feeding” the Jews

• Luke 9:13 – “You give them something to eat.”– Lesson of the desert – Deut. 8:3 “feeding you with

manna, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Jesus’ lesson

• John 6:5-6 – “he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

• Expecting – “You are the Son of God! You are the living word! You are the bread of heaven! We can feed these people, we have seen you in action and believe!”

• The disciples didn’t get it.

Jesus’ lesson

• Mark 6:40 – So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.” (why do I need to know this?)– Order of the Israelites in the desert – Ex. 18:21– “groups” is word for “garden plots”

• The disciples must serve them.– How much effort to serve 5-10 thousand people?

Feeding 5000 hill

2 Kings 4:42-44

• Elijah provides a model for this miracle.• “They will eat and have some left over.”– How much?

• Matthew 14: 20 – “They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up 12 basketfuls”– Jesus provides enough for the entire nation of

Israel – 12 tribes

Mark 5 - Decapolis

• Region of the Gerasenes – expelled ones– 7 nations Joshua conquered – Deut. 7:1

• Verse 2 – “When Jesus got out of the boat”• Demon-possessed man came.– Ultimate Hellenist– All alone at the top – “no one was strong enough

to subdue him”• He declares who Jesus is• Jesus demands his name – power over him

Hill of demon-possessed man

Susita (Hippos)

• City of 5,000• Just up the hill from this story• Scholars don’t agree this is his town– Pig herders ran to tell and the people came to see– Take too long to go very far

• 10th legion garrisoned here– mascot was a boar

Climbing to Susita

Healing

• Legion asks to be sent into pigs– If in pigs, Jews won’t touch them

• Run down the slope and into Abyss– I’m told pigs are actually pretty good swimmers

Hill they ran down

1st missionary

• Man asks Jesus to come with him• Jesus says no, go and tell your story– He did– Was he successful? Mark 5:20 – “all the people

were amazed.”

• Verse 18 – “as Jesus was getting into the boat”– The disciples didn’t even get out!!

Luke 8 – feeding 4000

• Next time Jesus goes to Decapolis– Verse 1 – “another large crowd gathered”– Was the man a successful missionary? – YES!

• Seven loaves – completeness• 4,000 people – representing the 4 corners of

the world• Seven baskets – enough for 7 nations

Lesson

• Did the disciples get it?– No – argued about not having bread

• Quick object lesson– Healing of blind man in Bethsaida – Mark 8:22

• Jesus heals only partially at first– Man has eyes now but can’t see clearly– What would be worse? – totally blind, or can’t trust

your eyes• This lesson is only for the disciples

Next week

• Son of Man – Matthew 25:31-46• Jesus and Herod Antipas – Luke 14:25-35