Matthew 14:13-21
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Questions:
ReplyDelete- After John was killed, why did Jesus withdraw?
- Was Jesus' request of His disciples to feed everyone reasonable?
- Was the disciples response to Jesus appropriate?
http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/14-13.htm says:
ReplyDeleteWe may, I think reverently trace as the motives of this withdrawal, (1) the strong personal emotion which the death of one whom Jesus had known and loved could not fail to cause, and (2) the wish to avoid being the centre of the popular excitement which the death of John was likely to cause, and which we know, as a matter of fact (Jos. Ant. xviii. 5, § 2), was so strong that men looked on all the subsequent troubles of Antipas and his wife as a retributive judgment for it. This was, indeed, sufficiently shown by the eagerness with which the people followed Him into His retirement. Two other circumstances, named by the other Evangelists, tended to increase the crowd that thronged around Him. (1) The Twelve had just returned from their missionary circuit (Mark 6:30-31; Luke 9:10), and it was, indeed, partly to give them, too, an interval of repose that He thus withdrew from His public work; and (2) the Passover was coming on (John 6:4), and all the roads of Galilee were thronged with companies of pilgrims hastening to keep the feast at Jerusalem.
http://www.jba.gr/Articles/nkjv_jbanov96.htm says about Jesus withdrawing:
ReplyDeleteAgain it is very important to have a look at the context. This time the day was not only busy but it also started very sadly for Jesus, since it was the day that he heard about the beheading of John the Baptist (see verses 1-11 for the beheading)
Before we go ahead, how would you feel if you heard that your cousin, who also stood constantly and faithfully with you, was killed in such a horrible manner? I guess that you would probably feel very sad, and you would like to stay privately for a bit. That's what Jesus also wanted: "When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place."
http://www.meetingwithchrist.com/You%20give%20them%20something%20to%20eat%20-%20Mt%2014(13-21).htm says about why the disciples were asked to feed the people:
ReplyDeleteThe Lord Jesus wanted to use this miracle to teach the disciples something. You give them something… Jesus was stressing that it was the disciples’ responsibility. They were to take care of the needs of the crowd. They were to feed the people. The command to the disciples deliberately involved them in the action so that they will remember and learn from it.
You see, the crowd had been with Jesus the whole day, listening to His preaching. Now it was late. Sundown was soon to come. It was time for Jesus to stop and let the people go. However, He gave no sign of stopping. So the disciples did the common sense thing. They suggested that He dismiss the crowd. ‘Send the people home so that they can rest and get something to eat. They can always come back tomorrow.’ That was a reasonable suggestion, isn’t it? Now look at Jesus’ response. He said, ‘No. There is no need for them to go away. You give them something to eat.’ If Jesus had said, ‘I will give them food,’ there would be no issue here. But this is not what we observe. He said, ‘You give them something to eat.’
The Lord wanted to teach them something. And the question is, ‘What did He want to teach them?’ He knew that they only had five loaves of bread and two fish. What is the point of putting them on the spot like that? What exactly did Jesus want to teach them through that action?
He looks upon the world today, and says to you and to me, ‘You feed them.’ And you say, ‘How am I going to do this? I don’t have much to feed them with. I am not very talented. I can’t do this. I can’t do that...’
What is the key to understand this whole thing? Jesus was moved with compassion. Could there be a link between Jesus’ compassion and the feeding of the crowd by the disciples?
He is saying to them, ‘I want you to know how I feel for this crowd. I want you to share my compassion for them, to share my burden to feed them. You have compassion on this crowd – not just Me. Can you feel what I feel for them? If you can feel what I feel, then you feed them.’
Jesus knew that they lacked compassion. True, they had a certain concern for the people. But they did not have the gripping compassion that He wanted to see in them. And the Lord had to change them. They will not be able to feel the needs of the people if their hardness is not taken away. They will not be able to identify with them.
Compassion is important because it allows the power of God to flow from them to the crowd. When they begin to have compassion in their hearts, they are allowing Jesus’ power to work through them.
He wanted to feed the five thousand through them. Therefore they had to open up in their compassion so that His compassion, Jesus’ compassion, can flow through them, through their compassion for the people.
http://www.meetingwithchrist.com/You%20give%20them%20something%20to%20eat%20-%20Mt%2014(13-21).htm (continued)
ReplyDeleteNow, compassion is a feeling, and like any feeling, it is not something we can decide to have. It comes in reaction to something. I personally believe that our capacity to have compassion can be shaped by the way we look at others. It is a way in which there is an intentional identification with people. And it seems to me that this empathetic identification with others begins by listening well to the other person. People who are compassionate recognize that in listening carefully, they grant a special gift to others, the gift of taking them seriously.
To hear is one thing. To listen is to hear and also to appreciate where someone else stands, how someone else feels, how someone else thinks. Listening to another is a fundamental means by which we take another person seriously and honor him. We cannot have compassion unless we enter into another person’s life by a process of identification. And we cannot do this unless we listen, and listen well.
God created the whole person, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and physically, and He cares about needs in all those areas.
The first essential for ministry is seeing people and having compassion.
The second essential for ministry is accepting our duty to minister.
And the third essential for ministry is trusting Christ to use our resources.
My 2 cents on whether the disciple's reaction was appropriate:
ReplyDeleteThe above article puts forth the premise that Jesus was attempting to teach the disciples compassion. Having compassion is a requirement before we can do God's work. I have to agree with that.
So was the disciples reaction appropriate? It certainly was natural. However, when they (or we) learn the lesson Jesus is trying to teach us (and thus get on board with His mission), their/our reaction would be more like:
"Jesus, you are right. They need to be fed. But how? Please give us your power so that we can fulfill your mission, because I can't see how without something miraculous from you."