Free Methodist Church Weekly Newletter

This Sunday we come to the 4th of the "SIGNS:" The miraculous provision of our Lord in feeding five thousand people with only five loaves and 2 fish. This provision of their "Daily Bread" in a very literal way is meant to signify the giving of Himself as the "Bread of Life." One scholar explains three possible purposes our Lord had in this miraculous moment:

"THE PURPOSE OF THE FEEDING OF THE 5,000
There are at least three reasons why Jesus performed this miracle. The primary reason was to teach the disciples a lesson in faith. Several months before this event, He had sent out His disciples on their own for the first time to preach the gospel to the "lost sheep of the House of Israel." He gave them authority over unclean spirits, the power to heal diseases, and to raise the dead. Now they were returning from their preaching tour and Jesus wanted to hear what they did and the response they received to the gospel message. This time was sort of a "debriefing" session. As the Master Teacher, the Lord Jesus wanted to reinforce the lessons taught and learned. He challenged the disciples to continue using the power He gave them. Here was a teaching moment. The multitudes that were gathered needed to be fed. Yet it seems the disciples had a "laid back" attitude, i.e. "Well Lord, we're with you now, we'll let You do the miracles!" Jesus wanted them to get involved. After the supper, there were twelve baskets of leftover bread picked up, one basket by each disciple. I suspect that the Lord Jesus did this to "convict" each of the disciples of their lack of faith and to show them His power and provision.

The second reason was to provide a setting for the gospel to be preached the next day in the synagogue in Capernaum. John informs us that he wrote his gospel for the specific purpose of setting forth seven (or eight, depending on how you count them) "signs" (miracles) to demonstrate that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing you might have life through His name" (20:30,31). The crowd wanted to make Jesus king because He provided a "welfare program" that provided for their physical needs. The next day in the Shabbat service at the synagogue in Capernaum He expounded the real meaning of the miracle. He was the "Bread of life."

The final reason was to enhance the understanding of the disciples (Mark 8:21). Jesus appears to be trying to teach "kosher" disciples, who were always reluctant to have any association with Gentiles that salvation was for all, both Jews and Gentiles. Origen may have had a point when he allegorized the two accounts in this manner. [I must confess, I hate to admit he might be right!]. He suggested that the feeding of the 5,000 was to a Jewish audience, and the twelve baskets taken up represented the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Origen would be geographically correct if the feeding of the 5,000 took place at Moshav Almagor. The feeding of the 4,000 took place in the Decapolis area (assuming Kursi is the proper location). The seven baskets that were taken up would represent, according to Origen, the seven Gentile nations in the Land when Joshua entered it (Deut. 7:1; Acts 13:19).

If Origen is correct, the lesson is clear, the offer of salvation is for all, both Jews and Gentiles, and the disciples of the Lord Jesus should remove the prejudices they have toward those who are not like themselves and share the gospel with all. The gospel was then, and is now, the good news of salvation for any and all who put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, because He was the One who died for all their sins and rose from the dead three days later to show sin had been paid for in full. God offers His righteousness to any and all who trust the Lord Jesus, and Him alone, and not their own works of righteousness (I Cor. 15:1-4; Phil. 3:9)." http://www.lifeandland.org/2009/02/the-feedings-of-the-multitudes-when-where-and-why/

Join us as we sit once more at the feet of our Lord and are fed by his miraculous truth and love.

Denny