The Rev. Paul J Cain
Mark 8:1-9
Care and Feeding
Seventh Sunday after Trinity, 03 August 2014
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, WY
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
When you heard the Gospel for the Seventh Sunday after
Trinity, the first nine verses of Mark 8, I don’t blame you if you thought,
“I’ve heard this before.” You’ve likely heard of the miracle of the feeding of
the 4000 before from here in Mark or from Matthew 15. Others of you may have
been thinking, “I’ve heard this before” because you’re familiar with the
feeding of the 5000+ from Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
The feeding of the 4000 is not just a sequel or a re-run.
The details in Mark 7 and 8 make this example of Jesus’ care and feeding unique
and important for us.
1In those days, when again a great crowd had
gathered, and they had nothing to eat, [Jesus] called his disciples to him and
said to them, 2“I have compassion on the crowd, because they have
been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3And if I send
them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them
have come from far away.”
Note Jesus’ compassion first. He cares about their spiritual
well-being and physical well-being. He cares about them body and soul. But who
were they? That question is answered once we know where these events took
place.
Again a great crowd had gathered. Where had they gathered?
There is good reason to believe that Jesus’ ministry here in Mark 8 is going on
outside of Israel among a mixed crowd of Jews and Gentiles, and likely some
Greek-speaking Jews. Jesus cared for the Syrophoenician woman and her daughter
(both non-Jews) in the region of Tyre and Sidon. He healed a deaf man after He
went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis, a
Greek word simply meaning Ten Cities. We’re outside of Israel among Gentiles.
Why does this matter? We’re Gentiles. Jesus’ Commission to
“go into the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation” includes
Gentiles like us. The evidence of Mark 7 and 16 is supplemented by more
evidence in the text.
4And his disciples answered him, “How can one
feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?”
How indeed? One wonders if the disciples should have had
more faith in Jesus after the feeding of the 5000+. Yet, his deep, heartfelt
compassion covers even their sin of doubt.
5And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said,
“Seven.”
Seven is an important number in the Scriptures. Here, Mark
is giving us the facts. We need not allegorize. We do know that the Lord
created in seven days, including His rest on the seventh day, and that this
miracle is one done by the same creator and sustainer of heaven and earth. They
had seven loaves and a few small fish. There were twelve baskets leftover when
the 5000+ had eaten their fill. What would happen this time?
6And he directed the crowd to sit down on the
ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them
and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them
before the crowd. 7And they had a few small fish. And having blessed
them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8And they
ate and were satisfied.
Psalm 23 echoes through Mark 8 at this point. Green pastures
and still waters? No, for this was a desolate place. Yet, the Good Shepherd
prepares a table in the presence of enemies and their baskets of leftovers
overflow.
And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets
full.
Don’t just pass by this verse and the word basket. It’s not
the same word as was used in the feeding of the 5000+ when there were twelve
baskets (6:43) left over. This word for basket here is the word for Roman
baskets, as opposed to the twelve Jewish baskets the twelve disciples used before.
Seven creels is an enormous amount left, far more than seven loaves. Voelz:
“The crowd receives so much bread that there are enough broken pieces to fill
seven fifty-loaf baskets, i.e., the volume of three hundred and fifty loaves.
There is no greater indication of the Creator’s/Redeemer’s generosity—also to
the Gentiles!” One is overwhelmed at the amount and reminded of the enormous
quantity of wine at the wedding in Cana.
9And there were about four thousand people. And
he sent them away.
Four thousand people ate and were satisfied and we still
have an enormous amount of daily bread left over.
The Lord is just such a generous giver even today. Our
complaints are small compared to those starving, those undergoing persecution
for the faith, and those who will never own in their entire lifetime more than
what you have on your person right now.
Jesus cares for you. He feeds you with the food of His Word
and Daily Bread in addition to His Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the
Altar.
Jesus cares for both Jew and Gentile. He cares for you.
In His death and resurrection, He accomplishes care and
feeding that we could not accomplish for ourselves or for others. Yet, His
model of deep, heartfelt compassion pours out from us when we exercise our
faith by serving our neighbor in need. People have human care needs even in our
community. Some are in need of food, drink, clothing, and shelter. I commend
LCMS President Harrison for his example of and encouragement for us to engage
in such mercy ministry.
What happened next? And immediately Jesus got into the boat
with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. We think this may be
a small anchorage near Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, back
in Jewish territory. Jesus’ mission to the Gentiles like us has ended for a
time at this point in the Gospel according to Mark, but His love and concern
for you, for your care and feeding, is everlasting. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
