Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.”

Jesus continued to reveal His power and His identity as well as His heart that day. There were 5,000 men and Matthew’s gospel adds, “besides the women and children.” Some estimate it to be 20,000 people in all.      

Jesus had His disciples sit the people down.  That phrase caught my attention and I wondered why.  Certainly, we see organization and administration that is needed with an event like this.  Groups of various sizes are manageable if you divide them up, but Tim Richard had another interesting observation as he worked with world relief. He explained that while in China the crowds receiving food were unmanageable and they were shoving each other. People pushed ahead and there was bedlam. People could be hurt.  Then he thought about this account on what Jesus did when feeding so many. He made them sit down.  That was the solution to his perplexity.  Seated people do not shove or push, and such a crowd can be controlled.  Jesus was an administrator and organizer who accomplished so much. Those who were seated quieted down as Jesus offered thanks.

 

I am reminded that Jesus is the bread of life.  I thought of the people of Israel during the wilderness wanderings. They did not have any place to buy bread or get the ingredients to do so. God provided Manna, the bread.  Now Jesus is providing that bread from what they had. This was another miracle to show the truth that He was from God.

     

The Manna in the wilderness was harvested by each family. The bread and fish here was passed out by His disciples given to them by Christ. We are not the ones who can produce food.  Jesus is.  We have nothing that can meet others' needs, but Jesus has it and chooses to use human instruments to spread it out to hungry and dying people.  We are not the source of blessing, only the vehicles God chooses to us.  We can’t give until we receive and can only receive from the Lord.  Even the good news, the gospel story, is passed on by others who have received it and if we stop passing it, there will be hungry and dying people.  It multiplies; it grows.  God’s power is seen.      

Some liberal teachers will say this was not a miracle, but what really happened was people started to share and everyone had a big picnic. If that were the case, why were they so excited and wanted to make Him king?  No, it was a miracle. 

Application:  They responded to His power and His love. They responded to the miracle worker, Jesus, God’s Holy Son. Have you?

Prayer:  Lord, You are the bread of life, You are the Living Water, You are all I need.  Teach me to sit and feed on Your Word.  Lead me in the way I should go.