But He answered, “You give them something to eat.”
Mark 6:37
I’ve been slowly making my way through the book of Matthew in my private study, and I’m currently lingering in chapter 14, where Jesus feeds more than 5,000 people after multiplying two fishes and five loaves of bread. I also revisited Mark’s account of the famous miracle in Mark 6:30-44, and while I’m encouraged by this timely reminder of God’s power and provision, it’s Jesus’s initial response to the disciples that really struck me.
After the disciples encourage Jesus to send the crowds away so they can buy food, Jesus doesn’t use this as an opportunity to flex his ability—although He certainly could have. Here is God in the flesh—the one who can turn water into wine, heal lepers, and raise the dead. So, when the disciples begin to worry about the people getting hungry, one would assume Jesus would tell them to step aside so He could solve the problem…but He doesn’t do that. As the verse reads, Jesus responds,“You give them something to eat.”
What an odd and unexpected reaction! Did Jesus expect his disciples to scramble for enough food to feed over 5,000 people? As they had mentioned in the previous verses, they were in a remote place, so why would Jesus command such a thing? Where would they even begin? How could they feed all those people?
It seems like the disciples were thinking along the same lines. Notice what happens next. They tell Jesus, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” In other words, they couldn’t fathom how they’d carry out this impossible task. Given how often they depended on the generosity of others to meet their basic needs, I imagine they probably could barely afford to feed themselves.
This is what Jesus tells them: “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” (Mark 6:38) Again, Jesus has another opportunity to play the superhero, but instead, He sends them out to see what food is available. Note that the disciples still don’t have any assurance that these people will be fed. I imagine they were genuinely confused and worried after they reported there were only five loaves of bread and two fish.
In response, Jesus directs them to have everyone sit on the grass. The text reads, “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 His disciples to distribute to the people.”
In a not-so-surprising twist, Jesus provides so much food that the disciples collect “twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish” that were left over. It’s likely that, at this point, the disciples finally realize Jesus’s response to them was a test of faith.
By telling his followers to feed all those people, I don’t think Jesus was challenging them to rise to the occasion and figure it out for themselves. Jesus already knew they couldn’t feed all those people. And yet, He still commanded them to do it. Why? Because He wanted them to recognize their insufficiency and, more importantly, to trust in His ability to multiply what they lacked.
I couldn’t help but feel convicted when I read these verses, because I see a bit of myself in the disciples. I too am prone to panicking and questioning God when I’m challenged to take big steps of faith or trust Him in impossible situations. Fixating on the challenge and complaining about my insufficiency is often my default, and I confess, sometimes it takes a while to shift my gaze back upward. But I think God intentionally permits these kinds of situations as a means of teaching us how to react appropriately. Instinctively, many of us may respond by complaining or trying to fix everything ourselves (guilty of both), but none of these compare to surrendering it all to God. It’s a beautiful opportunity to see Him work.
Nakeisha Campbell 