Taking (the disciples) with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida. But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing. Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away... ”
But He said to them,
“You give them something to eat!”
...He blessed (the loaves), and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. (Lk 9:10–16).
But He said to them,
“You give them something to eat!”
...He blessed (the loaves), and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. (Lk 9:10–16).
Jesus Welcomed.
After the news of John the Baptist's beheading, Jesus withdrew with His disciples in the boat. As soon as they got to shore, there was a great crowd waiting for Him. Jesus' response? He felt compassion for them and actually welcomed them. His compassion extended to both their physical needs for which they came, and also the needs of their souls--He told them about the Kingdom of God.
When Jesus asked His disciples, "Where are we to get bread that these might eat?" it underscored their complete lack of supply for the needs in front of them.
When Jesus asked His disciples, "Where are we to get bread that these might eat?" it underscored their complete lack of supply for the needs in front of them.
If Jesus had not been there, the disciples' solution to the massive needs facing them would have been the logistically sensible solution: "Send them away!"
Jesus Supplied.
But Jesus WAS there. And His person was the SUPPLY for the needs of each hungry person: man, woman, and child. In other words, what each person really needed was Jesus. The disciples hadn't figured that out yet, but Jesus was teaching them hands on. As Peter gave out the bread to his hungry group of 50-100 people, he was getting the food from Jesus. As Thaddeus gave out the bread to his hungry group, he was getting the food from Jesus. As Judas gave out the bread to his hungry group, he was getting the food from Jesus. There was no "giftedness" that was needed to hand out the bread. There were no personality advantages to feed a hungry crowd. There was no time to be comparing who had the larger group--only time to go back to Jesus again and again to refill the basket and head back to the next waiting group.
Each disciple had nothing to give apart from what Jesus put in their basket, and each disciple had the same full provision from Jesus to take to their group of waiting, hungry people.
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