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Mark | 1:1-11 | 1:12-34 | 1:35-45 | 2:1-20  | 2:21-3:12 | 3:13-35 | 4:1-20 | 4:21-41 | 5:1-20 | 5:21-43 | 6:1-13 | 6:14-29 | 6:30-44 | 6:45-56 | 7-12| 13-16 |

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Mark 6:30-44 Bible Study and Questions – Feeding of Five Thousand

Discussion Questions

• Where were the disciples before verse 30? What had they been doing? Is there anything we can learn from this about training workers?
• What did Jesus plan for them? Why did they especially need a rest this time?
• Is it OK to have some time to ourselves for rest or is that being lazy when there is work to be done?
• Did the crowds respect their wishes and give them time alone? What can we learn from this about human nature?
• Are there people in your lives who need a lot of attention even when you don’t feel like giving it?
• What did Jesus do when He saw His plans had been messed up? Is there anything we can learn from Jesus’ attitude here?
• Why did Jesus have compassion on them? Do you feel likewise when looking at the masses of people around you?
• Why do you think Jesus asked the disciples to give them something when He knew they wouldn’t have been able to?
• What observations do you have about the miracle which Jesus performed?
• From other gospel accounts, where did these loaves and fish come from? What can we learn from the boy who gave them?
• Why do you Jesus did the miracle in such a way that there were 12 baskets of food leftover?

Cross References

John 6:1-14 – Parallel account which mentions the boy who gave the loaves and fish.

Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

1 Corinthians 14:40 – All things should be done decently and orderly.

John 13:34 – A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. The disciples returned and gave Jesus a report –

Mark 6:30 – The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.

Here when the apostles met with Jesus, they were not talking about what Jesus had been doing or teaching, but what “they” had “done and taught.” This passage gives us insight into how Jesus trained the disciples. They were not just bystanders observing Jesus’ ministry, but participated in it.

Sometimes their participation was in deeper small group discussion after Jesus’ miracles or teachings. Sometimes their participation was in preparing something like the place for the Last Supper or later in this passage finding some food. Sometimes it was asking Jesus more questions.

Here we see that Jesus had tasked them with preaching the Word. As effective as Jesus was, He was still just one person. He could teach big crowds, but He was limited to one place at a time. To make a bigger impact that would stretch to the ends of the earth, Jesus had to train others. He had to reproduce. As the disciples learned from Jesus and went and did likewise, Jesus’ ministry multiplied by twelve times.

From this we learn about the principles of reproduction and disciple making. It is the same principle Paul taught and followed.

2 Timothy 2:2 – And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

In addition, it is a reminder that being a faithful disciple requires more than just going to listen to the pastor at church. Discipleship is not about passive listening. To truly grow, a believer should get to work.

The disciples’ participation in Jesus’ ministry in many different ways set them apart from the listeners who came to observe.

Every Sunday you can go to church and see many rows of pews fill up. But church should not be like watching a sports competition with a clear division between athletes and “spectators.” God expects all believers to participate.

Reflect – What other Bible passages teach us that all believers should be serving in church and that it is not only the job of the pastor?

He has given us each a spiritual gift for the purpose of building the body.

1 Corinthians 12:7 – To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Paul taught that the leaders are to equip the saints for the works of service. That means that these works of service are to be done by regular believers.

Ephesians 4:11-13 – And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Application – Are you a spectator or participant in the body of Christ. Serving the body of Christ can take many different forms, but each of us should be doing something. Are you?

2. Jesus showed genuine concern for the disciples –

Of all people, He understood how tiring it can be to minister to people.

Mark 6:31 – And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”

They had been very busy doing ministry. Certainly, they had faced many difficulties as well as opposition from Satan and his minions. Ministering to others is time intensive. They were staying at other people’s homes. There is also the spiritual burden of praying for, counselling, and teaching the flock. It is common for Christian workers to be exposed to people’s personal difficulties and to help bear those burdens.

Jesus recognized they needed some time to recharge and be refreshed so He asked them to go to a secluded place and rest. Resting is a Scriptural concept. It is also taught in the Old Testament practice of keeping the Sabbath. Our bodies are not made to go all the time either physically or mentally. Sometimes we need to have a rest. It is not good to push ourselves too far. Physically, that can cause health issues and spiritually it can cause burnout.

Unfortunately, many Christian workers (missionaries and pastors) end up leaving the ministry because of being burnt out. There are many causes of this, but one potential cause is a lack of rest. Ministers are willing to work so they are put to work. Without enough time to recharge their physical and spiritual batteries, there is danger of burnout.

Application – If you are in ministry, evaluate whether you take adequate time for retreat or rest. You may consider asking a wise mentor for their opinion.

Another application is to take initiative to help ensure that Christian workers around us get some time to rest. How?

For example, you could offer to babysit to give parents a break. A husband could offer to watch the kids while his wife has some time to go out, and vice-versa. Or you could make a meal and take it to a pastor or missionary. You can consider whether your own pastor ever takes a sabbatical. Instead of criticizing the pastor who does, you could be the one to suggest it.

At the same time, we should remember there is a balance. While some rest is good, too much rest could be laziness. The disciples were not always resting. In fact, right before this they had been out on a preaching tour. The Sabbath rest only comes after a week of hard work.

We need to have discernment.

Let us have the heart of Philemon to refresh others.

Philemon 1:7 – For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

3. While Jesus was showing concern for the disciples, the common people were not –

Mark 6:32-33 – And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

The crowds did not care how tired Jesus or the disciples were. There is no evidence that they ever asked, “Do you need some time to be alone?” Their minds were filled with what they wanted to get or see rather than what they could do for others.

Reflect – What should they have done at this point?

Instead of just presuming that Jesus and the disciples were always ready for serving them, they could have asked.

Even better, they could have used their eyes and seen the weary expressions and came up to Jesus and said, “I have noticed that you and your disciples are busy from before dawn until after dusk every day preaching, healing, and serving. You must all be very tired. Today come to my house. My friends and I have prepared a nice meal. You can all have a warm bath, and enjoy the meal. Let us take care of everything. There are mats ready for you to hit the sack and get a good nights’ sleep. I will personally stand at the door and make sure none of you are disturbed until you have slept for 10 hours.”

It is not surprising that nowhere in the gospels do we see any such invitation. In today’s world it is also rare.

Application – We can all learn a lesson from this. What can you learn? Let us learn to show consideration for others, especially pastors, ministers, elders, and missionaries. They work hard to serve us and we can help make their lives easier and promote longevity by caring for them.

Jesus Himself said that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

4. Jesus had compassion on them –

Mark 6:34 – When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

Jesus is a prime example of showing compassion to others, first to the disciples and now to the crowds. Instead of getting angry at their invasion of his privacy, Jesus responded with compassion. He saw into the desperate needs of their heart.

When people impose on us, our first reaction is often to get angry or bitter. Yes, they shouldn’t do it. People should show consideration to us. They should be polite. And yet when people didn’t treat Jesus and His disciples the right way, He responded with love.

He didn’t only teach this truth but practiced it.

John 13:34 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

He loved by putting other people first and by returning good for evil. Jesus’ compassion for the people extended beyond their physical needs to their spiritual needs. He saw in their true condition, lost. Knowing that they were lost motivated Jesus to help them.

Next time you are in a crowd look around. Use your eyes to observe. You will probably notice some pushing and shoving and maybe some angry words or glances. You may notice people cutting in line. You will notice girls and guys in their teens hanging all over each other. You will notice guys with bloodshot eyes reeking of alcohol. You will notice young people who refuse to get up from their seats and give it to a pregnant lady or the elderly. You may notice masses of people playing video games and on their phones. You may notice women wearing very little, but lots of makeup. You may notice whiny and disobedient kids and desperate parents.

Don’t just be one of the mob, getting annoyed with everyone around you and pushing and shoving right back. Realize that the vast majority of the people you see are lost. They are like sheep without a shepherd just like the crowds that Jesus saw.

Application – Will you have compassion on them as Jesus did? Or will you get bitter about their rude behavior? Pray for them. Ask the Lord to give you a heart of compassion and to motivate you to reach them with the gospel.

5. Jesus asked the disciples to give the crowds something to eat –

The disciples suggested that Jesus send the people away so that they could eat. Jesus told the disciples to give them something to eat.

Mark 6:36-37 – Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.”

Reflect – Why did Jesus tell them to do this?

It was certainly an interesting request and the disciples responded like you might expect them too, which was to ask if they should buy food for everyone. My guess is that Jesus was giving them an opportunity to show their faith by making a suggestion such as, “Jesus, we can’t feed all of these people…but you can. Why don’t you do a miracle to show them your power!”

Jesus was testing them.

John 6:5-7 – Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

They failed the test. Once again, they thought merely in physical terms and not in spiritual ones.

He often tried to get them to think beyond the physical of what they could see and touch. Most of the time, however, this was a struggle for them. Let us not be too quick to judge because we likely would have failed this test as well.

6. A boy voluntarily gave his five loaves and two fish –

John 6:9 – There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?

Reflect – What can we learn from the boy? Do you think the boy was the only one in the whole crowd who had any food? Why is he the only one mentioned? Is there any application for us today? How important was this nameless boy’s contribution? How do you think it could have impacted him later? Do you think this miracle was more beneficial for the boy or for the others who had food but didn’t volunteer it?

7. Jesus commanded them to sit down in groups.

Mark 6:39-40 – Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.

1 Corinthians 14:40 – But all things should be done decently and in order.

God is a God of order. Nothing generates chaos like free food! Jesus didn’t want a stampede or trampled people so He wisely made people sit down. If they wanted to receive the benefit from His miracle, they had to do it on His terms. This is just like salvation. He offers it freely, but we have to accept it on His terms, not on our own.

8. Jesus blessed the food before serving it –

Mark 6:41 – And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.

It is from this passage and the Last Supper passages that we get the principle of praying before we eat. While it’s not commanded that we do it, it is certainly a biblical idea and an excellent way to show gratitude for what we have. Remember to pray from your heart and not just do it as a ritual as fast as possible so that you can “hurry up and eat!”

Application – We should recognize that every good thing we have is from God (James 1:17). It can be easy to take for granted the things we have. Let us follow Jesus’ example of showing gratitude to the Lord even for a simple meal.

9. The disciples served –

The disciples distributed the food to the people (Mark 6:41). They were not sitting in a group of twelve being served by Jesus. Neither were they in one of the groups of fifty holding up their hands to receive. They were helpers.

Reflect – Which group would you like to be part of? The people sitting being served? Or a disciple who is doing the serving?

It is easier and more comfortable to sit and let others serve us, but it is not nearly beneficial. In the visible church today, I think it is accurate to say that it could also be separated into two groups. One group comes and listens and is served by others (pastor, ushers, cleaners, teachers, painters, etc.) This is often the majority of any given local church.

Another group is composed of people who participate in and help by serving others. This is generally the minority. Which group are you in? Even if you are helping some, don’t be content to sit and watch most of the time while helping every now and then.

The disciples were continually helping Jesus serve the people and that should be our goal as well, not only in church but also in our families, fellowships, small groups, and marriages.

The believers who generally grow are the ones who use their God-given gift and serve. Those who do serve generally benefit spiritually from that even more than those they are serving.

10. The people ate and were satisfied –

Mark 6:42 – And they all ate and were satisfied.

One obvious point from this is that Jesus “made” enough food for everyone. It was free so they surely ate up. His miracle was fully sufficient to give every person present exactly what they needed.

Yet the satisfied feeling they got from the food would wear off by the next day.

While Mark does not record Jesus’ subsequent teaching, John does. The core of it is that Jesus is the Bread of Life.

John 6:35 – Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Those who come to Jesus need never by spiritually hungry again. God created us with a need to have a relationship with Him. When Adam and Eve sinned, that broke the relationship and created a hole in human hearts. People try to fill this hole and satisfy themselves through all kinds of methods, pleasure, money, sex, and power. None of it works. Jesus is the Bread of Life.

True satisfaction doesn’t come by allowing others to serve us, but by coming to Christ to be filled by Him.

11. There were twelve baskets leftover –

As many have commented before, this meant one per disciple. Jesus made sure that the disciples were provided for while proving that His miracle was overflowing. God is lavish in His blessings toward His people.

Ephesians 2:7 – So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Jesus didn’t forget His disciples. If you serve Him, He won’t forget you either.