Mark wrote, “In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From where can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves do you have? And they said, Seven”, and in chapter eight and verse six of his book, Mark shared how Jesus, “commanded the people to sit down on the ground … and they set them before the people” where we read:
And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
The verse reads, “And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground:” Mark began with the words, “and he commanded” which means “and Jesus ordered, charged or enjoined” “the people” or “the multitude who were around Him” “to sit down on the ground” which means “to be seated, recline or sit back upon the earth beneath them”. Mark shared how Jesus directed the multitude to be seated upon the “ground” before He fed them.
The verse continues, “and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them;” Mark added the words, “and he took” which means “and Jesus procured, lay hold of and obtained” “the seven loaves” or “the seven small breads made with flour and mixed with water and baked”, “and gave thanks” which means “and was grateful and feeling thankful”, “and brake” or “and broke the loaves into pieces”, “and gave to his disciples” which means “and distributed the loaves to His students, pupils and attendants” “to set before them” or “to put and place in front of the people in the crowd”. Mark shared how Jesus “lay hold of” the “seven loaves”, thanked God for them and distributed them to His disciples.
Finally the verse says, “and they did set them before the people.” Mark finished this verse with the words, “and they did set them” or “and the disciples put and placed the loaves” “before the people” which means “in front of the people”. Mark shared how Jesus' disciples obey His instruction, and the people received the loaves Jesus blessed.
When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus had an order or plan to His feeding the people. First, the people were seated. Next, He gave thanks for the food which they were going to eat, and then, He broke the “loaves” into pieces which He distributed to His disciples to put in front of the people. God is a God of order, and Jesus demonstrated this when He fed the people. God had a plan for the “salvation” of mankind through His Son Jesus. Jesus came to the earth, lived without sin, died upon the cross and rose again from the grave. All these steps were intentional to give people an opportunity to know Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and those who are wise will “eat” from this “bread” which is put before them and be satisfied.
Next time Mark shares how Jesus' disciples, “had a few small fishes: and he blessed”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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