Jesus has been healing the Gentiles in Decapolis. While Matthew’s account reads as though it’s just been a long day (similar to the feeding of the 5000 on the Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee), Jesus indicates it’s been a much longer event, “Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.””
It has been three days, not one long day. Three days of ministry. Three days of healing. Each day has produced a crowd as the ministry saw answers to prayer through Jesus’ work. Mark even notes this in introducing Jesus’ concern for the hunger of those present, “During those days another large crowd gathered.”
Mark’s Gospel also reveals what’s been happening during those three days, “Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.””
Jesus has taken His disciples on a healing mission that has quickly become a significant event in the lives of the whole local population. Importantly, they have seen things they have never seen before. As when Jesus delivered and healed the possessed mute man outside Jarius’ place, this amazes everyone. So much so that the event continues for three days without concern for the necessity of food. It is only as the ministry begins to wind down that Jesus – knowing the crowd will soon need to disperse, finds Himself roused with compassion for their physical well-being. He says, “I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”
God has compassion on those He made in His image. He has compassion for the lost. He has compassion for the suffering. He has compassion for the hungry. Best of all, God’s compassion is more than just a passing emotion. God acts on His compassion. God’s care transcends emotion and changes it into something much more, He transforms compassion into tangible acts of love.
But before we get to the miracle wee know is about to happen, we do well to pause and reflect: Jesus takes the time necessary to reach lost people. He ministers to the suffering with both touch and prayer. Even our hunger will not escape His notice, or His provision!
There is no greater comfort than knowing that the Lord continues to show His compassion to us, working miracles of goodness and mercy out of every situation in our lives
Eugene E. Carpenter
APPLICATION: Thankfulness
God has compassion. He has compassion on you. He has compassion for you, today. Let His compassion for you spill out to those around you.