“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. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.””
Even though the disciples had just witnessed Jesus feeding 5000 people with only five loaves and two fish, they do not consider feeding 4000 with an incrementally greater supply a possibility. Perhaps that is because they still don’t consider ministry and miracles among Gentiles to be something God willingly does. Instead, they focus on the proportion of food supply vs population and find it so wildly unrealistic they disregard their past experience. Effectively, their focus on the poverty of their supply impoverishes their faith.
One wonders what is going through the minds of the disciples in that moment.
Perhaps they were ashamed. After all, the last time Jesus fed so large a crowd, it was after a single long day of ministry. But here three days have already past, and Scripture says nothing about the disciples looking for food or doing what they can for the practical needs of the crowd during that time. It appears as though the disciples have neglected obvious felt need, and have now been called out by their Master.
Or it may quite the opposite. Perhaps they were frustrated. It may have been that they did bring a supply of food – at least for themselves and Jesus. In their eyes, Jesus had simply waited too long to think about moving on to the next town, and their food supply had just about run out on account of the length of time the ministry had taken.
But whatever the circumstance, Jesus does not criticize or belittle the disciples. He does not point out their lack of faith, or their lack of preparation. He simply responds to the fact. The people Jesus cares about are needy, and His group does not have enough supply to meet the need in the moment; “He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children.”
God’s supply is not limited to our draw of it. If He supplied last time, He can do it again. That doesn’t mean that we should take Him for granted or be flippant about our own responsibility to steward well. Nor should we be frustrated that we need His help so soon after the last time. Nor should we think He will not supply to meet the need of THAT particular people group.
When we are following Christ rightly we can expect Him to supply what we truly need, when we truly need it, to do the ministry He has lead us into. He is faithful, able and willing. We just need to admit our lack, and lean on His capability.
Christ’s miracles were not the suspension of the natural order but the restoration of the natural order. They were a reminder of what once was prior to the fall and a preview of what will eventually be a universal reality once again–a world of peace and justice, without death, disease, or conflict.
Tim Keller
APPLICATION: Worship
Praise the Lord, He is generous and kind!