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Mark

Mark 
Day 
Day 148

2 Peter 1:3b "Through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue."

Day 148 – Mark 6

“Through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” 2 Peter 1:3b

A DAY SPENT AT THE FEET OF JESUS

What a wonderful day it must have been for the multitudes! They had the golden opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus. He liked nothing better than to teach them deep spiritual truths. All too soon, the sun began to sink in the west. The day had come to an end.

PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL CONCERNS

While Jesus would have loved to take time to speak privately to His disciples, the needs of ministry took priority. However, this did not mean that the opportunity of learning deep truths had passed by. Seizing the occasion, Jesus spoke to His disciples.

“When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him
And said, ‘This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.
Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country
and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have
nothing to eat.’
But He answered and said to them. ‘You give them something
to eat.’ And they said to Him, ‘Shall we go and buy two
hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?'”
MARK 6:35-37

1. The concern of the Disciples for things physical

They were concerned about the physical needs of the multitudes. This concern was real enough. Perhaps they were a little troubled that Jesus seemed to have overlooked the physical aspects of the ministry. The multitudes needed to eat. If Jesus kept teaching the multitudes, soon it would be too late to go out to the villages to buy food.

2. The challenge of Jesus

Jesus’ words to the Disciples must have stunned them. Had they heard Him correctly? Did He ask them to feed the multitudes? A quick calculation would put the cost at about two hundred denarii! That was a sizeable sum indeed. Perhaps, the Disciples also knew that they did not have this sum of money with them! How could they feed the multitudes? They certainly did not understand their Master at times.

Jesus went on to ask what they had in hand.

“‘How many loaves do you have? Go and see.’
And when they found out they said,
‘Five, and two fish.'”
MARK 6:38

3. The consternation of the Disciples

They must have wondered why Jesus asked them to find out just how much they had in their hands. Surely, He must know that whatever they had, would not be enough to feed the multitudes! What could Jesus be thinking of at this late hour? Had He made a terrible miscalculation for once? How were they to understand Jesus at this juncture?