Mark 6:35-44 - Homilies By A.f. Muir

Feeding the five thousand: a parable.

It is no less remarkable in this aspect; perhaps it was its suggestion of spiritual things which was its chief aim. It sets forth the physical and spiritual dependence of men upon God, and the Divine Father's willingness and power to provide for his children; or, the sufficiency of the kingdom of God for the sustenance of its subjects. The nature and principles of Divine mercy to mankind are also suggested.

I. THE POVERTY OF THE CHURCH . Both discovered and concealed; discovered to itself, concealed from the world. How delicate the consideration and tact of Christ!

1 . In position. In the desert. For its needs no dependence upon the world is suffered, whose gold and silver and bread are "not convenient."

2 . In material supplies. Only five loaves and two fishes, and these, as it were, adventitious.

3 . In spiritual resource.

II. THE RICHES OF CHRIST .

1 . A satisfying , saving fullness , administered through the appointed means of grace already existent in his Church. The material resources of his people can never be of primary consequence; for:

2 . Means rightly used in his nam e will be indefinitely multiplied to satisfy all the demands made upon it. One man, with the Spirit of the Lord in him, will be more powerful than Synods and Churches without it. And the means used thus must ever appear disproportionately insignificant as compared with the result. "What is little becomes an abundance through the blessing of God" (Godwin).

III. CONDITIONS OF COMMUNICATION TO MEN . There was an antecedent ground for Christ's consideration, viz. that the people had exposed themselves to inconvenience and danger through desire for his doctrine; corresponding to the principle, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." "He provideth the lower good for those who were seeking the higher" (Godwin). But the immediately declared conditions were:

1 . Obedience. The disciples were to do as he bade them, and so through them, in turn, the crowd. The resources at hand—loaves and fishes—were to be sought for, calculated, and brought forth. The people are bidden to place themselves in a position most fittingly and impressively to receive the benefit to be conferred.

2 . Order. There is something very impressive in the symmetrical arrangement, "by hundreds and by fifties." It was manifestly a measure of the highest importance from the point of view of "supply." "Order is Heaven's first law." In the kingdom of God all things must "be done decently and in order." A settled government, properly appointed officers, and, in general, method, system. So in the economy there must be no waste. The saving from one season is to be the supply of another.

3 . Divinely commissioned service. Some have supposed that the multiplication of the bread was effected in the hands of Christ; some, in the hands of the disciples; some, in the hands of the multitude; others, in all three stages of its administration. Yet are the apostles—the called and commissioned servants of Christ—the true "stewards of the mysteries." The qualification, however, is not mechanical, but spiritual. It is the Spirit of Christ in them that fits them for their task, and ensures their efficiency.

4 . Prayer. The meal is a communion with God. His blessing must be asked. It is sacramental Only as God blesses the provision can it be sufficient. It is obvious that the grand condition of all these requirements is faith. It is the calling forth and exercising of this which crowns the miracle as a consummate grace.—M.