Mark 6:33, commentary and pictures

Jesus withdrew with His disciples by boat across the lake to a desert, secluded place, seeking quiet rest alone with them after their labor, thinking they would not be discovered. Those on shore saw them departing, recognized Him, and the news spread from city to city, so many ran on foot out of all the surrounding cities and towns to where His boat was expected to land and outwent them, reaching the landing before them while others followed over the water in boats. When He landed a great multitude was pressing together on every side to meet Him, no less than five thousand men besides women and children, come from far and near with eager desire to see and hear Him and with urgent need for His help. Though this arrival interrupted the rest He had sought, He was not impatient and did not turn them away, but was moved with love, pity and compassion toward them as sheep not having a shepherd, welcoming them and spending the day teaching the way of salvation and healing the sick. Their gathering on the grassy shore set the scene for the feeding of the multitude with only five barley loaves and two fishes, revealing the same divine power that continually multiplies the harvest and provides daily food.

Withdrawal and Pursuit

Jesus withdrew with His disciples by boat from Capernaum across the lake to a desert, secluded place beyond the sea, seeking peaceful quiet and rest alone with them. He sought that solitude after traveling and ministering, to obtain short rest for Himself and for them, thinking they would not be discovered there. Their crossing was toward a quiet place apart, and their departure ended, as it proved, the disciples' hoped-for time alone with Him.

Some who were searching for Him saw them depart from the shore and watched the slowly receding boat, recognized Him, and asked where He was. Those who noticed the direction He had gone followed, and the news spread from city to city that He was crossing the sea.

Many ran on foot out of all cities and the surrounding towns to where His boat was expected to land, and outwent them and reached the landing before them. Others followed over the water in boats, while the foot travelers hurried by land, so that when He landed a multitude was pressing together on all sides to meet Him. They came from the surrounding towns and nearby cities, eagerly pressing forward to gather around Him on His arrival.

He also traveled on foot through the length and breadth of places with the Word of the Lord in His hand, sitting down to talk awhile and then rising to go on. The people followed Him wherever He led, and He led them away from the cities to retired places apart. On one such journey those who followed grew to as many as five thousand.

News of His feeding miracle also drew people early from far and near, by land and by water, to gather and find Him.

Crowd's Size and Need

The verse shows no less than five thousand men besides women and children gathered to Christ in the wilderness, with five thousand and their families together where He could meet their need for food. The larger gathering is numbered at five thousand men besides women and children, including Passover pilgrims gathered from near and far. On the shore and beach of Galilee that same feeding is reckoned as more than ten thousand people fed with a few loaves and fishes. With no food at hand and no apparent means to provide it, Christ was present with the five thousand men besides women and children in their need.

They came from all the surrounding cities and towns, from far away and from near and far, until with fresh additions they became an immense moving multitude. News of the feeding miracle itself drew others early from far and near, by land and by water, to gather and find Him. The crowds included Passover pilgrims gathered from near and far. His ministry in this pursuit drew people of every nation and social rank.

They eagerly sought Him to see and hear Him, hurrying on foot from the surrounding towns and reaching the place ahead of Him, even when He had withdrawn with the disciples to a quiet place. Some watched the slowly receding boat, news spread from city to city that He was crossing the sea, and many flocked on foot to the expected landing while others followed over the water in boats, pressing forward on all sides to meet Him. Their effort showed desire to hear and learn from Him, for they were seeking the way of salvation. His teaching impressed them, and their pressing need for His help made each feel his own case was urgent.

They came to Him without invitation or command and stayed with Him through the day. They listened long to His instruction as the great Teacher all day until evening drew on, though far from home. In staying they became hungry and faint, and would become hungry and faint if sent home, so that He would not have them return home hungry or faint on the way. Crowds flocking to get where He was followed Him wherever He went until many were weary and hungry and fainting and falling to the ground. Being weary they needed rest and food, with five thousand men besides women and children on that occasion and more on other occasions.

Jesus's Compassionate Ministry

He had come across the sea weary and seeking rest with His disciples, hoping for a time alone together, but those who recognized the departing boat hurried on foot from many towns and reached the landing before them. Their arrival ended the disciples' hoped-for privacy and interrupted the rest He had sought. Instead of quiet He found urgent needs awaiting Him, for the people had outrun Him to be served rather than to leave Him to rest.

Though thus interrupted and robbed of His rest He was not impatient, did not resent the intrusion, and did not turn them away. He was moved with love and pity and compassion toward them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd. They were receiving no help from priests and rulers, and that destitution drew out His sympathy rather than refusal.

Leaving His mountain retreat He welcomed and received them, looking from the hillside upon the people coming and still coming to Him. He spent the day ministering to their needs and to their spiritual destitution, teaching them the way of salvation. What their rulers had not given, He gave, healing the sick and imparting the spiritual help they lacked, until teaching and healing and feeding belonged to one unbroken ministry.

He was attentive to all who came needing attention, as their sanctuary and helper and great leading Physician, noticing their need and patiently attending to them. He would not send them home hungry lest they faint by the way, for they had stayed with Him through the day far from home and some were already fainting and falling. He arranged for the weary to rest, leading them to a grassy plot to be seated, and continued to serve without abandoning His work even while laboring to the point of exhaustion.

Feeding Miracle and Meaning

The hurrying on foot out of all the towns gathered the people to Him beside the sea, on the shore and beach of Galilee, and their sitting in companies on the grassy plot set the scene for the feeding of the multitude. Their coming together in that place, five thousand men besides women and children listening all day until evening, left them weary and needing rest and food, and their need became the occasion for Him to provide food through the disciples. The disciples later recalled this miracle when they looked again upon Galilee.

With only five barley loaves and two fishes, a few small fishes, He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground in companies on the grassy plot. He asked the blessing on the food, broke the bread into small pieces, and gave it to the disciples to distribute to the multitudes until all were satisfied. The food increased as He passed it to the disciples and they passed it to the hungry multitude, so that hunger was satisfied and as much remained. On this occasion twelve baskets of fragments were gathered, and on another occasion seven baskets.

The miracle reveals the same divine power at work in producing the harvest and providing daily food, for God continually multiplies the seed and feeds people through the earth's harvest. Human cooperation in caring for grain and making bread can cause His agency to be overlooked, when His gifts are meant to be recognized as merciful blessings and not credited only to natural causes or human effort. By divine power Christ multiplied a small supply, showing that God can make scanty provision sufficient for many and can bless and multiply what is available to feed multitudes who hunger for the bread of life. Resources that seem too small for the need can become more than sufficient in His hands, and can equip His servants for their work.

Though five loaves and two fishes seemed far too little and there was no apparent means to provide, everyone was satisfied, teaching trust that what appears meager can become abundance through Christ to satisfy those who receive it and leave something to share with others. The multitude had come without invitation or command and listened long until hungry and faint, and Christ was one with them in their need of food, placed by the providence of God as the Son of God in human nature where He was to depend on His heavenly Father to relieve the necessity. In providing simple food He showed His care in meeting genuine physical need. This shows what Christ can do as the mighty One who ministers, teaches, guides into truth, helps in all wrestling and trials, and gives everlasting life in the kingdom of glory to the overcomer. The providing of bread for the crowd besides women and children was part of His mission and expressed His love for people.

Their gathering led into a feast where He taught, healed the sick, and fed them. The account shows that God can give tact, skill, and understanding to those who work with Him, and that He blesses and multiplies a small supply so it meets the needs of a great multitude and equips His servants for their work.

Lessons for Service

After hunger was satisfied by miracle the food that remained was saved by command to gather up the fragments that nothing be lost. That command teaches a lasting lesson in close economy, care and order for trying circumstances when strict saving is required. On this occasion twelve baskets of fragments were gathered, and on another occasion seven baskets, showing what can be done for those who trust in the mighty One who ministers, teaches, guides into truth, helps in wrestling and trials, and gives everlasting life in the kingdom of glory to the overcomer. The lesson is to be woven into experience, to stand in right relation to God and to the principles of economy, to know by experience what self-denial means and to be willing to sacrifice for others.

Those in charge of institutions must put that same lesson into daily practice by acting wisely, refusing to spend a dollar that can be saved by frugality and thrift, carrying on the work economically and utilizing everything that can be used. They are so to supply wants and necessities and help the needy and suffering.

The feeding teaches followers to share with the needy what they receive, for as they distribute it provision and grace increase and they too share in the blessing. Although five loaves and two fish, five barley loaves and a few small fishes, seemed far too little for five thousand men besides women and children, everyone was satisfied and much remained, so what appears meager becomes abundance and leaves something to share with others. Dedication to the Lord God of heaven brings His Holy Spirit so that followers can communicate to those in necessity.

His methods give the example for meeting people's needs by practical work using simple, inexpensive means and avoiding unnecessary expense or selfish interests that hinder the work. Those who ran to hear and learn because they were seeking the way of salvation are to be met with compassionate care, including practical help when weary and hungry, so that no obstacle makes coming difficult.

His gifts are to be recognized as merciful blessings, not credited only to natural causes or human effort and turned to selfish use, for the same divine power that multiplied the loaves continually multiplies the seed and feeds people through the earth's harvest, even though human cooperation in caring for grain and making bread can cause His agency to be overlooked. The teaching received by crowds drawn from every nation and social rank, welcomed even when rest was interrupted, could travel with them into other countries and homes.