Mark 6:30-34 NIV
[30] “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. [31] Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” [32] So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. [33] But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. [34] When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”
This Servant of Yahweh had to perform a fine balancing act… between the clamouring need of the people and His own and His disciples’ need of rest.
On some occassions, He simply walked away and went elsewhere. On this occasion, according to Mark’s report, He rolled up His sleeves and got to work. How did He differentiate beween one kind of need and another?
Mark specifically comments on Jesus’ motivation. He was more affected by the spirirual condition of the “sheep” than by their physical needs. In His eyes, they were “shepherdless sheep”, people without a leader to give them direction or protection.
Jesus’ response, strangely enough, was to “teach them many things”. Gone His weariness! Gone His plan to escape the crowds, to get some “R and R” in a secluded place! He tried to escape but…
That didn’t work! In fact, when Jesus and His disciples arrived at their solitary place, the crowds were already there!
Real compassion means “Do something about it.” Jesus’ compassion plugged into their real need. He began to teach them…not heal them, not feed them (although He did feed them later on).
Healing and feeding were temporary measures to meet physical needs. Teaching them truth would arm them for life and affect their quality of life and their eternal destiny.
If we go back to the story of the woman Jesus healed of bleeding, it was her faith in the truth of God’s promise in Malachi 4:3 that delivered the healing. Faith in Jesus must be, first, in His identity, second, in His ability and, third, in His veracity, that is in His word.
When Jesus came from heaven and became a man, He arrived, equipped with grace and truth…
John 1:14 NIV
[14] “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
…grace for our weaknesses…
2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
[9] “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
…and truth for our freedom…
John 8:31-32, 34, 36 NIV
[31] “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”…
[34] Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin…
[36] So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Healing their illnesses and feeding their bellies would not set them free from the ravages of sin. Only truth could renew their minds and set them on course to faith in Jesus who did for them what the law of Moses could never do.
John 1:16-17 NIV
[16] “Out of his fullness, we have all received grace in place of grace already given. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Unfortunately, too much focus today, is on the “healing and feeding” ministry of Jesus which is, at best, only physical, material, and temporary. These benefits of the gospel must fall into place behind His greatest work…redemption, reconciliation, and restoration to fellowship with the Father, and our place in His kingdom as holy and beloved sons and daughters of the Most High God.
Jesus knew His priorities, recognised the real needs of the people, forgot His own need, and gave the sheep what they needed most, truth to feed their souls.
Jesus’ declaration…
Matthew 6:7-8 NIV
[7] “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words…
[8] Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
…should alert us to something more than health and food.
Our Father’s intimate knowledge of His children’s every need should encourage us to look much further than the everyday issues that preoccupy us.
What if the struggles we are in, the troubles we face, the trials and tests we endure, are just what we need to refine our faith and to prune our souls of sin as much as the money in our banks or the food in our fridges?
Jesus knows our needs as much as He knew the priorities that really affected His people. Trusting Him means giving Him the right to orchestrate our circumstances as is best for us without complaining and resisting. Giving credit to the devil for what God is doing in our lives is tantamount to blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.
Our issues will take on an eternal significance when we really, unconpromisingly believe that…
Romans 8:28-29 NIV
[28] “.. in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [29] For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”