The Word of God: Filling Us With God’s Wisdom! 01/15/2015 Introduction Mark 6:30-56: Today’s reading includes an account of two more miracles – Jesus feeding 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, and Jesus walking on water. Verse 30 picks up where verse 13 (from yesterday’s reading) ended, with the disciples reporting back to Jesus about what they had done and taught. The reading concludes with Jesus and the disciples arriving in Gennesaret where Jesus heals many people. Today’s Scripture: Mark 6:41a Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. Today’s Reading Jesus Feeds Five Thousand (Matthew 14.13-21; Luke 9.10-17; John 6.1-14) 30.The apostles returned and met with Jesus, and told him all they had done and taught. 31.There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his disciples didnt even have time to eat. So he said to them, “Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone and you can rest a while.” 32.So they started out in a boat by themselves to a lonely place. 33.Many people, however, saw them leave and knew at once who they were; so they went from all the towns and ran ahead by land and arrived at the place ahead of Jesus and his disciples. 34 .When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw this large crowd, and his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things. 35.When it was getting late, his disciples came to him and said, “It is already very late, and this is a lonely place. 36.Send the people away, and let them go to the nearby farms and villages in order to buy themselves something to eat.” 37.“You yourselves give them something to eat,” Jesus answered. They asked, “Do you want us to go and spend two hundred silver coins on bread in order to feed them?” 38.So Jesus asked them, “How much bread do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they told him, “Five loaves and also two fish.” 39.Jesus then told his disciples to make all the people divide into groups and sit down on the green grass. 40.So the people sat down in rows, in groups of a hundred and groups of fifty. 41.Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42.Everyone ate and had enough. 43.Then the disciples took up twelve baskets full of what was left of the bread and the fish. 44.The number of men who were fed was five thousand. Jesus Walks on the Water (Matthew 14.22-33; John 6.15-21) 45.At once Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida, on the other side of the lake, while he sent the crowd away. 46.After saying good-bye to the people, he went away to a hill to pray. 47.When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, while Jesus was alone on land. 48.He saw that his disciples were straining at the oars, because they were rowing against the wind; so sometime between three and six oclock in the morning, he came to them, walking on the water. He was going to pass them by. 49.but they saw him walking on the water. “Its a ghost!” they thought, and screamed. 50.They were all terrified when they saw him. Jesus spoke to them at once, “Courage!” he said. “It is I. Dont be afraid!” 51.Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. The disciples were completely amazed. 52because they had not understood the real meaning of the feeding of the five thousand; their minds could not grasp it. Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret (Matthew 14.34-36) 53.They crossed the lake and came to land at Gennesaret, where they tied up the boat. 54.As they left the boat, people recognized Jesus at once. 55.So they ran throughout the whole region; and wherever they heard he was, they brought to him the sick lying on their mats. 56.And everywhere Jesus went, to villages, towns, or farms, people would take their sick to the marketplaces and beg him to let the sick at least touch the edge of his cloak. And all who touched it were made well. Reflect Why were the crowds eager to follow Jesus and his disciples? Why did Jesus feel pity for the people (verse 34)? How did the disciples react when they saw Jesus approaching them walking on the water? In verse 52, we learn that the disciples could not grasp the meaning of what Jesus had done. In matters of faith, have you ever experienced difficulty in understanding? If so, where or to whom do you turn for help? Pray!! Holy Jesus, by the power of your Holy Spirit, help me to understand your teachings and strengthen my faith. Guide me each day as I grow in the knowledge of you. Amen.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 07:19:23 +0000
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