Smoodock's Blog

The “Feeding of the Five Thousand” is one of the few events in Jesus’ public ministry that makes it into all four Gospel narratives, the three Synoptics and the Gospel of John. When I was a little boy and was told about this event, I was in awe. Could that have happened? In the mind of a little boy—sure! Wonders do happen! When we grow into adults, many of us say, “Naw! That couldn’t have occurred!” Yet, most of these folks, vis-à-vis those who deny such miracles, will tell us, even teach us, that the Big Bang happened. That’s when “Nothing… suddenly occurred and produced everything that exists!” So, I guess it’s all a matter of one’s perspective, one’s worldview. For some of us—God makes sense. As for the rest of us, “Nothing…” makes sense!

Matthew tells us that Jesus took his disciples, got into a boat and left to go to a deserted place, and when the people saw it, a great multitude followed him on foot. When Jesus saw what they did, he was moved with compassion, and he healed the sick among them, when he arrived at the place he intended. The reason Matthew offers for this journey to take place is, “When Jesus heard…” (Matthew 14:13-14). What did Jesus hear, and why did knowing this cause him to leave Capernaum to go to a deserted place? Well, we are told that, when John’s disciples heard of John’s death, they requested the body, buried it, and went and told Jesus (Matthew 14:12). Nevertheless, why would hearing of John’s death cause Jesus to suddenly leave Capernaum? Matthew also tells us that Herod had heard of Jesus’ fame, and accounted his miracles as John risen from the dead. So, this was a recent development, but how should we understand it?

According to Mark, Jesus had just sent the Twelve on a mission to preach the Gospel in the towns and villages of Galilee, Herod’s realm of authority (Mark 6:7), and when they returned, they reported that they cast out many demons and anointed many who were sick and they were made well (Mark 6:12-13). Herod heard of (this) and claimed Jesus did these things through the power of John’s spirit, now risen from the dead (Mark 6:14). When Jesus’ disciples told him what occurred on their mission, he told them they should go to a deserted place to rest, for there were many coming and going, and the men had no rest (Mark 6:30-31).

According to Luke, Jesus sent out the Twelve (Luke 9:1) and they healed many people throughout the towns and villages, where they preached the Gospel (Luke 9:6). The thing made quite a stir, and Herod found out about the mighty works and concluded that this was the spirit of John the Baptist, whom he had just slain, and his spirit was the power behind all the miracles done, and now, he wanted to see Jesus (Luke 9:7, 9).

When the Twelve returned, Jesus took them to a deserted place in the outskirts of Bethsaida (Luke 9:10), which means there may also have been some political implications to Jesus’ decision to go to Bethsaida. How so? It’s location would take Jesus and his disciples out of the realm of Herod Antipas’ authority. Bethsaida was located just off the Sea of Galilee but inside the realm of Herod Philip! Jesus could have gone here to escape a military envoy sent to take him to Herod, who might have arrested him under a charge of stirring up the people against him over John’s death.

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus sailed over the Sea of Galilee, and a great multitude followed him, and he accounts for the largeness of the crowds by saying: it was the season for the Passover (John 1:1-4). We’ve already established in previous studies that Capernaum was probably designated as a city, where pilgrims could go to celebrate the annual Holy Days in lieu of going to Jerusalem, because Jerusalem couldn’t possibly accommodate every pilgrim, who wished to celebrate the annual feast days, especially the great Holy Day Sabbaths mentioned in Leviticus 23. So, Capernaum (and there may have been others) was designated as a place of worship for pilgrims, who didn’t go to Jerusalem. Thus, we have it. The miracle of feeding over five thousand folks occurred near the execution of John the Baptist, which itself occurred about the time Jesus sent out the Twelve on a mission to preach the Gospel to different towns and villages throughout Galilee, which was Herod Antipas’ realm of authority. Both John’s death and sending out the Twelve occurred near the Passover season. The Apostles created quite a stir, and Herod wanted to see Jesus, and his motives may not have been to be entertained by a miracle. The aftermath of John’s execution made him wary of the attitude of the people, who believed John was a prophet. These circumstances may have caused Herod to believe Jesus’ Kingdom preaching was about overthrowing him. Afterward, when it became clear there wasn’t an uprising against him, Herod’s desire to “see” Jesus waned.