JESUS FEEDS THE 4000

Passage: Matthew 15:29-39

Key verse: 32

NIV

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand(A)(B)(C)

29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.(D) 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.(E)

32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people;(F) they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”

34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them(G) and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.(H) 38 The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

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ESV

Jesus Heals Many

29 (A)Jesus went on from there and walked (B)beside the Sea of Galilee. And he (C)went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them (D)the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 (E)so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, (F)the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And (G)they glorified (H)the God of Israel.

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

32 (I)Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, (J)“I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, (K)“Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and (L)having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And (M)they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of (N)Magadan.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. They praised the God of Israel (29-31)

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would make the blind see, the lame walk, and the mute speak (Isa 35:4-6a). When the motley crowds--which included many Gentiles--saw these things happening, they praised the God of Israel. They came because they heard of Jesus' compassion for one Gentile woman (15:21-28). They came because they longed for the Good Shepherd's mercy.

2. Jesus' compassion (32-39)

Jesus had a mother's love and a father's sense of responsibility for the crowds. He called his disciples and shared his concern: 'I don't want to send them away hungry. They might collapse on the way.' The disciples had fed one crowd, but they were still aware of their human limits. They asked, 'Where can we find bread?' Jesus told them to bring what they had. He gave thanks for the loaves; then he broke them and, through the disciples, fed the crowd.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your compassionate heart. I believe your almighty power.

One Word: Compassionate Jesus knows our needs