YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT

Passage: Mark 6:35-44

Key verse: 37a

NIV

35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”(A)

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”(B)

39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.(C) Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 6:37 Greek take two hundred denarii
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 (A)Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, (B)“You give them something to eat.” And (C)they said to him, (D)“Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii[a] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, (E)“Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he (F)looked up to heaven and (G)said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 6:37 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
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. You give them something to eat (35-37)

Jesus' disciples were tired and hungry, but the crowds lingered, and Jesus taught on and on. Finally it became late, so they came to Jesus with a reasonable suggestion. See verses 35-36. The people should take care of themselves. Jesus, however, countered with an unreasonable command: 'You give them something to eat.' They immediately reacted: 'It costs too much!' But Jesus wanted them to learn a sense of responsibility and his shepherd's heart. He wanted them to learn that everything he commands can be done, if they have faith.

2. How many loaves do you have? (38-44)

They took stock of their resources and found only five loaves and two fish. But they brought these to Jesus. When Jesus gave thanks and broke the loaves and distributed them, along with the fish, to all the people, there was enough-with some left over.

Prayer: Lord, here are my loaves and fish. Please use them and me in your work of world salvation.

One Word: You give them something to eat