Mark Chapter 8 Verses 1 – 3

• So Jesus finds Himself again surrounded by a multitude in a remote area called Decapolis on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. And what we’re about to see we’ll find out is very similar to the scene we saw in Mark Chapter 6. In Mark Chapter 6, we’re told there were about 5,000 men there (not to mention women and children) and here in this scene we will find out that the crowd size is about 4,000…and just like Chapter 6, Jesus is about to feed them.
• Now, Mark’s already covered this type of miracle. That makes me go hmmmmmm. No doubt there were scores of things Jesus did and said that Mark knew of, that Peter had told him, that he did not record in this Gospel. I mean, think about it…every second of Jesus’ life was an outright miracle, an obvious “God-thing.” You ever use that term? “Oh man, it was definitely a “God-thing.”” It’s kind of a modern phrase for miracle…
• Ever notice in contracts you might have that statement that refuses liability on the part of one of the acting parties in the case of this or that or maybe natural disasters or “Acts of God!” HA! I find that funny…because basically everything Jesus did would void the agreement contained within that contract…see what I mean? Act of God! HA! But that’s precisely what Jesus did isn’t it!?
• Jesus is fully God and yet fully man and therefore He was born under the letter of the Law…the contract, the covenant of the Law and yet by an “Act of God” the old covenant has been fulfilled and the New Covenant has been established. The handwriting of requirements against mankind for perfection…as it says in Colossians…the requirement for mankind to make right what mankind made wrong all the way back in the Garden of Eden…well guess what…man did it! Through the selfless sacrifice of the man Christ Jesus! Therefore, contract? Null and void man…damnation, expulsion from the very presence of God…null and void man…why? An “Act of God!” HA! For God so loved the world…HE gave!
• Matt, what does that have to do with anything? That has to do with EVERYTHING? But I digress…what does that have to do with this scene? Well, it’s a “God thing!” Mark, what are you trying to tell us? What are you trying to show us? Certainly you’re not trying to bore us with the same story different day, right?
• Not at all. This is not a same story, different day situation at all actually…similar, not the same because if you dissect the two scenes you’ll maybe see something stunning! Oh but we haven’t yet seen the scene have we? Let’s read…

Mark Chapter 8 Verse 4

• It would be silly to think that the disciples had forgotten. Just. Plain. Silly. They hadn’t forgotten what Jesus had done just a few scenes ago near Bethsaida with the crowd of 5,000 men…so why are they asking? Maybe they really wanna know!? “Hey uh, Jesus…we’ve been in this situation before…we saw You do it…now, how do WE do it? How can I do it?” That may be something here…
• Or, maybe there was a pregnant pause after verse 3. Are you there in the scene? Are you the 13^th warrior? (The 13^th disciple) Standing there between Peter and John, maybe checking out their Air Moses sandals? What’s happening at this moment? Jesus just expressed to them His wonderful compassion upon the famished multitude…now what’s the look on Jesus’ face? Does He have a look that is prompting some sort of response? Very well could be!
• Lord, what do You want to do? That’s the question that comes to my lips! And we’re not told who says this statement we find here in verse 4…we’re simply told, “His disciples.” Could it be that they all said it at one time and someone yelled jinx!!! Not so much. It’s most likely one speaking for the many…it’s probably…Peter…So I don’t conclude that the disciples forgot (like some scholars), I conclude that they are having a conversation with Jesus!

Mark Chapter 8 Verses 5 – 10

• Ok, now we have the scene in its entirety as recorded by Mark. The details are stunning. Not stunning as in, “Oh baby they’re so intricate and beautiful!” but stunning in what specifically Mark has given us in enabling us to uncover the “why” behind the reason for this scene in his Gospel! You lost yet? I’m JUST GETTIN’ STARTED! HA!
• You see I believe we are being given a hidden message. Like the secret decoder ring scene in A Christmas Story. Little Orphan Annie…calls out the code on the radio…run Ralphie, run to the turlet room and decode the message!!!! “Be sure to drink your Ovaltine?” This message is better, I assure you…plus Randy really has to go! HA!
• The scene in Chapter 6…where were they? Bethsaida, right! Which is comprised primarily of what nationality of people? Jews! Where is He in Chapter 8? In the midst of the Region of Decapolis, right! Does Decapolis sound Jewish? “Time for dinner Amos, let’s go Abram and bring your brother Decapolis!” Um, no doesn’t fit, right! HA! This region is predominantly…gentile! Right! So the crowd of 5,000 in Chapter 6…Jews, mostly. The crowd in Chapter 8…gentiles, mostly! Ahhhhh, dude wait, what?
• Hang with me here…we’ve only got the first letter of Little Orphan Annie’s secret message…actually I’m not sure Mark would appreciate me calling him little orphan Annie…but ah well he’s not here to defend himself, HA!!!
• So Bethsaida, Jews…Decapolis, gentiles…what else? Who cares, what are you getting to? Tell you what, lemme give you the secret message now and then I’ll show you a few more supporting details. I believe Mark is showing us something extremely slick here…in a way only Peter would do it…remember, Peter was the Apostle to the Jews, Paul to the gentiles. We see several times in the Book of Acts where Peter was a bit more uncomfortable around the gentiles…and so Mark being the earliest Gospel, Peter being on the front end of maturity in this area…His ability to reach out to the gentiles…plants a wonderful thought here…hidden in this story, this scene being included in Mark’s Gospel…
• The Kingdom of God, this is what he’s telling us…the riches and the wonder of a relationship with Jesus, one in which the New Covenant of grace and love and security and acceptance is established and maintained by the power of God’s eternal love…ITS FOR EEEEEERYBODY! Jew and gentile alike!
• This story is so significant. The differences between the two similar accounts so very telling! It’s a hidden message man, a secret of God’s grace…just sitting there like an old Easter Egg…you ever find one of those when you were a kid? I don’t care it’s June…you’re 7 years old…outside playing and there under the bush, barely seen…something beautiful…you pick it up so excited, crack it open and a flat Hershey kiss…sitting right there! Melted and re-hardened and rained on and junk…and then you tear into it! Issac style! (Urlacher not the Issac in Genesis!) HA! SOOOO GOOD! Free chocolate!!
• That’s this for me! I just eat this up! I love the pattern, love the hunt and thoroughly enjoy the capture! This awesome truth, this hidden message that no matter who you are, where you’re from, what you look like, what you talk like, what you’ve done…all of those things don’t matter…Jesus’ compassion awaits man and there is plenty of food for your hungry soul…
• Now, how’d I get there…because I didn’t really find anyone else who did in my study of commentaries on this scripture…
• First, of course…Bethsaida vs. Decapolis…then, the compassion. Jesus’ compassion expressed for the Jews is that they are like sheep without a shepherd…but then for the gentiles….they’re starving man…hungry and sick with spiritual anorexia…Then the three days! It was after three days in the tomb that Jesus rose from the dead giving spiritual life to anyone, whosoever would believe…
• Five loaves in Bethsaida, the number of the Law, the number of the Pentateuch…the Books of Moses, the first five books of the Bible…Seven loaves in Decapolis, the number of completeness and perfection in the Bible…seven days God created all that we know and see…the very word “created” is used a perfect 7 times in the Genesis account…therefore the number 5 points to, gives us the thought of the Jews while the number 7 brings the Jews and the gentiles together into the complete bride of Christ…
• Bethsaida, we know only from John’s Gospel that the five loaves and two fishes came from whom? A little boy among the crowd right? THAT is interesting and symbolic in its own way BUT Decapolis…where does the food come from? The disciples! What a subtle difference but oh how it supports the pattern and fits right snug into the puzzle! The HUNT IS ON! Paul told us in Romans 3:2 that to the Jews were committed the oracles of God…or…the Word of God! This entire Bible, written by whom? Jews!!! Yet here we are, today, feasting on the meal right? And we are, gentiles!
• Finally the fragments. Bethsaida, how many baskets were taken up of leftovers? Twelve! BWA HA HA HA HAAA! YES! How many disciples? How many tribes of Israel? How many thousands from each tribe will become anointed prophets of God in the Great Tribulation period? Twelve thousand!! See it? Even the fragments point to the nation of the Jews!
• The number 12, used 187 times in the Bible. What’s the police code 1-8-7? Homicide man! You see, through the Jews, God committed a 1-8-7 on that dirty serpent of old! Ok that’s just how I think…”1-8-7 on you sucka”, written in the margin of my Bible…
• What about the fragments taken up in Decapolis? How many baskets? SEVEN and check it, LARGE!!! Oh baby BABY! There it is again! The number of completeness! Pointing to the fact that salvation has now come to the gentiles as well as the Jews through the eternal Common Denominator…Jesus.
• What’s the point? What’s the gain for me? Why should I care…this is cool but so what…what’s the so what? Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, God Himself wrapped in skin, born under the perfect law, to fulfill it…to wipe out the charges against us for our sins…to make us clean and give us a home…available to anyone man…everyone…
• You haven’t done too much. You’re not the wrong color. You’re not too this or too that…can’t you see, you’re perfect for Him. J
• If you know Him today and you struggle with sin still, struggle with following Him and sticking close to Him…be encouraged. Don’t ever think that you are any different or any more sinful than anyone else…that is a lie to discourage you from pressing in and giving another go, day after day, moment after moment. You are perfect for His grace and His mercies are new every moment…get back in there man! Even David took up 5 stones against Goliath and it turned out he only needed 1! Go five times harder man…you’re perfect for Him still…
• And for you who have not come to the Lord to receive His grace and salvation…maybe you’ve thought you don’t fit the mold or maybe you’ve thought He doesn’t even want you to come because you’re so messed up…look man…you’re perfect for Him. He gave His all because He loved you so much…to prove to you even that that is how much you mean to Him. Meet Him today…hear Him say…welcome home my perfect little child…and with His very Word, in an instant…perfect you will become…not perfect in the physical…that’s not for this life…perfect in the spiritual as you are made clean by the power of His blood given as a subsituationary sacrifice for everyone, anyone, someone who would turn to Him and be saved from eternal condemnation…
• The secret message, Mark…revealed…well done…now, will YOU respond?