This past Sunday, our Gospel lesson included the Feeding of the Five Thousand. In the Gospel of Mark, chapter six beginning in verse 34, we read that Jesus took the disciples away to a quiet place but they were followed by a crowd. Jesus took compassion on the crowd and began teaching them many things. Late in the day, Jesus’ disciples pointed out the lateness of the day, the lack of food in the remote place and suggested Jesus send the crowds away so they could find something to eat. The Gospel goes on to describe the miraculous provision for the crowd of five thousand men (and who knows how many women and children) from five loaves of bread and two fish.
This miraculous provision is described in some detail including how many baskets of leftovers there were. But what came before this miracle gets one sentence. The question remains: what did Jesus teach them? What kept the crowd there in a remote place with evening coming and no food? Why is this not also recorded?
In the West, there is a saying “All hat and no cattle”. It refers to a wannabe cowboy, someone who talks big but can’t deliver. I think what we see in the story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand is that Jesus delivers on His message of caring for others, of unselfishness, and selflessness. And that is what is important.
The cattle on a thousand hills are His (Psalm 50:10).
Just Sayin' 