Here we have another
instance of large numbers being fed. It strongly mirrors its more famous crowd-feeding
companion, which may suggest that it is another report of the same incident,
though there are sufficient differences to suggest that this night well have
been a different event. There is also every reason to assume that what happened
once could happen again.
The important points, which
are reflected in the other story, are Jesus’ care for the crowd, the fact that
all had enough to eat, and that there was a substantial gathering of leftovers.
If God does something that surprises us, I wonder how we are likely to react if
God does it again?
The fare was also the same,
fish and bread, but that is probably because that was the standard packed lunch
in Galilee in Jesus’ time.
However, whether it happened
twice or not, we can reasonably suggest that Mark reports two such incidents in
quick succession as an expression of frustration at the disciples’ failure to
get it. I wonder if God ever gets frustrated with us because we fail to
recognise that which is extremely obvious. It does seem reasonable, as Joseph O’Hanlon
(Mark My Words) suggests, that – “We may make a number of guesses as
to why Mark chose to repeat the story. We have reached a point in his story
where the disciples come under close scrutiny and are found lacking in
understanding. The feeding stories will soon become a subject of discussion between
Jesus and the disciples and they are upbraided for their failure to see the
significance of the events in which they had played so prominent a role
(8:14-21).”
The theme of Jesus as the
Bread of Life will emerge as important, and the sharing of bread, even at this
point, has eucharistic overtones for us. I wonder what it would have been like
to be there on such an occasion. Yet we are, every time we share the bread, and
the wine.
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