Mark 6:30-44, A Need for Compassion

In Mark 6:30-44, the 12 return from their mission of telling everybody about Jesus, casting out demons, healing, etc., and are excited to tell Jesus and each other about their experiences.  But then, as they were there, more people continued to come to them.  The problem was that since they'd been so busy on their missions, the 12 hadn't had a chance to eat.  So Jesus invited them to get into the boat and go with Him to a quiet place to get some rest.  So they got into the boat and were off.

But as they sailed along, many who saw and recognized them ran to the destination, some even getting there before them.  When Jesus saw the great crowd, He had compassion on them, seeing them like sheep without a shepherd, so He began teaching them many things.

After some time, it was late in the day, so His disciples went to Him, and told Him to send the people away to the surrounding villages so they may get some food for themselves.  But then Jesus said, "You give them something to eat."

One of them replied, "But that would take almost a year's wages!  Are we to spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?"

Jesus: "How many loaves do you have?  Go and see."

One of the 12: 5 loaves and 2 fish.

So Jesus had them sit down in groups of 50s and 100s, took the bread and fish, looked up to heaven and gave thanks, then broke the loaves and distributed the bread and fish.  All 5000+ people there ate and were satisfied, and there were 12 basketfulls of leftovers.

So let's look at what we have here:

• The 12 return from their mission of several months
• They skipped breakfast, so they're hungry and in need of some rest, so Jesus invites them to an isolated place to do so
• Once they got across the lake, they were faced with the need to work, or at least delay their meal and rest a little longer.
• It's getting late, so they tell Jesus to send the people away to buy for themselves some food.

At first glance, it almost sounds like they're actually concerned about the people, for they're recognizing the time and that the people haven't had any food to eat, but in fact, they were actually more concerned about themselves than the others.  Understand, not only did the 12 not eat breakfast, but they rowed across a lake on an empty stomach, then they missed lunch, and now it's about time for dinner.  So by this time, they're hungry, cranky, and tired, and as a reaction, they actually TELL JESUS to send the people away in a way that makes it sound like they're concerned about the people, when in fact they're just thinking about themselves, their needs, their wants...

But Jesus, knowing this, challenges them and says, "YOU give them something to eat."

Their response in verse 37 confirms their lack of compassion for the people: "WHAT?!!  That would cost almost a full year's salary!"  And here's the puncher: "Do you expect us to go and spend that much on food, and give it to THEM?"  It's like they're saying:

• 'You're crazy, man!  That's a lot of money!
• I worked hard for this cash.  I'm not going to spend it all on THESE people.
• My money is my money...for me to spend as I wish.  And I don't want to spend it on bread for a bunch of strangers.'

But Jesus felt they were important enough to put His rest-time aside in order to teach them.

I find it interesting how much Jesus really focuses on the theme of compassion in the Gospel of Mark, and this may be one of the starting points of this theme.  I believe Jesus was testing their hearts for hospitality and service, as well as showing them that this ministry is not a job with a time clock...it's not a 9-5 job.  You're never off the clock if you recognize the importance of sharing Jesus with them.

Now understand, this is not saying that Pastors should not take vacations.  In fact, not only did Jesus suggest to them the idea of taking the rest of the day off to recover and recharge from their mission, but He Himself often walked up the side of a mountain to take some time away from everybody and pray.  Plus, any Pastor or teacher of some sort knows that no breaks will learn to burnout real quick.  So Jesus isn't saying that one shouldn't take some time off, but that even as we plan our vacations, we need to remember the urgency of His message to the world, and so be ready to share Jesus with anybody at anytime.  But we're not to share because we feel we HAVE to, or are obligated to, but out of genuine compassion for the people who don't know Him, and that's the raised issue among Jesus' Disciples.

Let's look for a moment at the issues and focus of the 12:

1. They missed breakfast, lunch, and it's late now, so they're hungry (both spiritually and physically)
2. Compassion (or lack of) for the lost
3. They're now commanding Jesus!
4. They think they're off the clock...seeing ministry as a job
5. Their claim to cash revealed their lack of compassion for the lost

Their focus' were on themselves, not on the people and their spiritual hungers.

What was Jesus' focus on?  The lost people and His mission.  Jesus had great compassion for them, even so much to where He put their needs before His own.  Now understand also, that though we are to put others ahead of us, we do need to take care of ourselves.  A car doesn't do anybody any good if you forget to fill it up with gas, or if you don't give it a regular tune-up, OK?  You need to take care of yourself.  But if you read this passage wrong, you may come to the opposite conclusion.  Jesus is not concerned so much with His disciples' need for rest as He is for their need for compassion.

Understand also that these 12 (actually, 11) would later carry on/continue Jesus' mission, so He needed them to understand that others' spiritual need was so much more important/urgent than their own physical needs.  They would especially need this training because in about 2 to 2.5 years, many of them would experience such physical trials, and would need to remember the focus of their mission to keep them going.  Like physical training, you're hungry, weak, tired, hurt, exhausted, etc., but you've got a mission that's so much more important...a goal.  As with today, many are driven by how they feel.  If they feel tired, weak, hurt, exhausted, hungry, etc., they'll change their focus to fulfill their desires.  But Jesus' mission will try us on those feelings, and regardless, there is a deeper need.  As with Elijah, God had a mission for him.  He was tired, depressed, hungry, and even wanted to die.  But God sent His angel to feed and care for him, and gave him a new mission (If you're into football movies, remember the motivational speeches given towards the end of the games to just finish the game victoriously, or in "Facing the Giants", when the kid's on the teen's back during practice).

Ministry's not about comfort, it's about mission, and sometimes you'll be pushed past your physical limits.  Now also, if you don't have compassion for those to whom you're sent, then no matter your abilities or skills, your ministry will never be fruitful.  Your heart must be broken for those you're sent to introduce to Jesus.  If it is, then nothing will deter you from sharing Christ with them, not even hunger, fear, fatigue, pain, etc.

It's good see that though the Apostles didn't seem to get it in the days of the Mark text, they did finally get it by the time Acts 11:27-30 was written, for this time, when faced with a similar event, instead of thinking of themselves with selfish hearts, their compassion for others kicked in and showed the selfless compassion of Christ.

Discussion / Reflection Questions:

1. Putting your own needs before others' with ministry sometimes shows that we may not recognize others' immediate need of knowing Jesus.  Do you recognize this need?  Do you respond as Jesus did, or as did His disciples?
2. Notice that when the 12 left and returned from their mission, they were called "Apostles".  But in verse 35, they're called "Disciples".  I have 4 thoughts on this:
   • Could it be that their titles are in sync with what they're doing?  If this is the case, then what would your title be today?
   • Maybe Mark is showing that the titles are interchangeable.  If so, then what are some of your common titles in ministry, and why?  (this helps you realize what you're doing and is meant to encourage you in your mission)
   • Maybe Mark is reminding us that regardless of what our mission or titles are, we're always to also be Jesus' disciples?
   • Maybe I'm just thinking too much into this?
   • Other thoughts?  Why do you suppose there's a change in their titles?
3. Notice the importance of needing rest in an isolated place.  People will always need teaching/preaching to, but the workers must also take some time off.  Notice also Jesus' compassion and understanding of needing rest (by going off by Himself to a quiet place and prays).  Even with the extreme urgence of Jesus' mission, He still recognized and introduced His disciples to the need to recharge, rest up, eat, and build up strength.  Do you get enough rest in your ministry/mission?  How do you go about this?  How do you need to improve in this department?
4. Sometimes, plans to rest are delayed by need. Just as Jesus saw them as sheep without shepherds, scattered around with no place to go, no one to lead them, and spiritually thirsty, we need to remember that saying:  Pastors will never retire, for as long as they (we) live, there will always be somebody to share Jesus with  (I've also noticed that there's really no such thing as a "vacation", but just temporary relocation of the mission).  How do you respond to people's questions about Jesus during your down time?
5. What's your focus (or what are your goals) for ministry?  Here are some possible suggestions:
   • A big church, or many saved and sent out?
   • Lots of money to buy lots of things, or funding many minssions and ministries?
   • Popularity or fame among other churches and people, or giving glory to God alone?
   • Power, or opportunities for service?
   • Self, or Jesus?