Dr. Green preached this sermon on Sunday, July 19, 2009.
Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-15
See Also the Feeding of the Four Thousand in Matthew 15:32-38 and Mark 8:1-9
See Also Jesus’ explanation about the Leaven of the Pharisees in Matthew 16:5-12 and Mark 8:13-21
The Feeding of the Five Thousand is the only miracle excepting the resurrection itself which is recorded by all four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Mark and Luke say that Jesus fed 5,000 men. Matthew adds the detail that in addition to 5,000 men there were also women and children at the meal. John says that there were 5,000 people but that Jesus commanded only the men to sit and then fed only those who sat. Personally, I think Matthew got it right—the compassion of Jesus certainly extended to women and children, and that John allowed his theology to show. John says that this whole affair took place near the time of the Passover. When John was written though women participated in the Passover Meal, they were strangely absent from the Passover ritual itself. This seems hard on women, but it is this same hardness that adds additional weight to John’s witness that the first person to see the Risen Christ is a woman.
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