Mark 8:1-10: Encore!

It was as if the crowd had shouted "encore!", and in response Jesus' had again fed a large crowd, just a short time after His first miraculous feeding.  Some Biblical scholars have argued that this is a re-telling, with a slight twist, of the same story.  Their opinion emerges from an effort to explain why there would be two stories, so similar in nature, in such close proximity within Mark's gospel.  I think to truly understand why there are two feeding miracles- and I do believe that these are two distinct stories- we must look at the differences rather than the similarities.

Whereas Jesus' first miraculous feeding was to benefit a group of Jews, here Jesus is feeding a mixed group of both Jews and Gentiles.  As we have seen previously, by taking His power and authority beyond the traditional boundary of Judea at the time, Jesus is sending a powerful and unmistakable message.  When the disciples ask Jesus', "what do you intend to do?", He responds with a question, "how many loaves do you have?"  It is clear that Jesus already has a plan in mind to respond to the hunger of the crowd.  How He goes about distributing the food takes into account that this is not a strictly Jewish audience.  Whereas in Mark 6 Jesus blesses (the Greek word eulogy) the bread, here He gives thanks (the Greek word eucharist) for it.  To bless the bread would have been a very Jewish way of acknowledging God's provision, to give thanks is more of a Gentile way of praying.  Obviously whether he blesses or give thanks, the object of Jesus' gratitude is the same, God.  And yet, He is showing that as God's kingdom breaks out of the confines of Israel, there will be new ways of accomplishing the same task.  It is telling that in Mark's account of the Lord's Supper, Jesus blesses (eulogy) the bread and gives thanks (eucharist) for the cup.  If Mark really did write this gospel with a Gentile audience in mind, perhaps even the church in Rome, how encouraging would it be for them to see Jesus tending not only to needs of Jews, but also of Gentiles.  In many ways, this second feeding is a sign of things to come.

Think about a church like the one in Corinth, which Paul writes to in his first Corinthian letter.  A church of Jew and Gentile would have looked very similar to the audience of Jew and Gentile that Jesus' ministers to in this story.  It makes me think of today.  When we gather on Sundays and take part in Communion, how many other Christians are doing the exact same thing all over the world?  Some call it the Lord's Supper, some Communion, some the Eucharist (which as we have seen is a Biblical way of referring to it).  Whatever we call it, through this meal the story of Jesus is being recounted in dozens, if not hundreds of languages.  Imagine the amazing diversity, in not only appearance, but also social status, wealth, and occupation.  So many differences, and yet one thing in common that makes all the difference in the world, Jesus Christ.