Rich In Deeds

RICH IN DEEDS (MATT 15:32-39)

Jesus fed the crowd twice, one a crowd of 5,000 people, followed by a crowd of 4,000, from a bigger crowd to a smaller crowd. The conversation in the first desert experience was initiated by the disciples (Matt 14:15), while the conversation in the second experience was initiated by Jesus (v 32). The first feeding was directed by imperatives (Matt 14:16, 18) and no questions, while the second feeding has two questions (vv 33, 34) and no imperative.

What makes a believer rich or poor? How are we rich in Christ? Why do people in their poverty miss seeing their possessions?

1. Be Compassionate, Not Cold (15:32)

The God we know is a loving and compassionate God. He cares for our physical, spiritual and emotional needs. He put others’ needs above his own, felt their feelings and grief when He did not feel so energetic himself.

The verb “have compassion” means to yearn, to feel sympathy, to pity, to have inward affection, tender mercy. It is from the noun for “bowels,” spleen or intestines.

In the first feeding - the 5,000 - the multitude was with Jesus till evening (Matt 14:15), but now in the second feeding the 4,000 had been with Jesus three days (v 32). Jesus was most concerned, cautious and considerate for the pressing, passionate and persistent crowd.

Most leaders are familiar with the feeding of the five thousand, but I’ll highlight what makes the feeding of the four thousand different. First, Jesus saw “a great multitude” previously (Matt 14:14, KJV), but here those present were “great multitudeS” in the plural form (Matt 15:30, KJV). Second, Jesus could not let them go defenseless, dehydrated or dizzy. Collapse (v 32) occurs for the first time in the Bible – only twice in the Gospels, both referring to this incident (Mark 8:3).

2. Be Constructive, Not Crusty (15:33-34)

The disciples’ pronouns “enough” (v 33) and “such” (v 33) are the same word in Greek, or translated as “so much” and “so great” in KJV, or “so long” (Heb 4:7) in other KJV passages. It was overblown, overreach and overkill to use “so much” and “so great” (KJV) twice in a verse, the only time in the Bible repeated in a verse. The disciples did not consider they were in the right place, at the right timing with the right help. Seven loaves a few small fish (v 34) were barely or hardly enough for the twelve hungry fishermen, let alone the crowd.

Before the disciples’ asked their question (v 33), however, Jesus used personal pronouns of “I” twice for himself and four times either “they” or “them” for the crowd, but never “you” to the disciples: “I have compassion for these people; THEY have already been with ME three days and (THEY) have nothing to eat. I do not want to send THEM away hungry, or THEY may collapse on the way.” (v 32) In short, Jesus did not ask the disciples so much as to lend a hand or lift a finger. It wasn’t about the disciples, but about Jesus and the crowd - His sight and sensitivity and the sheep and their suffering.

3. Be Calm, Not Chaotic (15:35-39)

It might surprise you to know that there is one main verb that is common to the first (Matt 14:19) and the second feeding. It is not “direct/command,” “take,” “look up” and “break” (Matt 14:19), or “give thanks” (v 36), which are all participles, but the verb “gave.” His purpose was to have the disciples experience God’s inexhaustible riches and resources in Christ. It was as if He was telling the disciples the more they receive, the more they give, and the more they give, the more they have.

Furthermore, it is the best way for the disciples to know get to know the multitudes by serving them on a personal, positive and practical way. The crowd, to their credit, was more patient, persistent and proven than any crowd. After all, the crowd listened to Jesus for three days without food, fuss and fatigue! It was probably the longest public ministry of Jesus with a crowd, longer than the two days he spent with the Samaritans (John 4:43) and the two days with Martha and Mary (John 11:6).

Finally, Jesus had gone farther and farther into Gentile territory from Tyre and Sidon (Matt 15:21) to the coasts of Magdala (Matt 15:39) next. True to form, the Gentile crowd stayed longer – three days, not just all day, because they did not know when Jesus would return. They were startled that Jesus made His way to Gentile territory. They were shocked Jesus stayed with them overnight for two days. They were stunned Jesus felt the same compassion (v 31) He had for the Jews (Matt 14:14), and was willing to suffer the criticism of the Jews (John 7:35).