The Life of Christ

4. Lk. 9:14: “Have the people sit down in groups of 50.” Jesus wanted this to be an enjoyable seamless experience, and without an efficient distribution system, this could have turned into utter chaos. Order was required. 5. Lk. 9:15: Wait until everybody is seated. The phrase, “made them sit down!” could indicate that not all were initially willing to do as Jesus had instructed. There will be no miracle until EVERYBODY is in submission to Jesus’ will!

6. Lk. 9:16: Prayer over the food, followed by “breaking”; there is no miracle without prior prayer and breaking!

7. Lk. 9:16: The final step of preparation was to coordinate the servers, which in this case were the disciples. Once the distribution system was in place, the miracle could begin.

Before we read what happens next let’s look at Luke’s account of the feeding of the 5000 from Lk. 9:10-13:

Luke 9:10-13: And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. (We note they were taken to Bethsaida!) 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” 13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His disciples, 14 “Make them sit down in groups of fi fty.” 15 And they did so and made them all sit down.

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Let’s return back to Mk. 6:42-45 and read it again in light of what we just read in Luke’s account:

Mk. 6:42-45: So they all ate and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men. Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away (Mk. 6:42-45).

After feeding the multitudes, Jesus sends His disciples to the other side of the lake to Bethsaida.

• However, according to Luke 9:10 they were already in Bethsaida!

• “Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida” (Lk. 9:10).

This was before the feeding of the 5000.

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“How could Jesus then send his disciples on to Bethsaida if they were already in Bethsaida?”

• We reconcile this seeming contradiction by realizing there were at least two Bethsaidas on the lake.

• The word “Bethsaida” means “ Fisherton, ” which indicates the particular fishing community within a larger town.

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