GOSPEL READING
THE GOSPEL OF MARK
Jesus feeds the crowd: Mk 6,30-44
Consider why I take the setting of the scene to be 6,30-33. What has happened by verse 34?
A useful way of looking at what follows (6,34-44) is to see it as a typical miracle story. Look for the setting, followed by the problem, then the miracle and finally the result.The Set up: 6,30-33
Compare 6,30-34 with Mt 14,13-14. What is so different about the two versions?
Verse 30: the one verse feedback echoes the commission (6,7-13) and completes the sandwich as we have noted. For the only time in this gospel, the Twelve (6,7) are called "apostles". Setting aside the Gospel of Luke and later tradition, we can wonder if this word is a title. The Greek word apostello simply means "to send".
Verse 31 recalls Jesus' own attempt at withdrawal in 1,35. Here, then in verse 32 and again in verse 35, the word "desert" appears. What part of Israel's history does this bring to mind? What food is associated with this experience?
The popularity of Jesus with the crowds has been stressed a number of times, just as 1,35 leads into 1,37. Then we have 2,4, 4,1 and 5,21 among other references to the crowd.
In verse 32, we have Jesus' third boat trip. However in verse 33, the crowd gets there first. The scene is now set, we can note where they all come from.Jesus arrives: 6,34
What is Jesus' first reaction to the crowd? See, for example, 1,41 or 10,21.
"Sheep without a shepherd" is one brief comment by the evangelist with great implications. It is the key to this whole episode. Explore therefore the Old Testament background with passages such as Numbers 27,17 or Psalm 23 or Jeremiah 23,1-6 or Ezekiel 34.
Jesus' teaching means he first feeds the crowd on the word of God. See Deuteronomy 8,3 and then Proverbs 9,5 or Sirach 24,18-20.
Time now to look at my response.
Jesus feeds the Crowd: 6,35-44
Having fed the crowd with his teaching, their physical needs now come to the fore: the people are hungry and they are in a desert place (6,35). Read through the verses and see who are involved in this feeding. What role does the crowd play (6,42)?
Who takes the initiative in verse 35? Compare with John 6,5. In verse 38, Jesus asks the practical question. It may help to write the discussion of verses 35 to 38 in your own words taking Jn 6,5-9 as a comparison.
In verses 39 and 40, the people take their places. Green grass may reflect Psalm 23,2 and it may also reflect a certain time of year (Jn 6,4). Groups of hundreds and fifties are an old organisation of the people of Israel (Exodus 18,21). There is something of a banquet here rather than a picnic. There is a contrast between this banquet and the preceeding one (6,21).
Compare the words used in verse 41 with 14,22-25.
Verses 42-44 then describe the result of the miracle. Look at 2 Kings 4,42-44. Compare Jesus with Elisha. There is also a contrast with Ex 16,19-20. 12 baskets have clear implications.
What is the lesson for the disciples from this episode?
Time now to look at my response.
The Sunday Gospel
On the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time, the first part of this passage, 6,30-34, forms the Gospel. We have seen that 6,34 begins the story of the feeding. With this verse included with this Sunday's Gospel, it may be best to read it here as a commentary on the mission of the apostles.
The accompanying OT reading is Jeremiah 23,1-6. We have already considered this as one of the OT passages on shepherds behind 6,34. It is therefore no surprise that Ps 23 is the responsorial psalm.
For the 17th Sunday, there is a change of Gospels. For five Sundays, the great "Bread of Life" Discourse in chapter 6 of John's Gospel is read. Have a look at this chapter and note how the beginning of the chapter is similar to Mark 6,30-52. We have already referred to this scene as a contrast to Mark's version. A more detailed comparison would reveal further similarities, not least in the theme of bread as the word of God (Jn 6,31) as well as the Eucharistic implications (Jn 6,53-58)
In all the Gospels as we noted in the overview, this feeding of the crowd is followed by the episode where Jesus walks on the water, 6,47-56. This we can now read.