What Comes Out of a Person Defiles Them (Mark 7:1-23)

 

What Comes Out of a Person Defiles Them (Mark 7:1-23)

How do we keep the Word of God perfectly? It cannot be done through deeds. We obey through faith. That faith is believing that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for the sins of this world, was buried, and rose again on the third day. Furthermore, it is believing that Christ ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the throne of God to rule.

In Mark 7:1-23, Jesus taught what truly defiles a person. It is not the food we eat, but all kinds of evil that come from within the heart. In Christ Jesus, we love God with all our heart, strength, and mind, out of freedom and a willing spirit. Keeping the law means doing so without coercion or force.

The Traditions of the Elders (Matthew 15:1-20)

1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” (Mark 7:1-5)

The tradition of the elders began as a means to obey God’s Law. It started with good intentions. Based on the Pentateuch of Moses, there is the Written Torah consisting of approximately 613 commandments. However, around the 2nd century BC, the Mishnah was compiled based on oral traditions, categorizing rabbinic debates, legal applications, and interpretations of the Torah.

While the Torah is considered the written Word of God, the Mishnah is a topical legal code consisting of 63 tractates covering agriculture, festivals, damages, marriage, holy offerings, and purification rites. The Torah provides general principles, while the Mishnah provides specific and practical details regarding those laws.

For example, there are 39 categories of work forbidden on the Sabbath, such as threshing, kneading, washing, hunting, writing/erasing two letters, and extinguishing/kindling a fire.

Example: On the Sabbath, if a wound is minor, one does not squeeze out the blood but gently wipes it, places ointment on it without rubbing it in, and then applies a bandage. Since one cannot turn lights on or off during the Sabbath, timers are set in advance. To prevent the internal light from turning on when opening the refrigerator, the bulb is removed beforehand or the "Sabbath mode" is set.

They washed their hands before eating, which was a ritual requirement rather than a matter of hygiene. They accused the disciples because they did not follow this regulation. "Defiled hands" meant they had not performed the ritual according to the tradition of the elders.

Honoring Me with Lips, but Hearts are Far From Me

6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:6-13)

Jesus did not agree with their accusation; instead, He rebuked them. God does not look at the outward appearance but looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God sees the motivations deep within. Therefore, through the prophet Isaiah, God rebuked the people of Israel who revered Him only with words while their hearts were elsewhere.

They were preoccupied with fulfilling their own interests and greed. They pushed aside the commandments of God and instead risked their lives for human traditions. Instead of obeying God's command to honor parents and not insult them, they prioritized the tradition of Corban (קָרְבָּן).

Corban was a human tradition cleverly crafted to avoid providing financial help to parents. It was a wickedness that abused and deceived God’s holy name. In this way, they were blinded by seeking their own gain and tried to deceive the Holy God.

God’s Loving-kindness and Love are Everlasting

God’s hand is not too short, nor is He stingy; His loving-kindness, love, and grace are everlasting (Isaiah 59:1; Lamentations 3:22-23). However, the people of Israel greatly misunderstood this. When King David sinned against the Lord, God rebuked him through the prophet Nathan:

"I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more." (2 Samuel 12:8)

First, God commanded, "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12). However, "anyone who speaks evil of their father or mother must be put to death" (Matthew 15:4; Exodus 21:17).

Parents spare no effort or devotion to give birth to and raise their children. In one sense, a parent's love for their child closely resembles the love of God. God loved us so much that He did not spare even His own dear Son but gave Him up for us (John 3:16). Therefore, it is only right to be thankful for God’s grace and love. Those who do not know God’s love and grace are foolish (Jeremiah 4:22; Romans 1:21-22).

2 Hear me, heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” 4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. (Isaiah 1:2-4)

The Purpose of Giving the Law

The Jews created the Mishnah to obey the words of God's commandments. However, they strayed from the original purpose for which God gave the Law. If you keep the Law, you receive a blessing, but if you break it, you receive punishment. The problem is that there is no mortal flesh that can perfectly keep the Law from birth until death. God, who instituted the Law, could not possibly be unaware of this fact.

The purpose for which God gave the Law is to make us aware of sin (Rom 3:20). Because the Law is the written expression of God's holy character, it is holy and blameless. However, since no one can keep the Law, both Jews and Gentiles alike are found to be sinners before God (Rom 3:9-18). Therefore, they fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).

Then, how does one keep the Law? This is an important question. This is because if you do not keep the Law, you will surely face death. Since we are weak and cannot keep the Law, the Lord Jesus Christ took the sins of this world upon Himself and was hung high on the cross. This is the righteousness of God that has been made known apart from the Law, to which the Law and the Prophets testify (Rom 3:21).

Therefore, whoever believes in and obeys the Lord Jesus Christ has been set free from the snare of the Law (Gal 5:1). Specifically, believing in Jesus means that we have died with Him, been buried, have risen again, and have ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the throne of God (Rom 6:4; Eph 2:6).

Now, in Christ, we keep God's Law perfectly through freedom and willingness (Jas 1:25; Rom 6:17). It is impossible through fearful legalism. We keep His holy Law through that very love poured out as a gift from God (John 14:15).

God commanded His people to love the LORD God with all their heart, soul, and strength (Deut 6:5). However, God first demonstrated His love by giving His beloved Son as a sacrifice while we were still sinners (Rom 5:8).

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome. (1 John 5:1-3)

Food Does Not Defile a Person

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them." (16) 17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 "Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn't go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) 20 He went on: "What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person." (Mark 7:14-23)

The food one eats cannot defile a person. Jesus declared all foods clean. In the regulations regarding food in Leviticus, it lists unclean animals/birds/insects that must not be eaten (Lev 11:7-8). However, this does not mean that certain things were unclean from the beginning. Everything God created was good in His sight. The food regulations were to teach His people what is unclean and what is clean.

The traditions of the elders can make a person neither unclean nor clean. What defiles a person is what comes from the heart, and this is what prevents a person from standing boldly before God. In Adam, humans are filled with the spreading toxin of sin. This cannot be healed by keeping traditions. There is no other salvation except through the merit of the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Our ability to love God and keep the Law perfectly is possible because we have already received the forgiveness of sins and made new by believing in the blood of Christ. It is not that we are declared righteous after first keeping the Law. There is no flesh that can do so (Rom 3:20). God not only demands perfect obedience, but He also gives the strength and power to obey. This is faith in Christ.

We have become new people in Christ. This is because our old self has died with Christ. By the grace of God, we now love God and love our neighbors in Christ. God promised through the prophet Ezekiel to give a new spirit and a new heart.

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. (Ezek 36:26-27)

Amen!

March 29, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Jesus Walks on the Water (Mark 6:45-56)

 

Jesus Walks on the Water (Mark 6:45-56)

How do we rule as God intended to do from the beginning? We live by faith. Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. Because Jesus trusted in His Heavenly Father, He lacked nothing in feeding that great multitude (Psalm 23:1). By believing in a faithful God, we lack nothing regardless of our situation.

In Mark 6:45-56, Jesus came to His disciples walking on the water. Jesus demonstrated a new creation that transcends human limitations. We live by faith and hope in the invisible love of God and His kingdom. This is what it means to live a life walking on water.

Going Up on a Mountainside to Pray

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray (Mark 6:45-46).

After feeding the five thousand with the five loaves and two fish, Jesus immediately had His disciples get into a boat to go to the other side toward Bethsaida. Mark records that Jesus "immediately" made His disciples leave. The miracle of the loaves and fish was undoubtedly an astonishing event for the disciples. The crowds, likewise, were amazed.

However, this event carried the risk of people misunderstanding Jesus Christ as a Messiah who simply came to solve their bread problem. In fact, according to the Gospel of John, the crowd tried to take Jesus by force to make Him their king (John 6:15). They expected that by doing so, their food problems would be solved.

The disciples also saw this event as an opportunity for their dreams of Jesus ascending as an earthly Messiah to grow even larger. They longed for a Messiah who would liberate them from the powerful Roman oppression that ruled the Mediterranean coast at the time.

When they saw that Jesus not only healed the sick but also calmed the wind and sea and fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish, they were convinced that He was the Messiah.

Jesus is in God, and the Father is in the Son

After sending the disciples to the other side of the sea first, Jesus went up to a mountain to pray. Jesus habitually went before God the Father to pray (Mark 1:35). Jesus was always in the Father, and the Father was in the Son (John 17:21). During His time on earth, the incarnate Jesus was always with the Heavenly Father (John 5:19).

The example shown by our Lord Jesus Christ represents the intimate relationship between Christ and us believers. The Lord Jesus Christ is in us, and we always abide in Christ (John 17:21). Therefore, while living on this earth amidst storms and challenges, we fix our eyes on the Lord (Hebrews 12:2).

Consequently, we no longer live by our own strength and ability, but by the power of the resurrection of Christ who lives in us (Galatians 2:20). In Christ, we no longer live according to our own dreams and plans; instead, we surrender everything to Christ, who bought us with the price of His blood (1 Corinthians 6:20).

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship (Romans 12:1).

The Disciples See Jesus Walking on the Sea and Think He is a Ghost

47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out (Mark 6:47-49).

The disciples were straining at the oars because of a strong headwind. Shortly before sunrise while it was still dark—Jesus came toward them walking on the sea and was about to pass them by. When the disciples saw someone walking on the water, they cried out, thinking it was a ghost. It is unimaginable for a human to walk on water.

That is true. Water is dangerous for humans. While we can swim to a limited extent, walking on water is impossible. Jesus walking on the water transcends the laws of nature. Jesus was treading upon the sea water. This shows that the Lord rules over all things as the Creator.

In the beginning, God made fish to swim freely in the water and birds to fly freely in the sky (Genesis 1:20-21). In contrast, humans dwell on the land. However, Jesus, by walking on the water, surpassed human limitations. He walked on the water as if it were dry land. The water was no obstacle at all.

Therefore, this is a new creation. The creatures God made reveal the purpose and will He established. Through the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, God shows us a life filled with the Spirit. In Christ, we have been washed by His blood and set free from the chains of sin and death. We have now become a new creation before God.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

We Sit with The Lord at The Right Hand of The Throne of God and Rule

Although we still wear this earthly body, in the spirit, we are no longer slaves to sin and death but sit and rule with the Lord at the right hand of God’s throne (Ephesians 2:6). We do not sink into the mire of greed, jealousy, hatred, and complaining; instead, we look forward to the hope of the eternal kingdom of heaven and enjoy thankfulness, joy, and rest. By enduring through trials and hardships, we store up heavenly rewards of love, joy, and peace.

In the past, we worried, were anxious, and trembled with fear, but now we adore God’s peace and joy. No matter how urgent or pressing the situation may be, just like the Lord who slept in the midst of the storm, we find peace and rest by dwelling in God through faith.

Even amidst the deceptions and plots of the devil—who hides in unseen places, trying to swallow us up with all kinds of lies and threats—we repel the devil’s lies and threats through the power of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has overcome this world. After everything was made, we enter into the rest of God, who is the Lord of rest (Genesis 2:2-3).

Faith Wins the Victory

People fundamentally live by faith. For example, when starting a car and driving toward school or work, we set out believing we will arrive. When we go to bed at night, we seek sleep believing we will wake up the next morning. We believe the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. We believe that eating food will supply the nutrients our bodies need.

Nevertheless, there is something people often refuse to believe and reject: believing in and obeying Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Instead, they rely on experience, education, and knowledge. Over thousands of years, God has made us realize through historical facts that we are to live by faith alone.

There are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea, Malachi, and a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us (Hebrews 12:1). Through John the Baptist, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, God prepared the way for the coming of Christ, the Son of God.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to this earth as evidence sent by God, healed the sick and drove out demons through signs and wonders. There is no praise for people in the Bible. However, Jesus blessed the faith of anyone who came to Him with faith. And Jesus opened the gates of heaven, giving the treasures of the kingdom—the Father’s love, joy, and peace—as gifts.

Therefore, we now obey and live by faith alone, walking on water. Long ago, the prophet Habakkuk said, "The righteous will live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17).

To him who overcomes until the end,
He will give white robes and eternal life;
what a joyful thing.
Passing through this dark world to reach that heavenly fortress,
By the power of believing in the Lord Jesus,
we overcome the whole world.

Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
Believing in the Lord Jesus overcomes the whole world. (Hymn)

Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.

50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. 53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. (Mark 6:50-56)

Jesus told the terrified disciples to take courage and not be afraid. Here, who was it that made the disciples so terrified? It was the Lord Jesus Christ. Who was it that made them feel safe and relieved? It was the Lord Jesus Christ.

We might think this uncertain world is what startles us. Unexpected difficulties and pain cause us to be afraid. However, none of this can happen without God’s permission. It is a process of discipline and refinement, preparing us as the holy bride of Christ, without spot or blemish (Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 5:25-32).

Therefore, the hardships and pain we experience on this earth are neither accidental nor bad luck. Through Jesus walking on the water in the midst of the storm, the disciples confessed that He is truly the Son of God (Matthew 14:33). "Son of God" means that Jesus is equal to God.

Even after the miracle of the five loaves and two fish and walking on the water, Jesus continued His ministry of healing the sick and driving out demons. Everyone who touched even the edge of His cloak was healed, just like the woman who had suffered from bleeding (Mark 5:34).

Jesus’ work of healing the sick and driving out demons has continued for the last 2,000 years, and He continues it among us today. We know this if we look back at how our week has been. Many challenges and pains follow one day after another. Our hearts are heavy and troubled by things not yet resolved. That is why, even today, if we come to Him in faith, Jesus pours out the living water that flows from the heavenly throne of grace. Amen!

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)

Amen!

March 22, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

The Miracle of the Five Loaves and Two Fish (Mark 6:30-44)

 

The Miracle of the Five Loaves and Two Fish (Mark 6:30-44)

What do we eat and drink? We become what we eat. Those who consume God’s love, joy, and peace become like Christ. Those who consume hatred and jealousy become slaves to them.

In Mark 6:30-44, Jesus gave thanks for the five loaves and two fish, fed five thousand people until they were satisfied, and twelve basketfuls of broken pieces were left over. Through this, Jesus revealed that He is the true Bread of Life descended from heaven.

The Apostles Return from Their Missionary Journey

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. (Mark 6:30-33)

After successfully finishing a great task, there is a sense of accomplishment. Naturally, one thirsts for recognition and praise. At the same time, the body and mind become tired and exhausted. The disciples had gone out two by two to the villages of Judea, healing the sick, driving out demons, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom.

The disciples obeyed Jesus' word, going on their journey without money, extra clothes, or sandals. Surprisingly, they personally witnessed and experienced the authority and power as the sick were healed and demons retreated. The disciples reported the whole story to Jesus in detail.

When the seventy returned with joy from their journey and reported what they had done, Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:17-18). The healing of the sick and the retreat of Satan are due to the authority and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is clearly shown in the case of the woman with the bleeding for 12 years (Mark 5:30).

However, because of the gathering crowds, the disciples had no chance to rest or even time to eat. People followed on foot by land, moving according to the direction the boat was heading to come before Jesus. They came primarily to be healed of diseases and also to hear the gospel of the kingdom.

This shows that in any era, every human being is thirsty. Of course, at that time, there was a longing for a Messiah to save them from Roman oppression. Simultaneously, there was a great desire for freedom from disease and relief from the hardships of daily life.

There is little difference between them and us living in the 21st century. Everyone wants to escape the monotony and boredom of daily life and be free from worries about living expenses.

Compassion Because They Were Like Sheep Without a Shepherd

34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. 35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” (Mark 6:34-37)

Jesus saw the gathering crowds wandering like sheep without a shepherd. A sheep without a shepherd is not only lost but is also food for wild beasts. Survival is impossible for a sheep without a shepherd.

In what way were the crowds like sheep without a shepherd? Ultimately, the Shepherd is God and the Lord Jesus Christ. However, God called men like Moses and Joshua as His servants to lead the people to the Lord. In Jesus' time, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and priests held that role.

However, they fell into their own interests and greed, failing to care for widows and orphans and instead exploiting them (Isaiah 10:2; Luke 20:47). They only wanted honor and glory and did not act according to the truth (Matthew 23:6-7). They thirsted for the praise and recognition of men. Therefore, they loved to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners (Matthew 6:5; Luke 18:11-12).

The religious leaders of Jesus' day should have performed the work of leading people to God and His Son, Jesus Christ, but instead, they blocked that path and led them to hell (Matthew 23:13, 15). Likewise, the people of that time were hungry and thirsty, having lost the way to truly go to God, like sheep who had lost their shepherd.

Accordingly, Jesus taught the crowds. He explained the secrets of the kingdom of heaven in detail and taught using parables. He led them to the God of Abraham, the Lord of hosts. He revealed the love of the Lord, who sent His Son, Jesus Christ, just as God the Father had promised to Abraham.

To show that He was the Son sent by God, Jesus performed signs and wonders. Opening the eyes of the blind was something that had never happened until then (John 9:32). He opened the eyes of the heart that were trapped in darkness and could not see God. This is the evidence teaching us that Jesus came as God’s Christ.

Just as Jesus called the twelve disciples and sent them on a missionary journey, today all believers are called as instruments to witness to God's love. To manifest this is to love our neighbors as ourselves, following the example of Christ's cross (John 13:31-32).

We practice God's love as Christians in our daily lives—at work, at home, and while commuting. It is to forgive, embrace, be patient, endure, and show love. Thus, even in irritating and painful situations, we reflect the light of God's love.

You Give Them Something To Eat

The disciples suggested that the large crowd be sent home. That seemed like a practical, realistic option. Furthermore, feeding that large crowd would have required 200 denarii, a large sum of money equivalent to roughly a worker’s annual salary.

However, Jesus commanded His disciples, "You give them something to eat." The disciples must have doubted their own ears. It was physically impossible. The disciples were poor, and such a large amount of money was far beyond their reach. The Lord, of course, was fully aware of the disciples' empty pockets.

Then, what does this mean? It means to have compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and to lead them to draw closer to God. In other words, He ordered them to fulfill the role of guiding people to Jesus. The Kingdom of God is filled with love, joy, and peace, and is full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Standing right before them was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is the door leading to the Kingdom of Heaven.

We have been called by the one-sided grace of God. Through the gift of faith, which God gave freely, we confessed our sins and came to the Lord. Since we received it freely, it is only right that we share it freely. Sharing God’s love and grace is the way to lead others to the Lord. Forgiving and loving one another is what those who have received grace must do.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand (Matthew 14:13–21; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–14)

38 "How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five—and two fish." 39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. (Mark 6:38–44)

Jesus’ disciple Andrew, brother of Peter, brought the five loaves and two fish, doubting how such an insignificant amount could feed them (John 6:9). Jesus received the five loaves and two fish and gave thanks to God the Father in heaven.

Then, Jesus broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to distribute, and He did the same with the two fish. Through Jesus' hands, the bread and fish were continuously supplied. The crowd of five thousand gathered there ate and were satisfied, and twelve basketfuls were gathered up. The twelve baskets signify the twelve tribes of Israel.

God does not desire the 200 denarii; He desires what the disciples already have. Whatever it may be, He gladly receives the five loaves and two fish. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul said that he planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God the Father made it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6).

There is no one who does not possess their own "five loaves and two fish." God has poured out gifts upon each person to build up His church. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus gave some servants ten talents, others five, and another one, and commanded them to trade, that is, to make a profit (Matthew 25:14–30).

Every believer reborn in Christ has received the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth, and has also received various gifts such as teaching, serving, ministering, and administration (Romans 12:6–8). The fact that Jesus sent His disciples on a mission trip shows that they were working together in the work of God the Father.

The work of God is done only by the Lord’s power and authority. It cannot be done by human experience, education, or status. Jesus gave His disciples the authority and power to heal the sick and drive out demons. Using the power Jesus gave them, the disciples actually did so (Mark 6:13).

So, how do we offer our five loaves and two fish? For example, when someone asks about the gospel of Jesus Christ, we kindly share our faith together. Also, looking toward the Kingdom of Heaven that God has given us as our hope, we endure today’s pain and difficulties with gratitude and joy.

When conflict arises in a relationship with others, we yield and step back. This may seem like defeat, but it is not. Jesus, though He had no sin, bore our burden of sin in our place and was even forsaken by God the Father (Matthew 27:46).

God fed them with manna from heaven for forty years in the wilderness. Jesus feeding the five thousand in a solitary place reminds us of Israel being fed manna in the wilderness after the Exodus (Exodus 16:35). This teaches us that God the Father personally feeds, clothes, and protects us.

After the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, Jesus declared that He is the bread of life who came down from heaven (John 6:35, 48). Because Jesus is the bread of life, anyone who believes in Him will not die but live (John 6:50).

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:51)

Eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood is the way to gain eternal life (John 6:53–57). This refers to believing in and obeying Jesus Christ, His Son, whom God sent from heaven. To eat His flesh and drink His blood is to believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was sacrificed on the cross. Amen!

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

March 15, 2026

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Scripture quotes are from the NIV.