{"id":4504,"date":"2024-02-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/reading-plan\/february-20\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T21:16:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T02:16:46","slug":"february-20","status":"publish","type":"reading-plan","link":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/reading-plan\/february-20\/","title":{"rendered":"February 20"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insight from Mark 8:1\u20139:1:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is significant to note that the same elements are found in [this story and in the feeding of the 5,000]. The place is desolate (8:4\/6:31, 32, and 35). Jesus has compassion on the people (8:2\/6:34). Jesus says that the people should be fed (8:2-3\/6:37). The Apostles do not believe the people can be feed with the resources that are available (8:4\/6:37). Jesus takes a very little, thanks God for it, breaks it, and gives it to the Apostles to give to the people (8:6-7\/6:41). The people eat and are satisfied (8:8\/6:42). Baskets are filled with left over pieces and the baskets are counted (8:8\/6:43). The number of people who were fed is also counted (8:9\/6:44).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fact that this \u201csign\u201d is repeated two times (Mark 6:30-44 and 8:1-10) is highly significant. Why does Jesus do this exact same sign two different times? And why does Mark feel that telling this story two separate times is so important? This story takes up a lot of space in Mark\u2019s book, and Mark could have summarized this story in the same way he summarizes other miracles. But he chooses not to do this. Again, why does he go into so much detail about both feedings when they are so similar? Clearly, Jesus wants his Apostles to learn something about his identity and his work. And Jesus wants the people to learn something about his identity and his work. But what is he trying to teach each of these groups? That is what the reader needs to discern. At the very least, Jesus is teaching his Apostles that they are to be concerned for Jesus\u2019 sheep. Beyond this, they are to help feed his sheep. And he is teaching them that, because of his power, there will always be more than enough to meet the needs of the sheep. But is there more to these stories? It is significant that there is one more story of Jesus breaking bread in Mark. It is on the night of the Last Supper (see 14:22-25). At this time, Jesus breaks bread and tells the Apostles that the broken bread is his body. He commands his followers to eat this bread. Surely, Mark wants his readers to connect all of these stories about broken bread. Not only is Jesus the New Moses bringing manna from heaven for God\u2019s hungry people (6:30-44 and 8:1-9), he is also the bread itself (14:22-25)! There is no sustenance for God\u2019s people outside of Jesus\u2019 broken body (see also John 6). Jesus commands his followers to receive their life from him. And he commands his followers to share this broken bread with others. This happens as we share the gospel message. All those who eat this bread are eternally satisfied. See Psalm 22:26 and 107:9.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is significant to note that Jesus rebukes the disciples in 8:14-21 because they didn\u2019t understand the meaning of these signs. Readers today should be careful to think hard and to try to discern the meaning of these signs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_crdt_document":""},"class_list":["post-4504","reading-plan","type-reading-plan","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan\/4504","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reading-plan"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4504"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}