T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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In the first weeks of 1944, the Inter national Sunday School Lessons cen ter in the Gospel of Mark. For that reason, the accompanying article will be especially useful.
By E. SCHUYLER ENGLISH*
Fresh Glimpse of a Familiar Portion
T HERE IS a great similarity be tween the miracles of the feed ing of the five thousand (Mk. 6:32-44) and the feeding of the four thousand (Mk. 8:1-9), so much so that the latter is often overlooked entirely. Those who would discredit the in errancy of the Scriptures suggest that the accounts in both Matthew and Mark of the feeding of the four thou sand are merely inaccurate rep’eti- tions of the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, or mythical tales used by the evangelists to emphasize the power of Christ. There are, of course, certain very striking similarities be tween the two events as fourid in Mark 6 and Mark 8, namely: (1) both occurred in desert places; (2) in both instances our Lord was surrounded by 'Associate Editor, Our Hope, New York, N. Y., and author of valuable “Studies" in Matthew and Mark.
thousand and the four thousand. For example, here are seven: (1) in the first instance the multitude had been with the Lord one day, and in the second, three days, (2) upon the first occasion the disciples were told to “ go and see” what supplies were available, while upon the other they were ready with the information be fore they were asked; (3) when the five thousand were fed there were five loaves and two fishes, while for the four thousand there were seven loaves and a few fishes; (4) the first time, which was near the Passover, the multitude was told to sit in com panies “ upon the green grass,” while the second time, later in the year when the green of the Near East would be burnt by the oriental sun, they were instructed to sit “ on the ground” (literally, **on the earth"); (5) in the first instance our Lord is said to have “ blessed . , . the loaves,” while upon
much people; (3) in each case the Lord was with His disciples; (4) in each instance there was a humanly inadequate supply of loaves and fishes available; (5) both times the people were commanded to sit down upon the ground; (6) it is stated twice that “ they did all eat, and were filled” ; and (7) in each instance there was more than enough, so that some of the fragments were taken up into baskets. But is it not true that in most of the exercises and emergencies of life there are to be observed corresponding phenomena? Our Lord cast out demons more than once, He healed more than one blind man, and He raised more than one from the dead— there were similarities, and dissimi larities as well, in the performances of these varied miracles. And there were notable dissimilarities in Mark’s records of the feedings of the five
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