Again in the Wilderness: Mark 8:1-10

Three days. The crowd had been with him for three days, and their food had run out.

"I have compassion for these people," Jesus said to his disciples. "They have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."

The disciples' response is almost comical given what they had already witnessed: "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

Had they forgotten? Had the multiplication of loaves and fish already faded from memory? The twelve baskets of leftovers—had those meant nothing?

"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.

"Seven."

Seven loaves. Four thousand men, plus women and children. The math was impossible. Again.

Jesus had the people sit down. He took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them, and handed pieces to the disciples to distribute. They also had a few small fish; he gave thanks for those too.

The people ate. Four thousand mouths, fed from seven loaves. And when the fragments were gathered—seven basketfuls remained.

Not twelve this time. Seven. In Gentile territory, with Gentile crowds, a different number—but the same miraculous abundance. The bread of heaven was not only for Israel.

He sent the crowd away and got into a boat with his disciples, heading for Dalmanutha. The second wilderness feeding was complete. The disciples had witnessed it twice.

Soon they would prove they still did not understand.