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"And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things." (Mark 6:34).
In Mark 6:30-44 the historical parable of the 5,000 fed is found. As believers we can learn many this by closely examining this teaching for deep spiritual truths. The fact that many are viewed by Christ as sheep without having a shepherd gives us the message that as God's children we must bring the gospel as ambassadors of Christ. We must be very careful and accurate about our witnessing in order that the gospel is brought in truth. The words of Jesus in Mark 6 coincide with the problem of false teachers and the long history through which they have plagued Christianity:
"Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 23:1-4).
"Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait. Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone." (Jeremiah 9:1-10).
Back in Mark 6, the feeding of 5,000 with only two fish also has a far greater spiritual meaning. It represents the sending forth of the gospel. The fish being mankind as Christ told the disciples "I will make you fishers of men". Likewise the number two signifies the sending forth of the gospel, this can be seen in Luke 10 where the seventy are sent out in twos and the two witnesses in Revelation 11:
"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." (Revelation 11:3,4).
When the five thousand were fed, they reclined in companies of hundreds and fifties.
"And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties." (Mark 6:40).
"Hundred" also points to the sending forth of the gospel, hundred being 10x10x10, representing the completeness of God's plan. That is to say, all His children will be saved.
"Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." (Luke 15:8-10).
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