"In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples unto Him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat." [Mk 8:1-2]
On many occasions throughout the gospel accounts, Jesus was moved with compassion. There was a certain day when Jesus and His disciples, attempting to enter into a solitary place to rest, came to that desired haven and were met with over five thousand people. But Jesus, “when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” [Mt 9:36] Despite many people interrupting His plans and His desires for rest and quiet, what came out of Jesus was not irritation or harshness, but compassion. This was not a once-in-a-while reaction; this was the habit and pattern of Jesus’ life. When confronted with situations that might otherwise provoke one to anger, wrath, irritation, or some such fleshly emotion: Jesus’ continual response was compassion. Again, in another place, it says, “and Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and healed their sick.” [Mt 14:14] And again, in a parable describing His mercy and forgiveness, “then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.” [Mt 18:27] And once more, “Jesus had compassion on [the blind men], and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight.” [Mt 20:34]
The compassion of Christ is as wide and large as His love. Whether it is to those in need, to those who are weak, to those who have sinned against him, to those who cannot understand or see – whoever it is, those who come to Jesus are always met with compassion. Our weaknesses and shortcomings are no deterrent to The Lord’s mercy and compassion: He freely and abundantly shows us His pity. And praise be to God for this, for, “it is of The LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” [Lam 3:22]
In addition to these passages above, wherein we see the compassion of The Lord exercised, our verse for today speaks of another occasion where Jesus showed a multitude His mercy. The second time Jesus multiplied bread, it was not until after three days of teaching and fellowship, that He performed the miracle. After three days of having nothing to eat, those among the crowds who were more interested in a quick fix or miracle had no doubt left, becoming hungry and leaving before the third day came. Those who sought after Christ and His words, and not so much for only what He could give them, remained until the third day. And when Jesus saw them, that they were hungry, He said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat.” Their need and hunger was not an abhorrence or an inconvenience to Jesus. The weakness of their frail and broken bodies was not unto the stirring up of Jesus’ correction or some sort of irritation, but unto His compassion and provision.
The compassion that Jesus showed this crowd, in giving them something to eat because they were hungry, is the same compassion that He will show us. But let us look at these things with a spiritual perspective. Has it ever come to pass in your life, that you have become spiritually hungry? That you have gone, as it were, three days without food? If you are a Christian, dear reader, I would think the answer is yes. For there are many times where we, as The Lord’s sheep, must go a few days fasting as it were. Many-a-time it has come to pass in our lives, where we have found ourselves hungry for The Lord and His word. Whether it be the circumstances of life, our own faults, or a deliberate withdrawing of The Lord in order to produce and/or test faith – whatever the case, at one time or another, we have become hungry for The Lord. Do you think that Christ looks upon us in these times with disgust? With cruelty? With irritation? There is a temptation in the flesh, perhaps incited by our enemy, Mister Legality, which would urge us to such conclusions: that because we are hungry, and do not feel overflowing with God, that we have somehow missed the mark and have come to a place where we have disappointed Christ yet again. My brethren, this is not so. Do you come today hungry? Do you come feeling some spiritual lack? Does not the scripture repeatedly encourage us as Jesus says, “blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled…[?]” [Lk 6:21] And again, “for I will pour water upon him that is thirsty…” [Isa 44:3] If we have become hungry and needy for Christ, whatever the cause, may we rejoice. For that presence of an appetite is assuredly also the presence of life – for the unsaved man has no appetite for Christ or His bread, the word. To the Christian reader who has sought The LORD, and yet not seemed to have found Him; who has longed for Christ, and yet is today still hungry and unsatisfied: be encouraged and be blessed, for The Lord Jesus looks down upon you, as He did on the crowd, and says, “I have compassion on the multitude, because…they have nothing to eat.” When we thirst or hunger for Jesus, let us rest in the fact that Jesus is compassionate toward us. He desires to feed us, to satisfy our souls. So let us go to Him. And if we have, and do not yet see the fulfilment of what Jesus says, “he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst,” [Jn 6:35] then let us continue to seek Him, and abide with Him, just as the crowds: for it is through “faith and patience” that we “inherit the promises.” [Heb 6:12; 10:36]
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