In the gospel records attributed to Mark and Matthew, we find a curious statement by Jesus.              Jesus suggests that the number of baskets of scraps collected from the feeding of the 5000, and the feeding of the 4000, should have triggered the disciples to realise that they should beware of leaven of the scribes and Pharisees. Why? Why should the number of baskets of scraps indicate anything about the spiritual nature of the miracle?

Mark 8 [and Matthew 16:8-11]

      14 “Now they had forgotten to bring bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “We have no bread.” 17 And being aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

I feel very much like the disciples. Why should twelve baskets and seven baskets trigger a spiritual lesson?

Feeding the 5000

The feeding of the 5000 he is recorded in all four gospels and is the only miracle (aside from the resurrection) recorded in them all. Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6: 31-44; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:1-14

Jesus is in his own country – north-western Galilee. His brothers and sisters were around. This is where the 5000 were fed. [Matt 13:54- 58.]

Mark 6 says 45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Beth-sa′ida, (northeast Galilee) while he dismissed the crowd. They must have been quite close the Bethsaida [Luke 9:10].

So, feeding of 5000 happened in north Galilee. Jewish territory.

Now, the feeding of the 4000

Firstly, let’s track where Jesus has just been before he fed the 4000.

Mark 7: ²⁴ And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Mark 7 tells us that he was in Phoenicia [Lebanon]. After healing the gentile woman’s daughter, he moved to the region of Decapolis [ten cities], on the south-eastern side of Galilee. [Mark 7:31]. Here, he cures a deaf man and then he feeds the 4000 [Mark 10:1-10]. He then travels by boat to the western side of Galilee [Mark 8:13]. This maybe important. Decapolis was a mixed region of both Jew and gentile. This is where the 2000 swine ran into the sea. Not a very Jewish thing, to have 2000 pigs.

So, Jesus fed the 5000 in a Jewish area, and the 4000 in a gentile (mixed) area

I can only guess at a possibility.

The feeding of the 5000 occurred in Israel and the 12 baskets of scraps represents the 12 tribes of Israel. The disciples probably saw this connection, as 12 was a significant number for all Jews. There were 12 disciples. They should have seen that Jesus was the bread of life, and as such supplied all their needs, with some left over. The 12 baskets.

The feeding of the 4000 happened in Decapolis, which was largely gentile and the seven baskets represents the gentiles. Why would seven represent gentiles? There were seven Canaanite nations which Israel conquered as they came into the land. [Deuteronomy 7:1]. Seven represented the gentiles as did Decapolis. But they also received the bread of life, with some left over. The gospel had gone to Jews and gentile alike.

Perhaps Jesus was saying that now they are all being fed with the bread of life. The bread is now open to both Jew and gentile, something which the Scribes and Pharisees failed to see and in fact fought against. The major sin of the Jewish rulers was hypocrisy, self-righteousness and conceit in their Abrahamic lineage. They saw salvation as the Jewish descent from Abraham. The leaven of the Jewish leaders refused the grace extended through Jesus – which is now open to Jew and Gentile alike.