THE FIVE LOAVES, THE SEVEN AND THE ONE (1)

^[p. 66] THE FIVE LOAVES, THE SEVEN AND THE ONE (1)

Mark 8:5; Mark 8:14; Mark 8:19-21

I would like to gather some spiritual instruction from the references in Mark to five loaves and seven and one, seeing that they are linked together by the Lord’s words in verses 19 - 21. There is something in common between the incidents or they would not be thus linked.

The gathering of the five thousand in Mark 6 comes after the mission of the twelve, and it would prefigure the result of the administration of grace by means of the apostles. It was a very extended result, and it gave occasion to the Lord to disclose what was in His mind. He would shepherd them, and do it in such a way that every one in that great crowd would be satisfied (verse 42). It was a striking picture of the communion or fellowship that He would set up in the desert of this world. A primary thought of the assembly is that under the shepherd care of Christ everyone is fed and satisfied. Companies and ranks by hundreds and by fifties would show that the Lord has pleasure in comparatively small numbers of His saints sitting down together. The Lord, we might venture to say, undertakes all for us if we follow His directions.

The disciples knew that the crowd had not anything to eat, but they had to learn that it was intended by the Lord that they should give them to eat, and that they had sufficient to do so. It is well to “Go and see” what we have. The disciples had Christ; they had gone forth as His personal representatives; they knew the power of the kingdom as present in grace.

I think it may be said that bread represents Christ as incarnate having come down out of heaven (John 6). “This is my body” would confirm this. But five loaves or seven would suggest that as apprehended by men, there are different ^[p. 67] measures which give character to the communion which may be enjoyed together. ‘Five’ would appear to refer to the grace of heaven as it may be apprehended by those who have not much stature: it was “a little boy” who had the five loaves. But ‘seven’ would indicate a spiritual completeness such as would pertain to those mature, full-grown in Christ. ‘One’ loaf would be exclusive of all others so that no fleshly religious or worldly element is to be admitted into our communion.

Then why do fish go with bread here and in John 21? They do not seem to be figurative in Scripture of Christ, but of men as those who can be caught for God. The communion of saints cannot be according to God if this element is wanting. It is not a preponderating thought for we know that in the feeding of the crowds the fishes were “small ones”. I do not think we get the thought of “great fishes” until John 21 where the great result in the millennial day is typified. But the communion of saints is not possible without the recognition that men are secured for God. There is adequate testimony to this, though it may be outwardly small.

The Lord’s asking, “How many loaves have ye?” on each occasion shows that He attached importance to the number. The real lesson of each occasion was bound up in the number. In the first instance the Lord is calling attention to the fact that He commits to His disciples responsibility to furnish material for the communion and satisfaction of all those who are attracted to Him. But at the same time He brings to light that what they have is very inadequate for the occasion. In the other three gospels they remark on the smallness of the supply. This would evidently be the import of the number ‘five’, at any rate in this connection. The Lord would make us conscious that what we have of Himself is limited. We have all felt that, I am sure, and never do we feel it more than when the Lord puts responsibility upon us to minister to the communion or satisfaction of those who have been drawn to Him out of a scene which could give them ^[p. 68] nothing. But then He would give us the consciousness that He intends to use us to bring about the communion and satisfaction of His people. I take it that one very important and precious mark of the fellowship is satisfaction. Those who are attracted to Christ are caused by Him to sit down by companies in favourable circumstances “on the green grass” that they may eat and be satisfied. Let us never forget that this is a feature of the testimony which is of great importance. In the midst of a desert scene, where so many thousands even of true believers are as sheep not having a shepherd, He would have His people to sit down in companies, and to be so fed as to be fully satisfied. This is the Lord’s intent, and He knows well, in forming this intent, how small things are on our side. He will use what is of Himself in our souls, and every divine feature, however small it may be. Thank God, there is something here which our Lord Jesus can connect with heaven, and with all the grace of heaven, and which He can bless. There is nothing of Christ amongst His disciples that He would not multiply so that it should become the common portion and satisfaction of all who sit down in companies. This is the fellowship, and it is also the testimony.

It is good to have that which He can take up and use and multiply. Whatever is of Christ, even if it be weak and small, can be multiplied under His hand, so that it becomes a common portion for His saints and tends to their satisfaction.

But for this there must be a testimony to the fact that the saints are taken out of the world to be for God, and that they have come under the action of fire. Everyone knows the difference between a raw fish and a cooked one. The evidence of self-judgment and of separation from the world are as essential to the communion as the joint-partaking of Christ. Indeed we cannot have the one without the other. One would dread an increased ministry of Christ if it were not accompanied by the evidence of intensified separation from the world and deepened self-judgment.