Bible Study - 5000 for dinner

Bible Study – Matthew 14.13-21

What can we learn from the context of this story? (Ch 13 Kingdom parables; 13.53-58 A Prophet without honour; 14.1-12 Herod’s anxiety about Jesus and a recap of John the Baptist’s death).

Are there any Old Testament parallels we ought to be aware of?

Compare Matthew’s account of the Feeding of the 5000 with the parallel accounts in Mark 6.32-44, Luke 9.10-17 and John 6.1-13. Do you see any significant differences and if so, how can these be explained?

Do you think a miracle took place, or is there a more rational explanation?

Matt 14.13-14 What is remarkable and challenging about these verses? What do we learn about Jesus, about the crowd, about the gospel?

Matt 14.15-17 What is defective in the disciples’ response? Can we identify with them? How can we apply these verses to our mission and our resources?

Matt 14.18-19 Why do you think Jesus staged the miracle in this way?

Matt 14.20-21 Why is the amount of food left over emphasised? Why does Matthew mention the women and children at the end?

How would you summarise this Bible story and its interpretation to someone who had never heard it before?

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