Today we read the feeding of the 4,000, was this the same incident called the feeding of the 5000? No! These were 2 separate events, these were really important for the Jews, and the feeding of the 5000 is in all 4 Gospels. Why? Because in the Old Testament, under Moses, God feeds the Jews with Manna, bread/food from heaven, he provided for them. Now here is Jesus showing he is as mighty as Moses, showing he is the Messiah, feeding a huge crowd with a miracle. It also shows the enormous size of the crowds, flocking to hear Jesus, because they only counted men, but there were also women and children.

So what was the difference? I must have read of both miracles heaps of times over the years but never picked up on it. The feeding of the 5000 WAS ALL JEWS, he went to the Jews first, the feeding of the 4000 was on the GENTILE side of the Lake! He was healing, preaching and feeding 4000 GENTILES (not including women and children).

What a spectacle it was! Those who hadn’t been able to say a word before were talking excitedly, and those with missing arms and legs had new ones; the crippled were walking and jumping around, and those who had been blind were gazing about them! The crowds just marveled and praised the God of Israel.- Matthew 15:31

Missing limbs are growing back right in front of people’s eyes! WOW! Now when did our wonderful modern technology grow back a missing limb? For the disciples, making the blind see was a bigger deal, in their culture someone blind, especially from birth was considered cursed, by the sins of the parents. A shame that would be carried by the person and their family. So to heal someone blind meant you were able to forgive sins. A huge sign that Jesus was the Messiah, only the Messiah, or God himself could forgive sin.

Now the big question - were any of those Gentiles or even Jews, HOLY and DESERVING of what Jesus did for them? Did he ask any of them about their sins, and say to any, I can’t heal you because your sins are too great, you have to clean up your life first? NO!!! He healed through GRACE AND MERCY! They were all sinners, you don’t EARN his healing, especially with the GENTILES, most of them wouldn’t have any idea about how to worship God or who He even was, they didn’t have the knowledge of the Jews. It was totally undeserved and unearned, it came from Jesus, grace, compassion, mercy and love for all human beings. He hasn’t changed - and that’s what I call HOPE!