What are the difference between the feeding of five thousand and four thousand people

Answer 1

The feeding of five thousand and four thousand people are two distinct miracles performed by Jesus in the Bible. The main differences between these two events are as follows:

1. Number of People: The feeding of five thousand refers to the miracle where Jesus fed a crowd of five thousand men, excluding women and children, with five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-15). On the other hand, the feeding of the four thousand is a separate incident where Jesus fed a crowd of four thousand men, also excluding women and children, with seven loaves of bread and a few fish (Matthew 15:32-39, Mark 8:1-9).

2. Location: The feeding of five thousand took place by the Sea of Galilee, in a remote place, where Jesus had withdrawn with his disciples after hearing about the death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:13-14). The feeding of the four thousand took place in the region of Decapolis, near the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 15:29, Mark 7:31).

3. Approach: In the feeding of the five thousand, the disciples asked Jesus to send the people away to nearby villages to buy food for themselves. However, Jesus instructed his disciples to provide food for the crowd. They found five loaves and two fish which Jesus multiplied to feed the entire multitude (Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:12-17, John 6:5-13). In the feeding of the four thousand, Jesus had compassion on the people who had been with him for three days and were hungry. Again, the disciples presented seven loaves of bread and a few fish, which Jesus multiplied to feed the crowd (Matthew 15:32-38, Mark 8:2-9).

4. Leftovers: In the feeding of the five thousand, after everyone had eaten, the disciples collected twelve baskets full of leftover bread and fish (Matthew 14:20, Mark 6:43, Luke 9:17, John 6:13). However, in the feeding of the four thousand, seven large baskets full of leftover bread and fish were collected (Matthew 15:37, Mark 8:8).

These miracles showcase Jesus' divine power in providing for the people's physical needs, and they highlight the idea of abundance through his multiplication of meager resources.