Mark 6:30-44 contains the lectionary Gospel text for next Sunday, though it is divided up differently.
This is important. It is an example for the church today.
Empire weaponizes sustainable life for the profit of a few. Food, drinkable water, breathable air are all sacrificed for the benefit of a few to exploit the many. Take away what people need and they are easily controlled when given just enough on which to survive, or less.
Rome did that. They took every resource from the peoples they conquered to feed their armies and provide more for the elites of Rome. People were working hard, just to have it taken away. They were occupied, controlled by the police state and terrorized with unjust arrests, harsh punishments, torture and executions. The people lived with very little and in constant fear. Some arose to resist militarily. Jesus resisted with Kingdom values in the face of empire values.
Jesus had compassion on the crowd because they were like "sheep without a shepherd." Their King (puppet of Rome), their religious leaders (corrupt and brutal) and the empire abused them at every turn. Jesus had Compassion - the first weapon against the hatred and apathy created by empire.
Jesus ordered His disciples, THE CHURCH, to feed the crowds. They objected, of course, claiming that it would take what little they had hoarded for themselves, but Jesus COMMANDED them to give the people something to eat. Jesus commanded Generosity, even is self-sacrifice, the second weapon against the greed created by empire.
Jesus ordered the people to gather in groups of 100's and 50's. This gathering was no accident. Roman battle tactics included the divisions of centuries and half-centuries of soldiers for battle. With an occupying force looking on (and you know a large gathering would not go unnoticed), the people were organized for battle. Jesus commanded organized Community gathering, a third weapon against the power of empire.
Then Jesus provided from the creation, from the community in sharing, from the meager resources left to the people after empire took it all. Empire weaponized food. God provided enough, and even more. That is how the Kingdom of God works, in the gathering and sharing as stewards of what God has provided. While empire exploits, steals and takes off the backs of those who work hard to provide, Kingdom ensures enough, and more than enough, for those who do the labor. The miracle was in the sharing, the gathering, the power of powerless people to unite and look out for one another.
The Gospel writer specifies 5,000 men in this text. The Roman Cohort that occupied that region at the time was 3800 Centurions. Jesus raised an army in a day, that could wipe out the occupiers/oppressors of God's people. He organized them in battle groups of 100's and 50's to let Rome know He knew a little about war. Then, he handed out the weapons of the Kingdom - food, community, generosity, compassion and great numbers of people gathering against the law of empire.
Resistance in the Kingdom does not mean a different people being on top in an unjust system. It means transforming the values of empire into Kingdom values for oppressed people who refuse to live the immoral norms of empire values. It means valuing the things of the Kingdom in the face of empire values.
THAT is what the church of Jesus is commanded to do here and now. We are commanded to live the Kingdom values of Agape Love and Grace, instead of the values of empire. Not only that, but we are commanded to put it in the face of empire so that the people have a different vision, a different set of values and hope.
The first Century followers of Jesus lived what Jesus taught. It was very different from empire, and thousands came to be a part of the movement of Jesus's Way. That lasted until empire co-opted the movement and claimed "the faith" for the Roman Empire, twisting its origins and turning it into an institution that promoted a hybrid of empire and personal salvation values. It has not been the same since.
In the face of empire today - will the church be a part of the movement of Jesus' Way and re-commit to what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, or will it be a tool of empire as in Jesus' day, promoting the greed, hatred, lust for power and desire for status of empire with its false theologies of church growth, earned self-righteousness, personal salvation and prosperity?
Make no mistake. Mark 6:30-44 is about US, here and now.
Will we heed Jesus' commands?
Pastor Jamie
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