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SYNOPSIS
Two Divisions:
A. Healing for the deaf man. Mark 7:31-37.
B. Feeding of the 4000. Mark 8: 1-10.
JESUS’ COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDE
Two words:—
Compassion.
Multitude.
I. COMPASSION.
1. The Meaning of the word.
2. Where used.
1 Matthew
Three I Mark
Evangelists j ™ark
3. How used.
1 Prodigal Son. Luke 15:20
Four ( Good Samaritan. Luke 10:33
Persons f Master of Debtor. Mark 18:27
J JESUS.
, The Leper. Mark 1:41
Jesus I Two Blind Me n. Mat. 20:34
In four > widow at Nain. Luke 7:13
Instances.J MULTITUDE.
11. MULTITUDE.
1 The Sick Matt. 14:14
f The Tired Matt. 9:36
Multitude I Mark. 6:34
In three f The Hungry . Matt. 15:32
Instances. J Mark. 8: 1
UR Scripture divides itself into two
sections; the first is that which
gives the account of the healing of
the man that was deaf. The sec
ond is that of the feeding of the
(4,000.)
There is nothing specially strik
ing about the first part of the les
son, —the healing of the deaf man,
( )
—and for that reason we are going to pass it
over. The only lesson that comes to us out of
that miracle is the lesson of the compassion and
power of Jesus over incurable diseases.
When we come to the consideration of the
second half of the lesson there are many teach
ing points. Many expositors regard this mira
cle of the feeding of the four thousand as the
same miracle in which we have the number
fed placed at five thousand. They regard it as
the same, because of its similarity. But it is
not the same; we only have to give a bit of study
to it, to see that it is not the same.
For example, our Lord himself, in chapter
eight, verses ninenteen to twenty-one, speaks of
it as a separate and distinct miracle. And
then, again, you will observe that the number
fed differs. In the first place five thousand
were fed. In this miracle the number is four
thousand. Then you will also observe that
the amount of food used as the basis, differs.
In the first, there were five loaves and two
fishes. In the second, seven loaves and a few
small fishes.
Then you will observe that the amount of
fragments remaining differs. In the first
place twelve baskets full, in the second place
seven baskets full. Then you will observe that
the Greek word for basket, in the first, and in
the second, differs, which is very material. In
the first, it is a word which means “small bas
ket,” a kind of basket that they strung over
their shoulders, and carried by their side, or
just on their hip. In this miracle it is a word
which means “large basket,” or hamper.
The Multitude.
But it is not in this way that I purpose to
COMPASSION OF JESUS— Mark 7:31-8:10
Wednesday Night Bible Lecture by Rev. Len G. Broughton, D.D., Christ Church, London.
Reported for The Golden Age by M. I. H.—Coopyright Applied for.
The Golden Age, for November 21, 1912.
treat this miracle; there are some things very
much more important. There are two words
at the very beginning that stand “compas
sion” and “multitude.”
“When Jesus saw the multitude that they
had followed Him three days without any food,
He had compassion on them.”
This word, “compassion,” is one of the great
est words in all our English language. The
more you study it the more it gets hold of you.
It is in many respects a stronger word than
“love,” because it embraces it. It is in fact,
love in action. That is compassion.
“When Jesus saw this multitude that they
had been with Him three days without food,
He had compassion on them.” He loved them,
and so loved them that He acted in their be
half. Literally, the word means “to move
toward.” Jesus moved toward them. He
moved in His heart of love, and with His hand
of help; for compassion always carries with it
the idea of love linked to labor; heart joined
to hand. That is compassion.
Now, it is interesting to see how this word is
used in the Gospels. It is used only by the
Evangelists Matthew, Mark and Luke. You
do not find the word in the Gospel of John.
Perhaps the Evangelist John used, perferably
the word “love,” for love is found all through
his gospel. But I do not think love is so
strong as compassion.
And, then, it is interesting to note how it is
used by them. It is used of four persons:
first, the Prodigal Son. When the father saw
the prodigal son coming home, in rags, with
out shoes, and hungry, he had compassion on
him; he was moved toward him. It is used
of the good Samaritan. When the good Sa
maritan came along down the road and heard
the groaning of a man, he was moved toward
him.
It is used of the master of the debtor, when
the servant, who, owing his lord more than he
could pay, went and said, “have patience with
me,” his master was moved toward him.
It is used of Jesus. And, it is used of Him
with reference to four persons. The leper:
When He saw him “He was moved toward
him.” The two blind men: When He heard
their cry for help, and saw their blindness, “He
was moved toward them.” The widow of
Nain: When He saw her grief, “He was mov
ed toward her.” And then, when He looked
on the multitude. And with reference to the
multitude, there are three occasions in which
it is used: Os the multitude sick; of the mul
titude tired and faint; of the multitude hungry.
Now, this is the tracing of the word “compas
sion” through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark
and Luke.
The Multitude.
We now come to consider the multitude; for
it is about this that I want to speak most. What
is our conception of the multitude? How do
we regard it? Do not think that I am pro
pounding a useless question —I am propounding
a very profound question —for it is a fact that
a man’s true test of character is his regard for
the multitude. Do we regard the multitude
as a mob, a mass; as a crowd, simply? How
does the multitude strike us? The multitude
that we see on the street, or gathered in the
park, or in some Church or building? What
impression does it make upon our minds
In referring to the history of our civiliza
tion, I find that largely one can tell the status
of society by the regard that prominent men,
in various periods of our civilization, had for
the multitude. Take the philosophers, and
writers of fiction, and the statesmen and
Church men. You show me the regard that
they had for the multitude in their day and
time, and I will tell you largely what the
status of society was at that time. Go back
to the days of Plato. Look at the regard he
had for the multitude! He regarded, it as
nothing but a mob, and ever spoke of it in a
contemptuous and scornful manner. No won
der that the state of society in his day was at
such a low ebb! He simply voiced the senti
ment of the thinking people of his day with
regard to the multitude!
Then you come along down closer to our own
time. Take the writers of fiction: Shakes
peare is an example. What do you find in his
writings with regard to the multitude?
It is a striking fact that though he was a
man who embraced almost every class and char
acter of men in his sympathy, yet in his refer
ence to the multitude there is always a kind
of contempt.
Then you read the writings of Scott, broad
minded, sympathetic Scott. How do you find
the multitude fare in the hands of Scott? Ex
actly the same way. He had no compassion
for the multitude.
And hence you are not surprised at the con
dition of society in his day. These men, in
their works of fiction, uttered the conception of
the world around them.
And, then, consider it from the standpoint
of statesmen, it is also true. The statesmen
in the days gone by were largely men with a
contemptuous regard for the multitude. They
were concerned solely with the class; their bus
iness was to preserve the class, rather than the
multitude.
I thank God that times have changed! To
day, statesmen are out of a job, unless they are
men on fire with regard to the multitude. The
day has come when no man can occupy a posi
tion of trust with any respect of his fellows,
who is not a man on fire with regard to the
needs of the multitude. The nearer we come
to our own time the more we see this to be
true.
This brings me to the more striking ques
tion that I want to put to every one of you:
What is your conception of the multitude? If
you are a Christian man or woman, you want
to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, and if you
do, you have got to follow His regard for the
multitude. One of the first things you will
have to adjust yourselves to is the multitude.
What is your conception of it? Is it a mob to
you? Is it just a mass of humanity thronging
about you? What is the multitude? There
it is, moving by the door of this Church, living
all about us here, all through London; every
where. My brethren, lam frank to say to
you, that sometimes, especially in this great
throbbing city of London, as I come into con
tact with it; all shapes and forms and phases
of humanity in it, my heart sinks; I am ap
palled because I find myself so utterly helpless
in endeavoring to supply what I see to be the
need of it. Would you get your Lord’s con
ception of the multitude? See it! See it until
it grips you, and when it grips you, give your
self to it; that is the way He saw it.
But somebody may say, “What can I do to
relieve it? My time is not my own; I have
no money; I have no power to think; it takes
wisdom that I have not got.”
Ah! you do not know the multitude. It is
true that it needs time. But it needs more.
If it is true that it needs, and wisdom; but it
needs more. It needs more than anything
else, what everyone can give. It needs two
things, and these two things every Christian
man and woman can give.
(Continued on Page 14.)