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  EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS ON MARK - MARK 8:1-13
  by J.C. Ryle
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CONTENT
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Once more we see our Lord feeding a great multitude with a few loaves
and fish. He knew the heart of man. He saw the rise of cavilers and
skeptics, who would question the reality of the wonderful works He
performed. By repeating the mighty miracle here recorded, He stops the
mouth of all who are not wilfully blind to evidence. Publicly, and
before four thousand witnesses, He shows His almighty power a second
time.

Let us observe in this passage how great is the kindness and compassion
of our Lord Jesus Christ. He saw around Him a "very great multitude,"
who had nothing to eat. He knew that the great majority were following
Him from no other motive than idle curiosity, and had no claim whatever
to be regarded as His disciples. Yet when He saw them hungry and
destitute, He pitied them--"I have compassion on the multitude, because
they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat."

The feeling heart of our Lord Jesus Christ appears in these words. He
has compassion even on those who are not His people--the faithless, the
graceless, the followers of this world. He feels tenderly for them,
though they know it not. He died for them, though they care little for
what He did on the cross. He would receive them graciously, and pardon
them freely, if they would only repent and believe on Him. Let us ever
beware of measuring the love of Christ by any human measure. He has a
special love, beyond doubt, for His own believing people. But He has
also a general love of compassion, even for the unthankful and the evil.
His love "passes knowledge." (Ephes. 3:19.)

Let us strive to make Jesus our pattern in this, as well as in
everything else. Let us be kind, and compassionate, and piteous, and
courteous to all men. Let us be ready to do good to all men, and not
only to friends and the household of faith. Let us carry into practice
our Lord\

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/jc-ryle/expository-thoughts-on-mark-mark-81-13/
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