I was leading a Bible study on the Feeding of the 5,000. I asked a young man in the group to read the story aloud for all in the room to hear. He was reading from one of the newer translations of the Bible. When he got to the place where it says that Jesus BLESSED the bread and fish, his translation said He “gave thanks” instead. At first I didn’t think much about it, but the next day I decided to look up other accounts of the Feeding of the 5,000 in that same version of the Bible. In both Mark’s and Matthew’s account the words “He blessed” was substituted with “He gave thanks” (Mark 6:41, Matthew 14:19). Does the difference in the translation change any meaning to this verse? I think it does, and here’s why….
The word BLESSED found in Mark 6:41 and Matt. 14:19 is the Greek word Eulogesen, from which we get the word Eulogy (a speech given at a funeral in which the deceased is SPOKEN WELL OF). As the word is used in these two verses it actually means something even more than “to speak well of.” It suggests that the things being blessed are being “consecrated for divine use.” Jesus didn’t just “give thanks” for the bread and fish in the story. He consecrated them for divine use. He transferred them out of the realm of the natural into the realm of the supernatural so that God could do a miraculous work with them… that’s what a BLESSING does!
Now, don’t get me wrong. GIVING THANKS is much-needed and totally appropriate. But, there are times when a BLESSING needs to be invoked on the things in our lives so that they can be “consecrated for divine use.” When we BLESS the things, the people and the situations in our lives we see the potential that can be achieved if God’s power and blessing are added.
The very first BLESSING that we read of in the scriptures is in the beginning when God BLESSED what He created with the words “Be fruitful and MULTIPLY.” You see, when Jesus BLESSED the bread and fish He was invoking God’s power to MULTIPLY. That’s why five loaves of bread and two fish were able to feed so many people… the BLESSING brought MULTIPLICATION.
If it seems like things are DIVIDED and things are being SUBTRACTED from your life it may be time to invoke a BLESSING… Don’t just “give thanks” for what you have… invoke a BLESSING (consecrate it for divine use) and then watch it MULTIPLY.
