"Welcomed, Taught, Fed" is my slant on "Jesus Feeding the 5000".
It was inspired after reading Mark 6:32-44. This print is conceptual using numbers and colors. The green grass portion is 5” high (5 loaves) and 27” long (+2 fish=7). The metallic gold circles represent the groups of people sitting together and the worth Jesus saw in each individual person. I find it foretelling that Jesus broke 5 loaves and 2 fish totaling the perfect number 7 which represents Jesus himself being broken and dying on the cross. In John 6:12-13, He said, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. So they gathered them and filled 12 baskets." After Jesus was broken for us what remained were his 12 imperfect disciples to go out into the world to spread the good news of the gospel.
John 6:35, "Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."
Mark 6:34-39 some paraphrased (NIV) "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” In his compassion he welcomed them. “So he began teaching them many things.” It got late in the day and everyone was getting hungry. Jesus told his disciples to feed them, and with His help, they did. “Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten were 5000.”
Reading the above inspired the visual for me. I loved how Jesus had so much compassion for these lost people that he welcomed them, taught them and fed them. In John 6:27 Jesus says, “Do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
This print could be His seal!
The 2026 Engage Art Contest will be accepting new artwork in January 2026!