Mystic or not, all was not well for Jesus as the pressures of ministry mounted. While crowds presented great opportunities for teaching, they also demanded much energy from Jesus and the disciples.

When Jesus speaks, the major verb that is used in the gospel accounts is "to teach...." He teaches his disciples, he teaches in the synagogues, he teaches the crowds.... What is he teaching?

Then Jesus blesses the food and shares it among the crowd. There's plenty for everyone ... during the three years he spent preaching and teaching. Jesus knew the importance of sharing and ...

Preachers and prophets roamed the countryside, drawing enormous, passionate crowds. At the age of thirty, Jesus joined one of these groups and was baptized in the Jordan River. Shortly afterwards ...