How Did Jesus Speak To A Crowd Of Five Thousand People Without Sound Amplification?

[jonahmano]

We know that Jesus preached to large number of crowd in His ministry days and I would wonder how would his sound reach such a large audience without any mic or sound amplification system. I don't deny that he hadn't preached to so many people but there must be some secret behind it.


Wish anyone could throw some light on this

 

[Gary]

How Did Jesus Speak To A Crowd Of Five Thousand People Without Sound Amplification?

Probably the same way He fed those 5,000........God.

That's my guess anyway.
.

 

[WIP]

I saw a program once that seemed to provide a scientific explanation. Based on where it is believed at least one of his sermons had taken place, the lay of the land is such that a person standing in the right place and speaking in normal tone can be heard from quite a long distance. I don't recall which television program it was that I was watching though. Might have been the Discovery Channel but I'm not sure.

 

[Doulos Iesou]

We know that Jesus preached to large number of crowd in His ministry days and I would wonder how would his sound reach such a large audience without any mic or sound amplification system. I don't deny that he hadn't preached to so many people but there must be some secret behind it.


Wish anyone could throw some light on this

Where in the text does it say he preached to them? He directed them to sit, and then talked to the disciples.

I suggest reading the text, and then raising the issue here, but we are always happy to help.

 

[His_nee (Jeff)]

also never heard > their hearing then was much better than people's hearing is today (physical hearing of sounds). much like american indians over 100 years ago, and some since then, can hear a whisper a football field away, or so.
whether this makes a difference, well, i reckon it would.

 

[Deborah13]

Where in the text does it say he preached to them? He directed them to sit, and then talked to the disciples.

I suggest reading the text, and then raising the issue here, but we are always happy to help.

A lot of times when something like this is brought up I test my daughter to see if she remembers things from her college Bible classes. This one was pointed out in her Beatitudes class.

 

[Stan1953]

Notice He always spoke from a side of a hill or mountain. Natural amphitheatre.

 

[Obadiah]

We simply aren't told how he did it, but we can speculate. One speculation is that it was a sort of miracle, just as feeding them all with such a tiny bit of food was a miracle. Another speculation is that he used the natural effects of the land in that place as was suggested. That's very plausible and it's not hard for me to believe that an omniscient and perfect God would have no problem recognizing the acoustically perfect place to do this. Another idea that hasn't been mentioned is that he may have used a public address system of the kind that was available at the time, a megaphone. Megaphones were known, available, and used in those times. Or He may have used a combination of these things and maybe some others we haven't thought of yet. But we just don't know and haven't been told how he did it.

 

[WIP]

Where in the text does it say he preached to them? He directed them to sit, and then talked to the disciples.

I suggest reading the text, and then raising the issue here, but we are always happy to help.

Interesting point that I never considered before. I suspect you are implying the 12 chosen disciples. By definition a disciple is a follower or one who assists in spreading the ideology or doctrine of another. When we hear the word disciple we seem to automatically assume that it means the 12 chosen but this may not be the case. In Matthew 5 where it records his sermon on the mount it says,
"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,..." Scripture doesn't necessarily say this was only the 12 that he spoke to. I'm thinking it could have been quite a few. Although admittedly I am only speculating.

In Luke 10 we read about Jesus choosing 70 other disciples to also go ahead of him to teach in the cities. Was that 70 from among 100's or did he just choose 70 new disciples? Scripture doesn't seem to be clear about that.
1 The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.
2 These were his instructions to them:“The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. NLT



In John 6 we read about many of his disciples deserting him and then He asking his 12 chosen if they would leave too. This suggests there were potentially many disciples beyond the 12 named.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61: When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62: What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63: It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64: But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65: And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66: From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67: Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? KJV

At any rate, I agree that we don't know if he was able to be heard by the entire 5000+ or just those disciples near him.

 

[cyberjosh]

Guys, guys (and lady). Being heard by 5,000 people in open air is nothing. All you need to know is a little history, especially about one of the most famous itinerant, open air preachers in Western history: George Whitefield. In one (possibly exaggerated) case Whitefield was said to speak to a crowd of 100,000 people in Ireland! But, at the least, the ever-scientific Benjamin Franklin (who was a friend of Whitefield) was so impressed by the power of Whitefield's voice and how far it carried that he calculated an estimate of how many people could hear him at once. From Franklin's own autobiography (from chapter 8):

"He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his words and sentences so perfectly, that he might be heard and understood at a great distance, especially as his auditories, however numerous, observ'd the most exact silence. He preach'd one evening from the top of the Court-house steps, which are in the middle of Market-street, and on the west side of Second-street, which crosses it at right angles. Both streets were fill'd with his hearers to a considerable distance. Being among the hindmost in Market-street, I had the curiosity to learn how far he could be heard, by retiring backwards down the street towards the river; and I found his voice distinct till I came near Front-street, when some noise in that street obscur'd it. Imagining then a semi-circle, of which my distance should be the radius, and that it were fill'd with auditors, to each of whom I allow'd two square feet, I computed that he might well be heard by more than thirty thousand. This reconcil'd me to the newspaper accounts of his having preach'd to twenty-five thousand people in the fields, and to the ancient histories of generals haranguing whole armies, of which I had sometimes doubted."

Over 30,000 people could hear Whitefield at once! Now that's downright impressive! If you want to study how far voices can carry study the great open air preachers of the past (and it is interesting also how Franklin mentions military generals talking to their entire army at once in ancient histories). I wrote a paper for my University's Puritan Literature class on the life of George Whitefield which has some additional details on the numbers of the crowds that he spoke to: The Life of George Whitefield.

 

[cyberjosh]

Notice He always spoke from a side of a hill or mountain. Natural amphitheatre.

Bingo!

 

[Deborah13]

Guys, guys (and lady). Being heard by 5,000 people in open air is nothing. All you need to know is a little history, especially about one of the most famous itinerant, open air preachers in Western history: George Whitefield. In one (possibly exaggerated) case Whitefield was said to speak to a crowd of 100,000 people in Ireland! But, at the least, the ever-scientific Benjamin Franklin (who was a friend of Whitefield) was so impressed by the power of Whitefield's voice and how far it carried that he calculated an estimate of how many people could hear him at once. From Franklin's own autobiography (from chapter 8):

"He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his words and sentences so perfectly, that he might be heard and understood at a great distance, especially as his auditories, however numerous, observ'd the most exact silence. He preach'd one evening from the top of the Court-house steps, which are in the middle of Market-street, and on the west side of Second-street, which crosses it at right angles. Both streets were fill'd with his hearers to a considerable distance. Being among the hindmost in Market-street, I had the curiosity to learn how far he could be heard, by retiring backwards down the street towards the river; and I found his voice distinct till I came near Front-street, when some noise in that street obscur'd it. Imagining then a semi-circle, of which my distance should be the radius, and that it were fill'd with auditors, to each of whom I allow'd two square feet, I computed that he might well be heard by more than thirty thousand. This reconcil'd me to the newspaper accounts of his having preach'd to twenty-five thousand people in the fields, and to the ancient histories of generals haranguing whole armies, of which I had sometimes doubted."

Over 30,000 people could hear Whitefield at once! Now that's downright impressive! If you want to study how far voices can carry study the great open air preachers of the past (and it is interesting also how Franklin mentions military generals talking to their entire army at once in ancient histories). I wrote a paper for my University's Puritan Literature class on the life of George Whitefield which has some additional details on the numbers of the crowds that he spoke to: The Life of George Whitefield.

Thanks Josh, you always have good interesting info.

 

[cyberjosh]

Thanks Josh, you always have good interesting info.

My pleasure! Studying history and the Bible are my passion so I learn little nuggets here and there and love to share when I get the chance. I actually got my minor in history. Maybe one day I'll teach.

In the mean time, here's a brain teaser for ya'll: How far does an ALL CAPS POST LIKE THIS echo in an online forum? LOL. j/k

 

[Doulos Iesou]

Interesting point that I never considered before. I suspect you are implying the 12 chosen disciples. By definition a disciple is a follower or one who assists in spreading the ideology or doctrine of another. When we hear the word disciple we seem to automatically assume that it means the 12 chosen but this may not be the case. In Matthew 5 where it records his sermon on the mount it says,
"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,..." Scripture doesn't necessarily say this was only the 12 that he spoke to. I'm thinking it could have been quite a few. Although admittedly I am only speculating.

I'm talking specifically about the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus instructs his direct disciples, the 12, to hand out the food to all the people. Never does he say that he preached to them.

I'm not sure about the Sermon on the Mount, but I don't think it was as many people and the natural geography would have amplified his voice.

In John 6 we read about many of his disciples deserting him and then He asking his 12 chosen if they would leave too. This suggests there were potentially many disciples beyond the 12 named.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61: When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62: What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63: It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64: But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65: And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66: From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67: Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? KJV

He had many people who followed him, but usually when he refers to his disciples he is referring to the 12. These are the ones who fell away on account of what he said to the Pharisees after feeding the 5,000.

 

[WIP]

I'm talking specifically about the feeding of the 5,000.

I didn't think this thread was specifically referring to the 5,000. The way I understand the OP it is referring to any of the events where Jesus spoke to the multitudes.

He had many people who followed him, but usually when he refers to his disciples he is referring to the 12.

How do you know the part in bold? I haven't been able to find it in scripture that this is always the case.

 

[Doulos Iesou]

I didn't think this thread was specifically referring to the 5,000. The way I understand the OP it is referring to any of the events where Jesus spoke to the multitudes.

The title of this thread:
How Did Jesus Speak To A Crowd Of Five Thousand People Without Sound Amplification?

How do you know the part in bold? I haven't been able to find it in scripture that this is always the case.

I'm not saying it is always the case, but rather it is regarding the feeding of the 5,000. Which is related to the OP's main question.

The texts indicate the conversation he and his personal disciples had.

 

[WIP]

I guess I'm not quite sure I'm convinced that "the disciples" is necessarily implying just the 12. It could be but doesn't have to be. At the same time, the scripture doesn't necessarily say all 5,000+ heard him or were able to hear him. Will have to ask when we meet him face to face.

 

[Doulos Iesou]

I guess I'm not quite sure I'm convinced that "the disciples" is necessarily implying just the 12. It could be but doesn't have to be. At the same time, the scripture doesn't necessarily say all 5,000+ heard him or were able to hear him. Will have to ask when we meet him face to face.

In the feeding of the 5,000 it definitely was his closest disciples, perhaps a few additional ones but not a large group.

My evidence:
1. The disciples distributed the baskets, there were only 12 baskets.
2. Immediately afterwards the disciples get into the boat with Jesus, it couldn't have been large enough to fit the 120 or 70, but likely only the 12 closest and perhaps a bit more
3. In Luke, the only gospel that mentions the 72 disciples doesn't refer to them until the next chapter after the feeding of the 5,000.
4. In John, Jesus is referring specifically to his closest disciples and they are named in the conversation.

The group of disciples may have been a little more than the closest 12, as they could have been the ones who turned away after Jesus' teaching in John. However, it doesn't seem like a large group per the boat problem.

 

[His_nee (Jeff)]

...
In the mean time, here's a brain teaser for ya'll: How far does an ALL CAPS POST LIKE THIS echo in an online forum? LOL. j/k

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ butterflies!, that's easy to answer!....
> AROUND THE WORLD and back ... ()()()() about 25,000 miles .....()()()()

 

[WIP]

In the feeding of the 5,000 it definitely was his closest disciples, perhaps a few additional ones but not a large group.

My evidence:
1. The disciples distributed the baskets, there were only 12 baskets.
2. Immediately afterwards the disciples get into the boat with Jesus, it couldn't have been large enough to fit the 120 or 70, but likely only the 12 closest and perhaps a bit more
3. In Luke, the only gospel that mentions the 72 disciples doesn't refer to them until the next chapter after the feeding of the 5,000.
4. In John, Jesus is referring specifically to his closest disciples and they are named in the conversation.

The group of disciples may have been a little more than the closest 12, as they could have been the ones who turned away after Jesus' teaching in John. However, it doesn't seem like a large group per the boat problem.

Good points. Thank you.