Feeding the Five Thousand

Matt. 14:13-21

Matt. 14:13-14 When Jesus heard the news, he left that place in a boat and went to a lonely place by himself. The people heard about it, left their towns, and followed him by land. Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw the large crowd his heart was filled with pity for them, and he healed their sick.

Comments: When Jesus heard of the fate of John the Baptist and of Herod’s conjectures concerning himself. It was a busy time. The twelve had just returned from a highly successful ministry and his own popularity was at its greatest height. The crowds, anxious to see, converse with him, or to be healed, pressed on him so as to give no leisure for reflection, or even to eat was but natural that he should wish a quiet season on receiving the tidings of the death of one related to him like John.

He went into a desert place. Not a sandy, barren spot, but one uninhabited and lonely. They crossed the sea of Galilee and proceeded in the direction of Bethsaida-Julias, at its northeastern corner, just above the entrance of the Jordan into it. To the south of it was the green and narrow plain of El-Batihah, with abundant grass, and abundant space for the multitude to have sat down.

The multitudes, seeing the course of the boat that bore the Savior and twelve from Capernaum, rushed along the shore in order to reach its landing place in advance. The country west of the Sea of Galilee was, at that period, according to Josephus, wonderfully populous. Capernaum alone had 30,000 inhabitants, and there were twelve other cities upon or near its shores.

When Jesus disembarked from the boat, the multitude was waiting. That it was great is shown by the fact that the men numbered 5,000, apart from the women and children. He seems, from John 6:3, to have retired to the mountain for a short time, but then, filled with compassion, returned to the multitude.

This is the only miracle of which there is an account in each of the four gospels.

Matt. 14:15-18 That evening his disciples came to him and said, “It is already very late, and this is a lonely place. Send the people away and let them go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

“They don’t have to leave,” answered Jesus. “You yourselves give them something to eat.” “All we have are five loaves and two fish,” they replied. “Bring them here to me,” Jesus said.

Comments: It was the first evening which began at the decline of day about three o’clock in the afternoon. The second evening, according to Jewish customs, began at sunset. The day had already been spent in teaching and healing. The setting was in a uninhabited place so there would be no villages near, in which the multitudes could get provisions for themselves. There are no farm houses in Palestine. The whole population lives in towns or villages, and often the farmers go many miles to their fields.

We find from the parallel accounts that the disciples did not understand how this could be done, but they cheerfully obeyed.

They only had five loaves and two fish. It was Andrew (John 6:8) who spoke. The loaves were made from barley meal which was made into small, thin cakes, baked hard on the side of the oven, so as to be broken. Jesus said bring me what you have.

Matt. 14:19-21 He ordered the people to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Everyone ate and had enough. Then the disciples took up twelve baskets full of what was left over. The number of men who ate was about five thousand, not counting the women and children.

Comments: Jesus ordered the multitude to set down and we learn from Mark that they sat down in companies. They sat down on the grass because John says there was much grass there. It was in the spring season, in Nisan, “ the month of flowers,” and the slopes were rich with the spring grass. Jesus looked up to the sky, the heavens as he began to pray. Many times when we go to God in prayer we use such outward gestures that fitly serve to express the inward disposition and holy affections of our heart and soul. He ether gave thanks or asked the Father’s blessing on the food.

We ask why baskets and not something else? The answer being, that baskets were often used by Jews on journeys, to carry their provisions, so that they might not have to depend on Gentiles, and so incur the risk of ceremonial pollution.

The scripture says there were five thousand men not counting women and children. There could have easily been at the least 15,000 people there. But using the men as a measure that means there was a loaf for every thousand men. This example is the means by which Jesus demonstrates that Christ is the bread of life, satisfying the hunger of the soul for love, forgiveness, immortality, usefulness, progress, knowledge. He gives that bread to his disciples and tells them to distribute it to the multitude. Such is its blessed and divine nature that the more they distributed to hungry, famishing souls, the more they have remaining for themselves. So it is in this day that the more you teach and give the bread of life you will find that you will acquire more from the lesson than those that you teach. Remember the lesson taught in the old testament about the Prophet who was hungry and went to the widow’s house for food. She only had a little flour and some oil enough for a meal but she gave it to him because he was starving. An every time she went to the flour barrel to se what was left there was more. Every time she look in the vessel that contained the oil there was more.

So it is with Gods blessings depending on what we need he always provides out love for us.