Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 15:34
And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
And Jesus saith unto them,…. In a very mild and gentle manner, taking no notice of their stupidity, nor upbraiding them with their forgetfulness of the late miracle, and willing to exercise their patience, and try their faith, asks,
how many loaves have ye? meaning in the common stock, and which they brought along with them, for their own supply:
and they said seven, and a few little fishes; which they mention as so small a provision, that it was as nothing for such multitudes; their loaves of bread were but seven, and their fishes, which were ready dressed, dried, or boiled, &c. were few in number, and small, as to quantity and size.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A few small fishes ( , diminutive again).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Little fishes [] . Diminutive. The disciples make their provision seem as small as possible. In ver. 36 the diminutive is not used.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
(34) Seven, and a few little fishes.The resemblance of the answer to that which had been given before is, at least, interesting as showing what was the provision habitually made by the travelling company of preachers for the supply of their daily wants. The few barley loaves and dried fishes, this was all their store, as they went from village to village, or passed days and nights on the hills of Galilee.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
34. How many loaves? What is your present stock? God has in his ordinary providence furnished thus much; and these shall be a germ or basis for a special supply of enough for all. So God has given man the natural powers of reason and conscience, which serve as a basis for his gracious super-additions.
Twice, then, in the same general region of country, and under the same general necessity, did the Saviour supply “bread in the wilderness” to the needy multitudes who, far from their homes, stayed to listen to his word. This multitude thought not of making him a king; and he quietly departs with his disciples, crossing the Gennesaret.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fishes.” ’
So Jesus asked them how many loaves they had, and learned that they had seven, and a few little fishes. The number is significant. Five had in Jewish eyes indicated the covenant, but seven was a number indicating divine perfection and completeness among all nations. Thus seven indicated divine sufficiency for all. And added to the seven were a few little fishes. Together they made the staple diet of the area.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
Ver. 34. Seven, and a few little fishes ] Before, he had fed five thousand with fewer loaves. God can as easily maintain us with a little as with more; witness Daniel’s pulse, and Elijah’s cake on the coals and cruse of water,1Ki 19:61Ki 19:6 ; Luther’s herring, and Junius’s one egg a day, when means were short with him, by reason of the civil wars in France, so that he could not hear from his friends. It is not by bread only that man liveth, but by the word of God’s blessing that maketh it nourishable. As if he break the staff of bread, that is, his own blessing, which is the staff whereon bread (that staff of life) leaneth, it can neither feed nor fill, make men neither fuller nor fatter.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 15:34 . : the disciples have larger supplies this time than the first, after three days, and when the supplies of the multitude are exhausted: seven loaves and several small fishes.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
I am, &c. = I was.
but = except.
unto = to. Greek. eis. App-104.
lost. Because being without a shepherd. But see note on 1Ki 12:17.
the house of Israel. Therefore it was still represented by those in the Land. See note on and compare Act 2:14, Act 2:22, Act 2:36.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 15:34. , a few little fishes) They speak disparagingly of their provision, for in Mat 15:36 the diminutive form is no longer employed.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
How: Mat 16:9, Mat 16:10
few: Luk 24:41, Luk 24:42, Joh 21:9, Joh 21:10
Reciprocal: 1Ki 17:12 – but an handful 2Ki 4:2 – What shall I 2Ki 4:43 – What Mat 14:17 – General Mar 6:38 – General Mar 8:5 – How Mar 8:20 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:34
The supply of food in the possession of the disciples was nothing compared with the needs of the multitude, but Jesus was still inclined to require his disciples to have a part in the good work.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 15:34. How many loaves have ye? In the other case a lad had the provisions; here the disciples themselves. The loaves were seven in this case, five in the other, the number of little fishes is not specified.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Matthew wrote that this time the disciples gathered the remaining scraps in a different type of basket. The Greek word spyridas describes baskets made of rushes that the Gentiles used to carry fish and other food (cf. Act 9:25). In Mat 14:20 the disciples used kophinous, baskets the Jews used to carry kosher food, at least in Rome. [Note: A. E. J. Rawlinson, The Gospel According to St. Mark, p. 87.] This is another clue that the audience here was mainly Gentile.
Possibly there is some significance in the number of baskets of fragments the disciples collected. If 12 in Mat 14:20 represents the 12 tribes of Israel, these seven baskets may stand for the mark of a creative act of God, as in the seven days of creation. However this symbolism is highly tenuous.
As before, everyone got enough to eat. Matthew again only recorded the number of the males present, in keeping with Jewish thinking. Perhaps the total crowd numbered between 8,000 and 16,000 people.
The site of Magadan is unknown (Mat 15:39). Probably it was on the west side of the lake, the Jewish side, since conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees followed. Some commentators believe Magadan is the same as Magdala, an area just north of Tiberias on Galilee’s western shore. [Note: E.g., Walvoord, Matthew: . . ., p. 120.] Some conjecture that this was the hometown of Mary Magdalene.
This incident would have impressed the disciples with God’s graciousness in dealing with the Gentiles. His kingdom plan definitely included them albeit in a secondary role. Their role as disciples would include ministry to the Gentiles as well as to Jews. They had the same ministry responsibilities to both ethnic groups.
"If Jesus’ aphorism about the children and the dogs merely reveals priority in feeding, then it is hard to resist the conclusion that in the feeding of the four thousand Jesus is showing that blessing for the Gentiles is beginning to dawn." [Note: Carson, "Matthew," p. 357.]
The fact that Moses and Elisha each performed two feeding miracles should have elevated Jesus to a status at least equal with them in the people’s minds (cf. Exodus 16; Numbers 11; 2Ki 4:1-7; 2Ki 4:38-44). Unfortunately most of the people, Jews and Gentiles, continued to come to Jesus only to obtain physical help.