Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 14:13

When Jesus heard [of it,] he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard [thereof,] they followed him on foot out of the cities.

13 21. Jesus retires to a Desert Place, where He feeds Five Thousand

Mar 6:31-44; Luk 9:10-17; Joh 6:5-14

This is the only miracle narrated by all the Evangelists. In St John it prepares the way for the memorable discourse on the “Bread of Life.” St John also mentions, as a result of this miracle, the desire of the people “to take Him by force and make Him a king.” There is a question as to the locality of the miracle. St Luke says (ch. Mat 9:10) that Jesus “went aside privately into a desert place belonging to a city called Bethsaida.” St Mark (ch. Mar 6:45) describes the disciples as crossing to Bethsaida after the miracle. The general inference has been that there were two Bethsaidas; Bethsaida Julias, near the mouth of the Jordan (where the miracle is usually said to have taken place), and another Bethsaida, mentioned in the parallel passage in St Mark and possibly Joh 1:44. But the Sinaitic MS. omits the words in italics from Luke, and at Joh 6:23 reads, “When, therefore, the boats came from Tiberias, which was nigh unto the place where they did eat bread.” If these readings be accepted, the scene of the miracle must be placed near Tiberias; the Bethsaida of Mark, to which the disciples crossed, will be the well-known Bethsaida Julias, and the other supposed Bethsaida will disappear even from the researches of travellers.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

A full narrative of the feeding the five thousand is given in each of the other evangelists: in Mar 6:32-44; in Luk 9:10-17; in Joh 6:1-14.

Mat 14:13

And when Jesus heard of it, he departed – He went to a place of safety.

He never threw himself unnecessarily into danger. It was proper that he should secure his life until the appointed time had come for him to die.

By a ship into a desert place – That is, he crossed the Sea of Galilee. He went to the country east of the sea, into a place little inhabited. Luke says Luk 9:10 he went to a place called Bethsaida. See the notes at Mat 11:21. A desert place means a place little cultivated, where there were few or no inhabitants. On the east of the Sea of Galilee there was a large tract of country of this description rough, uncultivated, and chiefly used to pasture flocks.

Mat 14:14

Was moved with compassion – That is, pitied them.

Mar 6:34 says he was moved with compassion because they were as sheep having no shepherd. A shepherd is one who takes care of a flock. It was his duty to feed it; to defend it from wolves and other wild beasts; to take care of the young and feeble; to lead it by green pastures and still waters, Psa 23:1-6. In Eastern countries this was a principal employment of the inhabitants. When Christ says the people were as sheep without a shepherd, he means that they had no teachers and guides who cared for them and took pains to instruct them. The scribes and Pharisees were haughty and proud, and cared little for the common people; and when they did attempt to teach them, they led them astray. They therefore came in great multitudes to him who preached the gospel to the poor Mat 11:5, and who was thus the good shepherd, Joh 10:14.

Mat 14:15

The time is now past – That is, the day is passing away; it is near night, and it is proper to make some provision for the temporal wants of so many.

Perhaps it may mean it was past the usual time for refreshment.

Mat 14:16

Jesus said They need not depart; give ye them to eat – John adds Joh 6:5-6 that previous to this Jesus had addressed Philip, and asked, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat? and that he said this to prove him; for he himself knew what he would do; that is, he said this to try his faith; to test the confidence of Philip in himself.

Philip, it seems, had not the kind of confidence which he ought to have had. He immediately began to think of their ability to purchase food for them. Two hundred pennyworth of bread, said he, would not be enough, Joh 6:7. In the original it is two hundred denarii. These were Roman coins amounting to about fourteen cents (7d.) each. The whole two hundred, therefore, would have been equal to about twenty-eight dollars. In the view of Philip this was a great sum, a sum which twelve poor fishermen were by no means able to provide. It was this fact, and not any unwillingness to provide for them, which led the disciples to request that they should be sent into the villages around in order to obtain food. Jesus knew how much they had, and he required of them, as he does of all, implicit faith, and told them to give them to eat. He requires us to do what he commands, and we need not doubt that he will give us strength to accomplish it.

Mat 14:17

We have here but five loaves … – These loaves were in the possession of a lad, or young man, who was with them, and were made of barley, Joh 6:9

It is possible that this lad was one in attendance on the apostles to carry their food, but it is most probable he was one who had provision to sell among the multitude. Barley was a cheap kind of food, scarcely one-third the value of wheat, and was much used by poor people. A considerable part of the food of the people in that region was probably fish, as they lived on the borders of a lake that abounded in fish.

Mat 14:19

And he commanded the multitude to sit down – In the original it is to recline on the grass, or to lie as they did at their meals.

The Jews never sat, as we do, at meals, but reclined or lay at length. See the notes at Mat 23:6. Mark and Luke add that they reclined in companies, by hundreds and by fifties.

And looking up to heaven, he blessed – Luke adds, he blessed them; that is, the loaves. The word to bless means, often, to give thanks; sometimes to pray for a blessing; that is, to pray for the divine favor and friendship; to pray that what we do may meet his approbation. In seeking a blessing on our food, it means that we pray that it may be made nourishing to our bodies; that we may have proper gratitude to God, the giver, for providing for our wants; and that we may remember the Creator while we partake the bounties of his providence. Our Saviour always sought a blessing on his food. In this he was an example for us. What he did we should do. It is right thus to seek the blessing of God. He provides for us; he daily opens his hand and satisfies our wants, and it is proper that we should render suitable acknowledgments for his goodness.

The custom among the Jews was universal. The form of prayer which they used in the time of Christ has been preserved by their writers, the Talmudists. It is this: Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who hast produced this food and this drink from the earth and the vine.

And brake – The loaves of bread, among the Jews, were made thin and brittle, and were therefore broken and not cut.

Mat 14:20

And they did all eat, and were filled – This was an undoubted miracle.

The quantity must have been greatly increased to have supplied so many. He that could increase that small quantity so much had the power of creation; and he that could do that could create the world out of nothing, and had no less than divine power.

Twelve baskets full – The size of these baskets is unknown. They were probably such as travelers carried their provisions in. They were used commonly by the Jews in their journeys. In traveling among the Gentiles or Samaritans, a Jew could expect little hospitality. There were not, as now, public houses for the entertainment of strangers. At great distances there were caravansaries, but they were intended chiefly as lodging-places for the night, and not to provide food for travelers. Hence, in journeying among strangers or in deserts, they carried baskets of provisions, and this is the reason why they were furnished with them here. It is probable that each of the apostles had one, and they were all filled. John Joh 6:12 says that Jesus directed them to gather up these fragments, that nothing might be lost – an example of economy. God creates all food; it has, therefore, a kind of sacredness; it is all needed by some person or other, and none should be lost.

Mat 14:21

Five thousand men, besides … – Probably the whole number might have been ten thousand, To feed so many was an act of great benevolence and a stupendous miracle.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Mat 14:13-14

When Jesus heard of it He departed thence by ship.

The sorrowing Saviour

Jesus hears of Johns death, and thereupon seeks seclusion.

I. Here we learn How to behave in time of trouble.

1. Christ was deeply affected by Johns death-that event gave Him great sorrow.

2. There was good reason for Christ being deeply affected. John from the first had been a faithful friend; his sole object was to magnify Christ.

II. How Christ acted when this great sorrow filled his soul.

1. He sought the desert; He desired to be alone. That He might pray. The multitudes come; He meets them.

2. His sorrow for the dead is changed into compassion for the living. He must now work, not weep. God finds work for every sorrowing heart that trusts in Him, in which relief is found. (A Scott.)

Solitude not permanent

There are some occurrences that simply make us quiet. There are shocks we can only answer by eloquent dumbness. He departed and went into a wilderness: it was better to be among the barren sands than among murderers and most cruel-minded men. There are times when we are all but inclined to give up our work. Our rain is lost, our dews fall in stony places, our best endeavours are returned to us without echo or answer of joy and gratitude, and we sigh for a lodge in some vast wilderness, some boundless contiguity of shade. This will be only for awhile, however, in the case of Jesus Christ. When He went forth and saw great multitudes He was moved with compassion towards them, and He healed their sick. He was bound to come back again: the sickness would have a greater effect upon Him than the murder. He will not relinquish His work because of instances that might have shocked Him with fatal distress. He looks upon the multitudinous man and not only upon the individual mischief-doer and murderer. He was the Son of Man; Jesus Christ always took the broad and inclusive view, and this held Him to His work when individual instances might have driven Him away from it and afflicted Him with fatal discouragement. (Joseph Parker, D. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 13. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence] Had the blessed Jesus continued in that place, it is probable the hand of this impure female murderer would have been stretched out against him also: he withdrew, therefore, not through fear, but to teach his messengers rather to yield to the storm than expose themselves to destruction, where, from circumstances, the case is evidently hopeless.

The people – followed him on foot] , or, by land, which is a common acceptation of the word in the best Greek writers. See many examples in Kypke.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Mark hath the same, Mar 6:32. Our Lord knew that the time for his suffering was not yet come, and possibly consulted also the safety of his disciples. The people follow him on foot; but our Saviour going by sea, how could the people follow him on foot? It is answered, that it was but a creek of the sea which our Saviour passed over, and the people by going three or four miles about might follow him on foot. He seeing a great multitude, had compassion on them, and healed the sick persons that were amongst them.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

When Jesus heard of it,…. Of the death of John, and of the cruel usage he had met with; and particularly, that his fame had reached the court of Herod, and that he was talked of there, and said by Herod himself to be John the Baptist, that was risen from the dead;

he departed thence by ship, into a desert place apart; to avoid Herod, though not through fear of death; but because his time was not yet come: which may teach us, that it is lawful to shun dangers, when there is an opportunity; which may be done, without betraying truth, or sacrificing a good conscience. The other evangelists, Mark and Luke, assign another reason of this departure of Christ’s, that it was upon the return of his disciples to him from their embassy; when having given him an account of what they had done, and taught, he judged it proper they should retire, and get some refreshment and rest; and both may very well be thought to be the reasons of this recess. At the same time that John’s disciples brought him the news of their master’s death, Christ’s disciples return to him, with the account of the success of their ministry; who might not only be weary, and want refreshment, but be discouraged in their minds, at this instance of cruelty; wherefore Christ thought it necessary to retire, partly for his own safety, and partly for their ease; and that he might have an opportunity of fortifying their minds against all trials and persecutions they were to meet with: the place from whence he departed, was either Capernaum, his own country and city, or Nazareth, where we have lately heard of him; or some other place in Galilee, where he was, when John’s disciples came to him: the place whither he went, was “a desert place”; and, as Luke says, “belonging to the city called Bethsaida”, the city of Andrew and Peter, which lay on the other side of the sea of Galilee, or Tiberias; over which he went by ship, Joh 6:1.

And when the people had heard thereof; of his departure, and whither he went,

they followed him on foot out of their cities; such as Nazareth, Capernaum, Tiberias, and others; and passing the bridge at Jordan, as Dr. Lightfoot observes, they outwent the ship, and got thither before them, as Mark relates. This showed their great affection and zeal for Christ, and their diligence in attending on him.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Five Thousand Fed.

13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. 15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18 He said, Bring them hither to me. 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

This passage of story, concerning Christ’s feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, is recorded by all the four Evangelists, which very few, if any, of Christ’s miracles are: this intimates that there is something in it worthy of special remark. Observe,

I. The great resort of people to Christ, when he was retired into a desert place, v. 13. He withdrew into privacy when he heard, not of John’s death, but of the thoughts Herod had concerning him, that he was John the Baptist risen from the dead, and therefore so feared by Herod as to be hated; he departed further off, to get out of Herod’s jurisdiction. Note, In times of peril, when God opens a door of escape, it is lawful to flee for our own preservation, unless we have some special call to expose ourselves. Christ’s hour was not yet come, and therefore he would not thrust himself upon suffering. He could have secured himself by divine power, but because his life was intended for an example, he did it by human prudence; he departed by ship. But a city on a hill cannot be hid; when the people heard it, they followed him on foot from all parts. Such an interest Christ had in the affections of the multitude, that his withdrawing from them did but draw them after him with so much the more eagerness. Here, as often, the scripture was fulfilled, that unto him shall the gathering of the people be. It should seem, there was more crowding to Christ after John’s martyrdom than before. Sometimes the suffering of the saints are made to further the gospel (Phil. i. 12), and “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Now John’s testimony was finished, it was recollected, and more improved than ever. Note, 1. When Christ and his word withdraw from us, it is best for us (whatever flesh and blood may object to the contrary) to follow it, preferring opportunities for our souls before any secular advantages whatsoever. When the ark removes, ye shall remove, and go after it, Josh. iii. 3. 2. Those that truly desire the sincere milk of the word, will not stick at the difficulties they may meet with in their attendance on it. The presence of Christ and his gospel makes a desert place not only tolerable, but desirable; it makes the wilderness an Eden, Isa 51:3; Isa 41:19; Isa 41:20.

II. The tender compassion of our Lord Jesus towards those who thus followed him, v. 14. 1. He went forth, and appeared publicly among them. Though he retired for his own security, and his own repose, yet he went forth from his retirement, when he saw people desirous to hear him, as one willing both to toil himself, and to expose himself, for the good of souls; for even Christ pleased not himself. 2. When he saw the multitude, he had compassion on them. Note, The sight of a great multitude may justly move compassion. To see a great multitude, and to think how many precious, immortal souls here are, the greatest part of which, we have reason to fear, are neglected and ready to perish, would grieve one to the heart. None like Christ for pity to souls; his compassions fails not. 3. He did not only pity them, but he helped them; many of them were sick, and he, in compassion to them, healed them; for he came into the world to be the great Healer. After awhile, they were all hungry, and he, in compassion to them, fed them. Note, In all the favours Christ shows to us, he is moved with compassion, Isa. lxiii. 9.

III. The motion which the disciples made for the dismissing of the congregation, and Christ’s setting aside the motion. 1. The evening drawing on, the disciples moved it to Christ to send the multitude away; they thought there was a good day’s work done, and it was time to disperse. Note, Christ’s disciples are often more careful to show their discretion, than to show their zeal; and their abundant affection in the things of God. 2. Christ would not dismiss them hungry as they were, nor detain them longer without meat, nor put them upon the trouble and charge of buying meat for themselves, but orders his disciples to provide for them. Christ all along expressed more tenderness toward the people than his disciples did; for what are the compassions of the most merciful men, compared with the tender mercies of God in Christ? See how loth Christ is to part with those who are resolved to cleave to him! They need not depart. Note, Those who have Christ have enough, and need not depart to seek a happiness and livelihood in the creature; they that have made sure of the one thing needful, need not be cumbered about much serving: nor will Christ put his willing followers upon a needless expense, but will make their attendance cheap to them.

But if they be hungry, they have need to depart, for that is a necessity which has no law, therefore, give you them to eat. Note, The Lord is for the body; it is the work of his hands, it is part of his purchase; he was himself clothed with a body, that he might encourage us to depend upon him for the supply of our bodily wants. But he takes a particular care of the body, when it is employed to serve the soul in his more immediate service. If we seek first the kingdom of God, and make that our chief care, we may depend upon God to add other things to us, as far as he sees fit, and may cast all care of them upon him. These followed Christ but for a trial, in a present fit of zeal, and yet Christ took this care of them; much more will he provide for those who follow him fully.

IV. The slender provision that was made for this great multitude; and here we must compare the number of invited guests with the bill of fare.

1. The number of the guests was five thousand of men, besides women and children; and it is probable the women and children might be as many as the men, if not more. This was a vast auditory that Christ preached to, and we have reason to think an attentive auditory; and, yet it should seem, far the greater part, notwithstanding all this seeming zeal and forwardness, came to nothing; they went off and followed him no more; for many are called, but few are chosen. We would rather perceive the acceptableness of the word by the conversion, than by the crowds, of its hearers; though that also is a good sight and a good sign.

2. The bill of fare was very disproportionable to the number of the guests, but five loaves and two fishes. This provision the disciples carried about with them for the use of the family, now they were retired into the desert. Christ could have fed them by miracle, but to set us an example of providing for those of our own households, he will have their own camp victualled in an ordinary way. Here is neither plenty, nor variety, nor dainty; a dish of fish was no rarity to them that were fishermen, but it was food convenient for the twelve; two fishes for their supper, and bread to serve them perhaps for a day or two: here was no wine or strong drink; fair water from the rivers in the desert was the best they had to drink with their meat; and yet out of this Christ will have the multitude fed. Note, Those who have but a little, yet when the necessity is urgent, must relieve others out of that little, and that is the way to make it more. Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Yes, he can, when he pleases, a plentiful table.

V. The liberal distribution of this provision among the multitude (Mat 14:18; Mat 14:19); Bring them hither to me. Note, The way to have our creature-like comforts, comforts indeed to us, is to bring them to Christ; for every thing is sanctified by his word, and by prayer to him: that is likely to prosper and do well with us, which we put into the hands of our Lord Jesus, that he may dispose of it as he pleases, and that we may take it back from his hand, and then it will be doubly sweet to us. What we give in charity, we should bring to Christ first, that he may graciously accept it from us, and graciously bless it to those to whom it is given; this is doing it as unto the Lord.

Now at this miraculous meal we may observe,

1. The seating of the guests (v. 19); He commanded them to sit down; which intimates, that while he was preaching to them, they were standing, which is a posture of reverence, and readiness for motion. But what shall we do for chairs for them all? Let them sit down on the grass. When Ahasuerus would show the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honour of his excellent majesty, in a royal feast for the great men of all his provinces, the beds or couches they sat on were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble, Esther i. 6. Our Lord Jesus did now show, in a divine feast, the riches of a more glorious kingdom than that, and the honour of a more excellent majesty, even a dominion over nature itself; but here is not so much as a cloth spread, no plates or napkins laid, no knives or forks, nor so much as a bench to sit down on; but, as if Christ intended indeed to reduce the world to the plainness and simplicity, and so to the innocency and happiness, of Adam in paradise, he commanded them to sit down on the grass. By doing every thing thus, without any pomp or splendour, he plainly showed that his kingdom was not of this world, nor cometh with observation.

2. The craving of a blessing. He did not appoint one of his disciples to be his chaplain, but he himself looked up to heaven, and blessed, and gave thanks; he praised God for the provision they had, and prayed to God to bless it to them. His craving a blessing, was commanding a blessing; for as he preached, so he prayed, like one having authority; and in this prayer and thanksgiving, we may suppose, he had special reference to the multiplying of this food; but herein he has taught us that good duty of craving a blessing and giving thanks at our meals: God’s good creatures must be received with thanksgiving, 1 Tim. iv. 4. Samuel blessed the feast, 1Sa 9:13; Act 2:46; Act 2:47; Act 27:24; Act 27:35. This is eating and drinking to the glory of God (1 Cor. x. 31); giving God thanks (Rom. xiv. 6); eating before God, as Moses, and his father-in-law, Exo 18:12; Exo 18:15. When Christ blessed, he looked up to heaven, to teach us, in prayer, to eye God as a Father in heaven; and when we receive our creature-comforts to look thitherward, as taking them from God’s hand, and depending on him for a blessing.

3. The carving of the meat. The Master of the feast was himself head-carver, for he brake, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. Christ intended hereby to put honour upon his disciples, that they might be respected as workers together with him; as also to signify in what way the spiritual food of the word should be dispensed to the world; from Christ, as the original Author, by his ministers. What Christ designed for the churches he signified to his servant John (Rev 1:1; Rev 1:4); they delivered all that, and that only, which they received from the Lord, 1 Cor. xi. 23. Ministers can never fill the people’s hearts, unless Christ first fill their hands: and what he has given to the disciples, they must give to the multitude; for they are stewards, to give to every one his portion of meat, ch. xxiv. 45. And, blessed be God, be the multitude ever so great, there is enough for all, enough for each.

4. The increase of the meat. This is taken notice of only in the effect, not in the cause or manner of it; here is no mention of any word that Christ spoke, by which the food was multiplied; the purposes and intentions of his mind and will shall take effect, though they be not spoken out: but this is observable, that the meat was multiplied, not in the heap at first, but in the distribution of it. As the widow’s oil increased in the pouring out, so here the bread in the breaking. Thus grace grows by being acted, and, while other things perish in the using, spiritual gifts increase in the using. God ministers seed to the sower, and multiplies not the seed hoarded up, but the seed sown, 2 Cor. ix. 10. Thus there is that scattereth and yet increaseth; that scattereth, and so increaseth.

VI. The plentiful satisfaction of all the guests with this provision. Though the disproportion was so great, yet there was enough and to spare.

1. There was enough: They did all eat, and were filled. Note, Those whom Christ feeds, he fills; so runs the promise (Ps. xxxvii. 19), They shall be satisfied. As there was enough for all, they did all eat, so there was enough for each, they were filled; though there was but little, there was enough, and that is as good as a feast. Note, The blessing of God can make a little go a great way; as, if God blasts what we have, we eat, and have not enough, Hag. i. 6.

2. There was to spare; They took up of the fragments that remained, twelve baskets full, one basket for each apostle: thus what they gave they had again, and a great deal more with it; and they were so far from being nice, that they could make this broken meat serve another time, and be thankful. This was to manifest and magnify the miracle, and to show that the provision Christ makes for those who are his is not bare and scanty, but rich and plenteous; bread enough, and to spare (Luke xv. 17), an overflowing fulness. Elisha’s multiplying the loaves was somewhat like this, but far short of it; and then it was said, They shall eat and leave, 2 Kings iv. 43.

It is the same divine power, though exerted in an ordinary way, which multiplies the seed sown in the ground every year, and makes the earth yield her increase; so that what was brought out by handfuls, is brought home in sheaves. This is the Lord’s doing; it is by Christ that all natural things consist, and by the word of his power that they are upheld.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

In a boat ( ) “on foot” (, some MSS. ). Contrast between the lake and the land route.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

On foot [] . Rev., by land in margin, which is better; for the contrast is between Jesus ‘ journey by ship and that of the multitude by land.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence,” (akousas de ho lesous anechoresen ekeithen) “Then when Jesus heard the report, he went away, or withdrew from ‘where he was, with the twelve, Mr 6:30,31.

2) “By ship into a desert place apart:” (en ploio eis eremon. topon kat’ idian) “In a ship, into a desert or uninhabited place (area) privately,” to be alone, in fellowship with His Father, in grief for John the Baptist, His own earthly relative, who had baptized Him. The place was near Bethsadia, East of Jordan, and the Sea of Galilee, Luk 9:10.

3) “And when the people had heard thereof,” (kai alkousantes hoi ochloi) “And when the crowds had heard the report,” and what Jesus had done, and saw them leaving the west side of the Sea of Galilee by boat or ship, Mr 6:32,33.

4) “They followed him on foot out of the cities (ekolouthesan auto peze, apo, ion poleon) “They followed him afoot from the cities,” by foot or by land, as the sick were brought by others. Apparently to a desert, or uninhabited place around the lake, from where He had gone aboard the ship. It was near Bethsaida, which means “house of fish,” a fish market center at the Northeast, shore of the Sea of Galilee, Luk 9:10.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

Mat 14:13

. When Jesus heard it. John, who relates the same narrative, does not mention the reason why Jesus crossed over to the opposite bank, (6: 5.) Mark and Luke differ somewhat from Matthew; for they describe the occasion of the journey to have been to give some repose to his disciples, after that they had returned from their embassy. But there is no contradiction here; for it is possible that he intended to withdraw his disciples into a desert place, in order that he might be more at leisure to train them for higher labors, and that, about the same time, an additional reason arose out of the death of John. Minds which were still feeble might have been terrified by the death of John, learning from the melancholy end of that eminent prophet what condition awaited them all. Certainly, as it was formerly related that, when John was imprisoned, Christ removed from Herod’s territory, in order to avoid his fury for the time, so we may now infer that Christ, in order to keep his trembling disciples at a distance from the flame, withdrew into a desert place.

How long the Apostles were employed in their first embassy it is not in our power to determine; for the Evangelists, as we have formerly remarked, either did not attend to dates, or did not observe them with great exactness. I think it highly probable that their commission to proclaim the kingdom of Christ was not confined to a single occasion, but that, as opportunities were offered, they either repeated their visit to some places, or went to others after a lapse of time. The words, they came together to him, I look upon as meaning that ever afterwards they were his constant attendants; as if the Evangelist had said, that they did not leave their Master so as to be individually and constantly employed in the ordinary office of teaching, but that, having discharged a temporary commission, they went back to school to make greater advances in learning.

They followed him on foot out of the cities. Though Christ, who foresaw all things before they happened, was in no respect ignorant of what would take place, yet he wished, as a man, to forewarn his disciples, that the fact might testify the anxiety which he had about them. The vast crowd that had assembled shows how widely his fame was spread in every direction: and this left the Jews without excuse in depriving themselves, by their own carelessness, of the salvation which was offered to them; for even out of this great multitude, which was inflamed by a sudden zeal to follow Christ, it is evident from what is stated by John, (Joh 6:66) that not more than a very small number yielded a true and steady adherence to his doctrine.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

CRITICAL NOTES

Mat. 14:13. He departed thence.Matthew traces the withdrawal from Capernaum to the eastern side of the lake to the news of John Baptists martyrdom. Luke tells us that Herod desired to see Jesus, and the resolve to avoid the tetrarch would be increased by the sad tidings. Mark adds a second motive for the passage, in the wish to secure a period of quiet for the Apostles who had just returned from their missionary tour (Maclaren). A desert place apart.See Luk. 9:10. Probably near Bethsaida-Julias, on the north-east shore of the lake. In the dominions of Philip Jesus found a safe retreat, where His followers might recover their tone of mind, and prepare for going forth anew (Lange). Out of the cities.Capernaum, Chorazin, Bethsaida, etc.

Mat. 14:15. Evening.The Hebrews reckoned two evenings, viz. the first from the ninth hour, or about three oclock, until sunset; the other from sunset onward (Robinson). The reference in the text is to the early evening. The time is now past.The fitting time for the multitudes to disperse, if they are to pay due attention to their bodily wants, has already gone by (Morison).

Mat. 14:19. Brake.The Jewish loaves were broad and thin, like cakes; hence, we never read of cutting, but always of breaking bread (Holden).

Mat. 14:20. Twelve baskets.The word used here and in the parallel places of the other three Gospels, and rendered basket is different from that employed in the account of the feeding of the four thousand (Mat. 15:37; Mar. 8:8). The former word () is the basket used by the Jews in travelling, to hold their food. The latter word () denotes a large basket capable of holding a mans body. It is the word used in describing the escape of St. Paul (Act. 9:25). The constant observance of this distinction, which would probably have been lost in the transmission of the narrative to a narrative at third or fourth and, seems to mark the impression produced on the minds of eye-witnesses and the formation of the text from immediate testimony (Mansel).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Mat. 14:13-21

Jesus in the desert.Partly because of the danger implied in the previous verses (note heard in Mat. 14:13), and partly perhaps for the reasons implied in Mar. 6:31 and Joh. 6:4, our Saviour seems now to be desirous of absolute retirement. Hence His withdrawing, His wishing to be apart, His departure to the desert, perhaps, also, His going by sea. This desire of His, however, was very far from being gratified at the time. Instead of retirement, on the contrary, when He reaches the place of His destination, and comes forth from His boat (so some), He finds a vast and thronging multitude awaiting His comingpersons who had come thither on foot (Mat. 14:13), apparently with much exertion (Mar. 6:33), from all the neighbouring cities. It was a singular and, so far, an entire disappointment. He had fled from the cities, only to find that the cities had already come to the desert. This lends all the greater significance to the story of compassion which follows, and more especially to those two features of it in which it stands out from anything told us before: the extreme need, viz., which it describes on the one hand, and the abundant supply of which it tells us on the other.

I. The extreme need.One peculiarity of this need was to be found in the fact that it was of singularly wide application. In previous multitudes we read of many whole, and some only that were sick. Here we read of a kind of need from which none present were exempt. Also the need in question was of a most serious kind. It was nothing less than the need of that which was necessary to allof the staff of lifeof daily breadof that which the strongest as well as the weakest requireof that without which the very strongest soon find all their strength gone. Further yet, the need in question was of a most aggravated description. It was a need which had come on the multitudes late in the day (Mat. 14:15), apparently, as we have seen, after unusual bodily exertions; certainly in a place where there was nothing (naturally) to meet it; and with no places within reacheven if within reach before nightfallexcept certain villages, or small collections of inhabitants who were hardly likely, on that very account, to have a sufficient extra supply on hand for multitudes such as these. And even if they had, it would be a very hard case for such famishing multitudes to have to go far at that hour for such a scramble for food! Lastly, the need was, for all this, of a most undeniable kind. If there was small hope of food at a distance, humanly speaking there was none at all on the spot. The search now made on this pointor that had been made previouslyproved this to the hilt. Not impossibly it was this very fact which had previously led the disciples to suggest sending the starving people away to the villages, as being the only alternative in such circumstances, of which they could think. Certainly now, when they report the result of their inquiry to the Saviour, it has the most desperate look. We have here but five loaves and two fishestwo small fishes (Joh. 6:9)in other words, perhaps, considering the probable size of these loaves, and the famishing condition of the multitudes, about sufficient for one! It was almost less than having nothing at all! It undoubtedly was so in regard to its effect on the feeling of need. Only that between all these and starvation!

II. The abundant supply.This is brought before us with great vividness in various ways. It is so first by the unmistakable publicity of the transaction. Make the men sit down. They do so, the whole five thousand, by companies (Mat. 14:21)upon the green grass (Mar. 6:39)the green grass natural at that time of the year (Joh. 6:4). Bring the five loaves and the two fishes hither to Me. This was done in its turn; and with this was done, also, all that was done in preparing. You see these multitudes. You see this scanty supply. You see all except that which the Saviour Himself is going to do. Equally vivid, in the next place, is the simplicity of the transaction. The food is taken and blessed, and then broken and given out. So it passes from Him to the hands of the disciples. From the hands of the disciples it passes in turn to those of the multitudes as they recline on the grass. In those two things you see the whole that is to be seen by the eye. There the supply begins. So it passes. Thither it goes. Nothing whatever mingles with it from the outside. Hence, therefore, in the last place, most striking of all, is the completeness of the result. Notwithstanding the scantness of the original supply, notwithstanding the perfect simplicity of the method itself, it turns out that there is, in the end, what is sufficient for all. They did all eat and were filled (Mat. 14:20). No one desired more. Not only so, but, as though to show in this instance that the same power which had done all this could also have done as much more if so wished, there was more than sufficient for all; more than sufficient by a good deal; more to end with, in fact, and that by far, than there had been at first. One lad had easily carried all there was to begin. The twelve disciples, at the end, had gathered together of that which remained one large basket-full each. Evidently there was no limit here but the criminal limit of waste!

In the story thus considered we may find yet further:

1. A rebuke to some.Let none of us dare to think anything too hard for the Lord; or take upon us to advise Him with respect to His doings (Mat. 14:15). In all other matters, as well as in this, that is true of Him which we read in Joh. 6:6.

2. Instruction to more.What blessing for us is like that of being the channel of blessing to others? What disciple can give to others unless he first take for himself? And whither else shall he go for what he would give except to the fulness of Christ?

3. Promise of mercy to all.The sixth chapter of St. John seems to show us that it was a very mixed multitude that was fed in this way (see Joh. 6:26; Joh. 6:41; Joh. 6:60; Joh. 6:66). For all that, in the time of their need there was more than sufficient for all. No questions were asked. No other fitness demanded. Only let them take the place of the needy. Only let them accept the provision made for the hungry. Everything else was supplied (cf. Php. 4:19).

HOMILIES ON THE VERSES

Mat. 14:13-21. The teachings of the miracle.I. Its most obvious inference is one which it yields in common with several of the Nature-miracles presenting, as they all do, the Lordship over nature and providence which belongs to Jesus as Head of the spiritual kingdom. The followers of Christ are here taught that when engaged in the work of the kingdom they are to have no anxiety about the supply of their bodily wants. He Himself makes precisely this application of the incident on a subsequent occasion, when the disciples supposed one of His sayings to reflect on their insufficient supply of food (Mar. 8:14-19).

II. A less obvious inference, but one which invites explanation, is its symbolic bearing on the spiritual provision of the kingdom and the mode of its distribution to mankind. The event took place at a time when the disciples had made their first trial of preaching the word of the kingdom. They were anxious about the result. In the most instructive and comforting way this feeding of the multitude showed, and was meant to show, how the Living Word, Christ, in the preached word, the gospel, becomes the Bread of Life to a perishing world. We cannot be wrong in so interpreting an event from which the Lord Himself drew His discourse on the Heavenly Bread. The significant points in the action of that day were:

1. The provision accepted from the disciples.The Lord could have made bread out of stones, or grass, out of anything or nothing. But He chose with a Divine significance to ask from the Twelve what they had. With that He began. In this work, miraculous though it was, the servants had a part assigned them. They had to prepare the means, to do their part, to do their best. We are to do our best, humanly speaking, for His cause. He asks us to do more for Him than we can in order to show us how easy it is when we rest it on Himself.

2. The blessing of the provision by Jesus.Let us get our spiritual provision passed under the Masters blessing hand. Let us neither give nor take what has not first gone round by the head of the table. Christ blesses all the real bread that is brought to Him.

3. The distribution of the food.It was through the blessing the miracle was wrought, but it was in the breaking and parting of the bread that it was realised. So is it with the gospel. It is in the distribution of the word of life, in the breaking of it down, in the turning it over, in the sharing and the spreading of it, that the benefit is realised.Prof. Laidlaw, D.D.

Mat. 14:15-21. Jesus and His bounty.

I. The problem of the disciples.They seemed to have forgotten:

1. That the people had followed their Master, not them.
2. That the Master knew as much, and more, of the multitude than they did.
3. That the Master was moved with compassion towards the people.

II. The solution of the Master.J. O. Davies.

Mat. 14:16. An assurance and a command.Our Lords answer is studiedly enigmatical, and meant to stimulate attention and anticipation. It consists of:

I. An apparently incredible assurance.

II. An obviously impossible command.A. Maclaren, D.D.

Value of the Bible.The Bible, so little in bulk, like the five barley loaves and the two fishes, what thousands upon thousands has it fed, and will it feed, in every age, in every land of Christendom, to the worlds end!D. Brown, D.D.

Mat. 14:19-20. Tested and honoured.

I. A test.
II. Obedience, having in it the element of faith.

III. Reward.The miracle.A. Maclaren, D.D.

Mat. 14:20. The satisfying Christ.

I. Christs gifts are for all.As on the green grass there were men, women, and children; so all ages, conditions, diversities of character, rank, culture, and circumstance may find the satisfaction of their souls hunger in Him. The world spreads a table at which there is often satiety without satisfaction, and oftener hunger surviving after all vain attempts to make husks serve for bread. It shall be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty.

II. Christs feast satisfies, but never cloys. The world often cloys, but never satisfies.

III. Christs gift is inexhaustible.After five thousand have fed, full more is over than appeared at first.Ibid.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Section 34
JESUS FEEDS THE 5000 AND WALKS UPON THE WAVES

(Parallels: Mar. 6:30-52; Luk. 9:10-17; Joh. 6:1-21)

TEXT: 14:1333

13 Now when Jesus heard it, he withdrew from thence in a boat, to a desert place apart: and when the multitudes heard thereof, they followed him on foot from the cities. 14 And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 15 And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert, and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food. 16 But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat. 17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18 And he said, Bring them hither to me. 19 And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 20 And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And they that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

22 And straightway he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away. 23 And after he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray: and when even was come, he was there alone. 24 But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came unto them, walking upon the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried out with fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. 29 And he said, Come. And Peter went down from the boat, and he walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him, and saith unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And they that were in the boat worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

If Jesus loved people as much as you say, why would He want to get away from them, as He obviously intended to do on this occasion?

Why would so many people follow Jesus such a long distance from home without bringing any food along? Is it reasonable that they forget this item essential to existence?

How do you harmonize the apparently contradictory reports of the Synoptic writers who say that the crowds ran on foot to where Jesus was going and actually got there ahead of His debarkation at the place (Mar. 6:33), whereas John (Joh. 6:5) clearly states that when Jesus had already gone up into the hills and sat down with His disciples, then He looked up and saw the crowds coming to Him?

Matthew (Mat. 14:13) says that Jesus took His disciples to a desert place, whereas John (Joh. 6:10) affirms that there was much grass there and Mark (Mar. 6:39) notes that it was even green. Make up your mind: how can it be a desert place and there still be much green grass?

Jesus deep need for privacy as well as the Apostles need for rest caused Him to leave the Capernaum area abruptly. Many would probably have been angered at the selfish persistence of the people. But what effect did this persistence have upon Jesus? In what likeness did He see them?

How much food did the Apostles think to be needed to feed such a crowd? What is the relative value today of what they considered necessary to purchase that quantity of food?

Can you suggest an explanation why only one lad had food when, no one else did?

Why did Jesus command that the multitudes sit down in orderly groups of fifties and hundreds?

Are the Apostles to be condemned for their lack of vision when they faced the prospect of having to feed thousands of people with little or no provisions? If so, on what basis? If not, why not?

Where did the power to meet the need really lie? Was a miracle absolutely necessary? Some feel that the real miracle was the change in human hearts as Jesus called the unselfish lad with the lunch forward as an example of the unselfish sharing that the multitudes could imitate. Everyone then took out his own lunch and shared with those who had none, so that everybody ate all he needed to get back home. Do you agree with this solution? If not, why do you feel it inadequate to explain the phenomena reported in the Gospels? If so, how do you answer those who affirm that a miracle has indeed taken place?

If you believe that the people had not brought along their own lunches, then kindly explain where the twelve baskets came from, into which the Apostles gathered the broken left-overs. Where there were twelve such kosher-food baskets, there could have been more, no?

Why would Jesus be so. interested in gathering up the left-over fragments? He who has limitless power to provide such miraculous meals would certainly not need to be so frugal, would he? Could it be that Jesus realizes that His power is limited, and so He is here saving up the scraps against a future shortage just in case His power should fail? Why do you answer as you do?

What principles of crowd control do you see displayed in Jesus tactics in this incident?

What importance would you attribute to this event when considered in context with the circumstances leading up to it and the aftermath that follows it?

Why do you think Jesus refused the popular crown that was offered Him on this occasion? Could He not have kept this movement under control and led these blindly enthusiastic followers to understand His real purpose? If Jesus could not have kept such a movement under control, then what does this say about Him? Does this not make the damning admission that, after all, Jesus is not like Godomnipotent? Examine the alternatives that lay open to Jesus, forcing Him to make the choice He did.

If Jesus is God, why did He have to go pray most of the night? What did He hope to gain from prayer? If He is God, to whom was He praying?

What do you envision as the reason why the multitudes were planning to take Him by force to make Him their king? How could they have done this?

After the feeding of the 5000, Jesus rushed His twelve Apostles away in a boat: how do you explain this?

After rowing most of the night against the heavy wind and waves, why did the disciples keep rowing instead of turning back? What lesson do you see in this for your own life?

Why did the disciples, when they saw Jesus walking on the water, think that what they saw was a ghost? Are they superstitious?

Why did the disciples cry out in terror? Had they not yet learned not to fear?

Why do you suppose Jesus began to walk past the boat, instead of coming directly up to it? (Mar. 6:48)

What do you think motivated Peter to want to meet Jesus out there on that rolling water?

Do you think Jesus rebuked Peter for wanting to walk on the water? If so, on what basis do you say this? If not, then why did He rebuke him?

Is it psychologically reasonable to accept the idea that this seasoned fishermen who had spent his adult life out on this lake should so completely panic when he began to sink, that he would forget how to swim? (See Joh. 21:7.)

What part did doubt play in causing Peter to sink?

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How do you harmonize the apparent contradiction between the statement of Matthew (Mat. 14:33) where he reports the disciples reaction as one of worship and confession, with the declaration of Mark (Mar. 6:51-52) where this latter writer declares that the disciples were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened?

PARAPHRASE AND HARMONY

Upon their return from their evangelistic tours the Apostles met with Jesus to report all that they had done and taught. However there were so many people coming and going that the Apostles and Jesus had no opportunity even for meals. So when Jesus received the news about the death of John the Baptist, He told them, Come on, lets go off by ourselves to an unfrequented place to rest awhile. Accordingly, He took them and privately withdrew from the area around Capernaum, setting sail in the boat toward the east shore of the Lake of Galilee (which is another name for Lake Tiberias). Once across, they retired to a remote area near a town called Bethsaida Julias. Ashore, Jesus climbed the hillside and sat down there with His disciples. (Incidentally, the Passover festival of the Jews was soon to take place in Jerusalem.)
Meanwhile, many of the people saw them going and recognized them. Consequently, when the rest got word of His departure, they hurried around the lake, coming by foot from all the towns. Some arrived ahead of Jesus and His disciples. They all came because they were impressed by the miracles that He had been doing for the diseased people.
By this time the crowds began to arrive where Jesus was. Looking up as He came out of His retreat, His gaze took in this great throng of people approaching. The sight caused Him to be filled with compassion for them, because He saw them as a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Then He turned to Philip with the question: How can we buy bread to feed these people? He said this to test Philip, because He Himself already knew what He would do.
Philip answered, It would take over six months wages and it would never be enough for each of them to get even a little piece!
So the Lord welcomed the people and began to teach them many things about Gods Kingdom. He also cured those who needed it.
The day began to draw to a close. So, in the afternoon, the Twelve approached Jesus with the proposal: This is a deserted spot and the hour is now late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the surrounding farms and villages to find themselves lodging and buy food: there is nothing around here.
But Jesus reaction was: They do not need to leave: you give them something to eat!
But they responded, Shall we spend our two hundred denarii for bread to give them something to eat?
So Jesus opened a new approach, How many loaves do you have on hand? Go look!
When they had found out, one of His disciples, Andrewthats Simon Peters brother,reported, Theres a lad here who has five barley buns and two little fish. But whats the use of that to feed so many?
We have no more than those five buns and a couple of fish, the others commented, that is, unless we are to go and buy food for all these people!
Bring them here to me, was Jesus reply. Direct the people to sit down for a meal on the grass, grouping themselves in parties of about fifty each.
Now there was plenty of green grass around there, so the disciples organized that vast crowd to sit down in groups of fifties and hundreds. Just a total of the men numbered five thousand!
At this point Jesus took the five buns and the two fish in His hands. Looking up toward heaven, He thanked God for the food, asking His blessing upon the meal. Then He broke the buns and began distributing them to the disciples, who, in turn, served them to the crowds who were reclining there. He then divided the two fish among them all, as much as they wanted. They all ate their fill and were satisfied.
Afterwards, Jesus directed His men, Go gather up the left-over pieces, so that nothing gets lost or wasted.
So they picked up the leftovers, loading twelve picnic baskets full of the broken pieces of the barley buns and fish over and beyond what had been consumed by the crowd! Now those who ate numbered about five thousand, not counting the women and children! And when the people realized the miracle Jesus had done, they began commenting: This man is the Prophet, the Coming One!
For this reason, because He sensed that they were about to come take Him against His will to make Him their king, Jesus immediately ordered His twelve disciples to board the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side of the lake, i.e., over to Bethsaida, while He sent the crowds home. After He had said goodbye to the people, Jesus got away again: He went off up into the hills for private prayer.
When night fell He was there alone, since His disciples had gone down to the lake, boarded the boat and pushed off toward Capernaum on the other shore. Even though it was now dark, Jesus had still not rendezvoused with them. The sea grew rough, because it was blowing up a real gale out of the northwest. The boat by this time was roughly halfway across, battered by the waves. Jesus was alone on the land, but He was aware that they were straining at the oars against a strong headwind. When they had rowed about three or four miles, sometime between three and six oclock in the morning, He came to them, walking across the lake. They sighted him approaching the boat. Although He meant to go along beside them, when they caught sight of Him, they were terrified, for they thought Him a phantom. In fact, they cried out, Its a ghost!, for they all saw Him and were gripped with terror.
But He immediately began talking to them, saying, Cheer up: its me! Stop being afraid!
Peter tested Him, Lord, if it is really you, call me to come to you on the water!
Jesus shouted, Come on!
At this, Peter climbed out of the boat and walked toward Jesus atop the waves. But when his attention was diverted by the wind-tossed whitecaps, he panicked. Starting to sink, he shouted, Lord, help me!
At once Jesus reached over and grabbed Peter, saying as He hauled him out, O man of such limited confidence in me: why did you doubt?
Then the other disciples were glad to take Jesus into the boat. When He and Peter climbed into the boat, the wind dropped. The men in the boat were utterly astounded. Although they worshipped Him, confessing, You really ARE Gods Son!, they still did not understand what the feeding of the five thousand meant, for their minds were slow to learn.
In no time at all the boat beached at the land they were making for.

SUMMARY

Just at the moment that Jesus disciples began reporting back to Him the happy news of their successful ministry in His name, the disciples of John the Baptist brought Him the heart-rending news of Johns murder. To gain both rest and solitude for body and soul, Jesus sailed with the Twelve east to the deserted country south of Bethsaida Julias. But the multitudes, electrified by the momentous events then occurring in Galilee, followed them. Jesus compassion for people would not permit Him to leave them again without helping. After He had spent the day teaching them and curing their illnesses, the disciples pointed out the shortage of both food and time to procure it unless Jesus dismissed the crowds immediately. Instead, He chose to feed the assemblage miraculously with a lads lunch. The effect on the already excited throng was the confirming of their conclusion that Jesus was truly the coming Messiah, To head off a run-away attempt to make Him a worldly messianic king, Jesus divided the Apostles from the tempestuous crowds and ordered them to leave by boat. Then He dismissed the enthusiastic multitudes to go home and cool off, Finally, Jesus hiked off alone in another direction, into the hills, to pray.
Meanwhile the Apostles battled the stormy sea, trying to row across the Galilean Lake with but little progress. Noting their distress, the Lord walked out across the lake to them. The specter terrified the men, but He spoke to them, restoring their calm. Peter made bold to meet Jesus on the water, but lost confidence and had to be rescued. Together, Jesus and Peter boarded the boat. The astounded Apostles worshipped Him, still unaware of the full impact of His identity even after the miracle of the multiplication of food.

NOTES
I. JESUS PROBLEM

To appreciate adequately this crucial moment in Jesus ministry, we must grasp the factors that made it what it was:

Jesus and the Apostles had just finished wide-ranging evangelistic efforts in Galilee. (Mat. 11:1; Mar. 6:12-13; Mar. 6:30-31; Luk. 9:6; Luk. 9:10) Hence, they needed privacy for rest and discussion of their work, results, mistakes and successes.

Passover crowds started gathering in Galilee, massing around Jesus, not only because of the excitement aroused by the just-finished evangelism in Galilee, and the effect of the miracles (cf. Joh. 6:2), but also because of the shocking news of Johns murder. (Joh. 6:4; Mat. 14:13 see note.) Hence the need to escape to rest from the insistence of the ever-present crowds.

The need had also arisen to react to Herod Antipas suspicions, based as they were on his information about Jesus popular ministry and that of HIS disciples, rather than that of the murdered John the Baptist, (Mat. 14:1 f, Mat. 14:13; Mar. 6:14; Luk. 9:7-9) While personal fear of Herod does not motivate Jesus withdrawal, prudence dictated that HE forestall any decisive action by Herod to hinder His mission. Fear is not involved, because after the popularity-bubble burst, He could move more freely throughout Herods jurisdiction both in some traveling in Galilee as well as His later Perean ministry.

Jesus probably sensed a grassroots movement afoot to establish Him as Messianic King over Israel, principally among the Zealots (Joh. 6:15) and augmented by the multitudes generally (Joh. 6:14), a movement that came to a head immediately after the supernatural feeding of the 5000. These suspicions, if relayed to Herod, would have stirred that ruler to fear a popular revolt that must inevitably involve Rome by whose grace he held his throne. (Cf. Ant. XVIII, 5, 2) His disciples, however, must be saved from the influence of such wrong-headed thinking.

The need for privacy with God. (Mat. 14:23; Mar. 6:46)

II. JESUS PLAN

While the Synoptics indicate the above-mentioned variety of motives for Jesus movements, Foster (Middle Period, 151, 160f) is probably correct in laying emphasis on Joh. 6:6 as the key to understanding His tactics, not only with reference to the immediate problem of food for the crowds, but also in dealing with the larger problem of His popularity: . . . he himself knew what he would do. This comes into sharper focus if we see the deliberate steps Jesus took to bring these unwieldly forces under His control. Each step is a pressure-point intended to concentrate the attention of everyone on Jesus and push each one to some point of decision:

PRESSURE: Jesus took a leisurely, easy-to-follow boat trip in full view of the crowds, sailing east toward Bethsaida Julias rather than south or southeast, almost suggesting thereby that they follow Him.

By sailing unexpectedly He drew the crowds into a deserted place where no food was readily available, a fact that would later become another pressure-point.

So doing, He sifted the most interested followers from the less ambitious who remained at home. If Josephus figures are even roughly indicative of the total Galilean population which he establishes at over three million people (240 villages the smallest of which numbered 15,000 inhabitants), the crowd that actually followed Jesus around the lake would hardly have filled one small Galilean village! (Cf. Wars, III, 3, 2; Life of Josephus, 45)

By deliberately sailing to a deserted place, He frustrated any efforts of the Zealots to build a revolutionary mob spirit in the more populated areas.

The large result of the miracle that followed was the building of faith in Jesus in the heart of those who could be saved for His spiritual Kingdom, by being able to withstand the blow He must give to the materialistic designs of the popular, but wrong-headed nationalistic liberation groups and parties, The total effect of the miracle prepared superbly for His discourse on the Bread of Life (Joh. 6:25-66) in which He applied maximum pressure on everyone to leave Him if they were not interested in letting Him be their true nourishment.

PRESSURE: Taking the initiative, Jesus pushed Philip: How are we to buy bread so that they may eat? (Joh. 6:5) This question, connected by John with the arrival of the multitudes at the beginning of Jesus working day, pressures Philip to begin thinking about the problem and perhaps discuss it with the others in order that, when the need actually arises, they might arrive at the correct solution.

PRESSURE: Jesus taught the crowds the rest of that day until evening, healing some, but apparently giving no opportunity to go for food.

PRESSURE: When the worried disciples bring the plight of the famished crowds to Jesus with their suggestion that He dismiss them as the only working alternative, Jesus throws the problem back into their laps, You give them something to eat. (Mat. 14:16)

PRESSURE: When they argue their shortage of money for an adequate meal for all, He ordered them to check out their actual resources. (Mar. 6:38)

PRESSURE: In seeking any available food, the Apostles drew the attention of the entire crowd both to the need for food and encouraged them to expect Jesus to do something about the need. But the Apostles, too, are under pressure to obey Jesus by going through that crowd calling out, asking if anyone had perhaps a handful of food, to enable Jesus to feed that multitude, because the Twelve themselves probably did not know Jesus plan. (Joh. 6:6)

PRESSURE: When Andrew turned up only five buns and two fish, he was doubtful of the significance of his find (Joh. 6:8-9), and the others repeated their only apparent alternative: buy bread. (Luk. 9:13) Hereupon, Jesus sent the Apostles to bring the food to Him, a mission that required faith in His wisdom. (Mat. 14:18)

PRESSURE: In order to draw full attention to what He was about to do, He ordered the Apostles to organize the crowd into orderly groups for a picnic on the grass. (See note on Mat. 14:19.) The effect of this command is most fully felt when all that anyone could see was some sandwich ingredients in the hands of the Lord.

PRESSURE: When the hushed expectancy of the crowd permitted Him to speak again, in a dramatic gesture full of significance, He blessed the food, began breaking the loaves and fishes, and distributed it among the Twelve for redistribution among the multitudes.

10.

SOLUTION, OR RELEASE OF PRESSURE: They all ate to the full.

11.

PRESSURE: Jesus ordered the Twelve to gather up the leftovers to avoid waste, but the psychological effect on all pushed each to decide about the magnitude of the miracle, and, hence, of Jesus power, since even the estimated size of the group, easily figured by tallying the orderly groups, adds to the psychological pressure too. (Joh. 6:12; Mat. 14:21)

12.

REACTION: Discussion and conclusion of the crowds about Jesus: He is the coming Prophet: let us make Him our King! (Joh. 6:14-15)

13.

PRESSURE: Jesus then made the disciples embark for the west shore of the lake, although the crowd was growing restless with ignorant messianic enthusiasm. This tested the Apostles obedience severely, since they must leave when popular excitement was the highest, and the moment to declare the Kingdom the nearest. In fact, John (Joh. 6:17) suggests that they did not immediately comply, but dallied offshore, waiting for Him to sail with them. When He did not show up, they started across.

14.

PRESSURE: Jesus dismissed the crowds and walked away from His Galilean popularity forever, leaving them to go their separate ways. He had deliberately rejected their crown, their ideals and their popular support.

15.

PRESSURE: The next day, Jesus mercilessly pressured the people to decide about Him and His Word as their only hope of Life and Strength from God, (Joh. 6:25-66) Even the Apostles faced the choice of desertion. (Joh. 6:67 ff)

From the foregoing evidence, it becomes clear that the climax and collapse of Jesus great Galilean ministry was not a crisis in which He became the helpless victim of circumstances. These pressure-points are all His doing; He is the Lord and Master of His circumstances, carefully guiding even the smallest detail so that all the various factors should collaborate to arrive at the result HE desired. (Cf. Notes on Mat. 11:25-26)

Mat. 14:13 b Now when Jesus heard about the murder of John the Baptist, as well as for the other reasons mentioned in the other Gospels, He withdrew from thence. From thence means from Galilee on the west side of the Lake of Galilee, since the following geographical limitations locate His movements toward the desert place apart on the Golan side:

To a desert place apart, when compared with populous Galilee, clearly points to the less densely populated zone east of the lake. (Cf. Wars, III, 3, 3)

Although John had recorded a conversation Jesus held with the Jews in Judea west of the Jordan Valley (John 5), here he simply expresses himself like an old inhabitant of the Bethsaida-Capernaum area: After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. (Joh. 6:1) For a non-Galilean, such a reference would be ambiguous: WHICH other side? he would have to ask. But for John, the other side is the east side, where else?

Luke registers their general destination as a town named Bethsaida. (Mat. 9:10) Since they embark on the western, or Galilean, side of the lake where another Bethsaida is located near Capernaum to which they would return after the miraculous feeding (Mar. 6:45; Joh. 6:17), the Bethsaida on the other side is Bethsaida Julias, developed from a local fishing village into a beautiful city by Philip the Tetrarch. (Ant., XVIII, 2, 1) This Gaulonite city must not be confused with the Galilean fishertown home of the Apostles, Peter, Andrew and Philip. (Joh. 1:44; Joh. 12:21) The name Bethsaida simply means House of Fishing, a Semitism for a place where fishing takes place. Since the Galilean lake was famous for its fish (Wars, III, 10, 78), it is not at all surprising to find several Bethsaidas, or fishing villages, around the lake, either separate or connected with some larger town or city.

Thomson (Land and Book, II, 2932), on the other hand, argues not for two Bethsaidas, but for one major settlement by that name, however located on both banks of the Jordan River where it enters the Lake of Galilee. Accordingly, when viewed from the site of the miracle, the disciples could actually have sailed generally toward Bethsaida (both towns), and still be roughly en route toward Capernaum, by hugging the shore while waiting for Jesus to arrive to be taken aboard at some point along the coast.

In answer to Thomson, it might be asked whether it be possible, that, in the same way in which Jericho has occupied several sites not far from each other over the centuries, Bethsaida too was originally located on a site west of the Jordan near Capernaum,the birthplace of several Apostles,whereas Philip the Tetrarch moved its location to a site east of the Jordan and dedicated it to Caesars daughter, Julia, hence establishing it in his realm? History is not ignorant of such city movings for topographical, political or military reasons. (Cf. Neapolis or new city in the history of that word! Naples is the new Parthenopea in Italy; there is the Neapolis in Macedonia, Act. 16:11; and Neapolis, or Nablus, is Shechem in Palestine. All refer to the new city constructed in the area of an older one.)

Further, Jesus command to the disciples to cross over to the other side to Bethsaida (Mar. 6:45) is understandable only if that town in question is actually on the western shore of the lake. Therefore: two towns of the same name, however located on opposite sides of the point where the Jordan empties into the lake at its north side.

The landing point where the disciples with Jesus beached on the day after the miraculous feeding is described as when they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret (Mat. 14:34; Mar. 6:53), i.e., on the western side, and on the other side of the sea from where those who remained on the site of the miracle. (Joh. 6:22; Joh. 6:25) Gennesaret was opposite the eastern side.

He withdrew from thence in a boat to a desert place apart. McGarvey (Lands of the Bible, 327f) describes the area east of the point where the Jordan enters the Sea of Galilee, as follows:

East of the Jordan, at its entrance into the lake, there is a plain called Butiha, whose shore-line curves around the northeastern part of the lake about four miles, while its width, from the shore back to the hills, is somewhat more than a mile, The plain is larger than that of Gennesaret, but much like it in shape and surface. . . . On the east bank of the Jordan, and at the foot of the hills which bound the plain in that direction, are the ruins of Bethsaida Julias. . . . At the southeastern end of this plain, the hills which bound it approach within less than half a mile of the lake-shore, where they form an angle with those which extend due south along the eastern side of the lake. At the foot of the high hill at this angle is located the feeding of the five thousand, for here alone all the characteristics of the spot indicated in the sacred text are found. Here is the smooth, grassy plain on which the vast multitude could sit by fifties and hundreds while the disciples served them with the bread and fish. Here is the lake-shore, close at hand, whence Jesus and the twelve had gone forth when the multitude met him, and where the boat lay into which the twelve entered when the feeding was concluded. Here also, rising abruptly from the spot, is the mountain into which Jesus went up after he had dismissed the multitude. A spot farther east or north would not meet these requirements, while one farther south would fail to meet some others, It would not be a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida; nor could the people whom Jesus had left on the western shore have gone to it around the head of the lake while he and the twelve were crossing in their boat. Finally, if the place had been farther north, the disciples, in starting for Bethsaida or Capernaum (Mar. 6:45; Joh. 6:17) could not have been said to have gone to the other side, seeing that they would have been going only from the head of the lake to one side of it, and not from one side to the other.

See also Mat. 14:34 where their return to the west side at Gennesaret is spoken of as their having crossed over. (Mar. 6:53)

The point of the above is to absolve the Gospel eye-witnesses from critical attacks that would accuse them of confusing names and locations, leading to the insinuation that the real editors back of the present Gospels were neither eye-witnesses of the facts nor even remotely familiar with the geography. Further, the traditional location of the supernatural multiplication of the loaves and fishes at a site south of Capernaum on the road to Gennesaret is entirely incompatible with the information given above. (Cf. Rand-McNally Bible Atlas, 376, 386)

To a lonely place apart (katdian) is the same expression Jesus used to describe the kind of rest needed for which they embarked on this voyage across the lake. (Mat. 6:31-32) Since the expression means privately, by oneself (Arndt-Gingrich, 371), the first impression is that Jesus intended to avoid all multitudes, despite the view of many that He deliberately sailed slowly across the north end of the lake in full view of any interested watchers who could easily follow Him around by land to meet Him on the other side. Which view is correct? Did He change His mind upon seeing the crowds whose arrival He had not desired, hence postpone His sincerely desired retreat? Or did He actually plan to offer some rest to His disciples, while AT THE SAME TIME use a baiting tactic that would draw the crowds away from the Capernaum-Bethsaida area? If so, then rest awhile must mean literally rest a short while. (olgon) In fact, the moments of privacy in the boat had to suffice, because, until the problem of the crowds was permanently settled, there could be no real leisure for the task of developing the Twelve.

But when the crowds heard (it), what did they hear? McGarvey (Matthew-Mark, 130) thinks that they learned of the death of John the Baptist, not Jesus departure: When Jesus heard of Johns death, He departed . . . when the people heard of Johns death, they followed Jesus. However, Luke, in his parallel expression (Luk. 9:10-11), connects what the crowds heard, not with a message about Johns deathabout which Luke tells nothing,but with Jesus withdrawal with His Apostles. So it is better to see the crowds as learning of Jesus movements by word of mouth from those who saw Him sail. (Mar. 6:33) Matthews descriptive expression, a great throng, (Mar. 6:14) raises the problem: how is it that so many people were free to go traipsing about over the countryside in pursuit of local attractions? This 5000-plus crowd of men is particularly free from normal business pursuits because the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. (Joh. 6:4) Shortly thereafter the entire group would be journeying to Jerusalem for that festival. That this was to be no merely local picnic is spelled out in Marks vigorous language: They ran there on foot from all the towns . . . (Mar. 6:33) Even so, to hear Josephus set the population of Galilee at 3,600,000 people (Wars, III, 3, 2; Life, 45), would lead one to conclude that only a small group from Galilee eventually followed Jesus around the lake, i.e., only 1/600th of the total population.

They followed Him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased. (Joh. 6:2) That they hoped for more of the same is evidenced by the number of sick they brought with them. (Mat. 14:14; Luk. 9:11) Although there may have been fishing boats tied up at Capernaum and Bethsaida, the entire crowd remained on land, running around the north shore of the lake, fording the Jordan near Bethsaida-Julias, and continuing on around the lake-front plain, Jesus obvious destination, The five-mile run from Capernaum would be nothing for people planning to walk the 100-mile jaunt to Jerusalem for the Passover!

II. JESUS PROVISION

Mat. 14:14 And he came forth, and saw a great multitude. Matthew telescopes the information, because . . .

He omits the fact that some of the faster runners in the crowds arrived on the scene before Jesus and the Twelve could go ashore. (Mar. 6:33) This would not mean that the entire 5000-plus crowd stood panting on the beach as Jesus disembarked. In fact, Mark only says that many saw them . . . ran . . . and got there ahead of them. Lenski (Matthew, 563) rightly objects that we have no right to reduce a great multitude to a few fast runners who arrived ahead of the rest of the crowd. These earliest arrivals apparently were also privileged to be with Him during that semi-private period before the excitement of teaching and healing began with the arrival of the main body of people.

He omits the fact that, immediately upon disembarking, Jesus went up into the hills, and there sat down with his disciples (Joh. 6:3), which suggests that He spent some time up there with them before lifting up his eyes, He saw a multitude coming to Him. (Joh. 6:5) This impression of time spent alone with His disciples before the bulk of the crowds arrived is further confirmed by Jesus return to the hills again (plin) by Himself. (Joh. 6:15) Coincidental confirmation of this retreat is the time required to bring the slower-moving sick people into that uninhabited area for Jesus to heal them. (Cf. Mat. 14:14; Luk. 9:11)

From the foregoing it becomes clear that Jesus, IMMEDIATELY UPON DISEMBARKING, did not see a great throng, as some translators render it. (Cf. RSV, Jerusalem Bible, NEB, et al.) Others, more sensitive to the above-mentioned problems of harmonization, render the phrase (ka exelthn eden) as follows:

Either as a temporal participle of nearly contemporaneous action, but in contextual relation to Jesus successful retreat upon the hill: And when He came out, He saw a great multitude . . . (New American Standard) When Jesus emerged from his retreat he saw a vast crowd. (J.B. Phillips)

Or as a circumstantial participle which does not define any time sequence or causal connection or even the means by which the action of the principle verb (eden) occurs, but simply adds an associated fact. Equivalent to a coordinate verb with and, it may be resolved: ka exelthn eden = ka exlthe ka eden: And Jesus went forth, and saw . . . (KJV), or Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw . . . (TEV) Cf. Burton, Moods and Tenses, p. 174; Robertson-Davis, p. 382; Blass-Debrunner, p. 217f. In this sense, then, Matthew telegraphically states two facts which are not immediately connected, being very loosely related.

So, if we connect he came forth with Jesus disembarking, we must not believe Matthew in contradiction with John who is more complete in recording what occurred between the time of the disembarking and the arrival of a great throng, and, consistently, we must object to all translations of this verse that, while objectively possible within themselves, ignore the problems of harmonization. On the other hand, if we connect he came forth with Jesus return from His retreat in the hills, then the problem of His seeing a great throng precisely as He went ashore, no longer exists.

Notice the close psychological progression of events:

Jesus saw a great throng coming to Him. This is the moment of decision: shall He place His disciples need for emotional rest and physical refreshment and recital of their efforts, ahead of the needs of helpless, leaderless people, or must He continue pouring Himself out for them? If Joh. 6:6 be the key to the understanding of Jesus plans for this entire day, then perhaps this decision was already forming: He Himself knew what He would do. But even this decision is but the practical application of a higher commitment: Christ pleased not Himself. (Rom. 15:3) He saw the multitude, because He had eyes to see, a sensitivity to feel, a conscience that would not let Him forget how many eternally precious people out there in that group would be lost. Despite the fact that only He could truly appreciate them for what they werepeople who were shepherdless sheep because they would reject His spiritual goals and the means He taught to achieve themstill He saw His duty clear.

John informs us that it was precisely this moment when seeing that a multitude was coming to him, that Jesus tested Philips grasp of the situation by raising the question of food for everyone. (Joh. 6:5-7; see note at Mat. 14:16.)

He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, (Mar. 6:34 a; see fuller notes at Mat. 9:35-38; cf. Mat. 15:32.) Rather than treat them as bothersome intruders who had thoughtlessly interrupted His sorely needed rest and retirement with the Twelve, as also His sorrow over Johns assassination, He welcomed them! (Luk. 9:11) Rather than let their persistence rule Him, He took charge of the situation, took decisive action, and remained in control of both Himself and others. Tragically, they had lost their other great shepherd, John the Baptist, and would soon be on their way to a Jerusalem that sheltered the hirelings and false shepherds, the haughty scribes, Pharisees and corrupt priests who despised the ordinary people and, when attempting to instruct them, only led them further from the truth. How badly they lacked instant help! and that from a true Shepherd who could minister to their hunger of soul! No wonder people flocked around a Leader so sensitive and responsive, who would not avoid helping them, so obvious to Him was their distress! Had not Jesus possessed a warm, shepherds heart, the story would have ended right there. His eye was neither on the clock nor His attention fixed on His comforts.

He began to teach them many things (Mar. 6:34), speaking to them of the kingdom of God. (Luk. 9:11) Although His announced topic is manifestly quite general, its very mention was enough to spark revolution, because it was the hottest topic of discussion in Galilee. However, in light of Jesus contextual situation, it is quite probable that He used His opportunity well to cool tempers ready to march against Herod for that tyrants part in the assassination of John the Baptist. He may well have hammered hard on the kind of Kingdom God has in mind for His people. It is, of course, not His fault that His ideas did not get through to the majority of His audience. (Cf. Joh. 6:14-15) But, in the same way He thought it worth the effort to try to get people to understand His great Sermon in Parables on the Kingdom, but failed to penetrate their prejudices (see on Matthew 13), so also here He thought it definitely worth the effort to try again to salvage the saveable.

He healed their sick, never forgetting their bodies while ministering to their spiritual needs, Many had followed Him only for instant cures, and He knew it. But this did not hinder Him from sharing the generous love of God with them, despite their calculating selfishness, their ignorance of His real blessings and their ungratefulness. (Cf. Rom. 5:6-11) We follow Him, not only because of the supernatural evidence of His identity these miracles provide, but also because He kept giving help where most of us would have already driven off that unthinking mob of insensitive, unthankful people! He acted in character as God would.

The fact that the prevailing excitement had not caused some to forget to bring along their sick for healing, while contemporaneously forgetting any food preparations, may indicate something about the time when they left home, i.e., during the morning when it may have been supposed there were plenty of time to procure food when needed.

Mat. 14:15 And when even was come, as an expression, does not define the time of day, because, after what must have been a long process of distributing the miraculously multiplied food to the 5000, Matthew (Mat. 14:23 b) again adopts this same expression (opsas genomnes), at which time John (Joh. 6:17) notes: darkness had already come. Critics, noting Matthews repetition in both Mat. 14:15 and Mat. 14:23 b, could accuse him of imprecision. Matthews idiom, however, intentionally sets the stage for the disciples dramatically urgent advice, and mirrors precisely the Hebrew distinction between the two evenings. Inasmuch as agreement is wanting among the Jews themselves about the precise limits of the two evenings, only approximations may help us here:

The first evening began after noon and lasted until about three oclock.

Then began the period known as between the evenings, which would be longer or shorter according to the season of the year, and which terminated with the second evening. (Edersheim, Life, I, 681)

The second evening began at the time from when the first star appeared to that when the third star was visible. (ibid.; cf. Keil-Delitzsch, Pentateuch, II, 12 on Exo. 12:6; also PHC, II, 226)

It is important to repeat that other Jewish authorities think of sunset as the dividing point between the two evenings. However, Josephus (Wars, VI, 9, 3) provides us a testimony contemporary to the time of Jesus that circumstantially corroborates Matthews language, since the Jewish historian pictures Passover slaying, which according to the Law must be done between the two evenings (Exo. 12:6), as beginning at three oclock and lasting until eleven p.m. (See also Gesenius, Hebrew-English Lexicon, 652.)

In light of the above-mentioned data, therefore, it may be supposed that the boat-trip began from Capernaum in the morning. Then the multitudes, in order to hear Jesus, left home hurriedly without food. Now, after a morning of messages and healings, noon came and went without any respite. Thus, the disciples observation, The time is already past, refers to the dinner hour. Evidently, since they themselves had already missed some meals because of the crowds, they knew that, unless something was organized rather soon, not only they, but the people themselves would be facing a trip back home on an empty stomach.

The disciples, i.e., the Twelve (Luk. 9:12) came to him. If it be correct to interpret Johns organization of the events to mean that very early in this episode Jesus planted in Philips mind the problem of food to which they all began searching for a solution, then this verse (Mat. 14:15) represents their frustration and inability to come up with anything short of miraculous. Further, their conclusion is not hasty: if Philip shared Jesus conversation with them, they would have been thinking about it all morning, and especially so as the day began to decline. (Luk. 9:12) Their arguments are those of good sense, discretion and consideration, but not of faith:

This is a lonely place: no grocery stores or restaurants or even homes to offer some simple hospitality. Desert, as some translate it, means deserted, not sandy wasteland. See on Mat. 14:19.

The hour is already past to do what? For the noon meal? The Greek expression (he hra de parlthen = Marks de hra poll) need not be pushed so far as does the RSVs the day is now over, since the hour involved may be nothing more than the usual dinner hour, so that, from that standpoint, Marks expression, It is already a late hour, refers primarily to the time to eat and only secondarily to the conclusion of some period of the day. (Cf. Arndt-Gingrich, 631, 904) The Apostles concern is that the people start for home with some hope of arriving in time for the evening meal. Some exaggerate the need of these people who are NOT starving, even though understandably hungry. In fact, they are accustomed to fasting, many of them twice a week, and traditionally, in connection with the annual feast of atonement. (See notes on Mat. 6:16-17.) They had eaten the day before this day, and would eat on the following day, so would not have been nearly as hungry as the 4000 Jesus fed later. (Cf. Mat. 15:32; Mar. 8:2-3)

Solution: Send the crowds away:

to go into the country in hopes of buying some food from farmers. (Mar. 6:36; Luk. 9:12) Buy themselves food; i.e., so WE will not need to buy them food with our limited means.

to go into the villages round about, and buy food for themselves from shopkeepers not yet closed for the night by the time they arrive.

to lodge in the event they are too far from their own town. (Luk. 9:12)

This solution was not at all unreasonable, because, if we have correctly located the site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fish on the Plain of Butiha, or even nearby, the crowds had only about four or five miles to walk to make it into Bethsaida Julias before the stores closed. Since Peter, Andrew and Philip, as well as James and John, were former residents of the area, they would know how and when food could be purchased and how much time would be required to do so (1) if they themselves were to go and bring it back; and (2) if the crowds merely picked up some groceries on their way home.

Just how much presumption is involved in their advice to Jesus? Their command, Send them away, may be less imperative in spirit than the verb-form seems to imply. (Cf. Blass-Debrunner, sec.387, p. 195; Burton, Moods and Tenses, sec. 182f; Robertson-Davis, sec. 407, p. 312) Did they suppose that anything were too hard for the Lord? The presumption is not in the verb-form but in the attitude. They are probably not ordering Him, but in coming to advise Him, because they feel a need He is apparently ignoring, they are presuming to lead the Lord who knew what he would do.

Mat. 14:16 But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away, even though your arguments for their doing so are quite plausible. YOU give them something to eat, is an order that deliberately throws the Apostles upon their own resources. This sudden pressuring them to provide what they seemingly could not, was intended to push them to think: But it would take a MIRACLE to feed this crowd! Say, that is what you have been empowering us to do during our own evangelistic efforts! Sure, why not? Only a lack of vision and faith on our part would hinder it, if you desire that the miracle be done. From this standpoint there is a direct comparison between their failure properly to respond here, and their failure to heal the epileptic, demonized boy later. (Cf. Mat. 17:14-21 and parallels.) You give them something to eat, makes all the group immediately responsible for the problem, and indicates the moment at which their faithfulness and helplessness begins to reach its climax. In fact, up to this point, apparently only Philip had been specifically under pressure to seek a solution. Now, however, every single Apostle is being tried.

Clearly, then, Jesus demand is neither unfair nor unreasonable, because it pointed to some overlooked source of supply. After all, they had all just returned from a successful, miracle-working evangelistic tour that had stirred all Galilee to rally around Jesus. (Mat. 14:1; Mar. 6:12-24; Luk. 9:6-9) So, when He turns this practical problem over to them for solution, they should have forgotten neither the implication of everything they had just accomplished in His Name on their personal tours, nor that of the turning water into wine at Cana. (Joh. 2:1-11) So, Jesus surprising demand was no mere strategem whereby attention would be drawn solely to Himself. Rather, it was a practical method for them to rise in great faith to multiply the loaves and fish themselvesby His power working in them as before! Or, at least, they could rise out of their blindness and frustration to exclaim in faith, Lord, if you desire, you can feed them all! So, He successfully tested their understanding and confidence, and sadly found them staggered at the thought of feeding such a mass of people, because their vision of His power was too limited.

The disciples response merely repeated Philips earlier suggestion: Shall we go and buy 200 denarii-worth of bread and give it to them to eat? (Mar. 6:37) But not even Philip considered the sum sufficient to buy enough bread for each of them to get a little. (Joh. 6:7) Does the 200-denarii figure represent the actual state of their common treasury? (Judas Iscariot carried the bag, Joh. 12:6, which contained gifts made for the financial support of Jesus ministry, Luk. 8:3.) Yes, it would be a reasonable amount for the apostolic group to be carrying at the time, since a denarius represented a days wage for a working man (cf. Mat. 20:2), and, when divided among the Twelve plus Jesus, the 200 denarii amounted only to the equivalent of just a little over two weeks wages per man. So it was no great sum. That this figure actually pinpointed their on-the-spot financial condition is suggested also by their report: We have no more than five loaves and two fishunless we are to go and buy food for all these people. (Luk. 9:13)

On the other hand, their discussion about their financial resources for buying bread significantly reveals another side of the usual mode of life among the Apostles and Jesus: Jesus did not turn stones into bread everyday even to keep His Apostles alive. They lived on the financial support for their ministry that others provided, or on the hospitality offered, or they went without. This regular modus operandi used in their own operations may have unduly influenced their thinking, even in a situation where they could have justifiably used Gods miraculous power for the definite benefit of others in such a way as to bring Him glory. Mention here of their life-style does not justify their doubts or lack of vision; it only attempts to understand their otherwise inexplicable lack of ideas in the face of the crisis into which Jesus thrust them by ordering them to provide food for the crowds.

They need not go away seems to point to Jesus loving unwillingness to send them away hungry: Why I do not send them away will become evident when I show them that I care, not only to bring them sermons, but also to provide them daily bread. However, strictly humanitarian considerations, such as the emergency involved in the urgent need to feed the 4000 (Mar. 8:1-3), may be inadequate to motivate the miracle that follows here. Nor is it only Jesus generous unwillingness to calculate whether the people are hungry enough to justify exerting some supernatural power to feed them. In fact, He could have dismissed them without losing one iota of public respect for His character. Rather, His planned miracle (see Joh. 6:6) is aimed to start the sifting process which would separate the spurious disciples from the genuine. Bruce (Training of the Twelve, 119121) points this out:

No better method of separating the chaff from the wheat in that large company of professed disciples could have been devised, than first to work a miracle, which would bring to the surface the latent carnality of the great number, and then to preach a sermon which could not fail to be offensive to the carnal mind.

The Twelve were stymied by the problem. The multitudes could not foresee His plan. Therefore, Jesus was willing to submit Himself publicly to a new testing of His power, because His very success in passing the test would, in turn, test the people themselves on what they understood about Him from what they saw.

When the disciples express their financial inadequacy to feed the crowd, Jesus pushed them to investigate their actual food supply:

How many loaves have you? Go and see. (Mar. 6:38)

Mat. 14:17 And they say to him, We have here but five loaves and two fish. It was Andrew who turned up the lad with the lunch (Joh. 6:8-9). But even his attitude reflects the consensus of pessimism among the others: . . . but what are they among so many? His observation is fundamentally, though not intentionally, unbelieving. He simply did not take into consideration Jesus power, even though both he and Philip had experienced it so long. (Cf. Joh. 14:9)

Five loaves: we must not judge these by the size of American loaves of bread and conclude that the boy was making a major bakery delivery! The barley flour loaves (literally breads) were, rather, more probably the size of hamburger buns, only flatter, more like pancakes. (See Luk. 11:5-6 where three are considered enough for one late-night guest.) The very attitude toward the use of barley flour for making these flatcakes, however delicious, tended to consider them as poor folks food. (Cf. Jdg. 7:13; 2Ki. 7:1; Eze. 4:12 in context) The fish were no whoppers either, because John the fisherman called them little fish (Joh. 6:9). In fact, he used a word, opsria, which means tidbits to be eaten with bread, perhaps even the same hors doeuvres for which Tarichea (Pickletown, or a fish salting establishment) was famous over on the west side of the lake.

We have here but five loaves and two fishes. this is the woeful result of a thorough search for food ordered by the Lord. (Mar. 6:38) It is quite possible that He deliberately insisted upon this search in order to foredoom any slander that would discount the miraculous by insinuating that there was actually more food available than just a mere lunch. (Cf. Barclay, Matthew, II, 114, who reduces the miracle of multiplication of food to an act of sharing by changed, now unselfish people.) If such were the case, both the search and this dismal report would be utter fiction!

Mat. 14:18 And he said, Bring them hither to me. Does this mean that the disciples were to buy the food from the lad, or encourage him to loan it to the Lord? At any rate, it must have required some open-handed generosity on the boys part to turn his entire lunch over to Jesus when he could probably guess that, normally, it would have filled only him up, but would not be near enough for many others. To me: how often had Jesus been table guest of others? None the less, here He provides a needed meal at His own expense for thousands, and, incidentally, provided simple proof that, though others provided Him some financial support (Luk. 8:3), He accepted it not because He was otherwise unable to provide for His needs and those of His companions. Not only did He refuse to work miracles for His own benefitand, by extension, for His closer followers,rather, He humbled Himself to the real level of our common human experience, yes, even to the point of becoming dependent upon the financial support of others. But in our text He rises to the full height of His lordly power by supplying the needs of others by the full exercise of the power of God! Little is always a great deal when Jesus gets hold of it.

Mat. 14:19 He commanded the multitudes to sit down by ordering the Twelve to organize the well-nigh unmanageable people into orderly groups of fifties and hundreds. The language Jesus used indicated to people definite preparation for a picnic on the grounds: Cause them to lie down to eat (kataklinte, anaklithnai) in dinner parties (sympsia, sympsia; klisas; Mar. 6:39; Luk. 9:14). The number of guests was easily tallied from the orderly arrangement which also facilitated the rapid serving and simplified its completion. It also eliminated the usual selfish thoughtlessness of those who would crowd around those who were distributing food. Jesus first mastered the confusion by organizing the people who would have caused it. Here, too, is thoughtful consideration for the weak.

Sit down on the grass, because there was much grass in the place. (See on Mat. 14:13 b for McGarveys argument and description of the area.) Thanks to Marks adjective, green grass (Mar. 6:39) and Johns much grass as well as his note that this incident occurred around Passover (Joh. 6:4), we may date this incident in the spring about two weeks after the full moon. McGarvey (Evidences of Christianity, 87) points out that a few weeks before this, grass is not abundant, and a few weeks later it is dry.

He took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven . . . Whether or not He had before this moment mentioned His intention to multiply the food miraculously. His pantomime speaks eloquent volumes. Looking up to heaven certainly draws everyones attention to the Heavenly Father as Provider, giving Him glory before eating at His table as in His presence. (1Co. 10:31; Rom. 14:6) But it also argues for that openness with which Jesus the Son could communicate with the Father, as if He were just looking right into the Fathers face. (Cf. Joh. 11:41; Joh. 17:1) He blessed: Matthew used blessed (eulgesen) without an object that would indicate what Jesus blessed, a usage which might be better rendered: He gave thanks and praise. (Arndt-Gingrich, 322) However, if the food be inferred as its object, as in fact Luke states (eulgesen autos), Jesus prayer in reference to the food is the typically sacerdotal act of every believer who eats his meals with thanksgiving, and so consecrates it by the word of God and prayer. (Cf. 1Ti. 4:3-4) John (Joh. 6:11) speaks of Jesus prayer as a remarkable giving of thanks (eucharistsas), remarkable because worth mentioning again as having importance in the working of the miracle. (Cf. Joh. 6:23) Jesus thanksgiving, however, is not faked: He was glad to receive this simple fare from the Fathers hand. Certainly He would and could do more with it than any other man, but this does not detract from the sincerity and simplicity with which He depends upon the Fathers provision and power. HERE is the power and secret of faith: that open-hearted, confident dependence upon God, that giving God glory before the people. (Contrast Num. 20:1-12.)

But is it necessary, or even possible, without debasing the Gospel writers, to affirm so confidently, with Cuminetti (Matteo, 216) that

it is impossible to deny an allusion to the Eucharist, especially if attention is given to the words looking up to heaven, He pronounced the blessing and broke the bread and gave it to the disciples, (v. 19) desumed certainly from ancient liturgical formulae?

Even McMillans comment (Mark, 85) assumes this connection as proved:

The terminology closely approximates the last supper (Mar. 14:22). Either the incident has been retold to bring out its anticipations of the Lords Supper, or the actions of Jesus were familiar things which he then endowed with new significance in the last supper.

And yet, there is absolutely nothing in this text that could be explained as indicating any direct connection with the Last Supper except the coincidental similarity of Jesus taking food and praying. The words cited by Cuminetti are completely explicable, not only in terms of habitual actions of Jesus, but especially in terms of the normal way a master of the house acts in two similar situations, by giving a benedictory prayer and beginning to share the food with his guests. (Cf. Edersheim, Life, I, 683)

He gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And he divided the two fish among them all, as much as they wanted. (Mar. 6:42; Joh. 6:11) Trenchs excellent apologetic

Notes on the Miracles (167) bears repeating:

This miracle, even more than that of the water changed into wine, when we endeavor to realize to ourselves the manner of it, evermore eludes our grasp, and baffles imagination. Nor is this strange; for indeed, how can it be possible to bring within forms of our conception, or in thought to bridge over the gulf between not-being and being, which yet is bridged over in every creative act? And this being so, there is no force in the objection . . . against the historical truth of this narrative, namely, that there is no attempt by closer description to make clear in its details the manner and process by which this wonderful bread was formed. It is true wisdom, to leave the indescribable undescribed, and without so much as an attempt at the description.

Indeed, would not the critics pick at the description too?

When Jesus multiplied the bread and fish, however superior the quantity, the multiplied food remained bread and fish, i.e., the same delicious, however common, food it was. He could have created a feast of the finest delicacies. Is there something to learn here?

Contentment with the fare we receive from the Father by whatever means He chooses to provide it?

A principle of parsimony in miracles? That is, the miracle involved only what was strictly necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was done. For example, it was not produced in monstrous excess of the actual need: only twelve baskets of left-overs. It was not brought down miraculously from heaven: Jesus broke it Himself. Nor was it miraculously distributed: the Twelve had to do the leg-work.

The disciples gave them to the multitudes: the waiters at this banquet are none other than those reasonably successful miracle-working evangelists who had so stirred Galilee! (See note on Mat. 14:16.) Certainly, the food distribution was most easily handled by a few men directed by Jesus as fast as He multiplied the food, but were the mere mechanics of efficient distribution what interested Jesus? Did He not, rather, desire that the implications of their lack of vision and faith, and the implications of His presence and power dawn upon them? But note how He honored His men by making them respected co-laborers with Him, even though their faith was sagging. This notwithstanding, they were generously rescued from embarrassment and despair without a certainly deserved word of rebuke from Him: what mercy!

Did the Twelve use the baskets, later so useful in collecting the leftovers, to distribute the food in the first place? This is more likely than that each disciple used only his hands to carry what he could to the hungry people in hundreds of trips.
To be able to increase the physical quantity of molecules of bread so as to feed such a multitude to satisfaction is to exercise the power of the Creator Himself. Anyone who could do this could have created a world out of nothing. Even if we could not witness that creation, this one, however, gives us a glimpse at what it means to possess nothing less than full creative power. Who is this Man who enjoys such power?

Mat. 14:20 And they all ate, and were filled. All four Gospel writers lay stress on the abundance of the sandwiches: everyone had all he could eat. (Joh. 6:11; cfr. echortsthesan, eneplsthesan) This means second and third helpings: no miserliness here. What a contrast to Philips estimate that a large purchase of bread would be insufficient for each of them to get a little! (Joh. 6:7) What a contrast to Andrews pessimism: But what are they among so many? (Joh. 6:9) These people had been waiting all day to eat too! What a travesty on truth to suggest, with some, that the miracle consisted merely in making a small amount of food seem enough for them to nourish them sufficiently to arrive clear home! This kind of comment clearly ignores the witnesses and their unequivocal testimony.

At this point Jesus ordered the re-collection of the left-overs (t perissesanta). Several motivations for this move suggest themselves:

His major purpose is stated: that nothing be lost. (Joh. 6:12) Merely because He could endlessly multiply miracle-food is absolutely no reason for wastefulness of even the left-overs! Lenski (Matthew, 567) reminds that some people always take too much. So here, some took pieces from the disciples of which they could not take even a bite, being so filled. Plummer (Luke, 245) notes that details of this character guarantee against the possibility that the entire story is a deliberate fiction or a myth, because of the incongruity of representing one who could multiply food at will as giving directions that the fragments should not be wasted (Joh. 6:12). The possessor of an inexhaustible purse is never represented as being watchful against extravagance.

Further, be it a result and not a prime motive, it is a fact that twelve baskets full of sandwich makings are take-home evidence that the miracle was real and abundant. After seeing those brimming baskets, no one could sneer that Jesus had made just enough, but certainly could have made no more!

The baskets in question (kfinos) were the picnic variety used by Jews on a journey to carry kosher food to avoid purchasing ritually unclean food from pagans. Such baskets were thought by the latter to be characteristic of Jews, as illustrated by the following quotations collected by Plummer (Luke, 245):

Juvenal: . . . the Jews whose equipment is a basket and some hay. (Sat. iii. 14)

Martial: . . . thou, Gellia, hast married a basket-carrier (=Jew) (Epig. v. 17.4)

As is clear from these pokes at the Jews, such satire would be impossible if the majority of the audience did not instantly recognize the basis of these jokes, were it not characteristic of the Jews to carry such baskets.

Lenski (Matthew, 568) suggests that the twelve baskets full were intended for the Apostles themselves, because, having fed all the others, they may now finally sit down around Jesus with ample provision for their needs. All they had shared with others had, by Jesus power, now returned to them with interest, and by that same supernatural might, they could still share this food with thousands more, if need be, and give God thanks.

The twelve baskets full were probably carried by twelve red-faced men who had earlier balked at the seemingly impossible challenge: You give them something to eat! with no more real working materials than their own faith in Gods miraculous power and a handful of sandwiches. They finished the evening with more groceries than they started with, and ironically, at the beginning, even with Jesus present, even with their own miracle-working power, they had dared to think that they had nothing! Compare their lack of confidence with the quiet reliance of Elisha. (2Ki. 4:42-44)

Mat. 14:21 And they that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Why bother to take a count even for the record?

In order to furnish the reader an adequate conception of the magnitude of this miracle. It is noteworthy that Luke and John mention the massive numbers during the conversation between Jesus and the Twelve at the time of their disturbance over their lack of resources. It would seem that these Gospel writers chose that moment to indicate the greatness of the crowd to impress the readers with the magnitude of the PROBLEM to be solved, Matthew and Mark, on the other hand, apparently reserved mention of the number until the close, in order to present the greatness of the SOLUTION.

The count is perhaps recorded, in order to forestall doubts about the miracles real occurrence, because Matthew cites how many male witnesses were present and qualified to testify to its reality. The very astronomical nature of the number challenges the dubious reader to begin immediately to seek out some of these men for an on-the-spot verification of the account. That many available witnesses and so precise a figure become powerful psychological stimuli to begin checking into the whole story of Jesus of Nazareth.

By counting only the men, the Gospel writers deliberately understate their evidence, and the resultant psychological effect on the reader is far more stunning upon reflection: if the women and children were omitted from the count, then the exact total must be considerably greater than 5000. The result (or was it purpose?) of mentioning only the men as they that did eat, is the disarming of any critics who would diminish the magnitude of the miracle by alluding to the eaters as a cluster of dainty women and little children who could manage on far less than hungry men.

Mat. 14:22 And straightway he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away. The reader of only Matthew and Mark would find quite inexplicable this urgency of Jesus that pushes His inner circle of disciples to embark, leaving Him on the land alone with the crowds. John furnishes the precious explanations:

When the people saw the sign which He had done, they said, This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. (Joh. 6:14) And so the Baptists last inquiry, Art Thou the Coming One? was fully and publicly answered, and that by the Jews themselves, (Edersheim, Life, I, 685) This confession which apparently swept the crowd was formerly the very faith Jesus had sought to establish, yet its content was so badly confused about what the Messiah and His Kingdom should be, that He could not but respond negatively to their eagerness by hurrying them to leave for home.

This popular inference, perhaps even grounded in a tradition that the Messiah would feed Israel with bread from heaven (Cf. 2 Baruch 29:8; Sibylline Fragment 3:49; see Edersheim, Life, I, 176) was no surprise to Jesus, because He had deliberately planned for it. Everything had conspired together to lead people to this conclusion. Nevertheless, grounded as it was on good, undeniable evidence, it would prove the damnation of most of those who made it. They did not take the next step: If He be The Prophet, let Him teach us! Whatever He says, however strange, disagreeable or untraditional, we will submit, because His message is the voice of our God who sent Him! Their shallowness is measurable in the inconsistency between this confession made in the heat of popular enthusiasm one day, and their rejection of His doctrine on the next. (Cf. Joh. 6:25-66)

While their confession is grand enough for what they think they are saying about Jesus, they probably did not see that in this miracle He acted as the Lord of nature, multiplying its elements to supply the needs of His people.

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king . . . (Joh. 6:15) These wrong-headed messianic king-makers not only burned to see the Messianic Kingdom materialize; they were clamoring to make it materialistic! The Passover festival to take place shortly in Jerusalem nicely suited their plans for a triumph in the capital with Jesus as their Messianic King, acclaimed by these paschal pilgrims thoroughly excited and ready to march in His cause at a moments notice.

Send the multitude away had been the disciples advice (Mat. 14:15) based on their ignorance of Jesus intentions and power. Now, precisely because the Lord knows His own mind, He MUST send the multitudes away. This literal dismissal has the force of a symbol, because, due to the motives for which He sends them away, He personally marked the climax of the popular enthusiasm for Him. His refusal to accept the Zealot crown is, in their estimation, to commit political suicide, to ruin His image by extinguishing the hopes of all who, in sympathy with the nationalistic liberation party, had been expecting the Messiah to play the role of a God-sent neo-Maccabean to deliver Israel from all oppressors, establish a state that would rule the world and bring unprecedented wealth and glory to Israel. That He actually intended to drive away the unwilling and the unthinking is evident from His handling of a majority of these same people the next day in His Sermon on the Bread of Life in Capernaum, where, almost systematically, He unmasked their crassly materialistic reasons for following Him, and bared the hard spiritual realities of His real Messiahship, (Joh. 6:25-66; cf. Rom. 16:18) Nevertheless, this attempt to make Jesus a political king will explain many of the unusual attempts to avoid publicity, His trips to foreign areas and deserted zones, and His desire for privacy. (Cf. Mat. 16:20; Mat. 17:9; Mar. 7:24; Mar. 7:36) In fact, although Matthew does not affirm it, this incident marks the acme and end of His great popularity with the Galilean crowds.

Jesus reaction to the turbulent fanaticism was rapid and decisive: He instantly dampened all enthusiasm in three lightning moves:

He ordered the sudden sailing of His disciples to separate this precious nucleus from the well-nigh overpoweringly passionate enthusiasm of the crowds.

He calmly but decisively dismissed the crowds.

He hiked up into the hills alone.

Without violence, in this one unhesitating move He saved His disciples, avoided the wrong crown and made no one particularly angry. After all, the picnic was over and it was time to go home anyway.

Till He should send the multitudes away sounds like the Twelve were to await His arrival at the beach after the dismissal, and as suggested at Mat. 14:24, they may have so interpreted it. However, He had not specified HOW or WHEN He would rejoin them, so there is no promise implied here that Jesus did not keep, because He DID rejoin them before they could arrive at their destination anyway.

However, the Apostles sailed because of sheer obedience, not because what He required of them made any sense. After all THIS was the moment for which they had prayed, the moment when He would accept the Messianic Crown and popular acclaim, and proclaim the Kingdom. Instead, if He sends them away in a boat this way, they will miss it all! Yet their obedience is remarkable for its reality, despite their seemingly justifiable reasons to do anything but what He ordered.

IV. JESUS PRAYERS

Mat. 14:23 He . . . sent the multitudes away, and, in fact, most of them did depart outright. Nonetheless, some lingered around the area overnight, hoping to encounter Him as He returned from His mountain vigil. Next morning, when He did not appear, they boarded some boats from Tiberias to sail for Capernaum in search of Him. (Joh. 6:22-25)

In the meantime, however, He went up into the mountain by himself to pray. (Cf. Luk. 6:12) From the plain at a level nearly equal with the surface of the Sea of Galilee, the hills that form the backdrop for the plain would seem like mountains seen from below. In fact, the Bashan hills rise nearly 3000 feet above the surface of the lake. To pray nearly all night, i.e., from the fall of darkness when He sent the crowds away, until sometime after three in the morning. (Mat. 14:25) McGarvey (Matthew-Mark, 132) is so right to rebuke our surprise that the Son of God should spend so much time in prayer, since our astonishment only measures our ignorance of the life of Jesus, and our under-valuation of prayer.

About what Jesus prayed the text does not say, but did He not mention . . .

THE WANTON WICKEDNESS OF THE ENEMY: Could He have released all His bottled-up emotions about the assassination of John? Who could not grieve when the holiest man in all Israel, the very messenger of Javeh, Jesus own cousin, had been ruthlessly chopped down in his prime by the wicked?

WRESTLING WITH HIS OWN SOUL: Would He not also have prayed for more self-discipline to withstand the temptation to accept an earthly crown and plunge personally into campaigns to right earths wrongs, and vindicate John? Johns death for righteousness only brought the cross more vividly before the Lord Himself. How real this was becomes more evident in His somber allusion to Judas Iscariot whose character, Jesus knew, all too well matched Satans designs and who would betray Him. (Joh. 6:64; Joh. 6:70 f) Next day in His scandalous sermon on the Bread of Life, He would exclaim, The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is MY FLESH! (Joh. 6:51)

WEAKNESS OF HIS DISCIPLES: Surely He interceded for His tiny nucleus of disciples who were so exposed to His same temptations. The passionate patriotism of the nationalists could not but touch these disciples too whereinsofar they shared those ideals. If the motives that once moved Simon the Zealot to cast his vote for violent revolution should infect the entire apostolic group, Jesus could see all His efforts to establish a spiritual Kingdom mercilessly wrecked from within.

WORLDLINESS OF THE CROWDS: And was there no prayer that the mind of people, blind to the spiritualness of His teaching and Kingdom, should be opened to the realities He had tried so hard to depict? Was He even then rehearsing the thoughts that would burst forth in that career-ending sermon to be preached the next day in one mighty push to drive them, in despair, to request explanations as would real disciples?

WAITING UPON THE FATHER: But all these prayersand morekeep His mind centered on the great God before Whom all human praise, honors, powers and crowns fade into insignificance. Was it only during the Gethsemane experience that He offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death or in which he learned obedience through what he suffered? (Cf. Heb. 5:7-9)

V. JESUS POWER

Mat. 14:24 But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves; for the wind was contrary. The boat did not arrive in the midst of the sea instantly upon the disciples embarking and setting sail. In fact, John (Joh. 6:16-18) recounts the disciples hesitation that caused them to dally offshore, perhaps debating whether they should wait on Jesus arrival or not. His demand that they sail for Capernaum had been clear enough, but His words had apparently not indicated whether or not they were to wait for Him offshore until He should have dismissed the crowds, in order to be free to come aboard and sail with them. The expression, It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them (Joh. 6:17 b), suggests that, whereas they had decisively embarked in the general direction of Capernaum, they may have been hugging the eastern shore, scanning the plain for any indication of His arrival. But then it became too dark to see, and there was nothing left to do but obey His specific order to sailwith or without Him. Their expectation was mistaken, because He intended to pray alone. Even if they had been correct, their dallying offshore would have encouraged the crowds to believe that Jesus intended to embark as well, thus encouraging some to hang around Him until He did, thus slowing their eventual dispersing in the dark toward their homes. (Cf. Joh. 6:22)

The expression, in the midst of the sea, has been corrected by textual editors to The boat was already many stadia from the land, which agrees with Johns remark shortly afterward: When they had rowed about 2530 stadia, or roughly three or four miles on a lake that is but six miles wide. (Cf. Metzger, A Textual Commentary, 37) The sea rose because a strong wind was blowing (Joh. 6:18), out of the northwest, for the wind was against them as they sailed northwest toward Capernaum from the supposed site of the miracle of the loaves on the eastern lake-shore plain. (Joh. 6:17) The next day they disembarked south of their destination, at Gennesaret on the mid-western shore. (Mat. 14:34) Some mistakenly think the wind was out of the east-north-east and that it blew the ship in a south-westerly direction toward Gennesaret, for which explanation they must argue that the disciples were rowing eastward to keep themselves near the eastern shore to meet Jesus, but that the wind eventually nullified their efforts. (Cf. G.A. Frank Knight, PHC, XXIII, 245) This view pictures the disciples as never really attempting to go to Capernaum-Bethsaida, hence inexplicably insinuates an insipient disobedience to the Lords specific orders to do so, excusing them for loving the Lord while disobeying Him. For a description of a storm similar to that faced by the Apostles, see Johnson-DeWelt, Mark, 184f, and notes on Mat. 8:24.

Sailing, at this point, against such a wind and beaten by the waves, was out of the question, so they turned to the oars. Their best efforts notwithstanding, the disciples were straining at the oars (basanizomnous en t elanein, Mar. 6:48) or, battered in rowing, because the boat was battered by the waves (Mat. 14:24 : basanizmenon).

As Bruce (Training, 126) believes, if these men thought this literal storm terrible, they had yet to experience another spiritual hurricane the next day when they were to watch the fickle crowds who had the day before attempted to crown Jesus their Messianic King, turn abruptly away from in shock, disappointment and disgust. This sudden and violent apostasy would require gargantuan effort on the part of the Twelve to maintain their own headway against the waves of unpopularity and unbelief.

Mat. 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking upon the sea. The Romans divided the night guard-duty into four watches of three hours each, beginning at 6:00 p.m., thus the fourth watch ran from 3:006:00 a.m. So, calculating that the Twelve had actually started across at just after sunset, and that they had made no more than three or four miles by three oclock in the morning, we must conclude that they had fought that storm for no less than six or seven hours, and probably more! This is obedience, because these men, accustomed to such storms, could well have turned the boat to run with the wind: their whole trouble was caused by their insistence (in obedience to Jesus) in continuing against the wind. Their loyalty to Jesus kept them rowing. However, their fatigue was even greater, because of the lack of proper food and rest that had occasioned their escape from Capernaum, and because they had worked steadily with Jesus at least since their arrival at the scene of the multiplication of the food. These factors help to explain their reactions to what follows.

Why did Jesus come to them, walking upon the sea? Merely to take a short cut across the sea, rather than walk around the land?

Jesus decided to help them in their plight, because, as Mark (Mar. 6:47-48) describes the scene: When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and He was alone on the land. And HE SAW that they were distressed in rowing . . . The reader must ponder how that could be humanly possible if Jesus did not use superhuman vision. Two factors must be remembered here:

At Passover time the moon is full, lighting the entire lake. During the period March-April the Tiberias area sees an average of only eight rainy days. Besides, the storm wind does not necessarily presuppose any clouds to obscure the bright moonlight.

Further, Jesus stood on an excellent point for observing the entire scene: the hills into which He had retreated after dismissing the crowds are the same hills used as observation points by Arab gun spotters on the Golan Heights in the Arab-Israeli wars.

In the same way that He saw the need of the multitudes and had compassion upon them, now, rather than send an angel to help them or calm the storm from where He was, compassionately He chose to come to them through the tempest Himself.

Their very circumstances furnished Him the opportunity to demonstrate even further His essential Deity in a manner, however incomprehensible, that was absolutely undeniable and real. Though the masses think of Him as some great Messenger come from God, His immediate disciples must know Him as the indisputable Lord of Nature. They need to understand that what Jesus can do with the molecules of five buns and two sardines, He can do with the molecules of a roaring sea beyond their control. In the one case He multiplied them; in the other He transformed them into a walkway that supports His weight. This nature miracle, like the transformation of water into wine, must lead them to conclude that He who comes to them, making the water support Him as would any terrestrial surface, can be only He who created the seas and the dry land in the first place.

He came to them, walking on the sea. The only alternative to accepting this crisp, simple sentence as the expression of a historical miracle that actually occurred is either to deny the total history, because the witnesses are impugned as incredible, or follow those who, like Barclay (Matthew, II, 117) profess inability to decide whether a miracle occurred here or not. He argues that, since the Greek expressions ep ts thalsses and ep tn thlassan CAN mean the same thing, i.e., upon the sea or on the sea, or also at the sea, over the sea, or towards the sea respectively, and since peripaten means to waLk. walk around, he concludes that Jesus walked around the head of the lake, saw the boat fighting the waves and came down toward the shore to help. Walking through the surf on the shore and the waves toward the boat, He came so suddenly upon them that they were terrified when they saw Him. While admitting that the above-mentioned Greek expressions may also describe a miracle in which Jesus actually walked on the water, he affirms that whatever interpretation of the Greek is chosen, it does not matter. While his own comments on Peters walking on the water quite ignore the problem, that very incident is described in Scripture in such a way as to remove every ambiguity and reflect back on Jesus walk on the waters. That disciple requested permission to come to you upon the waters (elthen prs s ep t hdata). Then he, too, walked about on the water (perieptesen ep t hdata). Here it is clearly impossible for a disciple sitting in the boat some distance from any shore to walk around . . . towards the waterl It is dubious translation or interpretation to presume two distinct meanings for the same words in so close a context unless moral or material considerations render identical translation impossible. Worse, such an interpretation as Barclays ignores the eyewitnesses location of the boat in the middle of the lake. Further, it ignores Jesus intention to pass by them (Mar. 6:48): why should He do this, if, according to the theory, He was coming to help them? Again, it is everywhere presumed that Peter, in requesting to go meet the Lord, wanted to do precisely what he saw the Lord doing, and that, upon the Saviors invitation, he actually did so until the moment when his fear of the new element in which he found himself broke his confidence in Jesus and down he went. If he were only wading toward a shallow beach, he was in no need, no real trouble and needed no faith at all to do what Jesus did. Therefore, Jesus rebuke of his little faith is out of order. Finally, the Apostles reactions to the whole scene is life entirely without explanation, were there no miracles here. (Mat. 14:33; Mar. 6:51 f)

Mat. 14:26 How long had these men ardently desired Jesus to be with them as they battled the waves during that interminable night? Suddenly, the disciples saw him walking on the sea, and, ironically, their reaction to what they thought they saw was anything but relief. However, for a group of men caught in a potentially disastrous sea-storm at night, struggling at the oars to keep their boat afloat and make any headway against adverse winds, fatigued by their lack of rest for all the hours spent fighting the storm, their reaction to Jesus appearance is quite natural: they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried out for fear. Their fear is real, given the state of emergency: they are physically exhausted, unnerved by the persistence of the tempest, hampered by the darkness, when suddenly, unexpectedly someone sights the incredible, but perfectly visible, form of something or someone moving toward them on the water. Our condescending toleration of their ignorance and superstition is a comfortable criticism made in the tranquility of our study, but shows little sensitivity for what real men felt in that careening boat.

The observation made about Jesus ability to see the disciples struggles with the storm (at Mat. 14:25 regarding Mar. 6:48), also permits us to see how the disciples saw Him walking on the sea. In the half-light of the paschal moon they could make out a shadowy figure striding across the waves, perhaps rising with each crest, drawing ever closer (Joh. 6:19). Marks puzzling remark, He meant to pass by them, has been variously interpreted:

He did it so that in their terror they would not abandon the ship to escape from this unnameable terror, and so drown before He could calm their fears. So, He did not approach the boat directly, but only on a parallel course.

Foster (Middle Period, 170) sees this tactic as showing Jesus to be perfectly independent of the boat in every sense. He is not saved by them: it is He who must save them.

Plummer (Matthew, 208) sees it as His desire to cause them to feel their need to cry to Him for help. He does not automatically help until they have identified in Him their only help.

Naturalistic attempts to discount this eyewitness account proceed by various routes:

By supposing that Jesus walked merely on the land, but it SEEMED to the disciples that He walked on the sea itself, because they were closer to the land than they thought. (Cf. Joh. 6:21) However, is it credible to believe that they could make out the dim figure of a man walking along the shore, and yet be unable to distinguish the land itself on which he walks? Could they have been close enough to him to communicate with him and yet be unable to measure their distance to the shore with reasonable accuracy? For the interpretation of Joh. 6:21, see on Mat. 14:33. Further, if by the fourth watch we are not to understand its beginning, i.e., around 3:00 a.m., but, rather, its middle or end, i.e., around six oclock, then predawn light may have permitted even better visibility, hence, more than ever precluding the possibility of honest error.

To accept the conclusion that a myth about a miraculous walking on the sea could have grown up around so common an experience as walking along the shore is to admit an absurdity greater than the hypothesis of the storys truth. Further, the myth-hypothesis leaves Peters walk (in, at, near, or toward?) on the water completely without either justification or explanation.

By supposing mass hallucination: they all saw him, and were terrified. (Mar. 6:49-50) Men in this state of mind, it is said, would not have been calm, objective observers of the phenomena, and the excited shout of one could easily suggest to the others the subjective vision of something that, objectively, just was not there. However, supposing the other details of this account to be true, which is perhaps asking too much of some critics, the detail about Peters failure to walk all the way to Jesus on the water is left unexplained, as is also their embarking at the conclusion of Peters walk with Jesus. Do hallucinations become so concrete as an additional Passenger in the same boat, whose very presence could be verified at will?

By supposing that the disciples, by their cry: It is a ghost! reveal an ignorance and superstition that would disqualify them as observers prepared to identify and report this strange phenomenon. (Cf. Luk. 24:37; Act. 12:15) Several answers may be suggested:

The Evangelist reports them as shouting, as their first reaction, a hypothesis which was subsequently discredited by the facts. Had they first shouted, It is the Lord!, we might have had more reason to suspect their psychological reaction, for, in that case, they would not have examined the possibility that they were themselves subject to the fear of ghosts. But, because they themselves eliminated the ghost-hypothesis, suggesting it as their most natural explanation, we do not have to suggest it.

Only the determined antisupernaturalist (who is himself biased by that position) could fail to admit that the Apostles had, in their national historico-theological literature, Scriptural antecedents for seizing upon this explanation of that eerie figure moving across the waters now along side them. (Cf. 1Sa. 28:8-20; Job. 4:12-16)

Nor is it a necessary disqualification of the observer when he experiences terror without explanation when some unearthly figure appears to him. (Cf. Dan. 10:5-11; Rev. 1:17; Luk. 1:11-12; Luk. 1:26-30; Luk. 2:9-10) Rather, the terrified observer compromises his credibility when he DENIES his fear. Whatever the Twelve thought about the phantasms of others (cf. Wis. 17:3; Wis. 17:14), their own immediate circumstances offered no direct explanation when they find themselves confronted with the weird figure now before them.

Finally, were the above-mentioned objection of real weight, is it likely that the early Christians (not to say: Matthew too) bent on glorifying the Apostles by the creation of myth around them, should have left in their tradition what to critical minds must reduce them here to ignorant, superstitious men, unless this experience were so unquestionably authentic that no amount of Christian whitewash could cover their embarrassment? So the accusation of disqualification because of the Apostles cry of Ghost! is surprising evidence of the historicity of the account, since, as they recount it, they must objectively and dispassionately include what, to the critics, must appear a defect.

Whereas the expression, It is a ghost, implies to the English reader that the Twelve thought they were beholding a disembodied spirit, however, ghost translates fntasma, a word used by the Greeks to express several ideas. It means a phantasm, a false appearance, a specter; a vision, a product of phantasy, as in a dream; celestial phenomenon; a prodigy, a portent; a reflection (as in water); a semblance, an apparition; an image, a phantom (Rocci, 1941) Which of these is nearest to the mentality of the Apostles in this instance?

The manner itself in which He approached them explains their bewilderment. They had never seen Him control the normal procedure of natural law in relation to His own body. Since the concept of His walking across the sea had never entered their minds, in the absence of any other rational explanation, they shout the first explanation that comes to mind. They might have meant no more than: It is a marvel! It is a prodigy!

Apparently everyone in Judaism believed in the reality of the spirit-world, except the Sadducees against whose position Jesus would both warn His disciples and later argue this point. (Cf. Act. 23:6-9; Mat. 16:12; Mat. 22:23-33) It should not surprise anyone, therefore, that these Jewish Apostles should blurt out a perfectly Jewish explanation. It would, rather, be far more perplexing if they did. not. In fact, for them, fntasma may be equal to spirit, pnema. (cf. Luk. 24:37)

From the standpoint of the rebuttals previously suggested (under 3a-d) there need be no prejudice against the rendering ghost, since the facts subsequently verified cleared up any misunderstanding this word might imply.

Mat. 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. He humanized even this stupendous miracle by His infectious good humor, greeting His friends, Cheer up, boys, its I Myself: no need for nervousness here! Haggard eyes and worn muscles do not permit the most cheerful responses, but the Lord knew that the relief He brought them was capable of injecting adrenaline vigor into those tired bodies through a new positive excitement. He had not yet promised the end of their struggles, but they can take courage in His encouragement. When they recognized that familiar voice and could shout, not It is a ghost!, but It is the Lord!, their fear no longer had a basis, even though the wind continued to blast over the lake and the spray from the waves smashing the boat continued to dampen them.

VI. JESUS PEOPLE

Mat. 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. What a mad mixture of motives must have pushed Peter to blurt out this impulsive request!

Was there none of that boyishness that, without calculating consequences or implications, always wants to try anything someone else is doing?

Was there also impatient joy to run meet his Lord after a night of anxiety in the face of death on the sea? (Cf. Joh. 21:7) This impetuous demonstration of affection is really welcome to Jesus. Its only fault is its failure to weigh the consequences of its reaction. His is a psychological rebound from utter despair and fear to the opposite extreme of reckless joy and confidence.

There must have been also the conviction that Jesus power was sufficient to permit him to do exactly what the Lord Himself was then doing. This is real faith, because it awaits an order to overcome this natural impossibility, because it is fully convinced that Jesus power to make him do it is only limited by His will that he do so.

In the larger picture of Peter, that includes also his doubt and failure, we have that combination (so strange and yet so natural) of confidence in the Master and confidence in himself. There is the usual impulsiveness (partly good and partly evil) . . . (Plummer, Matthew, 209)

From this standpoint, then, Peters If it is you . . . does not mean to doubt Jesus identity, but rather state: Since it is you, Lord . . .

Since there is no indication in the text that Peter is trying to outdo and outdare his fellow-disciples by leaping to a mightier proof of his faith than the others, it is better to leave this out of the picture. After all, Jesus does not, in His later reproof, make any comparisons, as, in fact, He had to do after Peters denials. (Cf. Joh. 21:15-19 in contrast with Mat. 26:33-35) It is unfair to Peter to read his later boasts back into this text when in fact they are absent.

Some redactionists just cannot conceive of Matthews including this story about Peter as an event containing tremendous teaching power, without any intention to glorify Peter also. Cuminetti (Matteo, 218) exemplifies this:

To Marks account, Matthew adds three verses about Peter, Mat. 14:29-31). Precisely because this attention is given to him, one cannot deny the important place Peter had in the primitive church, at least in the Judeo-Christian congregations; this will be confirmed by later passages in which Peter will appear as he who speaks in the name of all the apostles (Mat. 16:15-19; Mat. 16:22-23; Mat. 17:24-27). However, another hypothesis cannot be excluded, that could easily be complementary to the one just mentioned: Peter is placed in the foreground because of his attitudes that set him forward as a prototype of the believer, full of enthusiasm and love for Jesus, however with an ever insufficient faith.

Is it not just as easy to interpret these same facts as tending to demythologize Peter the man and disarm any tendency to elevate him to honors belonging only to the Lord? In trying to ascertain any theological motive for this incident registered by Matthew alone, we should not overlook other possible apologetic motives:

Did he intend to show Jesus power, not only to walk on the sea, and so reveal Himself as Lord of creation, but also His power to cause others to do it too? Great is the power to work miracles. Greater still is the power to confer power. (Cf. Notes on Mat. 10:1)

Was Matthews intention for including Peters walking on the water to show how Jesus walk on the waves is to be understood, i.e, as a literal miracle, not otherwise? (See the naturalistic objections at Mat. 14:26.)

Mat. 14:29 And he said, Come! Here is the gracious invitation given in response to a request for a sign of Jesus identity based on the disciples determination to trust Jesus, whereas the unbelieving Pharisees, attempting the same, were drowned! (Cf. Mat. 16:1-4) Admire the generosity of the Lord: He who could have foreseen Peters failure of confidence in Him, still permitted His friend to share His divine power in this way. Jesus lost nothing of His uniqueness by letting Peter walk on the lake surface too, because He knew that the power to walk on the surface is one thing, while the power to cause others to do so too, is further evidence of His uniqueness and power. But even if these distinctions do not seem apparent, Jesus did not refuse Peter, saying, No, stay in the boat, because if you walk on the water too, someone might think your power somehow equal to mine, and rob me of my proper glory!

Further, as Lenski notes (Matthew, 573),

The faith which Peter manifests Jesus accepts and justifies. If it had not been true faith, or if wrong and foolish motives had prompted Peter, Jesus would never have given this command. Those who criticize Peter ought to see that their criticism really strikes Jesus who consents to Peters proposal.

On the other hand, is it not possible that by this experience Jesus wanted Peter to learn his own character and his need for more dependence upon Jesus? If so, Peters faith was not so well-developed as he supposed. Hence, the Lord consented to Peters exposing his faith to this testing, to reveal to him the immaturity of his confidence in the Lord.

And Peter went down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. It takes courage to step out on a heavy sea. In fact, who could say, on the basis of Matthews information whether the lake is not still in turmoil precisely as before Jesus appearance walking on its surface? Lenski (Matthew, 571, 574) unnecessarily creates for Jesus a path level and smooth through the waves so that, whereas the boat is at first being pounded by the waves and roller-coasting, Jesus Himself is walking sedately on a level path through the waves. Then, accordingly, he sees the boat as entirely entering that calm path in front of Jesus, no longer wallowing as Peter calmly disembarked and started down the path toward Jesus, the path remaining calm while the lake still roared all around. But what is mistaken about seeing Jesus earlier, and now Peter too, as walking on the surface of the cresting waves with deep troughs that make walking difficult, even though Jesus powerful will makes the surface to support their weight? It is more consistent with the data not to create such paths:

It was when Peter saw the wind that he was afraid and began to sink (Mat. 14:30), but if there had been a level path in front of him, the wind was not affecting at least this much of the sea.

However, the wind ceased only when they got into the boat. (Mat. 14:32; Mar. 6:51)

How and why did Peter walk upon the waters?

Was it PETERS FAITH that worked the miracle by that power which Jesus had bestowed upon all the Apostles for their own evangelistic ministry? (Cf. Mat. 10:1; Mat. 10:8; Mar. 6:12 f; Luk. 9:6) If so, his failure is perfectly understandable, even as was that of the nine Apostles who could not cast out the demon from the epileptic boy. (Cf. Mat. 17:16-21) The exercise of such power is entirely dependent upon the individual miracle workers trust in Jesus (God), and where that confidence is weak or fails, for whatever reason, then he is unable to work the desired miracle. The Twelve had worked the same miracles as Jesus before. Here, then, Peter is seen doing the same miracle of walking on the water as does the Lord, not, as we shall see, by his own independent power, but by faith sharing what the Lord offers him of His own power. (Cf. Joh. 14:12)

Or, on the other hand, did JESUS POWER instantaneously cause the water to support Peters weight in direct proportion to Peters trust in Him? Was it Jesus will alone that intended to work the miracle of which Peter was only the passive, however confident, participant?

To raise these perhaps inappropriate questions is to begin to grasp the relationship between the power to work miracles of the Apostles and that of Jesus. Between the Apostles faith and will to do the miracle there had to be a perfect collaboration with the power and will of Jesus. This, in turn, was affected by the Apostles concentration upon what Jesus is, and what He could do through them. In other words, their confidence in Him predisposed their entire being to become a channel through which He could function, but their will expressed itself in stepping out of the boat onto the water, anointing the sick with oil, casting out the demons, etc. On other occasions, where Jesus was absent, prayer aided this concentration upon God (Jesus) from whom all power comes. (Cf. Mar. 9:29; Joh. 11:41-44; Act. 9:40 ff; however, other miracles do occur where prayer is not specifically mentioned.)

Mat. 14:30 But when he saw the wind whipping the water into mountainous waves, he was afraid. Admit it: his experience was absolutely unique among men! It is one thing to brave a storm from the inside of a relatively safe fishing boat one had used all his life. It is quite another to brave the same storm walking right out on those same mountainous waves, exposed to its full fury. Put yourself in his sandals and step out of the boat yourself before criticizing his terror. See yourself too far from the boat to brace yourself and not yet near enough to the Lord to grab His hand. Look around at the next wave towering over you, and try to remember what it was you were going to say about Peter! It was not a mere taking his eyes off Jesus that occasioned his fright and failure, as if all depended upon staring at the Lord. His MIND was taken off the Lord by turning his ATTENTION to the dangers that whirled around him. It was this distraction that fixed his mind on the hazards, that left him dizzy, helpless and fearful. Was he thinking about how deep the sea must be at the very point where he was walking? At this moment, total, unquestioning confidence in Jesus was replaced with dependence upon his own feeble powers, But Jesus powerful will made the water solid only for Peters confidence in Him and only in relationship to the reality and strength of that trust. So, when fear took faiths place, the conditions Jesus placed upon the miracle were no longer met, the solid sea surface under Peters feet melted into its normal state, and down he went. (The foregoing is not an attempt to explain the mechanics or the physical processes involved in this miracle, because, how Jesus did it, the Scripture does not inform us. It is only an attempt to understand the relationship between confidence in God and the power to work miracles.)

Beginning to sink, he did not swim, even though he probably knew how. (Cf. Joh. 21:7) Rather, his instinctive reaction is that of a believer,desperately afraid, but a believer: Lord, save me! His faith becomes clearer to us if we imagine him turning away from Jesus and trying to reach the safety of the boat.

Mat. 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him. Lenski (Matthew, 576) makes the interesting suggestion that Jesus, in taking Peter by the hand, was not merely hauling him bodily out of the water. The fact that Peter was to walk with Jesus back to the boat on the waters surface indicates that he was to do so once again by faith in the power of the Lord. Therefore, says Lenski, Jesus did actually more than save Peter from going to the bottom. By His handgrip on Peter, He focused Peters attention entirely upon Himself, thus restoring in Peter that confidence which had been temporarily lost. As his confidence in the Lords power is once again restored, so also the condition for which Jesus had originally exerted His power to help Peter walk on the waves.

Jesus gentle rebuke is instructive for what He did not say: O man of little faith (not: O man of no faith), why did you doubt? (not: why did you attempt to come to me on the water?) Peters mistake was not in boldly stepping out on faith when the Lord bid him do so, but in forgetting that his bold venture depended entirely upon the power and wisdom of Christ and his own unwavering confident dependence upon Him. Jesus sensitively points to the cause of Peters trouble: Your courage has already returned: your doubt is in the past; why did you doubt? You walked on these waves before doubt and fear of danger crowded out your courage. See, now that your confidence has returned, you are striding on their surface again. Because all things are possible to him who trusts me unreservedly, you, too, see that it was not impossible. In fact, everything depended on the steadiness of your nerve (= endurance and resolution.)

Little faith: cf. Mat. 6:30; Mat. 8:26; Mat. 16:8; Mat. 17:20; Mat. 28:17! These amazing references to the little faith of the early disciples stimulate us to understand that, though these people were unquestionably believers in Jesus at the intellectual level, their DEPTH OF CONFIDENCE in Him was far too shallow. This expression of faith is not that intellectual assent to evidence for the Messiahship and divine identity of Jesus that confesses Him as Teacher come from God. (Cf. Nicodemus attitude: while making this confession, he had not personally sounded the depths of his own conclusion. Joh. 3:1 ff) Great faith, rather, is that unlimited confidence in His being able to do everything He leads us to believe He will, a confidence that surpasses our intellectual decision that He could do it, a certainty that permits us to do our part without distraction, regardless of the difficulties to overcome. Great faith, then, overcomes those mental reservations or psychological doubts about Jesus (Gods) care, power or willingness, once He has clarified what He desires. Little faith, then, still lives on the plane of the non-disciple in his concern with the worries of human beings unaided, uncared-for, unprotected by Gods promises or Jesus abilities. So doing, they bare their real confidence in their own, or in others ability, care and wisdom. (See notes on Mat. 6:19-34; Mat. 8:10.)

Jesus did not rebuke Peter for daring more than the others, because, from the point of view expressed above, all Twelve Apostles, had they but so dared, could have confidently stepped out of that boat and walked to Jesus without a word of rebuke from Him. Hypothetically their joining Him out there on the water could only have caused Him to exult in the depth of their reliance upon Him! In this sense, then, their remaining in the boat measures the limits of their vision, their confidence, their boldness, and, contemporaneously, exalts that of Peter. Jesus rebuke, however, was intended to push Peter to reflect the next time. Bruces sad comment is so appropriate (Training, 130):

But Peter was not to be made wise by one lesson, nor even by several. He would go on blundering and erring, in spite of rebuke and warning, till at length he fell into grievous sin, denying the Master whom he loved so well. The denial at the final crisis was just what might be looked for from one who so behaved at the minor crisis preceding it. The man who said, Bid me come to Thee, was just the man to say, Lord, I am ready to go with Thee both to prison and to death. He who was so courageous on deck, and so timid amid the waves, was the one of all the disciples most likely to talk boldly when danger was not at hand, and then play the coward when the hour of trial actually arrived.

Defense of the account of Peters walk on the water is the same as that for Jesus. Either the whole story is to be embraced as historic fact, or it must be wrenched from the narrative as being totally false. It cannot be thought of as a parable told for the spiritual lessons it contains, constructed entirely by some unknown editor of this Gospel quite unbeknown to the Apostle whose name it bears. Plummer (Matthew, 208) decides,

We have no means of knowing how the Evangelist became acquainted with the incident respecting Peter; but it was probably current among the circle of first Christians who had known Peter.

Was Matthew himself not in the very boat from which he personally witnessed the entire episode, and did he not record it in his Gospel? Plummer himself answers (ibid., x):

The answer therefore to the question, Who was the author of the First Gospel? is a negative one. It was not S. Matthew. The writer was an early Jewish Christian, not sufficiently important to give his name to a Gospel, and in no way desiring to do so.

Such a position, based on the false presuppositions of modern critical schools, insinuates the doubtful authenticity of the report, hoping thereby to save the less problematic, or perhaps the more intellectually acceptable in the Gospel narrative for subjective faith, but the effort is vain. Although Plummer himself is assured that this narrative cannot be invention (ibid. 209), the seed is sown for doubting it. The position taken here is that of its perfectly tenable authenticity.

Mat. 14:32 And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased. John who omits Peters walk on the water, adds here: Then they were glad to take him into the boat (Joh. 6:21 : thelon on laben, they desired to do so, and so did it. Cf. Joh. 8:44 : thlete poien) Their previous terror of the ghostly figure has been completely replaced by the old familiar confidence in their Friend and Lord. How or why the wind ceased, or even its connection with the time when they were gone up into the boat, is not clear. Did Jesus rebuke the wind as He did on another occasion? (See on Mat. 8:23-27.) What is easily inferable is that the storm stopped because Jesus willed it. One more miracle is certainly not impossible after so many that day!

Even the comment at Joh. 6:21 that immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going, reports what seems to be another miracle. However, this translation, while perfectly correct within itself, is ambiguous enough to leave the negative critic with a seemingly plausible argument for the conclusion that the miracle happened near the shore and therefore was confused for a miraculous water crossing by a group of excited foLk. or else elaborated by later myth-formation. Unless we are to conclude it as intentional fraud the earlier notice that Jesus approached the boat when it was in the middle of the sea (Mar. 6:47) when they had rowed about three or four miles (Joh. 6:19), hence many stadia from land in any direction (Mat. 14:24), then we must decide that the expression in question, the boat was immediately at the land, refers only to a rapid arrival at the destination. Since John does not state nor necessarily imply a miracle, we are not obligated to affirm it. His language only suggests that, in contrast to the night-long fatigue of hard rowing into the wind, they were able to make such easy headway after the wind ceased, that it took practically no time at all to arrive in port. It is as if John were saying, After our fatigue and fright, we took Jesus on board, and suddenly we were there! Johns telescoping must not be used against him, as if his testimony should be thought to contradict that of other witnesses.

Mat. 14:33 And they that were in the boat worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. This confession by the Twelve, so rich in significance, is not the spontaneous invention of the moment. There had been precedents that must have surprised them, but remained in their minds and surfaced here as the men find in this experience reason to voice their conviction. (Cf. Joh. 1:49; Mat. 8:29) Did their present sea-storm experience remind them of the earlier trip on which Jesus calmed the tempest, after which the demoniacs addressed Him as Son of God? The similarity of situations may have evoked the details of the other incident and suggested the majestic reality couched in the demons mysterious form of address.

The ASV translators are probably right to render the disciples anarthrous confession (aleths theo huis e) as they did: the Son of God. Whereas it appears not to say, You are THE Son of God in the unshared sense intended by Peter later (cf. Mat. 16:16), nevertheless, when taken together with their mental attitude of worship when they said it, it leads to the conviction that they consider Him far more than a supremely godly man (= a son of God). However, their faiths foundation was less than it should have been, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. (Mar. 6:52) This is because all foregoing miracles, expressly that of the supernatural multiplication of food, should have prepared their minds to consider nothing Jesus did as utterly incredible, since they would have been emotionally and intellectually prepared to see not only miracles like His bold walking on the water or His masterful calming the sea, but even His majestic ascension into heaven. (Cf. Mar. 6:51; Joh. 6:62) Their heart was hardened, in this case, is not a symptom of opposition to Jesus, or that obduracy we associate with determined unbelief. Rather, in light of their relative opportunities, they are surprisingly slow to perceive that He possessed all the power He needed to do anything He willed. The very conclusion to which these breath-taking miracles should lead, but unfortunately was not yet part of their understanding, is that in these mighty works He is acting as the Lord of creation, altering and using its elements for His purposes to help His people.

It is important to note that Marks record of the disciples slowness to comprehend is not mere theological redaction (alla Wrede and disciples!), but a strong guarantee of the narratives historical truth. A mythical representation would not so quickly admit such damning evidence of the Apostles slowness, were the editors intention to glorify those men whose position in the early Christian congregations was almost next to their esteem for Jesus. Rather, their remarkable slowness to understand and grow in confidence is the more psychologically plausible as we consider how painfully parallel it is to our own. We would have been far more skeptical perhaps had we read of ready confessions, easily arrived at with no hesitations or doubts. Their slowness to understand not only encourages us in our toiling to understand too. It also gives us confidence in these records of real people with real problems even in the presence of the Son of God!

Despite the admittedly less-than-perfect understanding of the disciples, several technical details need also to be weighed into the picture before we decide the content of their confession:

Nouns that designate persons of which there is only one of a kind, and come very close to being a proper name, do not require the article to make them definite; the article appears when the specific Jewish or Christian God or Lord is meant, but it is sometimes missing, especially after a genitive which depends on an anarthrous noun (especially a predicate noun) as in our case: aleths theo huis e. (Cf. Blass-Debrunner, sec. 254, p. 133) From this standpoint, therefore, the disciples no more intended to say, You are A son of God, than they meant, You are a son of A God, because, for them, the absence of the article did not indicate a multiplicity of gods of which Jesus were a son.

The very addition of the genitive to modify a noun makes that noun definite, especially where a Semitic influence can be traced behind the Greek being used, because in Hebrew the noun governing a genitive would appear in the construction or with a suffix and hence would be without the article. The article is also omitted with the genitive noun in such cases (which was not required by Hebrew, but rather by Greek). (Cf. Blass-Debrunner, sec. 259, p. 135; However, see Robertson-Davis, 388.)

Colwells rule, further, shows that definite predicate nouns which precede the verb usually lack the article. (See Robertson-Davis, 283; Blass-Debrunner, Sec. 273, p. 143.)

If Son of God would not seem unambiguously definite on the basis of the foregoing, it must be recalled that even the Jewish enemies of Jesus so considered it when applied to Him. (Cf. Mat. 27:40; Mat. 27:43; Joh. 10:36; Joh. 19:7) Perhaps they did it on the basis of Psa. 2:7 which is anarthrous too. (cited also in Act. 13:33; Heb. 1:5; Heb. 5:5.)

Therefore, huis theo in the minds of these Apostles is as specific and definite as Gods Son is in ours. (Lenski, Matthew, 578)

The very existence of this confession in a Jewish book raises the question whether the Twelve were hereby confessing Him to be Messiah. Whereas the unique, unshared title Son of God speaks of a unique begetting by the Father, one of the concepts that is the stuff of Johannine theology, when found located here in a heavily Jewish apologetic, draws attention to its Jewish expectation as an appellative of the Christ. (Edersheim, Life, II, 716, demonstrates that Psa. 2:7 is quoted by the rabbis as Messianic.) But the distinction between Son of God and Christ, as two separate titles for the same person, must be respected, since they refer specifically to two not necessarily connected aspects of His earthly mission: His unique generation and His anointing. Nevertheless, the net result of this confession for Matthews Jewish readers is the conviction that here is one more convergence of reasons for considering Jesus in the way His disciples confessed Him, i.e., as Gods Son and worthy of worship. Later this same day, Peter gave fuller expression to this same confession. (Joh. 6:68-69)

FACT QUESTIONS

Why did Jesus go away to a desert place? List carefully all the various independent factors that led to this move.

What is a desert?

Where was this desert located?

Where was the city called Bethsaida? Which Bethsaida was this?

How did Jesus succeed in going to sit on a mountain to await the coming of the multitudes, if the crowd preceded them to the place? (Mar. 6:33)

In what likeness did Jesus see the crowds?

What did Jesus teach the crowd?

Who first mentioned the crowds need for food?

What did the disciples advise Jesus to do with the hungry crowd?

10.

How many people were there to feed?

11.

How much food was found and brought to Jesus? Describe it.

12.

Who found the food that was given to Jesus?

13.

How did Jesus organize and carry out the feeding of so large a crowd?

14.

How much bread was thought to be needed for such a crowd?

15.

What was the reaction of the crowd to this miracle?

16.

Why did Jesus send the disciples away in a boat? When did they leave?

17.

Where did He tell them to go?

18.

At what time of day did they leave?

19.

What did Jesus Himself do after they left? Where did He do this?

20.

What happened to the disciples on the sea? How far across the lake had the disciples travelled when this occurred?

21.

How can we determine which way the wind was blowing that night?

22.

What was Jesus doing when they next saw Him?

23.

About what time was it when they saw Him?

24.

What was their reaction to Him?

25.

What did He first say to them?

26.

What did Peter answer?

27.

What did Jesus tell Peter to do?

28.

What did Peter see that frightened him?

29.

What uncomplimentary title did Jesus call Peter?

30.

What did those in the boat call Jesus?

31.

What amazed the disciples after Jesus got in the boat with them?

32.

Why was this lake called the Sea of Tiberias?

33.

What time of year did this event take place and what does this fact contribute to our understanding of specific details in the narrative?

34.

Harmonize the variant accounts that describe the arrival of the crowds to the place to which Jesus led them for teaching, and, ultimately, the feeding of the people.

35.

Give the evidences, drawn from the eye-witness testimony itself, that answer the purely naturalistic attacks which reduce the narratives of this miracle to common fiction, or legend, or worse.

36.

List the facts or declarations made in this section that prove the supernatural identity of Jesus.

SHARING THE BREAD OF LIFE

A Non-expository Sermon

INTRODUCTION: Since Jesus Himself drew upon this event to present His message on the Heavenly Bread, in which He presented Himself as the Bread of Life to a dying world, we cannot be too far from the proper application of His teaching, if we see beyond the original, historical implications of the feeding of the multitude to grasp our part in His work of bringing His Life to a perishing world. The following message is NOT an explanation of the text, but an attempt at recognizing in our own situation our need to react as did He, but with the power He makes available to us.

I. JESUS PROBLEMOUR PROBLEM

Mat. 14:13 b The multitudes . . . followed him: what a picture of the heterogeneous mobs that compose our society! All of the sanctity, selfishness, sordidness and sadness that He faced comprises our society too.

Mat. 14:14 He had compassion on them, and healed their sick. Until we too can sympathize with the worlds pain and weakness among people whose misfortune to be sick or old or weak is held in contempt by the young, the powerful, the rich, we will not, with Jesus, believe in the usefulness of the rejected refuse of society nor attempt to reclaim for God those individuals sacrificed to the claims and interests of an indifferent society, insensitive to anything but its own pleasures and programs. We will not readily enter into Jesus ministry until the pathos of life is vivid to us, until we appreciate the multitude of broken, disordered, disappointed and disappointingly wretched lives, until we see how much of childhood gladness crumbles, time-worn with grief, until we understand how much sin ends in misery and death. Nor will we be of much use unless we KNOW and USE the power at our disposal in deeds of real helpfulness and Gospel proclamation that brings joy, light, order, confidence and peace with God and men.

Mat. 14:15 And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert, and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food. How often we are staggered by the magnitude of our task, the inadequacy of our means and the shortness of the time to act! How often, when looking into such an ocean of faces, we conclude that our wisdom and knowledge is totally inadequate to work all the renovation needed to save them! In our despair we too are tempted to send them away to others seemingly more qualified or reputedly better able to solve their problems.

II. JESUS PLANOUR PLAN

Mat. 14:16 But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat. The Lord has ordered us to care for the spiritual nourishment of the world, and too often we forget the power at our disposal: the transforming power of divine truth! All the insight, sympathy, delicacy and preaching power we can muster can never be enough to effect the revolution needed. The most needed preparation of Jesus servants for their world-wide ministry is their discovery that their own scanty resources are totally inadequate. Only thus can we be convinced to distribute from His inexhaustible supply.

Mat. 14:17 And they say to him, We have here but five loaves and two fish. We too complain how little we possess for our task. Our Bible, for example, is so small in size, that it would seem to many as meager a resource as five barley buns and two sardines to feed thousands. Yet how many thousands upon thousands have been nourished thereby, and how many more it will feed until Jesus comes again, if only shared with Jesus blessing!

Mat. 14:18 And he said, Bring them hither to me, With what is brought to Jesus, He works His miracle. In fact, He sets before each of us the tremendous responsibility of communicating His life and His message to men. However, He does not demand from us power, results and deeds that we cannot produce. He invites us, Come to me as you are, however ill-equipped; bring to me what you have, however little, and I will use it greatly in my service. Little is always much in the hands of Christ. (Barclay, Matthew, II, 113) Jesus could save the world by quite other means than by its evangelization, by simply commissioning angelic messengers to speak peace to every last man on earth, or even more astonishingly, He could forcibly change each mans mind for him. But when we examine what Gods word in His hands has already done, we cannot but appreciate His wisdom in choosing to do it this way.

III. JESUS PRAYERSOUR PRAYERS

Mat. 14:19 . . . He took the five loaves, and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed. The Son of God glorified the Father as the Giver of the food, and, by reflex consequence of the miracle that followed, the Power behind it. Contrast Moses and Aarons miracle of bringing water from the rock, who without prayer nor mention of Gods Name, struck the rock. (Num. 20:1-12) Remember Gods rebuke: Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the people of Israel . . . Consider the disciples impotence because of their little faith and prayerlessness. (Mat. 17:19-20; Mar. 9:29) We, too, attempt great things for God, and yet we have not always the good sense nor the genuine confidence in Him to consider even the simplest blessings, as a means of achieving precisely the goal we seek. Nor do we always remember that all our greatest attempts are vain unless we actually glorify God in the minds of the people we attempt to bless by what we do.

IV. JESUS PROVISIONOUR PROVISION

He gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. Jesus could Himself go into all the world with His saving Gospel, but He has chosen to use men, His disciples, as the channel to bless others. But these disciples must give to others only what they have first received from Him.

Mat. 14:20 And they all ate and were filled. What a mixture of theologies, ideologies and ignorance constituted the mind of that group Jesus so generously helped! No limitations were placed on previous affiliation, no embarrassing questions, no demands were made that those needy people prove themselves worthy of His blessing, They only needed to recognize their desperate need and accept the provision He supplied them. His Word is inexhaustible to bless any one who willingly submits himself to devour its contents to fill the need of his soul.

Mat. 14:21 They that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Even in the same way that more food was available at the finish than at the beginning of the meal, so also the more people the Gospel is made to feed, the more people can actually be fed, since the more people become disciples to feed thousands of others in an almost infinite multiplication of the power of the Gospel outreach!

CONCLUSION:

Rather than retreat behind lines of safety to conserve jealously what little reserves of Gospel power we suppose ourselves to possess.

Rather than use violent measures to drive away the unthinking, ignorant masses whose presence and failure to respond rightly to Gods message not only embarrasses and frustrates us, but often outright hinders the work we are trying to do.

Let us plunge actively into the business of feeding the world with the Gospel means at our disposal.

We may not possess the same miracle-working potential Jesus shared with His Apostles and the early Christians.

But we can use every legitimate means at our disposal to make the Bread of Life available to the world. (Printing press, radio, television, conferences, conventions, evangelistic campaigns, personal witness, letters, etc.)

Are we praying in faith that God will work through us?

Are we exploring the use of every means that can be turned to useful service for Gods glory?

Are we conscientiously and generously sharing with people what Jesus so unselfishly distributed to us?

Physical, material food, clothing and shelter, jobs and proper self-respect? God is concerned about mens bodies too!

The problem-solving, soul-transforming victorious Gospel that alone can make men over again.

THE EMBATTLED CHURCH

A Non-expository Sermon

As with the preceding message, the following is NOT an explanation of the text, but a recognition of two parallel situations, one in the life of the Apostles, the other in our own ministry to Jesus. During that sea tempest, these disciples in that frail fishermans boat constituted the heart of everything Jesus had accomplished on earth at the moment: His Kingdom and its future expansion, its victory or its failure were bound up in that small group straining at the oars, seemingly making no headway toward their ordered goal. Is not this a picture of the Church of Jesus Christ in the world today? Let us see how, out of their problems, come suggestions that help us to solve ours:

I. THE PROBLEM: DIFFICULTY IN OBEDIENCE

Mat. 14:22 And straightway he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away. Often we, too, find ourselves where we do, because duty and love to Christ puts us there, even though everything is not clear to us. We question: Why should we HAVE to live and work here without Jesus personal presence? Yet He has ordered us to set sail on our voyage to the port He indicated. Although we, too, long to be with Him immediately and forever, we embark and set sail, not because we understand His plans perfectly, but because HE is our Lord and He has given us this duty to perform.

Mat. 14:23 And after he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray: and when even was come, he was there alone. His very absence is part of our problem: Jesus seems to us quite far away, so far, in fact, that not only do we have only the slightest notion where He may be, but also it may seem that His absence itself is evidence of impassive indifference to our needs, our desires, our fears, our dangers and our prayers. But He is our Mediator, interceding on our behalf before the Father. (1Ti. 2:5; 1Jn. 2:1-2; Joh. 14:16) He is busy preparing us a place in our Fathers house. (Joh. 14:1-4)

Mat. 14:24 But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves; for the wind was contrary. Even though we have Christs own orders under which we sail, we are not therefore exempt from danger and trouble. We too must battle the elements that constitute our life situation, Rather, we should expect such trials, because of the moral opposition that our very existence and preaching must arouse. (Joh. 15:18 to Joh. 16:4) Also, our physical and personal moral weakness will plague us until the final victory, even as those storm-tossed sailors fought their little faith and great fatigue that night.

II. THE SOLUTION: THE COMING OF THE LORD

In this solution to our problems, we see three elements that counsel patience and steadfast hope, despite the continuation of our trials:

A. THE CERTAINTY OF HIS CARE

Mat. 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came unto them, walking upon the sea. For good and sufficient reasons best known to Jesus, He does not always come to our aid when we most desire it, but rather in His own good time. It may be not only that He desires that we learn patience by the things we suffer. He may also see the need for time for certain situations to mature before He can answer our prayers as we prayed them. BUT HE DOES SEE OUR NEED: (Cf. Mar. 6:48 He DOES care and He WILL help! He is the Lord of difficulties, coming to us, walking over the very waves and against the same wind that so distressed us!

Mat. 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried out for fear. Too often we too form a stereotyped conception of the Lord and picture His help to us only in terms of this idea. Should He approach us in some way other than unmixed blessing, we do not recognize Him and become afraid. Should He come multiplying blessings, He is easily recognized and welcome, but somehow we suppose it cannot be the Lord if He arrives on the very waves of our misfortune. And yet it is He!

How often do others reduce Christ Jesus to a phantom, a delusion produced by a lively imagination and projected upon the minds of a gullible, superstitious mob! No longer the Son of God for them, His historical figure is little more than an unprovable, deliberate forgery, barely visible through the shimmering mists of legends, editorial rewriting and pious misunderstandings. And yet it is He!

Far too often we do not recognize our truest Friend! We mistake Jesus for a jailed prisoner, a hungry, homeless, unhealthy beggar, unkempt and ill-clad, rather than welcome such as we would serve the Master Himself. (Mat. 25:31-46) Instead, we turn from them in disgust and horror, afraid to take them aboard our already battered craft. And yet it is He!

Mat. 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. Suddenly the mask of the specter is ripped away, and He who seemed a terror greater than all the dangers of our existence, is no other than the Lord Himself! The earth and sea all around us continue to rage, but at the decisive moment all of this will be overcome by the cheerful, all-powerful word of the Lord of the Church. Everything will turn out quite differently from what we had feared, and certainly quite differently from all unbelievers supposed!

B. THE CONFIDENCE TO DARE

Mat. 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. When the entire Christian experience is considered from a human standpoint, when the work of the Kingdom of God is evaluated, human judgment must pronounce the whole thing as impossible as walking on the sea. In fact, we labor for results that go beyond human nature and we utilize means that function beyond human reason. Heroic souls, however, have always risen spontaneously to the challenge to enter into Christs walk and work and dare to do the impossible, just to be with Jesus in His. Peter did not sin by daring great, impossible things for the Lord, nor do we!

Mat. 14:29 And he said, Come. And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. A caution is in order here against a danger in our boldness. Note that before Peter hazarded stepping out onto the water in faith, he awaited the Lords specific permission, and yet some bold Christians, without waiting for Jesus orders, presumptuously and rashly dash into situations, expecting the Lord to support them in their folly. This service is not a willingness, but a wilfulness, because He did not command it. Naturally, we must not expect the Lord to speak from heaven to each of us as He did to Peter on the sea. Rather, we must judge each particular case by the general directives indicated in His Word, using our common sense to evaluate what He, in His wisdom, provides. Our decisions, contrary to the certainty of Jesus call to Peter, will be far less certain, and about which we must be far more humble and cautious.

Mat. 14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. We too, must severely count the cost of our decision to undertake the impossible with Jesus, before bouncing out of our relative security into the arena of His activity. We may not be able to foresee certain dangers and threats before they arrive, but the relative certainty that we MUST face them should forearm us to concentrate our attention and fix our dependence upon Jesus as we leap out to join Him. In fact, it was when Peter shifted his confidence from Jesus to his own frail powers that he went down. But risk we must, if we would attempt great projects for the Lord. But we must be assured that we are doing His bidding and not our own. Nevertheless, all our boldness will be to no avail, if after having dared the impossible in the name of Jesus in obedience to His call, our underlying confidence shifts from Him to human means and strength.

Mat. 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him, and saith unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? The confidence in Jesus to dare great things for God is limited only by our concentration upon Him as the source of our power. All our activities for Him in this present age must be done out of confidence in His wisdom and might. Otherwise, nothing can be dared, or what is dared fails, because the bold ones, no less believers in Jesus than before, like Peter, place their confidence in anything else but Him. But thank God for the mercifulness of a Lord that restores our sagging strength and substitutes our misplaced confidence, and causes us to stand once again as we call upon Him!

C. PEACE AND JOY IN HIS PRESENCE:

Mat. 14:32 And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased. In answers to prayers, even now He comes to calm temporary storms. One day His majestic presence and lordly power will eliminate ALL that curses, He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for these former things have passed away!

Mat. 14:33 And they that were in the boat worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. In the same way that this deliverance from a raging sea convinced the Twelve even more of Jesus divine identity than the miraculous multiplication of food for the 5000 in relative calm, sometimes rescue from sure death speaks more convincingly of Gods power, divinity and tender care to the menaced person than even His more spectacular works seem to those who think themselves in no immediate danger.

Though now we walk by faith, living on hope, believing that Jesus will come to our rescue, one day He will! Worlds afire, the elements aflame, the whole thing ready to blow . . ., and Jesus will appear to take His own to eternal safety. That will be a glorious moment when we can rejoice and throw ourselves at His feet in willing worship, confessing; Lord, you really are Gods Son!

CONCLUSION:

Let us even now row against the wind and waves of our lives until we drop, not giving in to any of the temptations to give up and coast with the current!
Let us continue, whether He rescues us personally and miraculously in this life or not!
Let us continue to long for, and look for, His glorious coming when His omnipotent word will guarantee our eternal security, and His personal presence will assure our inexpressable joy and imperturbable peace with Him forever!

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(13) When Jesus heard of it.We may, I think reverently trace as the motives of this withdrawal, (1) the strong personal emotion which the death of one whom Jesus had known and loved could not fail to cause, and (2) the wish to avoid being the centre of the popular excitement which the death of John was likely to cause, and which we know, as a matter of fact (Jos. Ant. xviii. 5, 2), was so strong that men looked on all the subsequent troubles of Antipas and his wife as a retributive judgment for it. This was, indeed, sufficiently shown by the eagerness with which the people followed Him into His retirement. Two other circumstances, named by the other Evangelists, tended to increase the crowd that thronged around Him. (1) The Twelve had just returned from their missionary circuit (Mar. 6:30-31; Luk. 9:10), and it was, indeed, partly to give them, too, an interval of repose that He thus withdrew from His public work; and (2) the Passover was coming on (Joh. 6:4), and all the roads of Galilee were thronged with companies of pilgrims hastening to keep the feast at Jerusalem.

Into a desert place.St. Luke names this as a city called Bethsaida, i.e., one of the two towns bearing that name on the coast of the Sea of Galilee. The name (which signified House of Fish=Fish-town) was a natural one for villages so placed, and the topography of all countries, our own included, presents too many instances of two or more places bearing the same name. with some distinctive epithet, to make the fact at all strange here. In St. Marks account the disciples sail, after the feeding of the five thousand, to the other Bethsaida (Mar. 6:45); and as this appears in Joh. 6:17 to have been in the direction of Capernaum, the scene of the miracle must have been Bethsaida-Julias. on the north-east shore of the lake.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

13. Jesus heard of it, he departed The death of John transpired while the twelve were absent on their mission, described in chapter tenth. Their return and the news of the Baptist’s death concurring in time, Jesus took his departure northward. Our Lord gives to his disciples, as a reason for this departure, (Mar 6:31,) their need of retirement and rest. And in relation to them, it was a true and a tender reason; but in regard to himself and his mission a far higher reason existed.

When Jesus, at his early home in Nazareth, heard that John was baptizing in Jordan, he doubtless realized that he was summoned to enter upon the preparation for his ministry. Yet after his baptism he still stood in the background while his messenger was preparing his way before him. After that time, the key of all the transactions between the Baptist and the Messiah is furnished in John’s words, (Joh 3:30,) “He must increase and I must decrease.” The subordinate must gradually retire before his superior. When John was imprisoned, (Mat 4:12,) therefore, a period arrived in which our Lord commenced his opening ministration. The subordinate ceases his labours, but he and his disciples are still extant. But with the forerunner’s expiring breath the interregnum closes, and the Lord enters upon his full office. At that same period our Lord is commissioning his twelve, and sending them forth as apostles to the twelve tribes. His fame is filling the halls of Herod Antipas. It is both a crisis of great danger and the period of his broadest enlargement. To avoid the ruling powers, whose eyes are now in search of him, he departs for Northern Galilee, where he spends the whole of this period of his ministry. (See Historical Synopsis.) He crosses the Lake of Gennesaret, followed by thousands; he is at one time at the extreme northwest, even at Tyre and Sidon; and soon at the extreme northeast at Caesarea Philippi. Though an apparent refugee from the ruling power, his field is broadening, his fame spreading, and his disciples unite in the completest recognition of his Messiahship. That meridian point attained, this period closes and the ministry of sorrow commences. Mat 16:21.

He departed by ship into a desert place Matthew mentions not whither he departs. But Luke states (Luk 9:10) that it was to the desert near Bethsaida; and John (Joh 6:1) that it was beyond (on the east side of) the Lake of Gennesaret. At this place (probably Butaiha, see note on Mat 14:15-21) he fed the five thousand, and returning thence he recrossed, walking upon the sea.

Across the lake Jesus was out of the dominion of Herod Antipas, the murderer of the Baptist, and whose eye was already directed toward himself. Jesus is now within the tetrarchy of Herod Philip, a prince of remarkable mildness and justice, especially for a Herod. The Saviour, therefore, dares perform a miracle of public notoriety without enjoining secrecy upon its subjects. Yet even here he does not linger long after its performance.

When the people It appears from Joh 6:4, that a passover was nigh at hand; and the people consisted of crowds or caravans on their way to Jerusalem. Followed him on foot As his boat crossed the lake from Capernaum, coasting perhaps along the northern shore, passing the entrance of the Jordan, where Bethsaida stood, the people ran around the northern shore and arrived at Butaiha. The multitudes “ran” so rapidly that, according to Mark, they “outwent” the boat and “came unto him” as he landed; “and” says Luke, “he received them.”

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘Now when Jesus heard, he withdrew from there in a boat, to a wilderness place apart, and when the crowds heard of it, they followed him on foot from the cities.’

‘When Jesus heard.’ What did Jesus hear? Was it the news of the death of John as in Mat 14:12. Or was it the news of what Herod was saying about Him in Mat 14:2? Matthew quite possibly intends us to understand by it the whole scenario. He learned of the death of John and He heard the rumours that were flying around about the way that Herod was thinking. But whichever way it was He noted the danger that it involved. Herod in this mood was not to be trusted. So He ‘withdrew’ across the water into a wilderness place, in the same way as Israel had done from Pharaoh. Compare, ‘Out of Egypt have I called My Son’ (Mat 2:15). This was why He had come. For withdrawal as a result of hearing of danger see also Mat 2:22; Mat 4:12.

And ‘when the crowds heard of it they followed Him on foot from the cities’. There is probably significance to be read into the fact that ‘they followed Jesus’. Here were those who would not desert Him as others had but would follow Him wherever He went (compare Mat 8:19). They are the beginnings of the new community, which is why the disciples have a duty to feed them. ‘On foot.’ It was ‘on foot’ that the people originally set off on the Exodus (Exo 12:37), to ‘a wilderness’ place. The wilderness in Psa 78:19 is also anarthrous. They have left the cities (as they left the cities of Egypt) and sought Him in the wilderness, leaving the cities behind. Cities are regularly the sign of rebellion against God in the Scriptures (e.g. Gen 4:17; Gen 11:1-9; and often). So, in a few brief words, every one of which counts, Matthew has skilfully depicted a new Exodus.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Jesus Provides A Messianic Fellowship Meal In The Wilderness For His Symbolic New Community (14:13-21).

Jesus, having been rejected by His home country and by the powers that be, has compassion on those who do follow Him into ‘a wilderness place’ and feeds them with bread from Heaven. There may here be a deliberate connection with the Exodus. (Note that Psa 77:19 LXX (Psa 78:19 MT) with the Exodus in mind also has no article on ‘wilderness’). In the words of Psalms 78 (already in mind in Mat 13:35), ‘They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? — Can He give bread also?” — He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of Heaven, and He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them of the corn of Heaven. Man did eat the bread of the mighty. He sent them food to the full’ (Psa 78:19-25). Note the parallel connections, firstly with the wilderness (Mat 14:15; Psa 78:19), secondly with the provision from Heaven (Mat 14:19; Psa 78:24), and thirdly the fact that they received food to the full (Mat 14:20; Psa 78:25). So the One Who had enlightened them with parables in ‘fulfilment’ of Psa 78:2 (see Mat 13:35), now fed them with a full sufficiency of bread in the terms of that Psalm.

We are reminded again of Mat 2:15 where God ‘brought His Son out of Egypt’, and here He now was, feeding His people in a wilderness place, as He had done originally. Here was the new congregation of Israel in embryo, fleeing in the face of the cruel king (Herod), and being fed with the bread of Heaven in the wilderness. Here was the greater than Elisha feeding the crowds by a miracle (2Ki 4:42-44). That feeding followed the re-entry into the land via the crossing of the Jordan, Jericho and Bethel (2Ki 2:13-23), thus repeating the Exodus. Here was the prelude to the coming Messianic feast (Isa 25:6; Isa 55:2 ff) fulfilling the expectation that when the Messiah came He would feed His people with the manna (see Rev 2:17, and compare 2 Baruch 29:8 for the Jewish tradition). Here was the One Who was providing ‘bread for the eater’ (as He had provided seed for the sower) in terms of His word going forth to do His will (Isa 55:10). Here was One Who was Himself the Bread of Life symbolically feeding His people on Himself through their coming and believing (Joh 6:32-35; Joh 6:47-51). Note that in fact Joh 6:31 quotes from Psa 78:24 demonstrating that Jesus had that Psalm in mind. But in a sense this idea of the bread of life was not new. Isa 55:2 very much brings out the significance of bread as symbolising what is good and life-giving in the spiritual sphere.

The connection with Elisha is strengthened by Jesus words, ‘YOU give them to eat’ for in 2Ki 4:42 we read that Elisha said, ‘Give to the people that they may eat’, and the final conclusion is also significant, ‘thus says the LORD, they will eat and will leave thereof’ (2Ki 4:43). And ‘they did eat and left thereof according to the word of the LORD’ (2Ki 4:44). The connection with Elisha is significant, for Elisha followed Elijah, and now Jesus, revealing Himself as a greater than Elisha, is following John, the new Elijah. It is not accidental that this incident follows immediately on the description of the death of John. Were it not for Elisha the death of Elijah would have been a huge body blow to the righteous in Israel, especially the ‘sons of the prophets’ (2Ki 2:3), but Elisha had successfully replaced Elijah and triumphantly entered Israel in his place (Crossing the Jordan – Jericho – Bethel (2Ki 2:13-23)). Now in the same way on the death of John, the new Deliverer, as One on Whom John’s followers can fix their hopes, is revealed in the wilderness, just as John had appeared in the wilderness before Him (Mat 3:1), and the crowds flock to Him as they had flocked to John (Mat 3:5).

We should note also the emphasis that there is in Mat 14:19 on the fact that this is a family meal with the master of the feast dispensing the bread and fishes. This clearly stresses the oneness of the community.

We should note further that the initial feeding with manna in the wilderness was closely connected with the glory of God. ‘As Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, and they looked towards the wilderness, and behold the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud, and the Lord said to Moses, — say to them — in the morning you will be filled with bread, then you will know that I am YHWH your God’ (Exo 16:10-12). So by feeding the people Jesus was calling on them to recognise that the glory of God was there.

That Jesus intended this feeding of the people to be highly significant comes out in that, along with His walking on the water, it is the only miracle that Jesus performed that was not ‘forced on Him’, (for in those days people were used to fending for themselves so that His feeding of them was a ‘voluntary’ act), either as a result of having compassion on someone who needed something extraordinary doing, responding to an appeal, or being forced by circumstances. Here it was totally and deliberately a self-revelation which no one expected from Him. As we see above, it demonstrated that a new Deliverance had begun, and that these were His new Messianic people. (Indeed it got so close to the mark that some of the people, catching the point, even if wrongly interpreting it, began to plan to make him king (Joh 6:15), and He had quickly to withdraw from the scene, but the Synoptics are not interested in that. They want it to have a positive message about His Messiahship, and ignore the adverse happenings. Incidentally this is strong evidence of how miraculous it was. Men do not get so stirred up by sharing a picnic, or partaking of a symbolic meal).

Analysis.

a Now when Jesus heard it, He withdrew from there in a boat, to a wilderness place apart, and when the crowds heard of it, they followed Him on foot from the cities, and he came forth, and saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick (Mat 14:13-14)

b And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, “The place is wilderness, and the time is already past. Send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food” (Mat 14:15).

c But Jesus said to them, “They have no need to go away. You give them to eat” (Mat 14:16).

d And they say to him, “We have here but five loaves, and two fishes” (Mat 14:17).

e And he said, “Bring them here to me”, and he commanded the crowds to sit down on the grass

d And he took the five loaves, and the two fishes (Mat 14:19 a)

c And looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds (Mat 14:19 b).

b And they all ate, and were filled, and they took up what remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full (Mat 14:20).

a And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children (Mat 14:21).

Note that in ‘a’ the crowds gathered to Jesus and He had compassion on them, and in the parallel all the crowds who are fed by Him are five thousand plus women and children. In ‘b’ the disciples want the crowd sent away because they are in the wilderness, so that they may find something to eat, and in the parallel they all ate and were filled in the wilderness without departing, with plenty to spare. In ‘c’ Jesus says that they have no need to go away and that the disciples are to feed them, and in the parallel he commits the bread that He has to God and the disciples are thus able to feed them. In ‘d’ they declare that they have only five loaves and two fishes, and in the parallel Jesus commandeers the five loaves and the two fishes. Centrally in ‘e’ what is available is to be brought to Jesus, and He commands the crowds to sit down.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Feeding of the Five Thousand ( Mar 6:30-44 , Luk 9:10-17 , Joh 6:1-15 ) Mat 14:13-36 offers three testimonies of the acceptance of the doctrine of Jesus Christ. The multitudes received Him (Mat 14:13-21); the disciples acknowledged Him as the Son of God (Mat 14:22-33), and the men of Gennesaret accepted Him as the Messiah (Mat 14:34-36).

Here is a proposed outline:

1. Feeding of Five Thousand Mat 14:13-21

2. Jesus Walks on the Water Mat 14:22-33

3. Jesus Heals the Multitudes in Gennesaret Mat 14:34-36

Mat 14:13-21 The Feeding of the Five Thousand Mat 14:13-21 records the account of the feeding of the five thousand. Parallel passages are found in this well-known story in Mar 6:30-44, Luk 9:10-17 and Joh 6:1-14. The bread that these people ate with Jesus represented man as having fellowship with God. The twelve baskets left over represent the service that man gives in His Name as an overflow of communion with Him. There were twelve baskets, one for each of the twelve disciples to bear witness to this miracle.

Symbolic Meaning of the Bread – Notes these insightful words of Frances J. Roberts regarding the symbolic meaning of the bread:

“It is a joy to My heart when My children rely upon Me. I delight in working things out for thee, but I delight even more in thee thyself than in anything I do to help thee. Even so, I want you to delight in Me just for Myself, rather than in anything ye do for Me. Service is the salvage of love. It is like the twelve baskets of bread that were left over. The bread partaken of was like fellowship mutually given; and the excess and overflow was a symbol of service . I do not expect thee to give to others until ye have first thyself been a partaker. I will provide you with plentiful supply to give if ye first come to receive for thine own needs. This is in no way selfishness. It is the Law of Life. Can the stalk of corn produce the ear unless first it receive its own life from the parent seed? No more can ye produce fruit in thy ministry except ye be impregnated with divine life from its source in God Himself. It was from the hands of the Christ that the multitudes received bread. From His hands ye also must receive thy nurture, the Bread of Life to sustain thy health and thy life.

“Let Him fully satisfy thy soul-hunger, and then thou shalt go forth with a full basket on thine arm. Twelve baskets there were (Mat 14:20). One for each disciple. There will always be the multitudes to be fed, but the few called to minister. This is by My own arrangement. As the Scripture says: Do not many desire to be teachers, for thereby is attached more heavy responsibility (Jas 3:1).” [479]

[479] Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved (Ojai, California: King’s Farspan, Inc., 1973), 153-4.

Jesus’ Touch – As Jesus touched the bread, it brought life to the loaves and they multiplied, much like the rod of Aaron’s that budded when placed into the Ark of the Covenant.

The Ministry of Helps – The principle of the ministry of helps is seen in this story. The twelve disciples were helping Jesus to distribute the bread. As the blessing and anointing was flowing through Jesus Christ to break the bread, so was this anointing imparted unto the disciples as they took of this bread and broke it and saw it multiply by their hands also. Noting that this event took place late in the day, Jesus would not have had time to break enough bread himself to feed the five thousand. The disciples were clearly breaking the bread they had received from Jesus. This story teaches us that there is an anointing imparted as we serve in the ministry of helps.

The Divine Principle of Thankfulness – Today in Israel, tour guides will suggest that there were about 40,000 people present at this time that were feed miraculously. In this story, we see a divine principle that will work in our lives. Jesus took what small provision His Heavenly Father provided and gave God thanks for it. God was then able to bless what He had and cause it to multiply. Our Father will do the same for us. We are to be thankful for what we presently have and serve Him so that He can bless and multiply our provision.

Mat 14:13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

Mat 14:13 Comments Perhaps the disciples were anticipating that Jesus would react dramatically to the death of John. Yet, His reaction seemed to be one of withdrawal and solitude rather than confrontation and speaking out against evil. While John the Baptist confronted the king because of his behavior, Jesus withdraws Himself from confrontation in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy that Matthew records in Mat 12:17-21.

Jesus probably departed with some of His closest disciples into a desert place, for Matthew writes in Mat 14:23 that He was alone after sending the disciples away.

Mat 14:23, “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”

Mat 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Mat 14:14 “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them” – Comments – Note how Job was also moved with compassion for the poor.

Job 30:25, “Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?”

Mat 14:14 “and he healed their sick” Word Study on “healed” BDAG says the Greek word literally means, “powerless,” and carries the additional meaning, “sick, ill.” Leon Morris says this word means, “feeble, sickly,” being derived from the Greek prefix and the verb , which means, “to strengthen.” [480] This word used in Mat 14:14 reflects the weariness of the people from their long journey into the wilderness to find Jesus. Such a journey wearies the physical body and exposes its weaknesses.

[480] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992), 376.

Comments – Benny Hinn notes that before Jesus fed the multitudes He healed them. He notes in Mat 15:29-30 how Jesus also healed the multitudes before feeding the four thousand. [481]

[481] Benny Hinn, This is Your Day (Irving, Texas), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.

Mat 15:29-30, “And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:”

Mat 14:14 Comments The public ministry of Jesus Christ reached its peak of popularity during the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand, as the multitudes around Galilee followed Him. At the end of the narrative section in Joh 6:60-66 many disciples forsook Him. Jesus will be left standing in the synagogue of Capernaum asking His closest disciples if they will forsake Him also (Joh 6:67-71). Jesus’ miracles have brought attention to His message, but not commitment from His followers.

Mat 14:15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

Mat 14:16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

Mat 14:16 Comments – This test is like the test that God gave the children of Israel in the wilderness, proving the children of God to see if they would believe His Word. Note:

Joh 6:6, “And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.”

Mat 14:17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

Mat 14:17 Word Study on “loaves” The Greek word means “bread.” Leon Morris describes this bread as the size of a “bun” so that several pieces could be eaten at a single meal. [482]

[482] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992), 378.

Comments – The Gospel of John tells us that there was a small boy in the crowd who has some food. He was willing to offer it unto Jesus and His disciples. We know that there were others who had brought some small portions of food with them, but had not offered it, probably because they did not think that it was enough to help the situation. God can take our smallest gifts and work mighty miracles with it if we will only be willing to offer it unto Him.

Note these insightful words from Sadhu Sundar Singh regarding the lad with the loaves and fishes.

“Sometimes when there is some great act of service to be done, I choose for My purpose those who are little esteemed in the eyes of the world, for they make no boast of their own power or wisdom, but putting their entire trust in Me, and accounting what little ability they possess as of no great value, they devote all they have and are to My work for men (1 Cor. i.26-30). For instance, when I fed in the wilderness five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, you will remember that I did not perform this miracle by the agency of My disciples, for they were full of doubt and perplexity and wished to send the multitude away hungry (John vi.9). My servant on that occasion was a little lad whom I had cured of the palsy. Filled with a desire to hear My words he determined to follow Me. His poor mother wrapped up in his clothes some barley cakes and dried fish, enough for two or three days journey, so when inquiry was made for food for the multitude this faithful little lad at once brought all that he had and laid it at the disciples’ feet. Though there were wealthy people there who had with them much better food, such as wheaten cakes, they were not prepared to give them up; so it was from the barley cakes of this boy, My namesake, that by My blessing the multitude was fed with the choicest food.” [483]

[483] Sadhu Sundar Singh, At the Master’s Feet, translated by Arthur Parker (London: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1922) [on-line], accessed 26 October 2008, available from http://www.ccel.org/ccel/singh/feet.html; Internet, “IV Service,” section 2, part 6.

Mat 14:18 He said, Bring them hither to me.

Mat 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Mat 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

Mat 14:20 Comments The twelve baskets of fragments were probably the pieces left over in the hands of the disciples after distributing the bread, and not crumbs picked up from the ground. In the story of the feeding of the five thousand (Mat 14:20) and the four thousand (Mat 15:37), the author uses the word (G2801), meaning “a fragment, piece, or crumb” ( BDAG), while in the story of the Syro-Phenician woman (Mat 15:27), the author uses (G5589), meaning “a very little bit, a crumb” ( BDAG) to describe the crumbs which fell from the table. Thus, the author appears to make a distinction between the fragments of bread gathered (Mat 14:20), and crumbs that fell from the meal table (Mat 15:27). The disciples broke the bread into fragments until the people were full; then gathered what was left in their hands into baskets. When the disciples reassembled themselves with Jesus having what was left in their own hands, they collected it into twelve baskets. Thus, Mat 14:20 means that during the breaking of the loaves and distributing them in baskets, there was more than enough left over after feeding everyone. The twelve baskets full of bread testified that the people were full.

Besides serving as a testimony of plenty, the fragments may have served an additional purpose. Perhaps Jesus returned to the lad more bread than he started with, just like Jesus did for Peter when he borrowed his boat. Jesus told Peter launch out into the deep, and catch a multitude of fish after Jesus was finished using Peter’s boat (Luk 5:1-10).

Mat 14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Mat 14:21 Comments – Men tend to eat more than women and children. Thus, the amount of food eaten by men is used as a measure of how much food was needed to satisfy the people.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

The Feeding of the Five Thousand.

v. 13. When Jesus heard of it, He departed thence by ship into a desert place apart; and when the people had heard thereof, they followed Him on foot out of the cities.

News of death and disaster travels quickly. Herod returned from Machaerus to Tiberius. But the news of his atrocious deed had reached Galilee even before him. His conscience gave him no rest. For that reason he believed John the Baptist risen from the dead, appearing in the person of this Jesus. So he told his courtiers. Jesus, in the meantime, felt it necessary, for various reasons, to withdraw from the neighborhood of Capernaum. His own safety was hardly to be considered. He had never come into personal contact, had never entered into personal relations with Herod. But Christ was deeply moved by the news of John’s death. He felt the need of being in a place by Himself for a while. The apostles also returned from their journey about this time, and they were in need of rest, Mar 6:30-31. And, finally, the excitement of the people over the death of John might easily have brought on a crisis, with disastrous results for His ministry. So He took ship with His disciples and escaped into a desert place in Gaulanitis, on the eastern shore of the lake, in the neighborhood of Bethsaida-Julias. But His rest was of short duration. His departure and the direction of His boat had been noticed. As the news spread, crowds gathered and followed along the seashore on foot, bearing the sick and infirm with them.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Mat 14:13. When Jesus heard of it, he departed, &c. Into the desert of Bethsaida, Luke 9; Luke 10 on the other side of the sea, Joh 6:1 and consequently in the tetrarchy of Philip, who was a meek and peaceable prince. Perhaps by this retreat Jesus proposed to shun Herod, who desired to see him, and might be contriving some method of obtaining an interview with him; for he had perfect knowledge not only of the conversation which passed at the court of Galilee, but of Herod’s thoughts also. It is true he remained but a little while, perhaps two or three days only, under Philip’s jurisdiction; for Herod’s perplexity quickly wore off, and therefore, though about the time that our Lord retired, he might be contriving means to get a sight of him, yet, as he soon returned to his former estate of mind, he troubled himself no farther with the matter. See Luk 23:8.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Mat 14:13 . Since we find it stated immediately before that . . , it is clear that the , which is not further defined, can only be referred to the of the preceding verse (Jerome, Augustine, Euth. Zigabenus, Erasmus, Maldonatus, de Wette, Ewald, Keim); while the reference to Mat 14:2 , so frequent since Chrysostom’s time, is arbitrary, inasmuch as Matthew does not so much as hint at it. There is no anachronism here, occasioned by Mar 6:31 (Weiss in the Stud. u. Krit. 1861, p. 40 f.). Matthew does not show such want of skill in the use he makes of Mark; neither does he go to work in so reckless and confused a way as Wilke and Holtzmann would have us believe. But the narrative runs somewhat as follows: (1) Matthew mentions that, at that time, Herod heard of Jesus, who was then in Nazareth, and said: This is John, and so on; (2) thereupon he gives an account of the death of John, to which reference has thus been made; (3) and lastly, he informs us in Mat 14:12 f. how Jesus came to hear of this death, and how it led to His retiring into some solitude or other, to shelter Himself for a little from the persecution of Herod, which was probably being directed against Himself as well. From this it would appear that it must have been whilst Herod, who had just beheaded John, was indulging such dangerous thoughts regarding Jesus (Mat 14:2 ), that the latter, through hearing from John’s own disciples of the fate of their master, so felt the necessity of being upon His guard against Herod’s hostility, that He took the precaution to retire lest His own death should be precipitated. Comp. Mat 4:12 , Mat 12:15 . It is clear from the shape in which the narrative is thus presented, that the beheading of John is to be understood as having taken place only a short time before the words of Mat 14:2 had been uttered, so that the terror that was awakened in Herod’s conscience when he heard of Jesus came on the back of his recent crime; but there was no reason why Mat 14:1-2 should have been regarded as a literary expedient devised merely for the purpose of introducing John once more into the narrative.

] from the place , where He had been staying when the intelligence reached Him; whether this was still Nazareth (Mat 13:54 ) or some other locality in Galilee, is determined by , according to which it must have been a place upon the sea-coast .

] according to Luk 9:10 , near to Bethsaida in Gaulonitis, lying within the dominion of Philip the tetrarch.

] “nemine assumto nisi discipulis,” Bengel.

(see critical notes): by land , walking round by the head of the lake.

] of Galilee.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

“When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. (14) And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. (15) And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. (16) But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. (17) And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. (18) He said, Bring them hither to me. (19) And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. (20) And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. (21) And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.”

I pray the Reader after he hath duly pondered the many blessed instructions contained in this miracle, to attend to one feature in our Lord’s character, which can never be too often regarded, nor too affectionately valued; I mean the movement of Christ’s heart upon this occasion, which is here sweetly noticed and testified, in the immediate act of healing the sick among the multitude. It ought to be our chief delight to notice, in every act of Jesus where it is more immediately recommended to our view, those actions of our Lord where his human feelings are brought forward to our observation. What can be so truly blessed as to mark the tendencies of Christ’s love to his people, in that very nature of ours which he hath taken into union with the Godhead, and in which, and through which, the mercies of his divine nature flow to us in a way and manner which are peculiarly his own; that is to say, the mercies and compassion of the God-Man Christ Jesus! Oh! what an endless subject of joy ariseth to the mind of the redeemed, when properly considered from this one point of view! The mercies and compassions of my God and Savior, are the mercies and compassions of God, for He is One with the Father over all, God blessed forever. Amen. But they are no less the mercies and compassions of the Man Christ Jesus, for, verily, He took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham, and on purpose that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. So that by this blessed compound of the two natures, his Godhead gives him an infinite fulness to supply all mercy towards his redeemed, and his Manhood gives him a fellow feeling, that those mercies come to us through an human channel, and in, and by both, they are the sweet, precious; and most affectionate compassions of the God-Man Christ Jesus, who is the Head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of him which filleth all in all. And, Reader! without amplifying, in this place, the subject, think what will be the communications of glory, if such be now the communications of grace, when we shall see him as he is, and we shall know even as we are known!

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

SEASON OF RETIREMENT

PART I

Harmony, pages 76-89 and Mat 14:13-16:12 ; Mar 6:30-8:26 ; Luk 9:10-17 ; Joh 6:1-7:1 .

We now take up Part V of the Harmony, the general theme of which is “Season of Retirement into Districts Around Galilee.” The time is six months, i.e., from just before the Passover (Joh 6:4 ) to the Feast of Tabernacles. There are four of these retirements, found in sections 57, 61, 62, 63-67, respectively. The occasion of the first was twofold, (1) the hearing of the death of John the Baptist, and (2) the return of the twelve apostles for rest. The place of this retirement was Bethsaida Julias, which is referred to by Luke, as over against the Bethsaida mentioned by Mark, which was near Capernaum. The occasion of the second retirement was also twofold, (1) the fanaticism of the disciples in trying to make him king (Joh 6:15 ), and (2) the hostility of the Jewish rulers (Mat 15:1 ). The place of the second retirement was Phoenicia, about Tyre and Sidon. The occasion of the third retirement was the suspicion of Herod Antipas, who was a very wicked man and had much fear respecting Jesus and his great works. The place of this retirement was Decapolis. The occasion of the fourth retirement was continued Jewish hostilities, and the place was Caesarea Philippi, in the extreme northern part of Palestine on the east side of the Jordan. In every case he avoided Herod’s jurisdiction.

The first outstanding event of these retirements is the feeding of the five thousand, the account of which is prefaced by the report of the twelve apostles, who had just returned from their first missionary tour. This is a glowing account of their work and their teaching. The latter item of this report is unusual in a missionary report. Matthew says that Jesus withdrew to a desert place apart when he heard of the death of John the Baptist. In this desert place the multitudes thronged from the cities, and this excited the tender compassion of Jesus because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Mark says that he taught them many things. His work here continued until the day was far spent, upon which the disciples besought him to send the multitudes away to buy food. Here begins the beautiful story of “Feeding the Five Thousand,” which is told by all four of the evangelists and does not need to be repeated in this expression, but there are certain facts and lessons here that need to be emphasized. First, there is the test of his disciples as to what they were willing to undertake. Second, this furnished the occasion for the great discourse of Joh 6 on the Bread of Life. Third, it was the occasion of sloughing off unworthy disciples. Fourth, it supplied the physical wants of the people. Fifth, there is here a most excellent lesson on order in doing things. Sixth, Christ is presented here as the great wonder-worker in supplying the needs of his people.

Following this miracle is the incident of Jesus walking on the sea. After feeding the five thousand Jesus retired to the mountain to pray and sent the disciples back across the sea in a boat. A storm arose and they were distressed, but on the troubled sea they saw Jesus walking and they were afraid. Out from the storm of their distress came the voice of Jesus: “It is I; be not afraid.” What a lesson for us! Jesus walks on the troubled sea. But Peter, impulsive Peter, must put the matter to a test and he receives the command to try his strength in walking on the sea, but the wind and the waves disturb his faith and he sinks, only to be rescued by the hand divine. Our Lord rebukes his “little faith,” as he does the “little faith” of others in two other instances in this division of the Harmony, (viz., on pp. 88, 95).

This incident made a profound impression on the disciples. Matthew says, “They that were in the boat worshiped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” Mark says, “They were sore amazed in themselves; for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened.” John says, “They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat.” There seems, at first sight, to be some discrepancy here, but these evangelists are speaking from different standpoints. Matthew seems to look at it from the standpoint of the effect in strengthening their faith in his divinity; John, from the standpoint of their scare when they first saw him, and Mark, from the standpoint of the preceding incident of “Feeding the Five Thousand.” Broadus says, “Mark (Mar 6:52 ) censures their astonishment at this miracle, for which the miracle of the loaves would have prepared them if their minds had not been stupid and dull. This language of Mark does not necessarily forbid the supposition that they were now convinced Jesus was divine; but it best falls in with the idea that they were at a lower standpoint.” They straightway landed at Gennesaret, according to Matthew and John, where the people came in great numbers to touch his garment that they might be healed. Mark’s description of this healing work of our Lord is most vivid, closing with the words, “as many as touched him were made whole.”

All this prepared the way for the great discourse of our Lord on the Bread of Life in Joh 6 (Harmony, pp. 81-82). This is a marvelously strong discourse on the spirituality of his kingdom. The introduction (Joh 6:22-25 ) explains the connection of this discourse with the miracle of the loaves and how the multitudes found Jesus after that event in Capernaum. In Joh 6:26-40 we have the first dialogue between them and Jesus in which Jesus reveals their purposes and exhorts them to seek the Bread of Life. Then they ask, “How?” and he explains that it is by accepting him whom the Father sent. Then they demand a sign, referring to the sign of the manna to the Israelites in the wilderness, upon which Jesus showed them the typical and spiritual import of the manna, explaining that it referred to him. In Joh 6:41-51 we have the second dialogue arising from their murmuring at his teaching, that he came down from heaven. Here he announced the great doctrine of God’s drawing in order to salvation, his relation to the Father and the nature of the salvation he brought as eternal, over against the perishable manna which their fathers ate in the wilderness. In Joh 6:52-59 we have the third dialogue arising from their strife among themselves about his teaching, in which Jesus shows them their utter hopelessness apart from him and his sacrifice. In Joh 6:60-65 we have the fourth dialogue, which was between Jesus and his disciples, growing out of their murmuring at his hard doctrine. Here he explains that the words which he had spoken were spiritual and life-giving, and then revealed the fact that one among them was an unbeliever. This he knew, says John, from the beginning. In Joh 6:66-71 we have the final effect of his discourse upon them, driving many of his disciples back, but confirming his immediate disciples in his divine mission as voiced by this first great confession of Peter: “We believe and know that thou art the Holy One of God.” But Jesus let them know that one of them was a devil. Note that this revelation of the betrayer was nearly a year before the revelation of Judas at the Passover supper (Joh 13 ), and shows that Jesus knew all the time that Judas would betray him. Note also that this discourse is progressive. Each dialogue brings a new revelation and the effect of this progress upon his audience is marked, finally driving them away from our Lord to walk with him no more, while the severity of the test brought forth from his disciples their strongest expression of faith in his divinity up to this time.

In section 60 (Mat 15:1-20 ; Mar 7:1-23 ; Joh 7:1 ) we have the account of another issue between Christ and the Pharisees at Capernaum. They sent an embassy to him from Jerusalem and asked why his disciples did not keep the tradition of the elders with regard to the washing of their hands, the full explanation of which is given by Mark and needs only a careful reading to be understood. To this Jesus responded with a charge of hypocrisy and quotes a prophecy of Isaiah which he applies to them. This prophecy has in it a double charge, (1) of emptiness, of heartlessness, in their service and (2) that they taught the doctrines and precepts of men. This applied to all their traditions, what a comment on the whole of the Jewish Talmud! Then he goes further and charges them with transgressing the commandment of God because of their tradition in respect to honoring parents. If they should say that their property was “Corban,” i.e., given to God, that exempted them, according to the Jewish tradition, which made void the word of God. Then he explained the fallacy of their tradition by showing that it was not what goes into a man that defiles him, but that defilement was an issue of the heart. But this offended the Pharisees, to which he replied to his disciples with the parable of the blind guides, which the disciples did not understand, as it applied to the matter under consideration. This called for a more elaborate explanation, that the heart and stomach of a man were vastly different and that sin issuing from the heart was the only true defilement of the man. Mark gives thirteen items in his list of sins coming out of the heart, and Matthew seven, but these are but illustrations of the principle that all sin issues from the heart.

Immediately following this issue with the authorities at Jerusalem, Jesus retired to the region of Tyre and Sidon, in the territory of Phoenicia, which is outside of the land of Israel. This retirement, as already explained, was caused by the fanaticism of his disciples in trying to make him king, and the hostility of the Jewish rulers. Phoenicia (see map) was located northwest of Palestine and contained two cities of importance Tyre and Sidon. It was in this territory and while on this retirement that Jesus healed the Syrophoenician, or Canaanitish woman’s daughter. The term “Canaanitish,” as used by Matthew, refers back to the time when the inhabitants of this section were called Canaanites. It is probable that the Jews continued to apply this name to the inhabitants of Phoenicia, though the after inhabitants may have been of later origin. To Matthew’s Jewish readers this word would show that she was a Gentile. (Broadus’ Commentary). But Mark says that she was a Greek, meaning a Gentile, and a Syrophoenician, meaning an inhabitant of the united countries of Syria and Phoenicia, a term used to distinguish this country from Libyphoenicia, or the Carthaginians. To Mark’s Gentile readers this name also would mean a Gentile. This country of Syria extended from the northern part of Palestine all the way up the Mediterranean coast to the headwaters of the Euphrates, following that river east to the great Syrian Desert, and thence south to the headwaters of the Jordan, including Antioch and Damascus, two cities well known to Bible history. This country has a vital connection with the Greeks. It was conquered by Alexander the Great, allotted to the Seleucids after his death, who built Antioch and ruled this country till it was taken by the Romans. This was in the fourth, third, and second centuries before Christ.

It was in this country Jesus sought retirement and rest for himself and disciples, but this rest was broken by the coming of the Syrophoenician woman to Jesus in behalf of her daughter. Jesus could not be hid because of his fame and his approachableness by those who were in distress. We find that, in every effort which he made at retirement, the people found him. So, this Canaanitish, Greek, Syrophoenician woman found him when he came into those parts. The facts of this case are as follows: This Syrophoenician woman had a little daughter who was grievsouly demonized. She heard of the presence of Jesus in those parts, came and besought him to cast forth the demon out of her. He made no answer. Then the disciples intervened and asked him to send her away, but he answered that he was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The woman personally renews her petition and begs for help, but Jesus tells her that it is not meet to give the children’s bread to the dogs. She answered that she would be satisfied with the crumbs, and this brought forth from the Saviour the highest commendation of her faith.

Now let us look at this picture again and see if we can find in it the lessons intended for us. First, let us look for the proofs of this woman’s faith. There are four of these: (1) Her address in which she calls him the Son of David; (2) she worshiped him; (3) she recognized Jewish priority; (4) her humility and importunity.

This scene was, perhaps, on the road and not in the house, which helps us to understand better some of the points in the story. The seeming indifference of Jesus was only to test and develop her faith. The intervention of the disciples was not to ask that she be dismissed without help, but, rather, to give her the blessing and let her go. Evidently the woman did not hear Christ’s reply to the disciples. Being in advance of the woman on the road, this conversation was not understood by her, which explains the next statement that “she came and worshiped him.” The statement of Jesus to the disciples that he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel meant that he was unwilling to carry on a general ministry in Phoenicia, because his mission was to the Jews. The “crumb” idea here introduced by the woman and acted upon by Christ does not conflict with this idea of avoiding a general ministry in Phoenicia. This referred to the smaller blessing to a Gentile dog which would not take any of the children’s bread. She seems here to argue that Jesus is now away from the Jews and not feeding them. So a blessing in this isolated case would not interfere with the blessings for the Jews. The dogs here referred to were little dogs. The word in the Greek is diminutive and means the little house dogs allowed to run around in the house and under their master’s table. The woman was willing not only to be called a dog, but to be called a little dog and to have a little dog’s share of food. This incident is also an illustration of the scriptural teaching that we should pray for the salvation of others who are not even interested.

After the incident of the Syrophoenician woman Jesus hastened to return to the land of Israel. Going from the borders of Tyre and Sidon he passed through Sidon, thence across to the east side of the Jordan and down on the east side of the Sea of Galilee through the borders of Decapolis. This was intentional, to avoid the territory of Herod, who was suspicious of Jesus. As soon as he arrived they brought him a deaf and dumb man whom he healed, and charged not to tell it, but he published it the more, which resulted in their bringing the multitudes of the unfortunate to him for a blessing. He healed all of these and then fed four thousand, the circumstances and particulars of which are similar to the feeding of the five thousand.

Then, sending away the multitudes, he crossed over the Sea of Galilee to the borders of Magadan, where he was met again by the Pharisees demanding a sign, but sighing deeply in his spirit he rebuked them and left them, never to return to this part again to teach. This text illustrates the grieving of the Holy Spirit. On leaving here he went across the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida, where he tarried a short time on his way to Caesarea Philippi. When they arrived at Bethsaida the disciples were reminded by a little parable of Jesus that they had forgotten to take bread with them. This parable referred to the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which was their doctrine, but the disciples did not understand it and thought that he referred to their forgetting the bread. Then he issued a sharp rebuke to his disciples as follows: (1) for hardness of heart; (2) for dimness of perception; (3) for a torpid memory; (4) for lack of faith. Then they understood that he referred to the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Does teaching, or doctrine, leaven? It seems to have leavened them. Does it make any difference what we believe? Certainly there is a moral quality of belief.

At Bethsaida was brought to him a blind man whom he carried out of the village. He healed him by the use of means; at least apparently, and gradually, thus illustrating the gradual perception of conversion. Then he sent him away and would not even permit him to go into the village. This case is very similar to the case of the deaf and dumb whom he healed in the borders of Decapolis. In each case he took the person out and healed him privately. In each case he also used means, apparently. Why this method in these two cases particularly? On the point of the “why” here we cannot be dogmatic. Perhaps it was to prevent excitement as far as possible by making it appear that he used means; that he was healing more in the natural way and thus avoid the excitement that usually followed his regular method.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the theme of Part V of the Harmony?

2. What was the time and what the time limits of this division?

3. How many retirements in this period and where are they found in the Harmony?

4. What was the occasion and place of each?

5. What was the first outstanding event of this period of retirements and how is it prefaced?

6. What, in order, are the events which led up to the feeding of the five thousand?

7. Tell the story of the feeding of the five thousand.

8. What are the lessons of this incident?

9. Give the story of Jesus walking on the sea and its lessons.

10. How do you harmonize Matthew, Mark, and John on this incident?

11. Where did they land and what incidents there?

12. What was the occasion and nature of the great discourse in Joh 6 ?

13. Give an analysis of this discourse, showing its introduction, its dialogues, the progress of the thought in these parts of the discourse, the progress of its effect on the enemy and its effect on the disciples of Jesus.

14. What issue raised between Christ and the Pharisees at Capernaum and how did Christ meet it?

13. Give an account of the progress of this issue and show the final outcome of it.

16. Bid Jesus ever leave the land of Israel? If so, why?

17. In what country were Tyre and Sidon?

18. State the geographical position of Phoenicia.

19. Explain the terms “Ganaanitiah,” “Greek,” and “Syrophoenician” as applied to the woman who approached Christ in these parts.

20. What is the extent of Syria?

21. What, briefly, was Syria’s connection with the Greeks, and how long since to this incident?

22. Why should Jesus desire to remain incognito here?

23. How was the rest broken?

24. Why could not Jesus be hid?

25. What are the facts of this case in their order?

26. What was the proofs of this woman’s faith?

27. Was this scene in the house or out doors?

28. Why did Jesus so act in this case?

29. Did his disciples ask that she be dismissed without help?

30. Why should Jesus avoid a general ministry in Phoenicia?

31. Explain how “crumbs” did not conflict with this idea.

32. What kind of dogs here referred to and what the import?

33. What is the lesson here on praying for others not interested?

34. Trace on the map the journey of Jesus from Tyre to the neighborhood of the Sea of Galilee. Why this course?

35. What were the events of his stay in this section?

36. Where did he go from there and what were the events at the next place?

37. Where then did he go, and what important lesson did he there teach his disciples and how?

38. What are the items of his rebuke here and what the importance of doctrine as here indicated?

39. Give the incident of the healing of the blind man here and its lessons.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

13 When Jesus heard of it , he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof , they followed him on foot out of the cities.

Ver. 13. When Jesus heard of it, &c. ] Dangers must be declined, where they may be with a safe conscience. David and Peter (who had both paid for their learning) say both, What man is he that loveth life, and would see good (or quiet) days?Psa 34:12Psa 34:12 ; 1Pe 3:10 .

They followed him on foot ] Hotfoot, as they say. So the people resorted to Bishop Ridley’s sermons, swarming about him like bees, and coveting the sweet juice of his godly discourses. Whose diligence and devotion is check to our dulness and devotion: if Christ would set up a pulpit at the alehouse door, some would hear him oftener.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

13 21. ] FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND. Mar 6:30-44 .Luk 9:10-17Luk 9:10-17 . Joh 6:1-13 , where also see notes.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

13. ] There is some difficulty here in conceiving how the narration is to proceed continuously. The death of the Baptist is evidently retrospectively and parenthetically inserted: and yet the retirement of our Lord in this verse seems to be the immediate consequence of his hearing of that occurrence. But this may well have been so: for (1) the disciples of John would be some days in bringing the news from Machrus to Capernaum, and the report mentioned in Mat 14:1 might reach Herod meantime; (2) the expression with which that report is introduced, , extends it over a considerable space of time; and (3) the message which the disciples of John brought to our Lord might have included both particulars, the death of their Master, and the saying of Herod respecting Himself.

He went across the lake ( Joh 6:1 ) into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsada ( Luk 9:10 ). His retirement (Luke, ibid., and Mar 6:30 ) was connected also with the return of the twelve from their mission: compare the full and affecting account of the whole transaction in Mar 6:30-35 .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Mat 14:13-21 . Jesus retires; feeding of thousands (Mar 6:30-44 ; Luk 9:10-17 ).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Mat 14:13 . , having heard of the fate of John from John’s disciples (Mat 14:12 ). : withdrew from where He was when the report reached Him; locality not indicated. Mark connects the retirement with the return of the Twelve from their mission, and the report they gave, and assigns as motive rest for the missionaries. The two events might synchronise, and escape from Herod’s dangerous neighbourhood might be a joint motive for retirement. But against this is the speedy return (Mat 14:34 ). : naturally suggests a place near the sea as starting-point. But it may be rather intended to indicate in what direction they were going to the eastern side of the lake. . . . These phrases have certainly more point in Mk. as referring to a multitude from which they wished to escape. : no previous mention of the crowds, and no hint that Jesus wished to get away from them; looks like a digest of a fuller narrative, such as that in Mk. (or ), on foot, but not implying that all literally walked; there were sick among them who could not. The contrast is between going by sea and going by land. Cf. Act 20:13 . Classical instances in philological commentaries (Wetstein, Kypke, Elsner, etc.).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 14:13-14

13Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.

Mat 14:13 “when Jesus heard about John” This seems to refer to Mat 14:1-2 and not the intervening parenthesis of Mat 14:3-12.

“He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself” This account of Jesus feeding the five thousand is also recorded in Mar 6:32-44, Luk 9:10-17, and Joh 6:1-13. Apparently He wanted to get away to pray. This was His normal custom which helped Him to be prepared for the circumstances He faced. If Jesus needed to get away to pray, how much more do believers?

“when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities” Jesus never got tired of nor impatient with the crowds, but was always moved with compassion (cf. Mat 14:14). This is a theme in Matthew’s Gospel (cf. Mat 9:36; Mat 15:32). Jesus, although tired and needing a time of retreat for prayer, still made people the priority. He cured all of those who were brought to Him, although He usually did not go out of His way to heal. He did not primarily want to be known as a healer but His compassion overflowed whenever He was in the presence of human misery. The healings of Jesus did two things: (1) they confirmed His message and (2) they showed the character and presence of the Messianic kingdom. Jesus is recorded as healing people numerous times in the Gospel of Matthew (cf. Mat 4:23; Mat 8:16; Mat 9:35; Mat 14:14; Mat 15:30; Mat 19:2; Mat 21:14). I still believe in a supernatural God who heals. I do not understand why God heals some and does not heal others. I believe that there was a special emphasis on healing during the first century to confirm Jesus’ message as there was a special outburst of the demonic during His lifetime. This same pattern may be repeated before the Second Coming. See Special topic: Is Healing God’s Plan for Every Age? at Mat 19:2.

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

departed = withdrew. by = in. Greek. en.

people = multitude.

out of = from. Greek. apo. App-104.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

13-21.] FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND. Mar 6:30-44. Luk 9:10-17. Joh 6:1-13, where also see notes.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Mat 14:13. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by a ship into a desert place apart:

It is well for us to get alone with God when he takes home the best and most faithful of his servants. Neither the Church nor the world could afford to lose such a man as John the Baptist; so it was well for Christs disciples to retire with him to a desert place that he might teach them the lesson of that proto-martyrs death.

Mat 14:13-14. And when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

He needed quiet, but he could not get it; yet he was not moved with indignation against the crowd that had sought him out, but he was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. Out of the fullness of his heart of love, he condescended to do for the people what they most needed.

Mat 14:15. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

Human compassion might have moved the disciples to say something more kind than that heartless request, Send the multitude away. Perhaps they wished to spare themselves the sight of so much distress; but they evidently did not expect the answer that Christ gave them:

Mat 14:16. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

Christ seemed to say to his disciples, If you only exercise the power that is within your reach, with Me in your midst, you are equal to this emergency:

Give ye them to eat.

Mat 14:17-18. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me.

They are little enough in your hands, but they will be ample when they get into mine. When everything that we have is in the hands of Christ, it is wonderful how much he can make of it. Bring your talent to the Lord Jesus, be it never so little; sanctify to him every possibility that lies within your reach; you cannot tell how much he can and will do with it.

Mat 14:19. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass,

It must have been a beautiful sight to see those thousands of men, women, and children at once obeying his command. There were five loaves and two fishes, probably five small barley cakes and a couple of sardines; so the people might have said, What is the use of such a multitude sitting down on the grass to partake of such scanty fare as that? But they did not say so; there was a divine power about the very simplest command of Christ which compelled instant obedience: He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass,

Mat 14:19. And took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed,

This was that blessing of the Lord of which Solomon says that it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. If you get this blessing on your five loaves and two fishes, you may feed five thousand men with them, besides the women and the children.

Mat 14:19-20. And brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

Much more than they began with; for it is a law of the Heavenly Kingdom that he who gives to God shall be no loser; his five loaves and two fishes shall turn to twelve baskets full after thousands have eaten, and been satisfied. The more there is of complete consecration to Christ, and his blessed service, the more reward will there be in the world to come; and,

possibly, even here.

Mat 14:21-22. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

He always takes the heavier task upon himself. They may go off by themselves, but he will remain to send the multitudes away. Besides, no one but Christ could have done it, only he who had made them sit down to the feast could make them go to their homes.

Mat 14:23. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray:

He had had a long day of preaching, and healing, and distributing the bread and fish, and now he closed the day with prayer to his Father.

Mat 14:23. And when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Dr. Watts was right in saying to his Lord,

Cold mountains, and the midnight air

Witnessed the fervor of thy prayer.

He is not now on the bare mountain side, but he is engaged in the same holy exercise up yonder before his Fathers throne.

Mat 14:24. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

This is the case with the good ship of the Church of Christ today; it is tossed with waves, and the wind is contrary. It is very contrary just now; but, then, Christ is still pleading for the ship and all on board; and while he pleads, it can never sink.

Mat 14:25-29. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit: and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him, and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

You, who are wanting to get to Jesus, should make a desperate effort to get to him; even walk on the water to get to Jesus. Walking on the water might be an idle and evil exhibition; but to walk on the water to go to Jesus is another matter. Try it, and the Lord enable you to get to him!

Mat 14:30-32. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

The Greek word implies that the wind was tired, weary, done up, as we say. It had had its boisterous time, and spent its force; and now it knew its Lords voice, and, like a tired child, fell asleep.

Mat 14:33. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

This seems to have been the first time that the disciples arrived at this conclusion so as to state it so positively; yet, do you not think that, after the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes, they might have very fitly said, Of a truth thou art the Son of God? Sometimes, however, one wonder will strike us more than another; and, possibly, it was because they were in danger when this second miracle was wrought, and therefore they the more appreciated the coming of Christ to them at midnight. They were in no danger when the multitude were fed; perhaps they were not themselves hungry. That strikes us most which comes most home to us, as this miracle did.

Mat 14:34-36. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Mat 14:13. , having heard) sc. those things which are mentioned in Mat 14:1-12.[668]-, departed) The murderer of the Baptist was unworthy to hear or see the Lord: see ch. Mat 21:23-27. Afterwards, indeed, he did see Him; Luk 23:8; not, however, coming of His own accord, but forced by the violence of His enemies; and therefore Herods seeing Him, on that occasion, was not a sign of favour. Cf. the case of Samuel and Saul, 1Sa 15:35; 1Sa 19:24.- , apart) no one being taken with Him, except His disciples.-, on foot) See Eustathius.[669]

[668] Namely, that the fame of Himself had reached Herod. Comp. Joh 4:13.-Harm., p. 331.

[669] EUSTATHIUS, the grammarian, who flourished in the twelfth century, was Bishop of Thessalonica. He wrote commentaries on Homer, and on Dionysius the geographer. He must not be confounded with the amatory writer, Eumathius the Macrembolite, who wrote under this name in the fifteenth century, and was an obscure grammarian.-(I. B.)

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Mat 14:13-33

13. FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND

AND WALKING ON THE WATER

Mat 14:13-33

13, 14 Now when Jesus heard it.-The death of John occurred while the twelve were absent on their mission as described in chapter ten. Their return and the news of the death of John caused Jesus to withdraw “from thence in a boat, to a desert place apart.” Jesus gave his disciples the reason for this; he said, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.” (Mar 6:31.) In relation to his disciples this was a true and tender reason, but with respect to himself and his mission there was a far higher reason. When Jesus, at his early home in Nazareth, heard that John was baptizing in the Jordan, he realized that he was summoned to enter upon the preparation for his ministry. After his baptism, for a while, Jesus stood in the background while John was preparing the way for him. Soon after Jesus began his public ministry and some of his disciples were complaining about the work of Jesus, John said in reply to them of Jesus that “he must increase, but I must decrease.” (Joh 3:30.) The forerunner and subordinate must gradually retire before the Superior and Messiah. When John was imprisoned (Mat 4:12), a period arrived in which our Lord commenced his public ministration. John ceased his labors and has been put to death; now Jesus enters fully into his work. The twelve had been sent out; they had returned; his fame had gone abroad and even filled the halls of Herod Antipas. It is now both a crisis of great danger and time of his broadest enlargement. To avoid the ruling powers, whose eyes are now in search of him, he departs for northern Galilee, where he spends the remainder of the time during his “Galilean ministry.

It seems that he could get no rest, and that his disciples could have no quietness with him in order to make their report and to receive further instruction from him. “When the multitudes heard thereof, they followed him on foot from the cities.” This remarkable passage in the life of Jesus is recorded by the other three writers of the gospel. (Mar 5:32-43; Luk 9:10-17; Joh 6:1-14.) Mark tells us that at the same time John’s disciples came to find Jesus his apostles returned from their mission, and that he went aside to avoid the people who were thronging him constantly. Some think that there was a design on the part of the multitudes to force him to lead them in an insurrection against Herod. This is another instance where the people showed themselves willing to take part with him against his enemies hence, to prevent this and any collision with Herod, he went across the sea to the other side of Galilee. However, he did not escape the attention of the multitude, for when they saw him on the way they followed him to the “desert place” where “he had compassion on them, and healed their sick.” They were left to the misguiding instructors of the Pharisees, and were ruled by such men as Herod. They were as “sheep not having a shepherd.” (Mar 6:34.) The people in such condition touched the heart of Jesus and he had compassion on them.

15-21 And when even was come, the disciples came to him. -The miracle of feeding the five thousand is recorded by the four writers of the gospel. (Mar 6:34-44 Luk 9:12-15; Joh 6:1-13.) Luke records fewer details, and Mark records more; John records the point that the first suggestion as to feeding the multitudes came from Jesus. The miracle came into view in the breaking and distribution of the food; no material agencies whatever were apparent, neither, under the circumstances, possible; it was simply to keep on breaking and distributing.

John records that Jesus asked Philip, “Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat?” (Joh 6:5.) It seems that Jesus asked this question to try his faith or to see if one of his disciples would suggest another alternative. It was plain that they could not do it. Philip answered him that they did not have sufficient means to buy enough for each one to “take a little,” to say nothing of each one eating sufficient to satisfy hunger. He even said that “two hundred shillings’ worth of bread” was not sufficient to feed such a multitude. “Shilling” here denotes a coin worth about fifteen or seventeen cents in our money; this would amount to about thirty or thirty-four dollars. This was a sum far beyond their means; here we see a strong proof of the poverty of the disciples when so small a sum exceeded their common treasury. Andrew had discovered that there was a lad in the crowd “who bath five barley loaves, and two fishes”; in reporting this he added, “but what are these among so many?” (Joh 6:9.) “Barley loaves” was a common cheap food among the Jews; their leaven bread was usually about a half an inch thick; the unleavened bread thinner, and was broken by the hands, and not cut with a knife, as we cut a loaf. Their loaves were like large, thin biscuits. The “two fishes” were very small, and perhaps the “five barley loaves, and two fishes” were enough for one meal or lunch. The multitude was arranged “to sit down on the grass” in an orderly manner. This was done that the disciples might easily serve them, and that the multitude might see the miraculous power manifested on this occasion.

When the multitude was arranged in order, Jesus looked “up to heaven” and “blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.” Mark tells us that the people sat “down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.” (Mar 6:40.) This left room for the disciples to walk and the number could be easily counted. Jesus “blessed” or gave thanks (Joh 6:11); he gave thanks unto God as the author and giver of every good thing. In this he t an example for his disciples at that time and for all time. is giving thanks to God showed his connection with God as well as his gratitude for the goodness and mercy of God. This was no ordinary meal;the meaning of the miracle was to be seen in Jesus’ teaching; it was an acted parable; it typified the spiritual food that Jesus was able to give.

And they all ate, and were filled.-No one had lack of anything; the hunger of all was satisfied. The same power which created the worlds, which increased the widow’s cruse of oil (1Ki 17:16), at the word of a prophet, is here shown in increasing the substance of bread and fish far beyond all natural powers. That which was before held in the hand, after satisfying an immense crowd, cannot now be restored to its original compass. Jesus further taught the lesson of economy by commanding that they “gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost.” (Joh 6:12.) Nothing is said about the size of the baskets; twelve in number were gathered full, a basket for each apostle. The multitude numbered five thousand men “besides women and children.” The people were astonished at such proof of power and future success; they plotted to make him king (Joh 6:15) which caused him again to retire from them.

22-33 And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the boat.-It was late in the day, “when even was come,” that Jesus fed the multitude of five thousand; this was on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. After dismissing the multitude he “constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away.” His disciples were to go back across the Sea of Galilee to the western coast, while the multitude was to return to their cities around the northern coast of the sea. After sending his disciples away and dismissing the multitude, Jesus “went up into the mountain apart to pray.” We now see three companies: the disciples are in the boat struggling for the western shore of the sea, the multitude wending their way homeward and dispersing into small groups and families, and Jesus “alone” up in the mountain praying. Jesus had “constrained the disciples” to leave him; the Greek word for “constrained” is very strong, and this implies that his disciples were reluctant to part from him. It seems that Jesus had a twofold motive in this, namely, to secure for himself a season of retirement and to give his disciples some experience alone on the Sea of Galilee in a storm. It is significant that Jesus wanted to he alone in prayer with his Father when he saw that the people so grossly misunderstood the nature of his kingdom, and would make him a king over a material kingdom. (Joh 6:15.) In this retirement Jesus escapes the attention of the multitude and the confusion which had been continued since the disciples of John came to him; he could meditate on the death of John and upon his own death which would, before long, follow; he would have opportunity to pray for the weak disciples and the multitude, that they might hunger more for the spiritual food and understand better the nature of his kingdom.

But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves.-The storms on the Sea of Galilee often were sudden and frightful. They had sailed “about five and twenty or thirty furlongs”; that is, they had sailed three or four miles, as a furlong was an eighth of a mile or about two hundred yards. They had rowed far enough to be just in the center of the sea, where the current of the Jordan caused the greatest commotion in a storm. The sea, where they were crossing, was about six miles wide. His disciples were in great danger as they were tossed about with the waves. While in this situation “and in the fourth watch of the night he came unto them, walking upon the sea.” “The fourth watch of the night” shows that they had been nearly all night on the sea struggling to get to the shore. A “watch” is a period of the night spent by soldiers, in keeping awake, to guard against enemies, or to prevent the escape of prisoners; it means any division of the night. The Jews had, just before Matthew recorded this, changed their own ancient custom of “three watches of the night” to that of the Roman custom of “four watches.” The first watch (Lam 2:19) was the first division with the Jews, the second (Jdg 7:19) was the middle watch; and the last division was the third division. These watches began, according to Roman usage, to which the Jews had now changed, at six, nine, twelve, and three. (Mar 15:25.) It was after three in the morning that Jesus came to his disciples , through the early dawn they saw him walking on the sea. When his disciples saw “him walking on the sea, they were troubled” and said “it is a ghost.” They were frightened as “they cried out for fear.” The Jews believed in spiritual apparitions. (1Sa 28:15.) They supposed the spirit of a dead man in form like a person was manifested. Their belief was similar to the supersitition of some today who believe in “ghosts.” To see one was an omen of evil; no wonder the disciples “cried out with fear.” They were already in great danger of being destroyed by the storm and had been battling against the waves nearly all night, and now to see some one walking on the water was enough to frighten them. They had been brought to the end of human protection and were ready to despair. At this time Jesus spoke to them.

Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.-The disciples had asked among themselves what it was that they had seen; they had asked in terror, and Jesus now speaking to them banished their fear; he bade them “be of good cheer” and assured them of his identity. Peter was the spokesman of the group; to assure himself and others that it was truly Jesus he said, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters.” Peter was impetuous and ever ready to venture forward even at the risk of failure. He was a man of undoubted physical courage; this was shown now and when he attacked the mob in Gethsemane. He was now beginning to see that there was a mystery about his Master, which he had not at first seen, that he was “the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him “come.” He did not say, “come to me,” but “come”; and Peter did “come,” but not quite to Jesus, Jesus came to him. Peter “walked upon the waters to come to Jesus.” He had asked if it be Jesus that he come to him upon the waters, and Jesus had bidden him to come. Peter performed a miracle in walking upon the water. While he was walking on the waters to come to Jesus “he saw the wind, he was afraid”; he began to sink, and “cried out, saying, Lord save me.” Oftentimes Peter has been called rash, headlong, cowardly, and suchlike; but there is no mark of such a character in him; if he were cowardly, we have no record of it in the gospels; he was impetuous. At this time he had too much confidence in himself and not enough faith in our Lord. Later he is to be a partaker “of the divine nature.” (1Pe 5:6-7; 2Pe 1:4.) At this time Peter manifests the characteristics of impulsiveness, promptness, and eagerness to do something. Why could he not walk on the water too? He could, if his Lord would only say, “come”! Jesus had said this and down the ship’s side and out upon the billows, off he goes; all is well till his eye drops from the Master to the rising of the temptest and to the more fearful surging of the billows. Then, beginning to go under, he cried, “Lord, save me.”

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him.-Jesus was ready to help him; “man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” Peter had exhausted himself; he is no longer the hero of the group; he is the humble petitioner for help; he is wholly dependent now on Jesus. It is often good for one to be reduced to such circumstances. Why did Peter begin “to sink”? We have the answer in Jesus’ statement to him after he was brought up and placed safely in the boat. “0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Peter was sustained on the water by the strength or power that came through faith in Jesus; for some reason Peter doubted. He had taken hold of the power by faith which Jesus used in walking on the water, and, as doubt is the opposite of faith, he had lost his hold on the power that sustained him, and immediately began to sink. So soon as Peter was safely back in the boat “the wind ceased,” and “they that were in the boat worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” We have here the narration of a collection of wonders, and may well ponder them to ask why they were done and what lessons do they teach? There were none others in the ship but his apostles. They reverently bowed in worship before him and confessed that he was “the Son of God.” This is the confession made soon after in Mat 16:16. This scene strengthened the faith that the disciples had, taught them to rely upon Jesus, and assured them that Jesus was willing and able to save to the uttermost all who took him at his word. At the time that Peter was rebuked for the lack of faith, he and the other apostles gathered new faith and strength which was expressed in their confession to Jesus that he was “the Son of God.”

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

Abundance for the Hungry

Mat 14:13-21

Jesus sighed for a little quiet and sought it amid the lonely hills across the lake. The crowds saw where His boat was making for, and hurried round the shore to greet Him. Without a sigh He put away the hope of rest and stillness, and set to work to heal and teach the unshepherded sheep.

This is not only a miracle but a parable. It is thus that the Creator is ever multiplying the slender stores left over from one harvest to produce another. It is thus that He will feed you and yours, if only you will trust him and not run hither and thither in panic. You need not depart from Christ in search of any good thing. All is in Him. When He bids us feed the crowds, He makes Himself ultimately responsible, but paves the way by forcing home the inadequacy of our resources apart from Him. It is as we break and distribute, that the living bread multiplies in our hands. The Church is the intermediary between the living Savior and the desperate hunger of the world. You may sit at the worlds table and remain hungry. But at Christs table you are filled. There is always more than enough left for the distributor.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

Chapter 34

They Need Not Depart

When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

(Mat 14:13-21)

The miracle of the loaves and fish being so bountifully multiplied that five thousand men, besides women and children, were fed by them, so well fed that they were fully satisfied, is one of our Lords most remarkable miracles. No other miracle is mentioned so often as this one. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all inspired to record it. Evidently, the Holy Spirit intends for us to give it special attention.

The Holy Spirit inspired all the gospel writers to record these stories of our Lords dealings with men upon the earth so that we might read them often, study them carefully, and learn from them continually. His miracles have not yet been fathomed. His words and his ways have not yet been comprehended. Like the cloud that Elijahs servant saw (1Ki 18:44), these gospel stories seem to get bigger and bigger every time we look at them. Like the widows barrel of meal, there is an inexhaustible fullness of spiritual instruction in this Holy Book. I read a lot of books. Most of them can be comprehended with one or two careful readings. But the more I read the Word of God, the more I am lost in the richness, fullness, and freshness of it.

I have said all that because I want you to realize that when I have finished this study, there will be much more that needs to be said. I will have only scratched the surface of this deep, deep mine. Having scratched around the surface of this rich mine, I have found four, choice nuggets of gold that I want to show you.

Christs Compassion

First, this passage gives us a display of our Saviors deep, deep compassion for man. Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick (Mat 14:14). This great feature in our Lords character can never be remembered too often, esteemed too highly, or declared too frequently. The movement of his heart toward the sick and needy before him shows us how tender and affectionate our Savior was and is. How often we read of our Saviors compassion toward men! His heart was moved with compassion toward those whom he beheld as sheep having no shepherd (Mat 9:36), the two blind men he saw as he left Jericho (Mat 20:34), the leper who worshipped him (Mar 1:40-41), and the widow of Nain who was going to bury her son (Luk 7:13). Truly, he is the Good Samaritan (Luk 10:33).

These words are not given to fill up space. They are written in the Book of God because the Lord God intends for us to understand that he who is our God is a God full of compassion! God the Holy Spirit intends for us to know and be assured of the tenderness of Christs love to his own. His are the mercies and compassions of a man who is himself God. The tender mercies of the eternal flow to chosen sinners through the God-man Christ Jesus! The mercies and compassions of our God and Savior are the mercies and compassions of God, for he is over all, God blessed for ever. But they are no less the mercies and compassions of the Man Christ Jesus, for, verily, He took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. In Christ, the God-man, our Savior, there is both an infinite fulness of mercy and a tenderness of feeling (the tenderness of perfect manhood) toward his redeemed. Being full of compassion, he forgives our iniquity and destroys us not, turns away his anger, and stirs not up all his wrath (Psa 78:38).

When our Lord saw the sick, he was moved with compassion toward them, and healed them. When he saw these thousands of people out in a desert place, ready to faint for hunger, he was moved with compassion for them and fed them.

The word, compassion, is very expressive. It means, as Spurgeon put it, His whole being was stirred to its lowest depth, and therefore he proceeded at once to work miracles of mercy among them. He knew that many in the crowd had no faith in him and no love for him. They followed him because of curiosity, because the crowds went after him, or because they wanted to see a miracle. Yet, our Master pitied them. All were fed. All were relieved. All were filled.

Let no one ever question the gracious character of our God and Savior (Exo 34:6). He delighteth in mercy (Mic 7:18). Let all who profess to be followers of Christ follow him in his example of mercy and compassion (Joh 13:25; Gal 6:1-2; Eph 4:32 to Eph 5:1; Jas 1:27).

Christs Omnipotence

Second, we have before us an undeniable proof of our Saviors omnipotence as the mighty God. It was promised by Isaiah that the Messiah would be both a man born of a woman (Isa 7:14) and the Mighty God (Isa 9:6). Here is a display of his omnipotence as the mighty God. With five loaves and two small fish, the Lord Jesus fed 5,000 men, beside women and children. That means he fed at least 20,000, maybe 25,000 people with five pieces of bread and two pieces of fish! The task was manifestly impossible for anyone other than God himself, who alone has creative power, who alone giveth food to all flesh (Psa 136:5).

Let every believer treasure up in his heart these blessed facts. Our Savior, who is full of compassion toward us, is himself the Mighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and nothing is too hard for him!

Faith

Third, this miracle is intended to give us a lesson about faith (Mat 14:15-18). The disciples wanted to send the multitude away. They were ready to limit the Holy One. By their actions they were saying, like Israel of old, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? They measured the Lord Jesus ability by their own ability, or inability. They looked upon the Son of God as Naaman did the Jordan River, with Syrian eyes! Let us learn from their mistake and be warned. When we think of God, we must put down Hagar and raise up Sarah, silence human reason and act according to God-given faith. Faith believes without evidence, and even contrary to evidence, that things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Two sentences in these verses are bursting with spiritual instruction. Hear these two words from the lips of the Son of God, and ask for grace to trust him.

Jesus said unto them, They need not depart. What a blessed word of grace and assurance! If there was no necessity for these hungry souls to depart from Christ for food, there can never be a reason for you and me to depart from him. There is no need for the bride of Christ to wander from beneath his banner of love. Mary may sit at Jesus feet always! They need not depart. That means that there is never an excuse for compromising the gospel. There is never a reason for disobedience to Christ. There is never a cause for neglecting Christ, his worship, and his service. Whatever we need, our Savior is ready to give to us or do for us (Heb 4:16; Pro 3:5-6).

Then, in Mat 14:18, He said, Bring them hither to me. Bring all that you are and all that you have to Christ. He will remove the curse, add his blessing, and make our paltry loaves and fishes instruments of great usefulness and spiritual benefit to chosen sinners in his kingdom. Little is much in the Masters hands! It has always been Gods delight and glory to use that which men consider useless. He used a babys cry to move the heart of Pharaohs daughter. He used a shepherds crook to work miracles in Egypt. He used a boy and a slingshot to bring down Goliath. He used a poverty-stricken widow to feed his prophet. He used a little girl to lead Naaman to Elisha. He used Balaams ass to teach him obedience. He used the jawbone of an ass to slay a thousand Philistines. He used a little child to teach his disciples humility. He used a boys lunch to feed twenty some thousand people. And he uses men, who are in themselves useless sinners, to call out his own elect (1Co 1:26-29; 2Co 4:7).

The Gospel

Fourth, this miracle serves as a beautiful and clear allegory of the gospel of Gods grace. We must never attempt to make allegories where the Holy Spirit does not make them. We must never try to make the Scriptures say what they obviously do not say. But just as Paul used Sarah and Hagar as an allegory to teach the distinction between law and grace (Galatians 4), so the Holy Spirit has given us these recorded miracles of Christ to teach us spiritual, gospel truths.

This hungry multitude in a desert place is a good representation of lost mankind in this world. All the sons of Adam are an assembly of perishing souls, lost, helpless, starving, and upon the verge of eternal ruin, without the gospel of Christ. There is but a breath between them and everlasting ruin. Their only hope of salvation is the gospel of Christ (Rom 1:15-16).

The loaves and fishes, so readily despised as being inadequate to meet the needs of so many, might well be looked upon as representing the preaching of the gospel, Jesus Christ and him crucified, which God has ordained for the saving of his elect (1Co 1:21-23; Joh 6:33). Like the loaves and fish in this passage, the preaching of the cross of Christ meets all the spiritual needs of sinners in this world.

The disciples passing out the loaves and fishes to the crowd shows us the sphere of human instrumentality. I cannot make loaves and fish; but I can bring my lunch to the Master. I cannot multiply the loaves and fish; but I can pass them out. I cannot save anyone or do anything to help anyone get saved; but I can preach the gospel to eternity bound sinners. And what I can do, and have the opportunity and means to do, I am responsible to do. And the same is true of you. Bring your lunch to Christ and watch him work! C. H. Spurgeons comments on Mat 14:17-18 ought to be of great encouragement in this regard.

And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes (Mat 14:17). See how they overhaul their provisions, and they report, We have here but five loaves. With what a gloomy but they show how lean is the larder! Those two sardines make the stock seem positively ridiculous. It is a good thing for us to know how very poor we are, and how far from being able to meet the wants of the people around us. It is for our good to be made to confess this in so many words to our Lord.

Truly, he who writes this comment has often felt as if he had neither loaf nor fish, and yet for some forty years and more he has been a full-handed waiter at the Kings great banquets.

He said, Bring them hither to me (Mat 14:18). He will have us yield up what we have: we are to make no reserve. We must hand all over to Jesus: Bring them hither to me. He will accept what we bring: this is implied in the command to bring it. He will make a little go a long way: that which gets to Jesus will reach the needy by the surest route. The shortest way to procure provender for perishing souls is to go to Jesus about them.

The satisfaction of all the crowd and the baskets full leftover, appear to me to be a beautiful representation of the fulness of grace to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. He freely gives all to all who trust him. All who come to him have all they want and need. Finding all in him, we find satisfaction for our souls. Drinking the water that he gives, we never thirst again. Yet, the storehouse of grace is never diminished. In our Fathers house there is bread enough and to spare!

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible

Our King gives a Great Banquet

Mat 14:13. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

Our Lord could not allow so sad an event as the death of his Forerunner to pass without special devotion; perhaps also ho judged it wise to be out of the dominions of Herod just at this time. When such a tiger once tastes blood ho is apt to thirst for more. Moreover, rest was needed both by himself and by the little band which attended him; and our Lord was no hard taskmaster, overdriving his servants. As soon therefore as Jesus heard of John’s death, he went with his followers to a lone spot beyond Herod’s jurisdiction; “a desert place apart.” He went there by ship, to put the sea between him and the crowd. It was difficult for him to get into retirement, but he used common-sense ways of obtaining it. He knew the absolute need of privacy, and he strove after it. The discreet use of solitude has yet to bo learned by many workers. The multitude would not permit him to be at rest: they were curious, anxious, necessitous; and so they were soon on foot after him. While he sailed by sea, they hurried along the shore. It is a happy sign when there is an eagerness to hear the Word of God. The Lord send us more of it in these days of religious indifference.

Mat 14:14. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

When he left the boat and went forth, our Lord found a congregation waiting for him. In the most emphatic sense he saw the people, and at the sight he was burdened. He was not angry at the great multitude, nor did he show disappointment at being balked in his pursuit of quiet; but he was moved with compassion. The original word is very expressive: his whole being was stirred to its lowest depth, and therefore he proceeded at once to work miracles of mercy among them. They came unasked, he received them tenderly, he blessed them graciously, and at length fed them bountifully. He was as a stag that fled from the huntsmen; but they had overtaken him, and he yielded himself to them. To those who needed him most he attended first: “He healed their sick “! Lord, heal thou me, for I am sick in soul, if not in body!

The disciples had the compassion of men who see the need; but to their human thought there seemed but one poor way out of it, namely, in effect to shirk the difficulty by sending the multitude away. The short way out of a perplexity is generally a very poor affair. To this day many Christians get no further than leaving the masses to themselves, or to some unknown influences which may turn up. One thing was wise in the disciples; they did bring the matter to Jesus: “When it was evening, his disciples came to him.” They represented the place as barren, the time as late, the people as many, their needs as great: they were well posted up in all discouraging matters. The proposed course of action was the one weak point in the representation. Our schemes are for the most part wretched affairs. It is almost a wonder that we dare to state them. Do we forget that our Lord Jesus hears our sorry proposals?

Note the disciples’ word: “The time is now past.” We usually think the times are unpropitious for large attempts. As for the position, it is hopeless: “This is a desert place.” What can be done here? As for the disciples’ proposal, it was of a kind which is common enough: “Don’t let the people die under our noses; pull down the rookery in the next street; clear out the bad houses from our district.” “Send the multitude away.” Or, better still, show the people the dignity of self-help! Talk to them about thrift and emigration. Urge them to go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. This is a favourite nostrum at this day with those who want to save their own loaves and fishes. Our Lord has nobler thoughts than theirs: he will display his royal bounty among the hungry crowd.

Mat 14:16. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

Glorious word! “They need not depart.” We are able, when he is with us, to meet any cases of want which may arise; we never need send the multitude away to be dealt with by the State, by the parish, or by hirelings. If we will but set to work, we shall find that the Lord makes us competent for every emergency. “Give ye them to eat”: you talk of their buying for themselves, but they are penniless, and cannot buy. Everything must be free, or they will starve; you are the men to feed them freely; get at it. Begin at once.

Mat 14:17. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

See how they overhaul their provisions; and they report, “We have here but five loaves.” With what a gloomy “but” they show how lean is the larder! Those two sardines make the stock seem positively ridiculous. It is a good thing for us to know how very poor we are, and how far from being able to meet the wants of the people around us. It is for our good to be made to confess this in so many words to our Lord.

Truly, he who writes this comment has often felt as if he had neither loaf nor fish; and yet for some forty years and more he has been a full-handed waiter at the King’s great banquets.

Mat 14:18. He said, Bring them hither to me.

He will have us yield up what we have: we are to make no reserve. We must hand all over to Jesus: “Bring them hither to me.” He will accept what we bring: this is implied in the command to bring it. He will make a little go a long way: that which gets to Jesus will reach the needy by the surest route. The shortest way to procure provender for perishing souls is to go to Jesus about them.

Mat 14:19. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the Jive loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

He had prepared both carpet and seats for his guests, by making grass to grow in his open-air banquet-hall. At the bidding of their great Host, all the crowds sat down. “He commanded” and they obeyed: a proof of the singular power of the personality of our Lord to produce obedience even in simple matters. One would have thought that they might have answered-” What is the use of sitting down? How shall a table be furnished in this wilderness? “But our Lord’s presence awed unbelief into silence and obedience. The King of men is immediately obeyed when he commands in the fulness of his majesty. “Where the word of a king is, there is power.”

Now that all is in order, the divine Lord takes the slender provision into his blessed hands. By a simple sign he teaches the people whence to expect gracious supplies: “Looking up to heaven.” Not without a blessing does the al fresco meal begin: “He Messed.” God’s blessing must be sought even when Jesus is there: He will not act without the Father. Our Lord Jesus did all in the provision of the feast: he blessed, he brake, he gave to his disciples. All is with him. The disciples come in to take their subordinate position, after he has displayed his divine creatorship. They are the waiters: they serve and distribute; they can do no more; they are glad to do that. In haste, but yet in order, they divide the food among the throng, much wondering and adoring as they so do. It was bread and a relish with it; good fare and agreeable; sufficient, but not luxurious. Some would give the poor only the barest necessaries; bread only; our Lord adds fish. What a feast was this! Christ for Master of the feast; apostles for butlers; thousands for numbers; and miracles for supplies! What a far more glorious feast is that which the gospel spreads for hungry souls! What a privilege to be fed by the Son of God!

Mat 14:20. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

No one was neglected, no one refused, no one was too faint, no one left off till he was satisfied, no one needed anything else, no one found that the food did not suit him; for indeed they were all hungry, “and they did all cat.” No one stinted himself, or was stinted, all “were filled.” Ours is a filling Benefactor, and he provides filling food.

After the feast, twelve great baskets were needed to hold the fragments. It was impossible to exhaust the store. The baskets were full as well as the people. There was more provision after the feeding than before it. By feeding others our stock increases. That which was left had been blessed as well as that which was eaten, and therefore it was fine food for the disciples. They gave plain bread and fish, and they receive more in quantity, and a blessing to improve the quality. Those who wait upon others at Christ’s bidding shall have a fair portion for themselves. Those who fill others’ mouths shall have their own baskets filled. Everybody is satisfied when Jesus makes the feast.

Mat 14:21. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

” Women and children “are usually more numerous at a sermon than men; but as the people had come on foot, perhaps the stronger sex preponderated on this occasion, as they generally do at feeding-times. From many a great banquet women and children are shut out; but in Christ Jesus there is no exclusion because of sex or youth.

Five thousand men is no small dinnerparty. Think of five thousand fed with five loaves! A loaf among a thousand! Never let us fear that our consecrated stores will not hold out, or that we have not talent or ability enough if the Lord is pleased to use us. Our King will yet feed all the nations on that gospel which is today so little thought of. Amen! So let it be.

Mat 14:22. And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

Straightway is a business word: Jesus loses no time. No sooner is the banquet over than he sends off the guests to their homes. While they are well fed he bids them make the best of their way home. He who made the multitude sit down was able also to send the multitude away; but they needed sending, for they were loth to go.

The sea must be crossed again, or Jesus cannot find seclusion. How he must run the gauntlet to get a little rest! Before he starts again across the sea, he performs another act of self-denial; for he cannot leave till he sees the crowd happily dispersed. He attends to that business himself, giving the disciples the opportunity to depart in peace. As the captain is the last to leave the ship, so is the Lord the last to leave the scene of labour. The disciples would have chosen to stay in his company, and to enjoy the thanks of the people; but he constrained them to get into a ship. He could not get anyone to go away from him at this time without sending and constraining. This loadstone has great attractions. He evidently promised his disciples that he would follow them; for the words are, “to go before him unto the other side.” How he was to follow he did not say, but he could always find a way of keeping his appointments. How considerate of him to wait amid the throng while the disciples sailed away in peace. He always takes the heavy end of the load himself.

Fuente: Spurgeon’s The Gospel of the Kingdom

Mat 14:1, Mat 14:2, Mat 10:23, Mat 12:15, Mar 6:30-33, Luk 9:10-17, Joh 6:1-15

Reciprocal: Mar 6:31 – come Mar 6:32 – General Mar 9:2 – an high Mar 11:23 – and shall Luk 4:40 – and he Luk 4:42 – and the

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

4:13

When Jesus heard it means what the disciples of John had just reported. Hence the whole narrative including the works of Jesus goes back to the time of the death of John and proceeds again from there. Jesus wished some privacy or at least some relief from the presence of the crowds after receiving the sad news, and hence he went into a ship and journeyed to a place not much inhabited. Notwithstanding, the people came in throngs on foot to follow him.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

When Jesus heard of it; he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof; they followed him on foot out of the cities.

[He departed thence by ship into a desert place, etc.] that is, from Capernaum into the desert of Bethsaida, which is rendered by John, He went over the sea Which is to be understood properly, namely, from Galilee into Perea. The chorographical maps have placed Bethsaida in Galilee, on the same coast on which Capernaum is also: so also commentators feign to themselves a bay of the sea only coming between these two cities, which was our opinion once also with them: but at last we learned of Josephus, that Bethsaida was in the upper Gaulanitis; (which we observe elsewhere,) on the east coast of the sea of Gennesaret in Perea.

[They followed him on foot.] From hence interpreters argue that Capernaum and Bethsaida lay not on different shores of the sea, but on the same: for how else, say they, could the multitude follow him afoot? Very well, say I, passing Jordan near Tiberias, whose situation I have elsewhere shewn to be at the efflux of Jordan out of the sea of Galilee. They followed him afoot from the cities; saith our evangelist: now there were cities of some note very near Capernaum, Tarichea on one side, Tiberias on the other. Let it be granted that the multitude travelled out of these cities after Christ; the way by which they went afoot was at the bridge of Jordan in Chammath: that place was distant a mile or something less from Tiberias, and from Capernaum three miles or thereabouts. Passing Jordan, they went along by the coast of Magdala; and, after that, through the country of Hippo: now Magdala was distant one mile from Jordan, Hippo two; and after Hippo was Bethsaida, at the east shore of the sea; and after Bethsaida was a bay of the sea, thrusting out itself somewhat into the land; and from thence was the desert of Bethsaida. When, therefore, they returned back from thence, he commands his disciples to get into a ship, and to go to Bethsaida, while he sent the multitude away, whence he would afterward follow them on foot, and would sail with them thence to Capernaum.

Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels

Mat 14:13. Now when Jesus heard it. This was not the only cause of the retirement (see Mar 6:31). The Twelve had returned and the multitudes gave Him and them no rest. Besides this gathering of multitudes would make Herod more suspicious.

Into a desert place apart. Not a desert in the modem sense, but a thinly inhabited district; in Gaulonitis near Bethsaida Julias, on the eastern shore of the lake of Tiberias (see Luk 9:10; Joh 6:1), in the dominions of Philip the Tetrarch. Our Lord would avoid Herod as well as seek rest for His disciples.

They followed him. Comp. Mar 6:33. The popularity of our Lord continued.

By land. This is the usual meaning of the Greek phrase, which is literally rendered: on foot.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Mat 14:13-14. When Jesus heard it, he departed thence It appears from Mar 6:30, that the disciples of John arrived with the news of their masters death at, or immediately after, the time when the apostles returned from their mission, and gave Jesus an account of the miracles which they had performed, and of the success of their ministry. Perhaps tidings of Johns death had reached them before their return, and had caused them to hasten it. Be this as it may, it is probable that the distressing intelligence had thrown them into great consternation, and that our Lord retired into the desert with them with a view to allay it, and to give them an opportunity to indulge such meditations as were suitable to so awful a dispensation. Mark assigns also another reason of our Lords retreat on this occasion, namely, the continual hurry the apostles were kept in by the multitude, which thronged about Jesus to such a degree, that they had not leisure so much as to eat without interruption, and much less for religious retirement and recollection. Perhaps, likewise, by this retreat, our Lord proposed to shun Herod, who desired to see him, and might be contriving some method of obtaining an interview with him; for Jesus had perfect knowledge not only of the conversation which passed at the court of Galilee, but also of Herods thoughts and designs. When the people heard thereof That is, heard to what place he was going, they followed him on foot out of the cities They went after him by land, and travelled with such eagerness that they arrived at the place before him, having increased their numbers out of all the cities by which they passed. And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude Much greater, it appears, than that which he had left at Capernaum. On this occasion, as on many others, he was moved with compassion toward them, because, says Mark, they were as sheep not having a shepherd. Therefore, he both preached to them and healed their sick Healed them, says Luke, that had need of healing Even all, it appears, that were brought to him.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

LXIII.

FIRST WITHDRAWAL FROM HEROD’S TERRITORY AND RETURN.

(Spring, A. D. 29.)

Subdivision B.

FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND.

aMATT. XIV. 13-21; bMARK VI. 33-44; cLUKE IX. 11-17; dJOHN VI. 2-14.

c11 But {aand} the multitudes heard thereof [heard of Jesus and his disciples crossing the lake], b33 And they saw them going, and cperceiving it, bmany knew them, d2 And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick. band they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them. a14 And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and had compassion on them, bbecause they were as sheep not having a shepherd cand he welcomed them, band he began to teach them many things. cand spake unto them of the kingdom of God, aand healed their sick. cand them that had need of healing he cured. [Jesus probably set sail from near Capernaum, and from thence across the lake to the narrow, secluded plain of El Batihah, where he landed is less than five miles. Seeing him start, the people followed him by running along the northern shore, and, though having a little farther to go, they traveled faster than the sailboat, and were waiting for him on the shore when he arrived.] d3 And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. [The level plain did not afford a good platform from which to address the people.] 4 Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. [This passover is computed to have been held on April 16, A.D. 29. This statement as to the time of year prepares us for his further statement that there was much grass in the plain. It also explains in part the gathering of a multitude in this secluded region. Pilgrims on their way to the passover would gladly go several miles out of their way to see the great Prophet perform a miracle. The excitement, due to the mission of the twelve and the death of the Baptist, also tended to swell the [375] crowd.] c12 And the day began to wear away; b35 And when the day was now far spent, a15 And when even was come, bhis disciples cthe twelve bcame unto him cand said unto him, {asaying,} bThe place is desert, and the day is now far spent; aand the time is already past [the time to seek lodging and provisions had gone by, and therefore the multitude must act quickly]; b36 send them athe multitudes {cmultitude} away, that they may go into the villages and country around, and lodge, and get provisions: aand buy themselves food. bsomething to eat. cfor we are here in a desert place. [The apostles were the first to think of eating, and naturally enough, for they had started on empty stomachs, and their own discomfort made them anticipate the sad plight in which the multitude would soon find itself.] a16 But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; d5 Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh to him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings’ worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. [Jesus tested Philip to see which way he would turn in his weakness. Jesus asked where the bread might be bought, knowing that power to feed the multitude resided in himself ( Isa 55:1), but Philip wondered where the money was to be had to buy it.] b37 But he answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred shillings’ worth of bread, and give them to eat? [The word translated shilling is the Roman denarius, worth about seventeen cents. The sum was not large, as we reckon money, but, considering the purchasing power of money in those days, it was an imposing sum, and it is to be doubted if the treasury-bag of Judas ever contained the fourth part of it. For a denarius was the regular price for a day’s labor.] 38 And he saith unto them, How many [376] loaves have ye? go and see. d8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are they among so many? bAnd when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. a17 And they say unto him, {csaid,} aWe have here but cno more than five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. 14 For they were about five thousand men. [When sent to see what was in their larder, it appears that they had nothing at all. Andrew reports the finding of the boy’s lunch while it was as yet the boy’s property. Some of the others, having secured it from the boy, report it now at the disposal of Jesus, but comment on its insufficiency. Eastern loaves were thin and small, like good-sized crackers, and around the Sea of Galilee, the salting and preserving of small fish was an especial industry. These fish, therefore, were about the size of sardines. The whole supply, therefore, was no more than enough for one hungry boy. But each loaf had to be divided between a thousand, and each fish between twenty-five hundred men.] a18 And he said, Bring them hither to me. 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down cAnd d10 Jesus said, cunto his disciples, Make them dthe people sit down. cin companies, about fifty each. 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. b40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. dNow there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. [By thus arranging them in orderly companies, Jesus accomplished several things. He saved his apostles much time and labor in distributing the food. He insured that each one should be fed, and that the reality of the miracle could not be questioned, and he ascertained definitely how many men were fed.] c16 And d11 Jesus therefore took athe five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, che blessed and brake them, band brake the loaves; dand having [377] given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; aand gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. {cand gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.} dlikewise also of the fishes as much as they would. band the two fishes divided he among them all. 42 And they all ate, cand were all filled. [He blessed the loaves and fishes by returning thanks for them. This and similar acts of Jesus are our precedents for giving thanks, or, “asking the blessing,” at our tables]: d12 And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost. [Christ is the economist of the universe. This command was in keeping with his laws which permit nothing to suffer annihilation. Ruin and destruction have no other effect than merely to change the form of things. Every atom of the material world which was here at the beginning of creation is here to-day, though it may have changed its form a million times in the progress of events.] So they gathered them up, cand there was taken {athey took} cup that which remained over to them of athe broken pieces, dand filled atwelve baskets full. {bbasketfuls,} dwith broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten. band also of the fishes. a21 And they that did eat {bate} the loaves were aabout five thousand men, besides women and children. [Considering the distance from any town, the women and children would not likely be numerous. They form no part of the count, for Eastern usage did not permit the women to sit with the men. They, with the little ones, would stand apart.] d14 When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. [That is to say, this is the Messiah, the prophet promised at Deu 18:15. Their desire to avenge the death of John made them feverishly anxious for the appearance of the Messiah, but this faith was inconstant.] [378]

[FFG 375-378]

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

CHAPTER 32

FEEDING THE MULTITUDES

Mat 14:13-21; Mar 6:32-44; Luk 9:10-17; & Joh 6:1-14. Mark: And they departed, into an uninhabited place apart, in a ship. And the multitudes saw them going, and many recognized Him; and they continued to run on foot from all the cities, and come before them, and come together to Him. They sailed from the city of Capernaum, on the northern coast of the Galilean Sea, and, as Luke says, they went into an uninhabited region of the city of Bethsaida; i.e., into a portion of country belonging to that city. Bethsaida is on the northwest coast, and Tiberias on the west coast. This uninhabited region i.e., a natural parkway off the coast, and perhaps about midway between these two cities. N.B. The Galilean Sea at that time was literally fenced in with cities, dotting the coast seventy-five miles in compass. Now, when He proceeds with the Twelve to embark for a rest in that desert place, the people in the cities round on the coast have a full view of them, and seeing the direction they are running, multitudes run around overland, actually arriving in the park before they do, while others come on in thronging multitudes. I saw all of this situation, and actually sailed over the route here specified, visiting all of the cities here mentioned. So you see how the eager multitudes defeated the plan of taking a rest, giving them an audience of about ten thousand instead of the solitude amid trees and rocks.

Joh 6:3 : And Jesus came into the mountain, and was sitting there with His disciples. The sea of Galilee, being depressed before the oceanic level seven hundred feet, as a natural consequence is surrounded on all sides by highlands, some of them (e.g., Mt. Hattin, on which Saladin, the Moslem general, defeated the Crusaders, thus putting an end to Christian rule in Galilee, A. D. 1187; and the Mount of Beatitudes, north of Capernaum) rising to great eminence. I saw the region off the coast on the mountain slope between Bethsaida and Tiberias, where this immense gathering took place. And the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was nigh. N.B. Our Lord began His ministry at the Passover by purifying the temple driving out all of the buyers and sellers. Having preached two or three weeks in Judea, He then came to Galilee, passing through and preaching in Samaria. Remaining in Galilee to the close of the year, He again attends the Passover at Jerusalem, immediately after which He returns to Galilee, where He remains, making, in all, three circuits throughout the country, and finally sending out His twelve apostles, heading six evangelistic bands. Now we see another year of our Lords ministry has gone by, and this great multitude, generally estimated at five thousand, but in all probability at least twice that number, as Matthew says there were five thousand, besides women and children, who, as a rule, constitute the larger half of an audience. The Jews were accustomed to go up to Jerusalem to their great solemnities by whole families, on foot, with a few donkeys and camels along to carry luggage, feeble old people, and babies, and frequently driving along sacrificial animals; thus going in great crowds for company and security against robbers and marauders. As we see here they were right on the eve of the Passover, doubtless this multitude had assembled in view of going on to Jerusalem, and attending their greatest national festival, which commemorated the birth of their nation.

Mar 6:34 : And Jesus, going out, looked on the vast multitude, and was moved with compassion in their behalf, because they were as sheep having no shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. We again find this frequently repeated affirmation of our Lord, Sheep having no shepherd. N.B. These were not heathens, nor outsiders, but the bona fide members of the Jewish Church, with their regular pastors, officers, and Church services. Still you see that in the Divine estimation they had no shepherds; i.e., no competent spiritual guides. How exceedingly pertinent does that alarming statement apply to the fallen Churches and worldly clergy of the present day! And it already being a late hour, His disciples, coming to Him, say, That this is a desert place, and already the hour is late; send them away, that having gone into the surrounding country and villages, they may purchase for themselves bread; for they have nothing which they may eat. And responding, He said to them, You give them to eat. And they say to Him, Having gone away, must we buy two hundred pennies worth of bread and give them to eat? Evidently having only two hundred pennies in the apostolical treasury. And He says to them, How much bread have you? Go and see. And having ascertained, they say, Five loaves and two fishes. He commanded them all to sit down by companies on the green grass. And they sat by hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples that they may distribute to them; and He divided out the two fishes to all.

Joh 6:12 : And when they were filled, He says to His disciples, Gather ye up the remaining fragments, in order that nothing may be lost. Then they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments from the five barley loaves which remained to those who had eaten.

Mat 14:21 : And those eating were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Evidently, as you see, at least ten thousand people, fed bountifully with the five barley loaves and two fishes, about enough for five persons, as the loaves in that country are generally small. That country is notorious for baskets, and generally very large, holding several bushels. A common sight at Jerusalem is a woman coming in, sitting on her little donkey, with one of these great baskets on either side filled with market stuff i.e., vegetables and fruits and a baby in her arms, and no bridle on the animal; sitting astride, apparently very comfortable, and frequently singing, as I supposed, for the entertainment of the baby. Hence, one basket would hold, in all probability, ten times the original amount of the whole supply with which they began to eat. Now ten thousand have eaten, and twelve baskets full of fragments were taken up. What a wonderful flood of spiritual truth pours in from this transcendent miracle! You go into an utterly destitute place like this to hold a revival-meeting. You can hardly rake and scrape fire enough on the old smoldering chunks to kindle into a flame. When once you get it started, it rolls a deluge over the neighborhood, running the devil out, and bringing heaven down. A hundred red-hot evangelists rise up from that meeting, and carry away fire enough to start a hundred new revivals. Spiritualities are the very opposite of materialities, as Gods ways are different from mans. In temporal things, the more we use, the less we have. In spiritual, precisely the reverse is true: the more we use and give away, the more we have. You may hardly have religion enough to keep Satan from taking you, and go out and get some poor fellow gloriously converted, and, to your surprise, you will find that you have at least ten times as much as you had before you began this good work.

Joh 6:14 : Therefore the people, seeing the miracle which Jesus performed, continued to say, That this is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world; i.e., the Christ, the Messiah of God, the Redeemer of Israel, the Shiloh, the Savior for whom Israel has waited four thousand years; thus arousing and electrifying the multitude with the most thrilling enthusiasm, as the Jews have been listening to His preaching and diagnosing His miracles these two whole years, wondering if He is really the Messiah of prophecy, and at the same time ready to rally and crown Him King, as they all distinctly understand that the Christ is to be their King, break the Roman yoke, set them free, and even transcend the glory of David and Solomon, and reign over them forever; thus infelicitously mixing up the prophecies appertaining to His first and second coming, and running into a bewilderment, which, maneuvered by Satan, conduced awfully to blind their eyes and defeat their diagnosis of Messiahship in Jesus.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Mat 14:13-21. The Feeding of the Multitude (Mar 6:35-44*, Luk 9:10-17).The account is somewhat shorter than in Mk. Having already (Mat 9:36) spoken of Jesus compassion for people who were as sheep not having a shepherd (Mar 6:34), Mt. here (Mat 14:14) makes Him heal the sick, which is somewhat out of place. He adds to the 5000 men, women and children.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

Verse 13

He went over the Sea of Galilee, perhaps to some portion of its eastern shore, which was little inhabited, and where he was safe from Herod–On foot; that is, the people, went to the same place by land.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

2. The withdrawal to Bethsaida 14:13-33

Having experienced strong rejection from the common people and from the nation’s political leaders, Jesus withdrew to train His disciples further. In view of the coming conflict, they needed stronger faith in Him. Jesus cultivated their faith with two miracles.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 14:13-21 (cf. Mar 6:30-44; Luk 9:10-17; Joh 6:1-13)

Matthew’s record of this miracle, which all four Gospels contain, stresses Jesus’ power to create, His compassion, and the disciples’ responsibility to minister to multitudes as Jesus’ representatives. It also previews the kingdom banquet (cf. Mat 8:11). The simple meal that Jesus provided on this occasion in a wholesome setting contrasts with Herod’s lavish feast in a degenerate setting just described. [Note: See Edersheim, 1:677.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Since Mat 14:3-12 are an excursus, the opening words of this pericope must refer to Herod’s response to Jesus’ ministry. When Jesus heard that, He withdrew from Herod’s territory and his animosity (cf. Mat 12:15). Evidently Jesus believed Herod Antipas would oppose Him as he had opposed His forerunner. As previously (Mat 12:15) and later (Mat 15:21), Jesus withdrew from a place of danger and confrontation.

However, Jesus could not escape the crowds that followed Him wherever He went. The lonely place where Jesus retreated was evidently near Bethsaida Julias on Galilee’s northeast shore (Luk 9:10). Jesus traveled there from Capernaum by boat, but the crowds beat Him there on foot having learned where He was going. They walked east along the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee. Matthew again noted the great compassion of the King (cf. Mat 9:36).