Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 16:9
Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Verse 9. – 10. Do ye not yet understand – the five loaves – neither the seven] See Clarke on Mt 14:14, c. How astonishing is it that these men should have any fear of lacking bread, after having seen the two miracles which our blessed Lord alludes to above! Though men quickly perceive their bodily wants, and are querulous enough till they get them supplied, yet they as quickly forget the mercy which they had received and thus God gets few returns of gratitude for his kindnesses. To make men, therefore, deeply sensible of his favours, he is induced to suffer them often to be in want, and then to supply them in such a way as to prove that their supply has come immediately from the hand of their bountiful Father.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Do ye not understand,…. Meaning either the sense of the advice he had now given; or rather his almighty power displayed in the two miracles of feeding five thousand at one time, and four thousand at another, with a very small quantity of provision; for to this the word “understand” refers, as well as the following:
neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Have you forgot what was so lately done, namely, the feeding five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, when ye took up, after all were filled and satisfied, no less than twelve baskets of fragments? And can you, after this, distrust my power in the care of you? Have I fed so many with so small a quantity of food? and am I not able to feed twelve of you, though you have but one loaf? Why all these anxious thoughts and carnal reasonings?
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9, 10) How many baskets.The distinction between the two kinds of basketsthe cophini and the spuridesis, as before noticed (Note on Mat. 15:37), strictly observed here.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Five thousand Our Lord reminds them of the miracles of bread to show that his thoughts were not obliged to be resting on natural supplies of bread.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Do you not yet perceive, nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many containers you took up?”
So He reminds them how the huge crowds had had no bread, and how the five loaves had become twelve wicker basketfuls, and the seven loaves had become seven hemp containerfuls. (Note again the careful differentiation between the types of basket). In view of those miracles, how could they be worrying about bread, especially when He was present with them? And in view of the significance of that miraculous bread as indicating His teaching, how could they fail to recognise that this too was in His mind?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 16:9 f. After those two miracles you have so recently witnessed (Mat 14:15 , Mat 15:32 ), have you still so little penetration as not to understand that the thing to which I am alluding is not literal bread, which you ought to have depended ( .) on my being able to supply whenever occasion might require, but rather to something of a spiritual nature? Jesus lays no more stress here than He does elsewhere upon the physical benefit of His bread-miracle (de Wette), but simply makes use of it in the way of suggesting deeper reflection.
The difference between . and . does not lie in being larger (Bengel, which does not follow from Act 9:25 ), but in the fact that is a general term, whereas denotes a food-basket in particular. See note on Mat 14:20 , Mat 15:37 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Ver. 9. Neither remember ] Tantum didicimus, quantum meminimus. So much we learn as we remember. a Our memories are naturally like hour glasses, no sooner filled with good instructions and experiments than running out again. It must be our prayer to God that he would put his finger upon the hole, and so make our memories like the pot of manna, preserving holy truths in the ark of the soul.
a Discere voluit Socrates nihil aliud esse quam recordari. Cic. Tusc. Quaest.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 16:9-10 . nd with so little excuse in view of quite recent experiences, of which the vivid details are given as if to heighten the reproach.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
baskets. Greek. kophinos. Used in connection with the five thousand and the twelve full baskets left in Mat 14:20.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 16:9. , not yet) The fault of the slow learner is increased by his having heard long ago.–, understand, remember) The verb expresses something more voluntary than ; see Mat 16:12; Mar 7:18; 2Ti 2:7. Sin affects also the mind and the memory. They ought to have understood, even if those two miracles had not been performed. We ought to remember even the circumstances of Divine works, and from former to hope for further help.[722]
[722] It is not such forgetfulness as they upbraided themselves with, Mat 16:7, but one altogether distinct, arising from unbelief accompanied with stupidity, that is here attributed to them as a fault.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
baskets
A different Greek word from that translated “baskets” in Mat 16:10.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
ye not: Mat 15:16, Mat 15:17, Mar 7:18, Luk 24:25-27, Rev 3:19
the five loaves: Mat 14:17-21, Mar 6:38-44, Luk 9:13-17, Joh 6:9-13
Reciprocal: Neh 9:17 – mindful Mat 15:34 – How Mat 15:37 – seven Mar 4:13 – Know Mar 6:52 – they Mar 8:17 – perceive Luk 9:17 – and there Joh 16:18 – we 2Th 2:5 – Remember Heb 2:1 – we should Heb 12:5 – ye have forgotten
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9-10
It seems that man needs to have his faith renewed from time to time on account of his unreliable memory. Moses had seen all the mighty works of God in Egypt and the Red Sea, yet when he was told that nation was to be given an abundance of flesh to eat he wondered where the Lord would get it. (See Num 11:18-23.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 16:9. Do ye not yet perceive. Mark (Mar 8:17-18) is more full. Besides want of faith, they had shown great want of perception.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
16:9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the {e} five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
(e) That five thousand men were filled with so many loaves?