For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
About five thousand men besides women and children were gathered in a wilderness place at nightfall, and at His word they sat down on the grass in orderly companies of fifty and of a hundred. Though weary from following Him all day without invitation and faint with hunger, they were not sent away, for He pitied them as sheep without a shepherd and depended on His Father to meet their need. He blessed five barley loaves and two small fishes, broke them and gave them to the disciples to carry to the people, and the supply kept increasing in their hands until all ate and were satisfied and twelve baskets of fragments remained to be gathered that nothing be lost. The feeding lifts the veil from nature to show the same creative power by which seed is multiplied in the earth every day, and His blessing on a small portion makes it all-sufficient so that what is shared grows to meet the need of many. The order to sit and the miracle teach that God can bless what is given for service, calling those who work with Him to have compassion on the hungry, to give what they have for body and soul, and to use all that remains with wise economy.
Crowd and Setting
About five thousand men were counted present, besides women and children who were also there with them. The five loaves and two small fishes, five barley loaves and a few small fishes, proved enough for all the five thousand men besides the women and children because the food increased as the disciples distributed it, until all ate and were satisfied with food left over, including twelve baskets of fragments, and the disciples also ate with Jesus.
The place was a wilderness, a retired place away from the cities, where Jesus led the people who followed Him on foot to a nice grassy plot. There He found a convenient, pleasant place where He could minister to them and had the men and women seated on the grass so they could be accommodated before the food was distributed. They were far from home as night and evening drew on, where food was not readily available and not nearby, many could not buy food, and there was no apparent means to provide it.
They had come without being invited or commanded, had gathered about Christ and followed Him for hours to hear spiritual teaching, listening to His teaching of salvation all day until evening. After listening for a long time they were hungry and faint and weary, and Jesus knew they would be hungry and faint and said they must be weary and should have rest and food. That need included weary mothers and their children among the fainting multitude.
Though interrupted and robbed of His rest, He was not impatient when He looked upon the moving multitude from the hillside, but was moved with compassion toward them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd. Leaving His retreat, He let the healing waters of life flow from Him as He taught the multitude the way of salvation, giving the help the priests and rulers did not give. When the day was far spent the disciples urged Him to send the people away since they had no food, and said there was nothing to feed them except a few loaves and fishes. With only five loaves and a few small fishes at hand, He asked how much food they had, had it brought, and depended on His heavenly Father to meet the need.
Orderly Seating Arrangement
At His command to His disciples the people obeyed and sat down in order in companies of fifty. The seating was an orderly arrangement made before the food was given out. They were also ranged in companies of one hundred on the grass, marshaled and seated in the Saviour's presence wondering what was to be done. As they sat a hymn was sung. The ordering preserved order and accommodated them for distribution, so that all might witness the miracle He was about to do.
Miracle of Multiplication
Jesus took the five barley loaves and two small fishes that had been brought, blessed the food as He broke it, divided the fishes, broke the loaves into small pieces, and placed the pieces in the disciples' hands to carry to the hungry. The blessing was asked upon the scanty provision before it was passed to the disciples for distribution.
The supply kept increasing as it was passed along, for as the disciples imparted what they received and returned for more, they kept receiving fresh portions until the need was met. All ate and were filled and satisfied, hunger being fully met from what had seemed wholly insufficient. There was food left over, including twelve baskets of fragments, and the disciples themselves also ate together with Jesus.
When all were fed Jesus commanded that the fragments be gathered up and nothing be lost, so His care extended beyond providing the meal to ensuring that what remained was gathered and used rather than wasted. That gathering shows that God's gifts are not to be wasted but are to be carefully used so others may benefit.
Christ's Power and Compassion
The seating of about five thousand men, besides women and children, reveals sympathy that embraced bodily need as well as hours of spiritual teaching. Looking on the moving multitude He was moved with compassion toward them as sheep without a shepherd, and though interrupted and robbed of rest He was not impatient. Leaving His retreat He found a convenient place to minister to them, giving the help the priests and rulers did not give, while the healing waters of life flowed from Him as He taught the way of salvation. His compassion included weary mothers and children, faint and hungry after long listening, and led Him by divine power to bless five loaves and two fishes and multiply them through the disciples until all ate and were satisfied with food left over.
He is Himself sanctuary and helper and great leading Physician to the needy, leading the fainting people to a grassy place and commanding them to sit so they could be fed. When only five loaves and a few small fishes were at hand, He took them, divided them with His disciples, and told them to distribute to the multitude, making it enough for all five thousand besides women and children. The miracle belonged to His mission and expressed His love for humanity and His beneficence. That benevolent care continues, for He can give His people knowledge in different places so they can provide food in various ways.
The feeding proves Him the world's Redeemer with omnipotent power. His command to provide food rested on the same power by which He supplied their needs, so the small amount in the disciples' hands was no reason to withhold what they had. It was the same power He possessed while working to support His family and while doing daily work. Yet He did not use divine power to reduce His own burdens or lighten His toil, showing that useful labor is honorable and that people should work industriously.
The One who as a man preaching the gospel fed the five thousand is the same who in Old Testament times worked the same wonder for one hundred men. He is the same who supplied His people in the wilderness with bread and clear flowing streams, who guided them in glory and taught them in His humanity as the I AM before Abraham. Though walking the earth in lowliness and poverty He is greater than Moses. From His resources He can spread a table in the wilderness for more than a million people, for the grace of God on a small portion makes it all-sufficient, and God's hand can multiply scanty provision a hundredfold and by His touch make it sufficient for all.
God's Provision in Nature
The feeding of the five thousand lifts the veil from the world of nature to reveal the creative energy constantly exercised for human good. It illustrates the working of God's power in the production of the harvest. The same power that multiplied the loaves multiplies the seed cast into the ground every day. By that daily miracle millions are constantly fed from the earth's harvest fields.
Men are called to cooperate with God in the care of the grain and the preparation of the loaf. Because of that cooperation they lose sight of the divine agency and ascribe the working of His power to natural causes or human instrumentality. Too often they pervert His gifts to selfish uses so that they become a curse instead of a blessing. God seeks to quicken dull senses to discern His merciful kindness, so that His gifts may be the blessing He intended.
The grace of God upon a small portion makes it all-sufficient. About five thousand men, besides women and children, were fed from five barley loaves and two small fishes, and after all ate and were satisfied twelve baskets of fragments remained. God's hand can bless and multiply scanty provision a hundredfold until it meets the needs of many, and by His touch make it sufficient for all. What seems a meager supply can become enough for oneself and something to share with others, so the small amount in hand is no reason to withhold what is had. This is the same wonder once worked for one hundred men, by the same One who supplied His people in the wilderness with bread and clear flowing streams, who guided them in glory and taught them as the I AM before Abraham, who though walking the earth in lowliness and poverty is greater than Moses, and who from His resources can spread a table in the wilderness for more than a million people. It stands as an object lesson that God can make seemingly inadequate resources sufficient for His people's work, for His command to provide rests on the same power that supplies the need.
Those who serve with Christ receive divine grace to give to people in need. God works with those who give and serve on unselfish principles. The gift increases as it is shared.
Lessons for Service and Stewardship
The command to sit and the miracle itself were meant to teach far-reaching principles that would leave truth permanently in mind. God can bless the means that people give and enable them to feed multitudes. The food and the disciples' work in distributing it illustrate how He blesses and multiplies what is given for service.
That provision is applied to feeding those who are spiritually hungry for the bread of life. Believers are to share what they have, including the truth, with those who lack it. Christ's compassion in organizing and feeding the multitude teaches that the weary and hungry must not be neglected or sent away faint, weary, and discouraged. His followers must feel compassion and interest for fellow men who seek the way of salvation, making earnest effort that those anxious to hear the word of life have opportunity. It is Christian duty to study the best ways of helping people, never to make the way to Christ wearisome and objectionable, and to remove everything that obstructs the path.
For food work, simple, economical preparations can serve well, and selfish private interests must not obstruct the work. Workers who are softened and subdued and sanctified by the Holy Spirit and who dedicate themselves to God will receive from Him to communicate to those in necessity. Those who come into line with God can receive tact, skill, and understanding from Him. He can give His people knowledge in different places so they can provide food in various ways, and His benevolent care continues.
Scattered supply placed in missionary work will be multiplied by God as it is imparted to others, so that all may eat and be filled. The work must not be stopped, and advance must not be measured by means at hand, for that shows very limited faith. Whether means are large or small, God's human agents must plan and work in faith, diffuse the gospel over the whole earth, and go forward as commanded to Moses. Even when a great need has been met, what remains should not be wasted. This calls for wise economy and thrift in times of difficulty.
God's gifts are to be imparted to the needy and not wasted or seized selfishly, with no right to gamble or rob another of means by scheming. Careful use of material blessings and spiritual opportunities can benefit others. Gathering the fragments means more than saving pieces of food. It calls for plain, simple work without extravagance while still making room to care for and impress people. All the works of Christ manifested in the present day by message or in any way of helpfulness are to be held as a credit. Those who receive spiritual nourishment should share it with others.
About five thousand men besides women and children were gathered in a wilderness place at nightfall, and at His word they sat down on the grass in orderly companies of fifty and of a hundred. Though weary from following Him all day without invitation and faint with hunger, they were not sent away, for He pitied them as sheep without a shepherd and depended on His Father to meet their need. He blessed five barley loaves and two small fishes, broke them and gave them to the disciples to carry to the people, and the supply kept increasing in their hands until all ate and were satisfied and twelve baskets of fragments remained to be gathered that nothing be lost. The feeding lifts the veil from nature to show the same creative power by which seed is multiplied in the earth every day, and His blessing on a small portion makes it all-sufficient so that what is shared grows to meet the need of many. The order to sit and the miracle teach that God can bless what is given for service, calling those who work with Him to have compassion on the hungry, to give what they have for body and soul, and to use all that remains with wise economy.
Crowd and Setting
About five thousand men were counted present, besides women and children who were also there with them. The five loaves and two small fishes, five barley loaves and a few small fishes, proved enough for all the five thousand men besides the women and children because the food increased as the disciples distributed it, until all ate and were satisfied with food left over, including twelve baskets of fragments, and the disciples also ate with Jesus.
The place was a wilderness, a retired place away from the cities, where Jesus led the people who followed Him on foot to a nice grassy plot. There He found a convenient, pleasant place where He could minister to them and had the men and women seated on the grass so they could be accommodated before the food was distributed. They were far from home as night and evening drew on, where food was not readily available and not nearby, many could not buy food, and there was no apparent means to provide it.
They had come without being invited or commanded, had gathered about Christ and followed Him for hours to hear spiritual teaching, listening to His teaching of salvation all day until evening. After listening for a long time they were hungry and faint and weary, and Jesus knew they would be hungry and faint and said they must be weary and should have rest and food. That need included weary mothers and their children among the fainting multitude.
Though interrupted and robbed of His rest, He was not impatient when He looked upon the moving multitude from the hillside, but was moved with compassion toward them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd. Leaving His retreat, He let the healing waters of life flow from Him as He taught the multitude the way of salvation, giving the help the priests and rulers did not give. When the day was far spent the disciples urged Him to send the people away since they had no food, and said there was nothing to feed them except a few loaves and fishes. With only five loaves and a few small fishes at hand, He asked how much food they had, had it brought, and depended on His heavenly Father to meet the need.
Orderly Seating Arrangement
At His command to His disciples the people obeyed and sat down in order in companies of fifty. The seating was an orderly arrangement made before the food was given out. They were also ranged in companies of one hundred on the grass, marshaled and seated in the Saviour's presence wondering what was to be done. As they sat a hymn was sung. The ordering preserved order and accommodated them for distribution, so that all might witness the miracle He was about to do.
Miracle of Multiplication
Jesus took the five barley loaves and two small fishes that had been brought, blessed the food as He broke it, divided the fishes, broke the loaves into small pieces, and placed the pieces in the disciples' hands to carry to the hungry. The blessing was asked upon the scanty provision before it was passed to the disciples for distribution.
The supply kept increasing as it was passed along, for as the disciples imparted what they received and returned for more, they kept receiving fresh portions until the need was met. All ate and were filled and satisfied, hunger being fully met from what had seemed wholly insufficient. There was food left over, including twelve baskets of fragments, and the disciples themselves also ate together with Jesus.
When all were fed Jesus commanded that the fragments be gathered up and nothing be lost, so His care extended beyond providing the meal to ensuring that what remained was gathered and used rather than wasted. That gathering shows that God's gifts are not to be wasted but are to be carefully used so others may benefit.
Christ's Power and Compassion
The seating of about five thousand men, besides women and children, reveals sympathy that embraced bodily need as well as hours of spiritual teaching. Looking on the moving multitude He was moved with compassion toward them as sheep without a shepherd, and though interrupted and robbed of rest He was not impatient. Leaving His retreat He found a convenient place to minister to them, giving the help the priests and rulers did not give, while the healing waters of life flowed from Him as He taught the way of salvation. His compassion included weary mothers and children, faint and hungry after long listening, and led Him by divine power to bless five loaves and two fishes and multiply them through the disciples until all ate and were satisfied with food left over.
He is Himself sanctuary and helper and great leading Physician to the needy, leading the fainting people to a grassy place and commanding them to sit so they could be fed. When only five loaves and a few small fishes were at hand, He took them, divided them with His disciples, and told them to distribute to the multitude, making it enough for all five thousand besides women and children. The miracle belonged to His mission and expressed His love for humanity and His beneficence. That benevolent care continues, for He can give His people knowledge in different places so they can provide food in various ways.
The feeding proves Him the world's Redeemer with omnipotent power. His command to provide food rested on the same power by which He supplied their needs, so the small amount in the disciples' hands was no reason to withhold what they had. It was the same power He possessed while working to support His family and while doing daily work. Yet He did not use divine power to reduce His own burdens or lighten His toil, showing that useful labor is honorable and that people should work industriously.
The One who as a man preaching the gospel fed the five thousand is the same who in Old Testament times worked the same wonder for one hundred men. He is the same who supplied His people in the wilderness with bread and clear flowing streams, who guided them in glory and taught them in His humanity as the I AM before Abraham. Though walking the earth in lowliness and poverty He is greater than Moses. From His resources He can spread a table in the wilderness for more than a million people, for the grace of God on a small portion makes it all-sufficient, and God's hand can multiply scanty provision a hundredfold and by His touch make it sufficient for all.
God's Provision in Nature
The feeding of the five thousand lifts the veil from the world of nature to reveal the creative energy constantly exercised for human good. It illustrates the working of God's power in the production of the harvest. The same power that multiplied the loaves multiplies the seed cast into the ground every day. By that daily miracle millions are constantly fed from the earth's harvest fields.
Men are called to cooperate with God in the care of the grain and the preparation of the loaf. Because of that cooperation they lose sight of the divine agency and ascribe the working of His power to natural causes or human instrumentality. Too often they pervert His gifts to selfish uses so that they become a curse instead of a blessing. God seeks to quicken dull senses to discern His merciful kindness, so that His gifts may be the blessing He intended.
The grace of God upon a small portion makes it all-sufficient. About five thousand men, besides women and children, were fed from five barley loaves and two small fishes, and after all ate and were satisfied twelve baskets of fragments remained. God's hand can bless and multiply scanty provision a hundredfold until it meets the needs of many, and by His touch make it sufficient for all. What seems a meager supply can become enough for oneself and something to share with others, so the small amount in hand is no reason to withhold what is had. This is the same wonder once worked for one hundred men, by the same One who supplied His people in the wilderness with bread and clear flowing streams, who guided them in glory and taught them as the I AM before Abraham, who though walking the earth in lowliness and poverty is greater than Moses, and who from His resources can spread a table in the wilderness for more than a million people. It stands as an object lesson that God can make seemingly inadequate resources sufficient for His people's work, for His command to provide rests on the same power that supplies the need.
Those who serve with Christ receive divine grace to give to people in need. God works with those who give and serve on unselfish principles. The gift increases as it is shared.
Lessons for Service and Stewardship
The command to sit and the miracle itself were meant to teach far-reaching principles that would leave truth permanently in mind. God can bless the means that people give and enable them to feed multitudes. The food and the disciples' work in distributing it illustrate how He blesses and multiplies what is given for service.
That provision is applied to feeding those who are spiritually hungry for the bread of life. Believers are to share what they have, including the truth, with those who lack it. Christ's compassion in organizing and feeding the multitude teaches that the weary and hungry must not be neglected or sent away faint, weary, and discouraged. His followers must feel compassion and interest for fellow men who seek the way of salvation, making earnest effort that those anxious to hear the word of life have opportunity. It is Christian duty to study the best ways of helping people, never to make the way to Christ wearisome and objectionable, and to remove everything that obstructs the path.
For food work, simple, economical preparations can serve well, and selfish private interests must not obstruct the work. Workers who are softened and subdued and sanctified by the Holy Spirit and who dedicate themselves to God will receive from Him to communicate to those in necessity. Those who come into line with God can receive tact, skill, and understanding from Him. He can give His people knowledge in different places so they can provide food in various ways, and His benevolent care continues.
Scattered supply placed in missionary work will be multiplied by God as it is imparted to others, so that all may eat and be filled. The work must not be stopped, and advance must not be measured by means at hand, for that shows very limited faith. Whether means are large or small, God's human agents must plan and work in faith, diffuse the gospel over the whole earth, and go forward as commanded to Moses. Even when a great need has been met, what remains should not be wasted. This calls for wise economy and thrift in times of difficulty.
God's gifts are to be imparted to the needy and not wasted or seized selfishly, with no right to gamble or rob another of means by scheming. Careful use of material blessings and spiritual opportunities can benefit others. Gathering the fragments means more than saving pieces of food. It calls for plain, simple work without extravagance while still making room to care for and impress people. All the works of Christ manifested in the present day by message or in any way of helpfulness are to be held as a credit. Those who receive spiritual nourishment should share it with others.