Jesus and the Disciples Feed the Five Thousandby Doc122469
14:17Matthew 14:17
And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
The disciples told Jesus in the desert place at evening that all they had to feed the fainting multitude of more than ten thousand was a lad's store of five barley loaves and two small fishes. At His command it was brought to Him, and after He looked to heaven and blessed and broke it, it multiplied in His hands and in the hands of the disciples as they carried it to the hungry until all were satisfied and twelve baskets of fragments were gathered. The provision proves His divine, omnipotent power and tender compassion for bodily need, the same power that continually multiplies the harvest of the earth and must be acknowledged with gratitude. He gave to the disciples and they to the multitude and the people to one another, showing that those who first receive the Bread of Life from Him are to impart it, and that the gift increases by giving so that receiving continues only as imparting continues. What seems wholly insufficient becomes more than enough in His hands, so His workers are to use thankfully and share unselfishly what little they have and gather up all fragments in careful economy, trusting His power to multiply their means to feed souls starving for truth.
Setting and Occasion
The words were spoken in the evening in a desert and wilderness place after a long day in which a great multitude pressed about Jesus eager to hear and to see. They had lingered into evening unconscious of hunger until faint and weary, with night approaching. Jesus Himself had labored all day teaching and healing without food or rest until pale from weariness and hunger. A large crowd had gathered to hear His teaching, and He also took care of their bodily need for food.
The crowd was five thousand men besides women and children, thus more than ten thousand people. They are described as pilgrims traveling toward Jerusalem near Passover who had gathered to hear His teaching. The feeding took place at Bethsaida on the shores of Galilee, and those fed there were Jews.
Moved with sympathy the disciples had come for permission to send the crowds to the villages to buy food and find refreshment. But Jesus told them not to send them away but to feed them themselves. In amazement at His command they answered that they had only five loaves and two fishes.
Jesus asked how much food could be found to test the disciples' faith, though He already knew how He would provide. Andrew had discovered a lad in the company who carried the five barley loaves and two small fishes. Like Andrew the disciples measured the great need against their resources as too small, a supply plainly inadequate and nothing among so many thousands. Yet His command to feed the people carried power to supply what was lacking.
The setting belongs to Christ traveling slowly away from villages into out-of-the-way places to open the Scriptures in simplicity to receptive minds. Moved with compassion to heal the sick and feed the hungry, He worked so His work would be made known after His crucifixion and resurrection. He provided because hunger could hinder them from receiving spiritual benefit, teaching outdoors amid scenery that made lessons memorable. This took place just before He sent the disciples away and went to pray alone, while news of the miracle brought many back to the place the next day.
Smallness of the Supply
The supply on hand was only five barley loaves and two small fishes. It was a boy's store discovered among the crowd, found by searching through the company. It was but a small supply even for Jesus' own family of disciples, far too little to feed so many people. When placed in His hands and blessed, that little store sufficed to feed the multitude, multiplying until all were satisfied with twelve baskets of fragments left, and the disciples themselves ate of the heaven-supplied food.
That meager store was plainly inadequate and nothing among so many thousands. It was scarcely enough for twenty people, set against the need of five thousand men besides women and children. Because they were in a desert and wilderness place, no more could be obtained and food was not near at hand. Christ had no apparent means at hand to meet the need, which highlights human need and the apparent lack of means.
Miracle of Multiplication
At His word the little store was brought to Him, and He had the multitude seated on the grass in companies on a grassy plot. A hymn was sung, and looking up to heaven He gave thanks and asked the blessing upon the food. He blessed and broke and divided the bread and the fishes into small pieces. He did not Himself pass among the hungry but placed the pieces in the hands of His disciples.
The disciples put the food in the hands of the hungry, and the supply continued and increased in His hands and as they gave it out. They kept coming back for more, imparting and imparting what they received. All were satisfied from the insufficient supply of five barley loaves and two small fishes, and the disciples themselves also ate of the heaven-supplied food.
When all were filled He commanded that the fragments be gathered up that nothing be lost. Twelve baskets full were left on this occasion, and seven on another occasion.
Christ's Power and Compassion
The scant supply of five loaves and two fishes set against thousands hungry in the wilderness with night approaching and no food near at hand placed Christ in dependence on His heavenly Father for means to provide. His presence there was by providence, and the Father's resources could meet the need, teaching that God's workers are to use wisdom and the means provided, follow His instructions, and depend on Him when difficulties arise in His work.
The feeding proves He truly possessed divine, omnipotent power exercised in beneficence for suffering humanity, showing His power to provide for the five thousand men besides women and children until all were satisfied with twelve baskets left over. That display confirmed the people's growing belief that He was the Messiah. His care afterward to gather the fragments is as essential as His creating of the food and is striking evidence of His divinity.
The same power that multiplied the loaves continually multiplies seed and feeds people through the earth's harvest. God's ordinary provision of food through nature therefore depends on His continuing power. Daily food remains His gift and should be received with gratitude and used as blessing rather than credited to human tending and bread-making alone or turned selfishly to harm.
Moved with sympathy and compassion, He discerned the needs of the poor through His own experience of poverty and came to minister to the suffering and needy. He cared for ordinary bodily needs with simple fare without promising luxury, and that simple provision assured the faint, hungry multitude of His power and tender care. Though He had left royal courts, laid aside crown and robes, clothed divinity with humanity, worn no gorgeous priestly robes and possessed no earthly riches, He walked and taught among accumulating crowds with His Father's power granted Him to work miracles for the help and uplifting of mankind as part of a mission expressing love for humanity. Obtaining true higher education is not gaining popularity, worldly advantage, abundant temporal supply, or honor from the titled and wealthy, but doing this work of ministering to the suffering and needy.
He had that same divine power while doing daily work to support His family, yet He did not use it to lessen His own burdens or lighten His toil, showing that work is honorable and people should be industrious. He could have satisfied His own hunger in the desolate wilderness, but He refused to work a miracle on His own account to relieve His own want and suffering. To do so would not have accorded with the plan of salvation and would have taken Him out of His Father's hands. His mission was to save others and to bring blessing, hope, and life to the afflicted and oppressed.
Disciples as Channels
Christ did not Himself go among the hungry to place portions in their hands, but He broke and blessed the five loaves and two fishes and gave to His disciples, and they placed it in the hands of the hungry as men ministering for Him. The people thus took provision from His appointed agencies as if from His own hand, and their grateful response is accepted by Him as given to Himself. Ministers, evangelists, teachers, friends, companions, and all the various instrumentalities are therefore workers together with God to pass on what He supplies.
The verse holds the pattern that Christ received from the Father and imparted to the disciples, they imparted to the multitude, and the people to one another. Dedicated service opens the way for God to give His Holy Spirit so His followers can communicate supply to those in necessity. As His representatives they must first receive the bread of life, the heavenly food, from Him, for even the most intelligent and spiritually minded can of themselves supply nothing for the needs of the soul. All who are united with Christ receive from Him and impart to others, for the disciples were the channel of communication between Christ the great Center and Source of all strength and the people.
The gift increased as they gave it out, and the hands of the disciples reaching out to Christ Himself the Bread of Life were never empty. Jesus gave thanks and put the food into the disciples' hands to distribute, it multiplied in His hands, and after the wants of the people had been supplied the fragments were gathered up and Christ and His disciples also ate of the precious heaven-supplied food. Those who work with God receive divine grace to share with people in need, and He fills the hands of faithful disciples so they can give the word of life to spiritually hungry people and help them reach others in turn. Imparting comes only as receiving, and receiving continues only as imparting, so as imparting continues receiving continues, and the more imparted the more received. In this way Christ's followers share with the needy what they receive from Him.
Though the little store at Bethsaida with His blessing sufficed to feed the multitude, those fed there were Jews. The disciples saw this miracle, yet afterward they did not bring forward their all and trust His power to multiply it for hungry crowds. This revealed their unbelief and the strength of Jewish prejudice against Gentiles and heathen.
Trust Economy and Sharing
The words teach trust, not to worry and fret over what cannot be helped but to go on from strength to strength, for the five loaves and two small fishes that were far short of feeding five thousand men besides women and children show that what seems insufficient by human judgment becomes more than enough in Christ's hands. He had the hungry seated on a grassy spot, broke the small supply into small pieces, and fed the multitude through His disciples until all had enough, then commanded that the fragments be gathered that nothing be lost, leaving twelve baskets full on this occasion and seven on another. The same Jesus can do great things for His people today and bring fruit from their labor, so they need not be discouraged when resources seem small but should act in faith that He can do all things, minister, teach, guide into truth and help in every wrestling and trial.
When the best use is made of what is had, God blesses and multiplies little means and offerings until they supply the needs of many and advance His work, feeding multitudes now starving for the Bread of Life. The scarcity teaches sharing what one has with those who lack, putting limited visible resources and available facilities to use with trust in God who enlarges their effect rather than measuring work by what is seen, and leaving something to share with others. That sharing is to be with thanksgiving, prayer and unselfishness, in simple daily fare rather than luxury, including sharing the truth and putting what is had into missionary and soul-saving work.
The command to gather up the fragments that nothing be lost is a lasting lesson of carefulness, saving, economy and thrift in the use of all God's gifts, temporal and spiritual, showing that the bounties of Providence are not given to be squandered or used in an aimless or wasteful manner. Nothing is to be wasted, no temporal opportunity or spiritual advantage let slip, but treasured as a credit, with nothing lost that would benefit a human being or relieve the necessities of earth's hungry ones, but saved that it may be given. This requires plain and simple building with no extravagance while still making room to care for and impress people, simple inexpensive preparations without selfish private interests obstructing the work, and understanding in preparing suitable food for different times. No one has a right to gamble or to get means by robbing another, but must impart what God has given, with the baskets of fragments distributed and carried away into all the region round about to share with friends at home the bread that comes down from heaven to satisfy hunger of the soul and to repeat what was learned of the wonderful things of God, leaving like the healings and miracles an impression of truth permanently in the minds of those who see.
God's workers are to use wisdom and the means He provides, follow His instructions, and depend on Him when they reach difficulties while doing His work, for Jesus in the wilderness with little food and night approaching depended on His Father to provide. The miracle does not teach that people are to put forth no effort to provide the necessities of life, for its purpose is to impart spiritual truths of vital importance to salvation; as God can furnish food miraculously yet leaves human effort for daily provision in place, so He can heal in answer to prayer yet does not abolish agencies for the suffering, and hygienic living and treatment must not be despised. Daily gifts, including the power that multiplied the loaves and continually multiplies seed and feeds people through the earth's harvest, are to be received with gratitude and used as blessings rather than selfishly turned to harm. Disciples are to care compassionately so that weary and hungry seekers of salvation can hear the Word of life and are not sent away faint or discouraged, assuring those who have plain or scanty food and live in poverty that their needs will be supplied and that His abiding presence is better than worldly goods. Obtaining the higher education is not gaining popularity, worldly advantage, abundant temporal supply, or honor from the titled and wealthy, but doing the work of ministering to the suffering and needy, as He who discerned the needs of the poor through His own experience of poverty, left royal courts, laid aside crown and robes, clothed divinity with humanity, and had His Father's power granted Him to work miracles for help and uplifting, cared for ordinary needs without promising luxury.
The disciples told Jesus in the desert place at evening that all they had to feed the fainting multitude of more than ten thousand was a lad's store of five barley loaves and two small fishes. At His command it was brought to Him, and after He looked to heaven and blessed and broke it, it multiplied in His hands and in the hands of the disciples as they carried it to the hungry until all were satisfied and twelve baskets of fragments were gathered. The provision proves His divine, omnipotent power and tender compassion for bodily need, the same power that continually multiplies the harvest of the earth and must be acknowledged with gratitude. He gave to the disciples and they to the multitude and the people to one another, showing that those who first receive the Bread of Life from Him are to impart it, and that the gift increases by giving so that receiving continues only as imparting continues. What seems wholly insufficient becomes more than enough in His hands, so His workers are to use thankfully and share unselfishly what little they have and gather up all fragments in careful economy, trusting His power to multiply their means to feed souls starving for truth.
Setting and Occasion
The words were spoken in the evening in a desert and wilderness place after a long day in which a great multitude pressed about Jesus eager to hear and to see. They had lingered into evening unconscious of hunger until faint and weary, with night approaching. Jesus Himself had labored all day teaching and healing without food or rest until pale from weariness and hunger. A large crowd had gathered to hear His teaching, and He also took care of their bodily need for food.
The crowd was five thousand men besides women and children, thus more than ten thousand people. They are described as pilgrims traveling toward Jerusalem near Passover who had gathered to hear His teaching. The feeding took place at Bethsaida on the shores of Galilee, and those fed there were Jews.
Moved with sympathy the disciples had come for permission to send the crowds to the villages to buy food and find refreshment. But Jesus told them not to send them away but to feed them themselves. In amazement at His command they answered that they had only five loaves and two fishes.
Jesus asked how much food could be found to test the disciples' faith, though He already knew how He would provide. Andrew had discovered a lad in the company who carried the five barley loaves and two small fishes. Like Andrew the disciples measured the great need against their resources as too small, a supply plainly inadequate and nothing among so many thousands. Yet His command to feed the people carried power to supply what was lacking.
The setting belongs to Christ traveling slowly away from villages into out-of-the-way places to open the Scriptures in simplicity to receptive minds. Moved with compassion to heal the sick and feed the hungry, He worked so His work would be made known after His crucifixion and resurrection. He provided because hunger could hinder them from receiving spiritual benefit, teaching outdoors amid scenery that made lessons memorable. This took place just before He sent the disciples away and went to pray alone, while news of the miracle brought many back to the place the next day.
Smallness of the Supply
The supply on hand was only five barley loaves and two small fishes. It was a boy's store discovered among the crowd, found by searching through the company. It was but a small supply even for Jesus' own family of disciples, far too little to feed so many people. When placed in His hands and blessed, that little store sufficed to feed the multitude, multiplying until all were satisfied with twelve baskets of fragments left, and the disciples themselves ate of the heaven-supplied food.
That meager store was plainly inadequate and nothing among so many thousands. It was scarcely enough for twenty people, set against the need of five thousand men besides women and children. Because they were in a desert and wilderness place, no more could be obtained and food was not near at hand. Christ had no apparent means at hand to meet the need, which highlights human need and the apparent lack of means.
Miracle of Multiplication
At His word the little store was brought to Him, and He had the multitude seated on the grass in companies on a grassy plot. A hymn was sung, and looking up to heaven He gave thanks and asked the blessing upon the food. He blessed and broke and divided the bread and the fishes into small pieces. He did not Himself pass among the hungry but placed the pieces in the hands of His disciples.
The disciples put the food in the hands of the hungry, and the supply continued and increased in His hands and as they gave it out. They kept coming back for more, imparting and imparting what they received. All were satisfied from the insufficient supply of five barley loaves and two small fishes, and the disciples themselves also ate of the heaven-supplied food.
When all were filled He commanded that the fragments be gathered up that nothing be lost. Twelve baskets full were left on this occasion, and seven on another occasion.
Christ's Power and Compassion
The scant supply of five loaves and two fishes set against thousands hungry in the wilderness with night approaching and no food near at hand placed Christ in dependence on His heavenly Father for means to provide. His presence there was by providence, and the Father's resources could meet the need, teaching that God's workers are to use wisdom and the means provided, follow His instructions, and depend on Him when difficulties arise in His work.
The feeding proves He truly possessed divine, omnipotent power exercised in beneficence for suffering humanity, showing His power to provide for the five thousand men besides women and children until all were satisfied with twelve baskets left over. That display confirmed the people's growing belief that He was the Messiah. His care afterward to gather the fragments is as essential as His creating of the food and is striking evidence of His divinity.
The same power that multiplied the loaves continually multiplies seed and feeds people through the earth's harvest. God's ordinary provision of food through nature therefore depends on His continuing power. Daily food remains His gift and should be received with gratitude and used as blessing rather than credited to human tending and bread-making alone or turned selfishly to harm.
Moved with sympathy and compassion, He discerned the needs of the poor through His own experience of poverty and came to minister to the suffering and needy. He cared for ordinary bodily needs with simple fare without promising luxury, and that simple provision assured the faint, hungry multitude of His power and tender care. Though He had left royal courts, laid aside crown and robes, clothed divinity with humanity, worn no gorgeous priestly robes and possessed no earthly riches, He walked and taught among accumulating crowds with His Father's power granted Him to work miracles for the help and uplifting of mankind as part of a mission expressing love for humanity. Obtaining true higher education is not gaining popularity, worldly advantage, abundant temporal supply, or honor from the titled and wealthy, but doing this work of ministering to the suffering and needy.
He had that same divine power while doing daily work to support His family, yet He did not use it to lessen His own burdens or lighten His toil, showing that work is honorable and people should be industrious. He could have satisfied His own hunger in the desolate wilderness, but He refused to work a miracle on His own account to relieve His own want and suffering. To do so would not have accorded with the plan of salvation and would have taken Him out of His Father's hands. His mission was to save others and to bring blessing, hope, and life to the afflicted and oppressed.
Disciples as Channels
Christ did not Himself go among the hungry to place portions in their hands, but He broke and blessed the five loaves and two fishes and gave to His disciples, and they placed it in the hands of the hungry as men ministering for Him. The people thus took provision from His appointed agencies as if from His own hand, and their grateful response is accepted by Him as given to Himself. Ministers, evangelists, teachers, friends, companions, and all the various instrumentalities are therefore workers together with God to pass on what He supplies.
The verse holds the pattern that Christ received from the Father and imparted to the disciples, they imparted to the multitude, and the people to one another. Dedicated service opens the way for God to give His Holy Spirit so His followers can communicate supply to those in necessity. As His representatives they must first receive the bread of life, the heavenly food, from Him, for even the most intelligent and spiritually minded can of themselves supply nothing for the needs of the soul. All who are united with Christ receive from Him and impart to others, for the disciples were the channel of communication between Christ the great Center and Source of all strength and the people.
The gift increased as they gave it out, and the hands of the disciples reaching out to Christ Himself the Bread of Life were never empty. Jesus gave thanks and put the food into the disciples' hands to distribute, it multiplied in His hands, and after the wants of the people had been supplied the fragments were gathered up and Christ and His disciples also ate of the precious heaven-supplied food. Those who work with God receive divine grace to share with people in need, and He fills the hands of faithful disciples so they can give the word of life to spiritually hungry people and help them reach others in turn. Imparting comes only as receiving, and receiving continues only as imparting, so as imparting continues receiving continues, and the more imparted the more received. In this way Christ's followers share with the needy what they receive from Him.
Though the little store at Bethsaida with His blessing sufficed to feed the multitude, those fed there were Jews. The disciples saw this miracle, yet afterward they did not bring forward their all and trust His power to multiply it for hungry crowds. This revealed their unbelief and the strength of Jewish prejudice against Gentiles and heathen.
Trust Economy and Sharing
The words teach trust, not to worry and fret over what cannot be helped but to go on from strength to strength, for the five loaves and two small fishes that were far short of feeding five thousand men besides women and children show that what seems insufficient by human judgment becomes more than enough in Christ's hands. He had the hungry seated on a grassy spot, broke the small supply into small pieces, and fed the multitude through His disciples until all had enough, then commanded that the fragments be gathered that nothing be lost, leaving twelve baskets full on this occasion and seven on another. The same Jesus can do great things for His people today and bring fruit from their labor, so they need not be discouraged when resources seem small but should act in faith that He can do all things, minister, teach, guide into truth and help in every wrestling and trial.
When the best use is made of what is had, God blesses and multiplies little means and offerings until they supply the needs of many and advance His work, feeding multitudes now starving for the Bread of Life. The scarcity teaches sharing what one has with those who lack, putting limited visible resources and available facilities to use with trust in God who enlarges their effect rather than measuring work by what is seen, and leaving something to share with others. That sharing is to be with thanksgiving, prayer and unselfishness, in simple daily fare rather than luxury, including sharing the truth and putting what is had into missionary and soul-saving work.
The command to gather up the fragments that nothing be lost is a lasting lesson of carefulness, saving, economy and thrift in the use of all God's gifts, temporal and spiritual, showing that the bounties of Providence are not given to be squandered or used in an aimless or wasteful manner. Nothing is to be wasted, no temporal opportunity or spiritual advantage let slip, but treasured as a credit, with nothing lost that would benefit a human being or relieve the necessities of earth's hungry ones, but saved that it may be given. This requires plain and simple building with no extravagance while still making room to care for and impress people, simple inexpensive preparations without selfish private interests obstructing the work, and understanding in preparing suitable food for different times. No one has a right to gamble or to get means by robbing another, but must impart what God has given, with the baskets of fragments distributed and carried away into all the region round about to share with friends at home the bread that comes down from heaven to satisfy hunger of the soul and to repeat what was learned of the wonderful things of God, leaving like the healings and miracles an impression of truth permanently in the minds of those who see.
God's workers are to use wisdom and the means He provides, follow His instructions, and depend on Him when they reach difficulties while doing His work, for Jesus in the wilderness with little food and night approaching depended on His Father to provide. The miracle does not teach that people are to put forth no effort to provide the necessities of life, for its purpose is to impart spiritual truths of vital importance to salvation; as God can furnish food miraculously yet leaves human effort for daily provision in place, so He can heal in answer to prayer yet does not abolish agencies for the suffering, and hygienic living and treatment must not be despised. Daily gifts, including the power that multiplied the loaves and continually multiplies seed and feeds people through the earth's harvest, are to be received with gratitude and used as blessings rather than selfishly turned to harm. Disciples are to care compassionately so that weary and hungry seekers of salvation can hear the Word of life and are not sent away faint or discouraged, assuring those who have plain or scanty food and live in poverty that their needs will be supplied and that His abiding presence is better than worldly goods. Obtaining the higher education is not gaining popularity, worldly advantage, abundant temporal supply, or honor from the titled and wealthy, but doing the work of ministering to the suffering and needy, as He who discerned the needs of the poor through His own experience of poverty, left royal courts, laid aside crown and robes, clothed divinity with humanity, and had His Father's power granted Him to work miracles for help and uplifting, cared for ordinary needs without promising luxury.