Note here that both Jesus and John were rejected by the Jewish Hierarchy. This increases as the Gospel account of Jesus Life proceeds. Jesus continues with His Miracle Ministry as he is accepted by the rank and file. He is still the same Jesus today. He does not give up or quit because of Opposition.
Matthew 14 : 13 - 21 Jesus Feeding the Five Thousand.
Mat 14:13 Upon receiving these tidings, Jesus went away by boat to an uninhabited and secluded district; but the people heard of it and followed Him in crowds from the towns by land.
Mat 14:14 So Jesus went out and saw an immense multitude, and felt compassion for them, and cured those of them who were out of health.
Mat 14:15 But when evening was come, the disciples came to Him and said, "This is an uninhabited place, and the best of the day is now gone; send the people away to go into the villages and buy something to eat."
Mat 14:16 "They need not go away," replied Jesus; "you yourselves must give them something to eat."
Mat 14:17 "We have nothing here," they said, "but five loaves and a couple of fish."
Mat 14:18 "Bring them here to me," He said,
Mat 14:19 and He told all the people to sit down on the grass. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and after looking up to heaven and blessing them, He broke up the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples distributed them to the people.
Mat 14:20 So all ate, and were fully satisfied. The broken portions that remained over they gathered up, filling twelve baskets.
Mat 14:21 Those who had eaten were about 5,000 adult men, without reckoning women and children.
Introduction.
There are six accounts of Miraculous feedings in the Gospels. Two each in Matthew and Mark and one each in Luke and John. Loaves and fishes often appear in the art forms of the early church. God had fed the Israelites with Manna in the Wilderness en route from Egypt in the Exodus. These prefigures the Messianic Banquet, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb at the end of the Age. The Five loaves and the Two small fish were very basic foods at the time of Christ. People are hungry the World over. Miraculous Provision from God is still needed. Millions are in Refugee camps. Jesus please supply their need. Remember the Millions who just eke out an existence with one meal a day, maybe.
Mat 14:13 Upon receiving these tidings, Jesus went away by boat to an uninhabited and secluded district; but the people heard of it and followed Him in crowds from the towns by land.
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| Jesus went away in a boat |
Notes:
The Sorrowing Saviour
Jesus hears of John’s death, and thereupon seeks seclusion.
I. Here we learn How to behave in time of trouble.
1. Christ was deeply affected by John’s 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.)
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. Bible Illustrator
Mat 14:14 So Jesus went out and saw an immense multitude, and felt compassion for them, and cured those of them who were out of health.
Notes
Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw the large crowd, his heart was filled with pity for them, and he healed their sick. GNB
Jesus - was moved with compassion - Εσπλαγχνισθε, he was moved with tender compassion, so I think the word should in general be translated: see the note on Mat_9:36. As a verb, it does not appear to have been used by any but ecclesiastical writers. It always intimates that motion of the bowels, accompanied with extreme tenderness and concern, which is felt at the sight of the miseries of another. A.Clark
Mat 14:15 But when evening was come, the disciples came to Him and said, "This is an uninhabited place, and the best of the day is now gone; send the people away to go into the villages and buy something to eat."
Notes
The Disciples trust human resources. Their committee carried a motion that the situation was dire and the crowd needed to be sent away.
Mat 14:16 "They need not go away," replied Jesus; "you yourselves must give them something to eat."
Notes
The Challenge of Jesus. You supply the need.
Give them [something] to eat (dote autois hūmeis phagein). The emphasis is on hūmeis in contrast (note position) with their “send away” (apoluson). It is the urgent aorist of instant action (dote). It was an astounding command. The disciples were to learn that “no situation appears to Him desperate, no crisis unmanageable” (Bruce).
Mat 14:17 "We have nothing here," they said, "but five loaves and a couple of fish."
Notes.
They explain the Meagerness of their Limited Resources. They begin with a negatives: “We have nothing here.!!!!! except “five loaves and a couple of fish.” John 6:9 says that Andrew, Peters Brother, brought a young lad to Jesus with these provisions.
Mat 14:18 But He said, "Bring them here to me,"
Notes
The Disciples see the Impossibility of the situation but Jesus looks on this as a Time for Action.
Jesus rejects the Disciples summation of the Situation and seeks to Bring the Kingdom of God into the mix.
Mat 14:19 and He told all the people to sit down on the grass. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and after looking up to heaven and blessing them, He broke up the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples distributed them to the people.
Notes
The People are seated on the Grass.
Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, Jesus accepted the Little Boy’s Lunch because he could use this meagre supply. He will accept whatever we offer Him in faith.
and after looking up to heaven and blessing them, This is indicative of what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane when Looked up to heaven and said “Not what I will but Thy will be done” The blessing of Heaven come when we Look Up. The Blessing of God brings Multiplication.
He broke up the loaves and gave them to the disciples,
Broken Bread. Here the Miracles of Multiplication happened as he broke and gave. There is much in the Scriptures about Brokenness. Broken and Contrite hearts.
Psa_34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psa_51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Psa_147:3 He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds.
Mar_14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
Our Lives can only be a precious Perfume for God as our hearts and wills are broken to self-centredness and self seeking and The Spirit of God is allowed to flow forth from our lives.
What a joy that little boy must have had to see the multitude all eating till they were all satisfied.
Mat 14:20 So all ate, and were fully satisfied. The broken portions that remained over they gathered up, filling twelve baskets.
Notes
Everyone ate and had enough. Then the disciples took up twelve baskets full of what was left over.GNB
Were filled (echortasthēsan). Effective aorist passive indicative of chortazō. See note on Mat_5:6. From the substantive chortos grass. Cattle were filled with grass and people usually with other food. They all were satisfied.
Broken pieces (tōn klasmatōn). Not the scraps upon the ground, but the pieces broken by Jesus and still in the “twelve baskets” (dōdeka kophinous) and not eaten. Each of the twelve had a basketful left over (to perisseuon). One hopes that the boy (Joh_6:9) who had the five loaves and two fishes to start with got one of the basketsful, if not all of them. Each of the Gospels uses the same word here for baskets (kophinos), a wicker-basket, called “coffins” by Wycliff. RWP
Twelve baskets full - The size of these baskets is unknown. They were probably such as travellers carried their provisions in. They were used commonly by the Jews in their journeys. In travelling 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 travellers. 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
Mat 14:21 Those who had eaten were about 5,000 adult men, without reckoning women and children.
Notes
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.
WHAT HAVE YOU TO GIVE TO JESUS TODAY? HE WILL MULTIPLY EVERY OFFERING YOU MAKE AND TURN THINGS AROUND FOR SUFFERING HUMANITY.
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