Matthew 15:29-3929And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30And 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: 31Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. 32Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. 39And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. (Matthew 15:29‑39)
Whenever the people knew where Jesus was, crowds came to Him, bringing the sick, the lame, the blind, and the dumb for Him to heal. Each time we read, “And He healed them.” This chapter of Matthew tells of Jesus being far away from the towns, in a lonely part near the mountains. Yet a very large crowd of people had come and had been there three days. Perhaps many were those who had before been cured and wanted to hear Jesus’ words. They must have brought some food with them, but after three days it was all used.
Jesus was sorry for the people to return to their homes hungry, no doubt they had to walk, and He told the disciples they might faint by the way. Not very long before this He had made a few loaves of bread feed more than five thousand persons. Yet the disciples seem not to have thought that He could feed another crowd, and they asked Him how bread could be got for so many.
Jesus asked the disciples how much bread they had. They told Him that they had seven loaves and a few little fish. He said for the people to sit down on the ground, or grass. Then we read,
“He took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to His disciples, and the diiples to the multitude, and they did all eat and were filled.”
We might think this not as great a micle as when the many people were fed before. Because there were about five thousand men fed with five loaves of bread the first time, and the second time only four thousand men with two more loaves of bread. But when He could increase a few loaves to feed even one thou sand persons, surely He could supply as many as needed, The basketsful left showed that His goodness and power could not be all used.
Perhaps one reason the exact number of loaves of bread, the number of baskets of pieces left, and how many men were fed each time, were written that we who read now would be certain that there were two separate miracles. Jesus spoke of the two meals, saying that once five thousand men were fed, and once-four thousand men (Matt. 16:9,109Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? (Matthew 16:9‑10)).
Another disciple, John, who also wrote of the multitude fed, wrote that Jesus told the people that He would give something far greater than bread; the bread kept them from fainting that night, but the next day they would be hungry again.
What Jesus said He would give was a life that would last forever.
He spoke of Himself as “the Bread of Life”, and said,
To give the soul life that cannot end, is far greater than to give bread for the body. But there is one thing to notice: the bread was given to all, but the life eveasting is only for those who believe the Lord Jesus. He will not refuse any who truly believe Him.
ML 06/27/1943