Matthew 14:14-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: 5,000 Fed

Matthew 14:14-22 – 5,000 Fed

|| Mark 6:31-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-13

MT14:14 Now when Jesus got out he saw the large crowd.[1] Feeling compassion[2] for them, he healed their sick. MT14:15 In the evening his disciples approached Jesus, saying, “This is an isolated place and it is late enough – tell the crowds to leave so they may go into the villages and buy something to eat.” MT14:16 But, Jesus told them, “They do not have to leave. You give them something to eat.” MT14:17 The disciples said to him: “We only have five loaves and two fish.” MT14:18 Jesus told them, “Bring me the food.” MT14:19 Now Jesus commanded the crowds to recline upon the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish and looking upward into the sky he blessed the food. He broke up the loaves and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples to the crowds. MT14:20 And they all ate and were satisfied. When they gathered up the surplus[3] of leftovers twelve baskets were full. MT14:21 The number of males[4] who ate were five thousand, not including women and little boys.[5] MT14:22 And quickly he urged his disciples to board the boat and go ahead of him to the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowds.

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[1] Large crowd: The Greek is PALYN HOCHLON and may mean a group of 5-7,000 thousand. Compare Revelation 7:9.

[2] Feeling compassion: Or, PME: deeply moved; NJB: felt pity. See notes on Matthew 9:36.

[3] They gathered up the surplus: Note nothing is wasted. Bread and fish – the simple meals these people rejoiced in is a lesson for those in the Western world.

[4] Males: The Greek has at least three words for “men” including here ANDRES (ANDROS) which means male. Sometimes crowd count is of the males only so we may assume the crowd was as much as twice the size.

[5] Little boys: The Greek is PAIDION and is also rendered: KJV: children.

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Preceding

Matthew 14:1-13 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: John Beheaded

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