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Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 14:19

And took the five loaves, etc. - This was the act of the father of a family among the Jews - his business it was to take the bread into his hands, and render thanks to God, before any of the family was permitted to taste of it. Looking up to heaven - To teach us to acknowledge God as the Supreme Good, and fountain of all excellence. He blessed - The word God should, I think, be rather inserted here than the word them, because it does not appear that it was the loaves which Christ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 14:20

They did all eat, and were filled - Little or much is the same in the hands of Jesus Christ. Here was an incontestable miracle - five thousand men, besides women and children, fed with five cakes and two fishes! Here must have been a manifest creation of substance - the parts of the bread were not dilated to make them appear large, nor was there any delusion in the eating - for they all ate, and were all filled. Here then is one miracle of our Lord attested by at least five thousand persons!... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 14:19

Verse 19 19.He blessed. In this passage, as in many others, blessing denotes thanksgiving. Now Christ has taught us, by his example, that we cannot partake of our food with holiness and purity, unless we express our gratitude to God, from whose hand it comes to us. Accordingly, Paul tells us, that every kind of food which God bestows upon us is sanctifed by the word of God and prayer, (1 Timothy 4:5;) by which he means, that brutal men, who do not regard by faith the blessing of God, and do not... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 14:20

Verse 20 20.And carried away what was left. The fragments that remained after satisfying so vast a multitude of men were more than twelve times larger in quantity than what was at first put into their hands, and this contributed not a little to the splendor of the miracle. In this way all came to know that the power of Christ had not only created out of nothing the food that was necessary for immediate use, but that, if it should be required, there was also provision for future wants; and, in a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 14:1-36

CHRIST 'S POWER TO SUPPLY AND PROTECT AND HEAL , PREFACED BY A STATEMENT OF HEROD 'S RELATION TO HIM . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 14:13-21

The feeding of the five thousand. Parallel passages: Mark 6:30-44 ; Luke 9:10-17 ; John 6:1-13 . The miracle was deemed so characteristic of our Lord's work, in his care for men and his power to sustain them, and more especially in its being a parable of his readiness to supply spiritual food, that it was recorded not only by each of the three evangelists who used the framework, but also by the one who depended entirely upon his own materials. But though St. John's account of it is on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 14:13-21

The feeding effective thousand. I. THE LORD 'S DEPARTURE FROM GALILEE . 1 . He went by ship into a desert place. His apostles had returned from their mission ( Luke 9:10 ); they needed rest, "for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat." He had also heard of Herod's superstitious fears, and that he was desirous to see him. The Lord would not meet the tyrant; he departed out of his tetrarchy. He crossed the lake to a place near Bethsaida... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 14:13-21

.— The sacrament miracle. Distinguish this miracle of the feeding the five thousand, so glorious in all its incidents, and with its full fourfold narration, from that of the feeding the four thousand, recorded by Matthew ( Matthew 15:32-39 ) and Mark ( Mark 8:1-9 ) only. Lead to the consideration of this miracle by dwelling briefly on— I. THE MOTIVES OF THIS MIRACLE , There was one leading motive—a kind human compassion, a condescending memory of the bodily want of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 14:13-21

The table in the wilderness. Jesus had several reasons for his crossing the lake to the desert of Bethsaida. 1 . He was there out of the jurisdiction of Herod. 2 . He avoided the pressure of the people and gained some leisure to converse with his disciples newly returned from their progress. 3 . He intended to spread before the multitude a table in the wilderness. He knew that the people would follow him. Note: Jesus sometimes leaves us that we may follow him. He lures us into... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 14:15-21

Jesus feeding the multitude. On the death of John the Baptist Jesus retired to the eastern side of the lake, oppressed with grief and longing for a time of seclusion. But it was one of his trials that he was forbidden the rest of privacy when he most craved it. The crowds followed him with such enthusiasm that they quite forgot to provide themselves with needful food, and therefore when the evening was come they were out among the lonely mountains faint and hurry. Jesus had not brought about... read more

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