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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 14:13-21

This passage of story, concerning Christ's feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, is recorded by all the four Evangelists, which very few, if any, of Christ's miracles are: this intimates that there is something in it worthy of special remark. Observe, I. The great resort of people to Christ, when he was retired into a desert place, Matt. 14:13. He withdrew into privacy when he heard, not of John's death, but of the thoughts Herod had concerning him, that he was John the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 14:13-21

14:13-21 When Jesus heard the news (of the death of John), he withdrew from there in a boat, into a deserted place alone. When the crowds heard of it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he had disembarked, he saw a great crowd, and he was moved with compassion for them to the depths of his being, and healed their sick. When it had become late, his disciples came to him: "The place is deserted," they said, "and the hour for the evening meal has already passed. Send the crowds... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 14:13-21

(iii) This miracle informs us very clearly of the place of the disciple in the work of Christ. The story tells that Jesus gave to the disciples and the disciples gave to the crowd. Jesus worked through the hands of his disciples that day, and he still does. Again and again we come face to face with this truth which is at the heart of the Church. It is true that the disciple is helpless without his Lord, but it is also true that the Lord is helpless without his disciple. If Jesus wants... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 14:13-21

There are some people who read the miracles of Jesus, and feel no need to understand. Let them remain for ever undisturbed in the sweet simplicity of their faith. There are others who read and their minds question and they feel they must understand. Let them take no shame of it, for God comes far more than half way to meet the questing mind. But in whatever way we approach the miracles of Jesus, one thing is certain. We must never be content to regard them as something which happened; we must... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 14:15

And when it was evening ,.... Mark says, "when the day was now far spent"; and Luke, "when the day began to wear away"; it was upon the decline of the day. The Jews, as Grotius rightly observes, had two evenings; the one began when the sun declined at noon, and the other at sun setting: now it was the former of these, and not the latter, that was now come; for after this, you read of another evening that was come, Matthew 14:23 between which two evenings Christ made the multitude to sit... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 14:15

Send the multitude away, that they may go - and buy - The disciples of Christ are solicitous for the people's temporal as well a spiritual welfare: and he is not worthy to be called a minister of Christ, who dues not endeavor to promote both to the uttermost of his power. The preaching of Christ must have been accompanied with uncommon power to these people's souls, to have induced them to leave their homes to follow him from village to village, for they could never hear enough; and to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 14:15

Verse 15 15.When the evening was drawing on. The disciples had now lost their object, and they see that Christ is again absorbed in teaching, while the multitudes are so eager to receive instruction that they do not think of retiring. Theytherefore advise that for the sake of attending to their bodily wants, Christ should send them away into the neighboring villages. He had purposely delayed till now the miracle which he intended to perform; first, that his disciples might consider it more... 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

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