Matthew 14:19-21

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 14:19

And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass ,.... The other evangelists say, that he ordered the disciples to cause the people to sit down; both no doubt were done: the multitude were commanded to sit down by Christ, which, without his orders, they would never have done; and the disciples were enjoined to place them in form, by companies, in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties, that their number might be the better taken, and the food more orderly distributed by the apostles: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 14:20

And they did all eat ,.... Christ and his twelve disciples, and the five thousand men, with the women and children, of the five loaves and two fishes; everyone had their portion, and were filled ; they were satisfied, they had a full meal, they had enough, and to spare; see 2 Chronicles 31:10 which the Targumist paraphrases thus. "And Azariah said unto him, who was appointed chief over the house of Zadok, and said, from the time that they began to separate the offering, to bring it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 14:21

And they that had eaten were about five thousand men ,.... The word "about", is omitted in the Vulgate Latin, in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, and in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions, which expressly say there were so many. A large number indeed, to be fed with five loaves and two fishes! besides women and children ; who were not taken into the account, though they all ate, and were filled, it not being usual with the Jews to number their women; and who might be near as large a number... read more

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

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