Matthew 14:15 - Exposition

And when it was evening. But not as late as the "evening" of Matthew 14:23 . It appears that the first evening was from the ninth to the twelfth hour (our 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the equinoxes), and the second evening was for a short time, perhaps forty minutes, after sunset (cf. Matthew 8:16 , note). His ( the, Revised Version) disciples came to him, saying. St. John alone has recorded our Lord's previous conversation with Philip ( John 6:5-7 ). This is a desert place; the place is desert (Revised Version), which better marks the parallelism with the next clause. And the time is now ( already, Revised Version) past ( ἡὥρα ἤδη παρῆλθεν ); i.e. probably the hour at which he was accustomed to dismiss his audience. For he would often have to consider their wish to get home before nightfall. Send the multitude away; the multitudes (Revised Version); for now again they are regarded separately as having to go in different directions. That they may go ( go away ) into the villages, and buy themselves victuals; food (Revised Version). One at least of the disciples would have a keen eye for the amount of the contents of the common purse.