Matthew 14:19

And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. For the exposition of this section-one of the very few where all the four Evangelists run parallel-see the notes at Mark 6:30....

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 offer to him thanksgiving, corrupt and pollute by the filth of their unbelief all that is by nature pure; and, on the other hand, that they are corrupted and defiled by the food which they swallow, because to unbelievers nothing is clean. Christ has therefore laid down for his followers the proper manner of taking food, that they may not profane their own persons and the gifts of God by

13-21 When Christ and his word withdraw, it is best for us to follow, seeking the means of grace for our souls before any worldly advantages. The presence of Christ and his gospel, makes a desert not only tolerable, but desirable. This little supply of bread was increased by Christ's creating power, till the whole multitude were satisfied. In seeking the welfare of men's souls, we should have compassion on their bodies likewise. Let us also remember always to crave a blessing on our meals, and learn to avoid all waste, as frugality is the proper source of liberality. See in this miracle an emblem of the Bread of life, which came down from heaven to sustain our perishing souls. The provisions of Christ's gospel appear mean and scanty to the world, yet they satisfy all that feed on him in their hearts by faith with thanksgiving....

Verse Matthew 14:19. _AND TOOK THE FIVE LOAVES_, c.] 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 blessed, but _that_ God who had provided them and this indeed was the Jewish custom, not to bless the food, but the God who gave it. However, there are others who believe the _loaves_ are meant, and that he blessed _them_ in order to multiply them. The Jewish form of _blessing_, or wha

A full narrative of the feeding the five thousand is given in each of the other evangelists: in Mark 6:32; in Luke 9:10; in John 6:1. Matthew 14:13 AND WHEN JESUS HEARD OF IT, HE DEPARTED - He went to a place of safety. He never threw himself unnecessarily into danger. It was proper that he should secure his life until the appointed time had come for him to die. BY A SHIP INTO A DESERT PLACE - That is, he crossed the Sea of Galilee. He went to the country east of the sea, into a place little inhabit

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 14:1 CHRIST'S POWER TO SUPPLY AND PROTECT AND HEAL, PREFACED BY A STATEMENT OF HEROD'S RELATION TO HIM. MATTHEW 14:1 _Herod_'_s opinion of Jesus, and a parenthetical account of his murder of John the Baptist. _Parallel passages: Mark 6:14; Luke 9:7;...

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: AND TOOK THE FIVE LOAVES AND THE TWO FISHES: into his hands, lifting them up, that they might be seen by the whole company; and they be fully convinced of the miracle going to be wrought by him: AND LOOKING UP TO HEAVEN; to his Father in heaven, who is the Father of mercies; and from whom every mercy and blessing of life comes; and giving thanks to him for the same, as was usually done by him, HE BLESSED...

Matthew 14:13. _When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by a ship into a desert place apart:_ It is well for us to get alone with God when he takes home the best and most faithful of his servants. Neither the Church nor the world could afford to lose such a man as John the Baptist; so it was well for Christ's disciples to retire with him to a desert place that he might teach them the lesson of that proto-martyr's death. Matthew 14:13. _And when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick._ He needed quiet, but he could not get it; yet he was not «moved» with indignation against the crowd that had sought him out

2. JOHN'S MARTYRDOM. The Fourfold Attitude of the Rejected King. CHAPTER 14 _ 1. John's Martyrdom. (Matthew 14:1 .) 2. The Disciples of John with the Lord Jesus. (Matthew 14:12 .) 3. Feeding the Five Thousand. (Matthew 14:13 .) 4. Praying on the Mountain-top. (Matthew 14:22 .) 5. Walking on the Sea; Coming to His Disciples. (Matthew 14:24 .)_ The fourteenth chapter contains the record of events put together so as to harmonize with the purpose of this Gospel. The Lord had revealed the mysteries of the kingdo

THE FEEDING OF THE MULTITUDE (Mark 6:35 *, Luke 9:10). The account is somewhat shorter than in Mk. Having already (Matthew 9:36) spoken of Jesus-' compassion for people who were as sheep not having a shepherd (Mark 6:34), Mt. here (Matthew 14:14) makes Him heal the sick, which is somewhat out of place. He adds to the 5000 men, women and children....