The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 14 Part 2 Jesus Fed 5,000 With Meager Resources

Jesus the Good Shepherd was moved with compassion for the lost sheep of Israel.

Matthew 14:13-14  When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 14  And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. 

After learning that Herod executed John the Baptist, Jesus sailed away to a less populated area.

He often sought time alone with His disciples to give them instruction and to spend time communing with His Father in prayer.

Jesus went by a ship into a desert place  crossing the Sea of Galilee into a place east of the sea, little inhabited. 

Luke said that He went to a place called Bethsaida (See Luke 9:10). 

“A desert place” means a place little cultivated, where there were few or no inhabitants. 

On the east of the Sea of Galilee was a large tract of country of this description rough, uncultivated, and chiefly used to pasture flocks.

However, the multitude of people figured out where Jesus and the disciples had gone and they followed Him on foot.

This shows a strong interest in the Lord and His teaching.

Jesus was moved with great compassion when He saw the multitude come to Him.

Mark's gospel tells us that Jesus was moved with compassion because they were as sheep having no shepherd. 

A good shepherd takes good care of his flock. 

It was his duty to feed it, to defend it from wolves and other wild beasts, to care for the young and feeble and to lead them  by green pastures and still waters, (See Psalm 23:1-6). 

When Christ says the people were as sheep without a shepherd, He means that they had no teachers who cared for them enough to instruct them in the things of God. 

The scribes and Pharisees were haughty, proud, and cared little for the common people. 

When they did attempt to teach the people, they led them astray with traditions of men and the false religion of Judaism. 

Jesus' disciples were concerned for the multitude since they were in an isolated location.

Matthew 14:15  And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 

Evening was fast approaching and Jesus' disciples voiced concern for the welfare of all the people since they were in a remote location.

They suggested sending the people away to find villages where they might buy food to eat.

This is a practical and pragmatic solution to a real problem.

However, Jesus had another plan, a spiritual solution to meet the needs of the multitude.

The ability to feed such a multitude with so little food seemed impossible to Christ's disciples. 

Matthew 14:16-17  But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17  And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 

Matthew 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Jesus previously taught the multitude truth that we are meant to live in dependency upon our Father in His Sermon on the Mount (See Matthew 5-7).

Those who seek first the kingdom of heaven as Jesus instructed us to do, are sure to have their temporal needs supplied. 

When a man seeks God first each day, the Lord will move to meet our needs. 

When we have an earnest interest in Jesus we also have an inexhaustible treasure of spiritual and temporal good. 

Though drought or famine may make food supplies scarce, we must not think that the bounty of God is exhausted. 

When we are about to give up all hope of farther supply, the gracious word of Christ still holds true "They need not depart; give ye them to eat."

God gave Israel manna to eat every day for forty years (See Exodus 16).

God sent quail for the Hebrews to eat when they were hungry in the wilderness (See Numbers 11:31-32).

God used a raven to feed His prophet Elijah in the desert (See 1 Kings 17:2-6).

God sent Elijah to stay with a widow in Zarephath who only had a small amount of oil and meal. 

Her meager food supply was multiplied each day and sustained them for 3 1/2 years (See 1 Kings 17:8-16).

God used His prophet Elisha to use 21 small barley slices of bread to feed one hundred hungry men (See 2 Kings 4:42-44).

God used Joseph to store up grain from seven years of plenty that fed the people through seven years of famine (See Genesis 41:53-57).

Therefore, when the Son of God walked on this earth, He was ready to meet the needs of the multitude.

Jesus determined to feed the hungry multitude even though food supply was small.

Matthew 14:16-17  But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17  And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 

Therefore, the same Jehovah of the Old Testament who fed the sheep of His pasture, now walked on the earth as God manifest in the flesh, and He was ready and able to feed the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

This is why Jesus said "They need not depart; give ye them to eat."

Numbers 11:23  And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. 

The Lord's hand is not shortened that He cannot supply our needs.

We have here only five small loaves and two fish to split among 5,000 people in addition to women and children.

The situation seemed impossible with too many people to feed and too little food to share.

When we are deeply conscious of our own needs, we are led to depend on Jesus with a firmer faith. 

God looks on our heart when we freely give to Him, not on how much we give.

Mark 12:41-44  And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44  For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. 

Jesus saw a certain widow who was very poor and only had two mites to give for her tithe. This would have been equivalent to less than one cent. 

Yet, Jesus commended her for giving all that she had even though it was a miniscule amount, for her heart wanted to give all she had to God.

Like the prophets of old, Jesus would take the smallest amount of food and multiply it because He is God manifest in the flesh.

Jesus commanded the multitude to be seated in an orderly manner to help distribute the food.

Matthew 14:19-21  And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21  And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. 

God commands that all things be done decently and in an orderly manner.

Jesus commanded the multitude to sit down in the grass in an orderly arrangement so that the food could more easily and quickly be distributed.

Mark 6:39-40  And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40  And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. 

Mark's gospel adds that they sat down by tribe and family within each tribe much like the genealogy tables, in groups of hundreds and fifties.

Notice what happened next. Jesus looked toward heaven, to His Father and blessed the small amount of food and He broke it into small fragments.

The words "And took the five loaves and two fishes, and looking up to heaven he blessed and brake" reminds us that this was the act of the father of a family among the Jews. 

The father was responsible  to take bread into his hands, and render thanks to God, before any of the family was permitted to eat it.

Looking up to heaven  reminds us that we ought to acknowledge God as the Supreme Good, and fountain of all excellence.

In seeking a blessing on our food, we pray that it may be made nourishing to our bodies, that we may have proper gratitude to God, the giver, for providing for our wants.

We pray remembering our Creator while we partake the bounties of His providence. 

Our Saviour always sought a blessing on His food. In this he was an example for us. 

What He did we should do. 

It is right to seek the blessing of God because He provides for us. 

He daily opens his hand and satisfies our wants.

Every man, woman and child ate until they were full and there was an astounding amount of leftovers totaling twelve baskets of bread and fish.

God supplies food for all living things and His Son will supply our needs.

Psalm 104:27-28  These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 28  That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. 

Psalm 104:21  The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. 

Jesus Christ the Son of God fed a massive multitude of people. 

Like a good shepherd, Jesus fed His people, the sheep of His pasture.

He proved time and time again that He spoke as God, did the mighty miracles that only God could do and displayed the heart of God's love and compassion for all mankind.

All creatures wait on the LORD to open His hand and feed them.

Psalm 136:25-26 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. 26  O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever. 

The Psalmist reminds us that it is God who gives food to all flesh and this is part of His mercy to all humanity.

Psalm 145:14-17  The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. 15  The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. 16  Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. 17  The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

The LORD holds up all who fall after being crushed by the cares, troubles and burdens of this life.

He raises us up out of the dust and gives us our food in due season, when we truly need it.

He opens His hand to satisfy the hunger of all living things. 

All of these beautiful truths point to the Lord Jesus Christ who put them on display in His Words and works.

Matthew 6:25-26  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

Listen to Jesus' words from His Sermon on the Mount.

We must not trouble ourselves worrying about those things which God said He would supply.

Our Father knows that we need food, clothing, shelter and He provides for all His creatures.

Jesus said that we are more precious to Him than the fowls of the air.

Philippians 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Thus, like Jesus did in giving thanks and blessing the food, we too must pray with thanksgiving to God and bring our needs before Him.

God shall supply for our needs and Jesus demonstrated this vividly by feeding this vast throng of people.

May we make sure to thank God for His blessings in our lives.

May we make sure to tell our problems to God.

May we make sure to express our true needs to God.

May we trust Him that He loves us and will supply for our needs.

Bob