13 When Jesus heard what had happened, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed Him on foot from the towns.
14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to Me,” He said.
19 And He directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Explanation of Matthew 14:13-21
In this passage, we see one of the most well-known miracles of Jesus, where He feeds a crowd of five thousand men (plus women and children) with just five loaves of bread and two fish. This miracle is rich in meaning and teaches us several lessons:
- Jesus’ Compassion: When Jesus saw the large crowd, He had compassion on them. Despite His own personal grief (as He had just heard of John the Baptist’s death), Jesus was moved by the needs of the people. This shows that Jesus is always mindful of our needs and cares deeply for us.
- Jesus as the Provider: This miracle is a powerful demonstration of Jesus’ ability to provide for us, even when resources seem scarce. The disciples’ initial reaction is to send the crowd away due to a lack of food, but Jesus tells them, “You give them something to eat.” In that moment, Jesus took what little they had and multiplied it to feed the entire crowd. This speaks to the idea that Jesus can take our small offerings and multiply them to meet great needs.
- The Abundance of God: Not only did Jesus feed the entire crowd, but there were also twelve baskets of leftovers. This signifies God’s abundance. His provision is not just sufficient; it overflows with blessings. God gives abundantly to those who trust in Him and follow His commands.
- Faith and Obedience: The disciples played a key role in this miracle by distributing the bread and fish. Though they might have doubted the feasibility of feeding so many, they acted in obedience, and God performed the miracle. This teaches us that while we may not always see the full picture, obedience to God allows His power to work through us.
Application for Today
This passage serves as a reminder that Jesus cares for our physical and spiritual needs. When we are faced with difficult situations or feel like we don’t have enough, we can trust that Jesus can provide and make a way. Moreover, we are called to be His hands and feet, sharing what we have with others and trusting that God will multiply our efforts to make a difference.
This story encourages us to have faith that God can use what seems small and inadequate in our lives to accomplish His purposes and meet the needs of those around us.
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