Matthew 14:15-21 15When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” 17They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, 20and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. 21There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.
The story of the feeding of the five thousand appears in all four of the Gospels and the only miracle recorded in all four (Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15). In the biblical background is the story of God feeding Israel by manna in the desert during the exodus from Egyptian slavery. Jesus as Immanuel illustrates how God comes to the aid of his people in time of need. This story is the evidence of Jesus’ compassion from verse 14. Many people of Galilee and Israel were poor. Their basic concern was their everyday survival and having enough food. This story shows the power of Jesus on display and brings together the themes of his compassion and authority.
The crowds had followed Jesus out to the shore of the lake far from their homes and towns. The disciples had been watching Jesus, and their awareness of others and compassionate sensitivities were growing. They noticed that the people were getting hungry and approached Jesus with the problem. They knew he could do something about it because he was the leader, but their faith was short-sighted. They were thinking in earthly ways. Only Matthew records that the disciples saw the solution in sending the people to the nearby villages to buy food (assuming they had money in the first place).
Jesus would use this miracle as a teaching opportunity to stretch the disciples’ faith in him and grow their blossoming compassion. His question in verse 16 was a test of their faith. They had some faith because they brought to Jesus the equivalent of a picnic lunch sack, but this could also be interpreted to mean that they were frustrated and doubtful that anything could be done with only a small lunch. The loaves were likely small buns and the fish small and dried. It seems that they did not even have food for themselves or Jesus on this occasion. Matthew is not concerned about some of the details found in the other Gospels, such as who answered the question or who provided the loaves and fish. He seems more focused on Jesus and his response to the situation.
Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and offered a prayer of thanks and blessing. This was a common Jewish practice adopted by early Christians. Paul reminds Timothy of how giving thanks to God for food sanctifies the food and grows our faith and dependence on God (1 Timothy 4:4-5). Jesus took charge of the situation and gave the disciples clear directions of what to do. They were involved in the miracle by being the instruments of compassion and blessing to others. When the leftovers were gathered, there was a basket for each disciple. Each one learned a lesson about the abundance in following Jesus. The number of people mentioned in verse 21 is astonishing and highlights the significance of Jesus power, which has been a key topic in this Gospel. The number of five thousand “men” was an estimate. Jews at that time were more concerned about counting men, possibly because they would represent family units. Basically, there were a lot of people present for this miracle.
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