Lange Commentary - Matthew 15:29 - 15:38

Online Resource Library

Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | Download

Lange Commentary - Matthew 15:29 - 15:38


(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)

This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

3. The Second Miraculous Feeding. Mat_15:29-38

29And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the Sea of Galilee.; and [he] went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and 31cast them down at Jesus’ [his] feet; and he healed them: Insomuch [so] that the multitude [multitudes, ôïὺò ὂ÷ëïõò ] wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak [speaking, ëáëïῦíôáò ], the maimed to be whole [whole], the lame to walk [walking], and the blind to see [seeing]: and they glorified the God of Israel. 32Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34And Jesus saith unto 35them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude [multitudes, ὄ÷ëïéò ] to sit [lie] down on the ground. 36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37And they did all eat [all ate], and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat [of the fragments] that was [were] left seven baskets full. 38And they that did eat [ate] were four thousand men, besides women and children.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Mat_15:29. From thence,—further on; ìåôáâἀò . See above.

And sat down there.—He must needs return to His people. Accordingly, after having passed round the sources of Jordan, He again arrived at the eastern shore of the sea, and sat down there, or settled on the mountain,—i.e., continued His solitary communing in prayer. But He could not remain unknown.

Mat_15:30.—The text here introduces a new description of sufferers, the êõëëïß , or maimed in hands or feet. Perhaps the term may allude to cretins.—The people cast them down at His feet,—indicating, according to Bengel and Meyer, their haste; according to Fritzsche and de Wette, implicit confidence; and according to Baumgarten-Crusius, the helplessness of the persons who were afflicted. But may it not at the same time indicate both the rudeness of these mountaineers, and their confidence, boldness, and their rapid movements in order to bring to the feet of Jesus all who were diseased? Among these cures Mark specially instances that of a deaf and dumb person (Mark 7:32).

Mat_15:31. They glorified the God of Israel.—These remote mountaineers knew little of the Messianic character of Jesus. Probably they had adopted many heathen notions, and were wont to compare other gods with the God of Israel. Hence they now glorified the God of Israel, in consequence of the miracles of Him whom they acknowledged as His prophet.

Mat_15:32-38. But Jesus called His disciples to Him.—The case was much more urgent than on the former occasion. The multitude had followed Him from the mountains, and not, as formerly, gathered in preparation for the festival of Easter. For three days they had continued with Him, partly forgetful of the wants of nature. Such scanty provision as they had brought with them was consumed. There was no possibility of either going into neighboring towns, or quickly returning across the lake. They could only retire to their mountain homes through the passes by which they had followed Him. They might therefore readily faint by the way. Similarly, the case was one of much greater difficulty than formerly. The multitudes here collected were more ignorant of the extent of Christ’s power. On the other hand, the supply of the disciples was somewhat larger—seven loaves and a few fishes; whilst the multitude was smaller, at least by a thousand men. These circumstances will explain why the disciples in their discouragement designated their fishes as ἰ÷èýäéá , and why Christ here commanded ( ἐêÝëåõóå ) the multitude to sit down.

From the similarity of this narrative to that of the first feeding of the people, and from the evident perplexity of the disciples, Schleiermacher and others have erroneously inferred that Matthew had here a second time reported one and the same fact. Krabbe, Hoffmann, Ebrard, and others controvert this view. Meyer thinks that the two events were different; but that the narratives had, in the course of tradition, become more like each other than the facts themselves. But the difference between them appears even in the terms for the baskets ( óðõñßäåò , baskets for provisions) in which the fragments were gathered, and in the circumstance that there were seven of them. Meyer: “The seven baskets correspond to the number of the loaves; the twelve baskets to that of the Apostles.” If it be asked why less was left over when the provision had been originally greater, and the number of guests smaller, we might, perhaps, in reply, point to the difference in the baskets. But if the twelve baskets implied that the Lord would make abundant provision for all the Apostles if they surrendered everything for Him, the seven baskets may indicate both that He would richly reward their sacrifices (seven baskets for seven loaves), and that their requirements were diminishing since their pilgrimage was nearing its end.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

As above in the account of the first feeding of the multitude, Mat_14:14-21.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

They cast those who were afflicted at Jesus’ feet.—Cast all your care upon Him.—How the gracious help of the Lord should incite us to compassion.—Christ and His cures: 1. The variety of sufferings (the maimed also); 2. the rude attendants; 3. the Saviour always ready to help.—The repetition of the miraculous feeding of the multitude reminding us of the words of the Lord, “The poor ye have always with you.”—Comparison between the two occasions on which the multitudes were fed: 1. The second occasion was seemingly less distinguished than the first (seven loaves, five loaves; five thousand, four thousand; twelve baskets, seven baskets). 2. In reality, it was greater. (On the first occasion the people knew Him well, while on the second they were ignorant mountaineers from the utmost boundaries of the land; on the first occasion the crowd was preparing to go up to the feast, while on the second it was gathered from the mountains; on the first occasion the miracle took place at the close of the first day, but on the second after they had continued for three days with Jesus.) Similarly, the results were different. (On the first occasion they would have made Him their king, while on the second they glorified the God of Israel.)—What lessons the Lord here imparts for Christian households. He teaches them: 1. Confidence in His own superabundant riches; 2. carefulness in the use of the blessings which He bestows on them.—Provision is always made for the women and children along with the men.—The circumstance that the women and children are not specially mentioned, implying a promise for their provision.

Starke: See how obtuse our reason is when we continue to harbor doubts and unbelief, although we have so many evidences of the power and goodness of our God, Num_11:18-23.—Osiander: When God bestows His blessing, that which seemeth little becometh much.—Cramer: Nature is satisfied with plain fare (bread and fishes).—To eat and be satisfied are always combined when God spreads the table for His children.—Carefulness turns everything to account.—Quesnel: The more liberally we employ the gifts of God in a manner pleasing to Him, the more abundantly shall we receive of them, Gal_6:9.—Luther: Let us frequently think of the great multitude of peoples who daily sit down at God’s table, and are satisfied. This will help us to glorify the love and power of our God.—Quesnel: Let heads of houses rely upon the divine provision, however numerous their families, Psa_37:25.

Lisco:—Erroneously: “This event occurred near Magdala, a city by the Lake of Galilee.”—Gerlach: Magdala, a city by the Lake of Galilee, not far from Gadara.—This mistake seems to have originated with Lightfoot and Wetstein.

Heubner:—The less the people thought about eating and drinking, the more did Christ care for their wants.—“Many children, many prayers.”—Christ the spiritual Head of the house.—The Christian parent after the example of Christ.

Footnotes:

Mat_15:30.—The order in the enumeration of the sick varies in the critical authorities. The one followed in the text is supported by E., G.. R., etc., Lachmann.

Mat_15:30.—[For the text. rec.: ðüäáò ôïῦ Ἰçóïῦ , all the critical editions read ðüäáò áὐôïῦ , His feet. So also Lange in his version.—P. S.]