Matthew 14:21
About five thousand men were fed, in addition to women and children.
About five thousand men
The phrase "about five thousand men" highlights the magnitude of the miracle performed by Jesus. The Greek word for "men" here is "ἀνδρές" (andres), specifically referring to adult males, which was a common way of counting in ancient times. This method of counting reflects the cultural and societal norms of the period, where men were often the primary figures in public gatherings. The number "five thousand" signifies not just a large crowd but also a significant logistical challenge, underscoring the miraculous nature of the feeding. Historically, this event is one of the few miracles recorded in all four Gospels, emphasizing its importance in Jesus' ministry and its impact on His followers.

were fed
The phrase "were fed" comes from the Greek "ἐχορτάσθησαν" (echortasthēsan), meaning to be satisfied or filled. This word choice indicates that the people were not just given a small portion but were fully satisfied, highlighting the abundance of God's provision. In a spiritual sense, this feeding symbolizes the sufficiency of Christ to meet all needs, both physical and spiritual. The act of feeding such a large crowd with limited resources demonstrates Jesus' divine authority and compassion, serving as a foretaste of the heavenly banquet and the spiritual nourishment He offers to all who follow Him.

in addition to women and children
The inclusion of "in addition to women and children" is significant, as it acknowledges the presence of a much larger group than the initial count of five thousand men. This phrase suggests that the total number of people fed could have been upwards of fifteen to twenty thousand, considering the cultural context where families often traveled together. The mention of women and children highlights the inclusivity of Jesus' ministry, breaking societal norms that often marginalized these groups. It serves as a reminder of the comprehensive nature of God's kingdom, where all are welcome and provided for, regardless of social status or gender. This detail enriches the narrative, illustrating the vastness of the miracle and the boundless compassion of Christ.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The central figure in this event, performing the miracle of feeding the multitude.

2. The Disciples
Followers of Jesus who distributed the food to the crowd.

3. The Crowd
Comprising about five thousand men, plus women and children, who were fed by Jesus.

4. The Location
A remote place where Jesus had withdrawn, likely near the Sea of Galilee.

5. The Miracle of Multiplication
The event where Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed the large crowd.
Teaching Points
God's Abundant Provision
Jesus' miracle demonstrates God's ability to provide abundantly beyond our needs. Trust in God's provision even in seemingly impossible situations.

The Role of Faith
The disciples had to trust Jesus' instructions despite the limited resources. Faith often requires action based on trust in God's power.

Inclusion and Compassion
Jesus' feeding of all present, including women and children, highlights His inclusive compassion. We are called to show compassion to all, regardless of status.

The Importance of Gratitude
Jesus gave thanks before distributing the food, teaching us to express gratitude for God's blessings, no matter how small they seem.

Spiritual Nourishment
Beyond physical sustenance, this miracle points to the spiritual nourishment Jesus provides. Seek spiritual growth and sustenance through a relationship with Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the miracle of feeding the five thousand demonstrate Jesus' divine authority and compassion?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of trusting in God's provision in our daily lives?

3. How does this event connect to the Old Testament accounts of God's provision, and what does it teach us about God's character?

4. What role does gratitude play in our relationship with God, and how can we cultivate a thankful heart?

5. How can we ensure that we are seeking spiritual nourishment from Jesus, the "bread of life," in our personal walk with Him?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 16
The provision of manna in the wilderness, showing God's provision for His people.

2 Kings 4:42-44
Elisha's miracle of multiplying bread, prefiguring Jesus' miracle.

John 6:35
Jesus declares Himself the "bread of life," connecting physical sustenance to spiritual nourishment.

Psalm 23:1
The Lord as a shepherd who provides for His flock, reflecting Jesus' care for the crowd.

Philippians 4:19
God's promise to supply all needs, as demonstrated in this miracle.
The Sacrament MiracleP.C. Barker Matthew 14:13-21
The Table in the WildernessJ.A. Macdonald Matthew 14:13-21
Baskets for FragmentsA. Cart.Matthew 14:15-21
Christ Feeding the MultitudeT. Kidd.Matthew 14:15-21
Communication Begets PlentyL. N. Frothingham.Matthew 14:15-21
Compassion for the MultitudeC. H. Spurgeon.Matthew 14:15-21
Increase by DistributionBishop Hall.Matthew 14:15-21
Jesus Feeding the MultitudeW.F. Adeney Matthew 14:15-21
Multiplied by GivingLapideMatthew 14:15-21
Our Lord in PrayerGeorge Macdonald.Matthew 14:15-21
Sitting on GrassDean Stanley.Matthew 14:15-21
Strong Charity, Weak FaithBishop Hall.Matthew 14:15-21
The Five Barley Loaves in the DesertA. M. Stuart.Matthew 14:15-21
The Food of the WorldA. Maclaren, D. D.Matthew 14:15-21
The Food of the WormAmerican Homiletic ReviewMatthew 14:15-21
The Miracle of the LoavesC. Clayton, M. A.Matthew 14:15-21
The Miracle of the Loaves and FishesDr. J. Burns.Matthew 14:15-21
The Work of the Church in a Starving WorldA. Maclaren, D. D.Matthew 14:15-21
People
Herod, Herodias, Jesus, John, Peter, Philip
Places
Galilee, Genneseret, Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee
Topics
Addition, Adult, Apart, Ate, Beside, Besides, Eat, Eaten, Eating, Reckoning, Thousand, Women
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Matthew 14:21

     1655   hundreds and thousands

Matthew 14:13-21

     4418   bread

Matthew 14:14-22

     5279   crowds

Matthew 14:15-21

     1330   God, the provider

Matthew 14:19-21

     4642   fish
     5341   hunger

Library
July 23. "Bring them Hither to Me" (Matt. xiv. 18).
"Bring them hither to Me" (Matt. xiv. 18). Why have ye not received all the fulness of the Holy Spirit? And how may we be anointed with "the rest of the oil?" The greatest need is to make room when God makes it. Look around you at your situation. Are you not encompassed with needs at this very moment, and almost overwhelmed with difficulties, trials and emergencies? These are all divinely provided vessels for the Holy Spirit to fill, and if you would but rightly understand their meaning, they would
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Grave of the Dead John and the Grave of the Living Jesus
'And John's disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.'--MATT. xiv. 12. 'And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy.'--MATT. xxviii. 8. There is a remarkable parallel and still more remarkable contrast between these two groups of disciples at the graves of their respective masters. John the Baptist's followers venture into the very jaws of the lion to rescue the headless corpse of their martyred teacher from a prison grave. They bear it
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Peter on the Waves
'And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.'--MATT. xiv. 28. We owe this account of an episode in the miracle of Christ's walking on the waters to Matthew alone. Singularly enough there is no reference to Peter's venturesomeness and failure in the Gospel which is generally believed to have been written under his special inspection and suggestion. Mark passes by that part of the narrative without a word. That may be because Peter was somewhat ashamed
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Martyrdom of John
'At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2. And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 3. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. 4. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Food of the World
'He gave the loaves to the 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.'--MATT. xiv. 19, 20. The miracles of Scripture are not merely wonders, but signs. It is one of their most striking characteristics that they are not, like the pretended portents of false faiths, mere mighty deeds standing in no sort of intellectual relation to the message of which they claim to be the attestation,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The King's Highway
'And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26. And when the disciples saw Him walking
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Again on Matt. xiv. 25: of the Lord Walking on the Waves of the Sea, and of Peter Tottering.
1. The Gospel which has just been read touching the Lord Christ, who walked on the waters of the sea; [2566] and the Apostle Peter, who as he was walking, tottered through fear, and sinking in distrust, rose again by confession, gives us to understand that the sea is the present world, and the Apostle Peter the type of the One Church. For Peter in the order of Apostles first, and in the love of Christ most forward, answers oftentimes alone for all the rest. Again, when the Lord Jesus Christ asked,
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xiv. 24, "But the Boat was Now in the Midst of the Sea, Distressed by the Waves. "
1. The lesson of the Gospel which we have just heard is a lesson of humility to us all, that we may see and know where we are, and whither we must tend and hasten. For that ship which carries the disciples, which was tossed in the waves by a contrary wind, is not without its meaning. Nor without a meaning [2541] did the Lord after He had left the multitudes, go up into a mountain to pray alone; and then coming to His disciples found them in danger, walking on the sea, and getting up into the ship
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Mr. Fearing Comforted
I think I shall be quite safe in concluding this morning, that there are some here who are full of doubting and fearing. Sure I am that all true Christians have their times of anxious questioning. The heart that hath never doubted has not yet learned to believe. As the farmers say, "The land that will not grow a thistle, will not grow wheat;" and the heart that cannot produce a doubt has not yet understood the meaning of believing. He that never doubted of his state--he may, perhaps he may, too late.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

First Withdrawal from Herod's Territory and Return.
(Spring, a.d. 29.) Subdivision A. Return of the Twelve and Retirement To the East Shore of Galilee. ^A Matt. XIV. 13; ^B Mark VI. 30-32; ^C Luke IX. 10; ^D John VI. 1. ^b 30 And the apostles gather themselves together unto Jesus; ^c when they were returned, ^b and they told { ^c declared unto} ^b him all things, whatsoever they had done, and whatsoever they had taught. [They had fulfilled the mission on which Jesus had sent them, and on returning each pair made to him a full report of their work.]
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Herod Antipas Supposes Jesus to be John.
^A Matt. XIV. 1-12; ^B Mark VI. 14-29; ^C Luke IX. 7-9. ^b 14 And ^c 7 Now ^a 1 At that season ^b King Herod [Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. See page 63.] ^c the tetrarch heard of all that was done ^a heard the report concerning Jesus, ^b for his name had become known: ^c and he was perplexed, because that it was said by some, that John was risen from the dead; 8 and by some, that Elijah had appeared; and by others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. [The work of Jesus impressed
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

First Withdrawal from Herod's Territory and Return.
(Spring, a.d. 29.) Subdivision B. Feeding the Five Thousand. ^A Matt. XIV. 13-21; ^B Mark VI. 33-44; ^C Luke IX. 11-17; ^D John VI. 2-14. ^c 11 But { ^a and} the multitudes heard thereof [heard of Jesus and his disciples crossing the lake], ^b 33 And they saw them going, and ^c perceiving it, ^b many knew them, ^d 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick. ^b and they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them. ^a
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Miraculous Feeding of the Five Thousand
In the circumstances described in the previous chapter, Jesus resolved at once to leave Capernaum; and this probably alike for the sake of His disciples, who needed rest; for that of the people, who might have attempted a rising after the murder of the Baptist; and temporarily to withdraw Himself and His followers from the power of Herod. For this purpose He chose the place outside the dominions of Antipas, nearest to Capernaum. This was Beth-Saida (the house of fishing,' Fisher-town,' [3198] as
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Night of Miracles on the Lake of Gennesaret
THE last question of the Baptist, spoken in public, had been: Art Thou the Coming One, or look we for another?' It had, in part, been answered, as the murmur had passed through the ranks: This One is truly the Prophet, the Coming One!' So, then, they had no longer to wait, nor to look for another! And this Prophet' was Israel's long expected Messiah. What this would imply to the people, in the intensity and longing of the great hope which, for centuries, nay, far beyond the time of Ezra, had swayed
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Preachings on the Lake.
Such was the group which, on the borders of the lake of Tiberias, gathered around Jesus. The aristocracy was represented there by a customs-officer and by the wife of one of Herod's stewards. The rest were fishermen and common people. Their ignorance was extreme; their intelligence was feeble; they believed in apparitions and spirits.[1] Not one element of Greek culture had penetrated this first assembly of the saints. They had very little Jewish instruction; but heart and good-will overflowed. The
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

Be of Good Cheer.
"BE of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" (Matthew xiv:27). "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God believe also in Me. In my father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John xiv:1-3). "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

The Rationalistic Explanation.
PAULUS. But the champions of this theory may admit all this, and yet fasten the delusion upon the disciples of Christ, who were so dazzled by his character, words, and works, that they mistook an extraordinary man for a divine being, and extraordinary medical cures for supernatural miracles. This is the view of the older German Rationalism.[75]75 It forms a parallel to the heathen rationalism of Euhemerus, of the Cyrenaic school: he explained the gods of the Greek mythology as human sages, heroes,
Philip Schaff—The Person of Christ

Capernaum
From the things last spoken, we gather no trifling conjecture concerning the situation of the town of Capernaum. Josephus relates that the country of Gennesar, which we have described, was watered "with a spring of excellent water; the people thereabouts call it Capernaum." From that either the city hath its name, or rather that hath its name from the city; and the city from the pleasantness of the place. The evangelists, compared together, do make it clear, that this city was seated in the land
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Grave of John, and Another Grave
(MATTHEW XIV. 12.) "When some beloved voice, that was to you Both sound and sweetness, faileth suddenly, And silence, against which you dare not cry, Aches round you like a strong disease and new,-- What hope, what help, what music will undo That silence to your sense? Not friendship's sigh, Not reason's subtle count.... Nay, none of these! Speak, Thou availing Christ!--and fill this pause." E. B. BROWNING. "Tell Jesus"--The Sin-Bearer--The Resurrection of Jesus--The Followers of John, and of
F. B. Meyer—John the Baptist

The Confidence of Prayer. --Matt. xiv. 22
The Confidence of Prayer.--Matt. xiv. 22. Why thus, my soul, cast down? And why disquieted? Black though the tempest frown, The surge pass o'er thy head; Wait the fourth watch;--for One who saves Comes to thee, walking on the waves. Lord! Lord! if it be Thou, Bid me come down to Thee; Jesus! I know Thee now, And walk upon the sea; Faith fails; ah me! the gulf runs high, Save, Lord, I sink! O save, I die! I grasp thy outstretch'd hand; We climb the vessel's side; And lo! we touch the land, The
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

The Glory of Penitents and Pious People.
Who are they that compose yonder bright multitude? They are headed by a queen who does not wear a virgin's crown; and yet, she is so beautiful, and enjoys so intimate a union with Jesus. Who is she? She is Mary Magdalen, the bright queen of Penitents, and the star of hope to all who have grievously sinned in this world. She was once a sinner, and such a sinner! Her soul was the home of seven devils! She was a hireling of Satan, to catch the souls of men. But a flash of light came forth from the Heart
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

Christ's Encouragements
'Son, be of good cheer.'--MATT. ix. 2. This word of encouragement, which exhorts to both cheerfulness and courage, is often upon Christ's lips. It is only once employed in the Gospels by any other than He. If we throw together the various instances in which He thus speaks, we may get a somewhat striking view of the hindrances to such a temper of bold, buoyant cheerfulness which the world presents, and of the means for securing it which Christ provides. But before I consider these individually, let
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Dancing.
DANCING is the expression of inward feelings by means of rhythmical movements of the body. Usually these movements are in measured step, and are accompanied by music. In some form or another dancing is as old as the world, and has been practiced by rude as well as by civilized peoples. The passion for amateur dancing always has been strongest among savage nations, who have made equal use of it in religious rites and in war. With the savages the dancers work themselves into a perfect frenzy, into
J. M. Judy—Questionable Amusements and Worthy Substitutes

The Chronology
45. The length of the public ministry of Jesus was one of the earliest questions which arose in the study of the four gospels. In the second and third centuries it was not uncommon to find the answer in the passage from Isaiah (lxi. 1, 2), which Jesus declared was fulfilled in himself. "The acceptable year of the Lord" was taken to indicate that the ministry covered little more than a year. The fact that the first three gospels mention but one Passover (that at the end), and but one journey to Jerusalem,
Rush Rhees—The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

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