Matthew 15:36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave to his disciples… They were corrective of the influence that was actually produced by the miracles of healing. The differences in the spheres and the character of our Lord's miracles is not sufficiently observed, he was no mere Eastern Hakim, with a wonderful panacea for all forms of bodily woe. He is too often spoken of as if this were his description. More importance needs to be given to our Lord's walking the water, stilling the storm, raising the dead, and multiplying the food supplies. It is competent for any man to plead that the healing gift is, like the artistic gift, the special endowment of individuals; and Jesus was a Man with an unusual gift of the healing power. No such explanation can be found for the miracles of supply, or for the miracles of control over nature. And we shall come back upon the miracles of healing with new and worthier ideas when we have rightly apprehended the miracles of supply. We have seen, in the previous homily, that Christ's doctoring work rather directed men's attention to the "God of Israel" than to himself, "God manifest in the flesh." I. THE MIRACLES OF SUPPLY SET THE PERSON OF JESUS IN PROMINENCE. Illustrate by the effect of the wine making at Cana. That miracle "manifested forth his glory." Also by the other feeding of the thousands, which set Christ's Person forth so prominently that the people wanted, then and there, to make him king. Miracles of supply are stranger things, more difficult to explain, and more impressively related to the individual, than miracles of healing. Forth teem miracles of supply men go, saving to their neighbours, "What think ye of Christ? whose Son is he?" Compare the remarkable direction of the thoughts of the disciples to the Person and mystery of Christ, when he came to them walking on the sea. II. THE MIRACLES OF SUPPLY SET THE SPIRITUAL CHARACTER OF THE WORK OF JESUS IN PROMINENCE. They belong to another and more suggestive region. Removal of disabilities may be a great thing, but renewal of life is greater. Food, to be taken into a man's body, and turned into life, is a revelation of Christ's higher relation to men. He is soul food; taken in by faith and love, he is turned into the soul's life. "He that eateth me shall live by me." - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: And 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. |
    |