Matthew 15:32-39
“Notice what you notice.” Much is made of the similarities and differences between today’s “Feeding of the 4,000” and our earlier “Feeding of the 5,000”. Some scholars say there was only one feeding; others hold true to what we have in Scripture. Let me offer four major differences:
- Today’s account takes place in the area of the Decapolis, southeast of the Sea of Galilee while the earlier feeding took place near Bethsaida, north of the Sea of Galilee.
- Today’s account has seven loaves and seven baskets leftover while the earlier account had five loaves and twelve baskets leftover.
- Today’s account has 4,000 people, the earlier account had 5,000.
- Jesus initiates the action in today’s account while in the earlier account the disciples came to Him and asked Him to send the multitude away.
Finally, later (Matthew 16:9-10) Jesus will chastise His disciples for failing to remember, connect or understand the two miracles.
…He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks He broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (v. 36) One of my favorite Bible stories is Jesus and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Luke writes at the end, When He was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. (Luke 24:30-31) The disciples finally recognized Jesus in His breaking of the bread. I wonder how many other times Jesus had blessed and broken bread with His disciples…!! We should probably treasure our Gathering times and our Brunch times with one another more than we do.
GLORY!