Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus Feeds the 5000

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Comments

All four gospels record this miracle as proof of Jesus’ divine, creative power. While some have tried to make this a parable about sharing, its purpose is to recall two Old Testament miracles: Moses and the manna in the wilderness and Elisha and the feeding of 100 men with 20 loaves in 2 Kings 4:42-44. This is more than a Messianic gesture, it illustrates a new community that is not dismissed and sent home but shares a divine meal together, a foretaste of the Messianic banquet.

Yet before Jesus feeds the people, he heals them out of his compassion. His compassion incorporates the physical and spiritual. He took basic Galilean provisions, and as the head of the Jewish family, gave the blessing. Jesus blessed God rather than the food, the same actions he performed in Emmaus and at the Last Supper.

Prayer

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

(BCP, p. 223)