Matthew the apostle wrote how, “Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give you them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them here to me”, and in chapter fourteen and verse nineteen of his book, Matthew wrote how Jesus tells, “the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes” and multiplied them where we read:
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
The verse reads, “And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “and he commanded” which means “Jesus bid and ordered””the multitude” which refers to “the crowd surrounding Him” “to sit down” or “to be seated” “on the grass” which means “on the place where the grass grows and the animals graze”, “and took the five loaves” or “and Jesus laid His hands upon the five little oblong or round cakes which were composed of flour mixed with water and baked”, “and the two fishes” which means “and the two little fish”. Matthew shared how Jesus directed the crowd of people to be seated on the grass below them, and He took within His hands the “five loaves” and “two fish”.
The verse continues, “and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” Matthew added the words, “and looking up” which means “seeing and receiving sight” “to heaven” which refers to “toward the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings”, “he blessed” or “Jesus consecrated, pronounced a consecratory blessing on the five loaves and two fish”, “and brake” which means “broke the bread and fish in pieces”, “and gave” or “and distributed, supplied and furnished” “the loaves” which means “the five little oblong or round cakes which were composed of flour mixed with water and baked” “to his disciples” or “to Jesus' students, pupils and attendants”, “and the disciples” which refers to how “the students, pupil and attendants gave the bread and fish” “to the multitude” or “so the crowd surrounding Jesus”. Matthew shared how Jesus peered into the heavenly realm, consecrated and broke the bread and fish, and then distributed them to His disciples who gave the food to the crowd.
When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus methodically took the small amount of food, blessed it, broke it and fed the people around Him. Though this supply may have seemed small, it was not obstacle for the Creator of the Universe. This same God desires to have a loving personal relationship with every person who will yield their lives to Him, and when those who align with Him bring whatever they have in hand, He is more than able to make what seems so significant into an abundant blessing for people in His Kingdom.
Next time we see Matthew shares how the multitude, “did all eat, and were filled”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment