How Many Baskets? - Matthew 16:10

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus told His disciples, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O you of little faith, why reason you among yourselves, because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?”, and in chapter sixteen and verse ten of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus asked, “how many baskets you took up?” where we read:

Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

The verse reads, “Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, ...”. Matthew began with the word, “neither” which means “no, nor and not any” “the seven loaves” or “the seven loaves of bread which are made of flour mixed with water and baked” “of the four thousand” which means “belonging to the four thousand men who were fed”. Matthew shared how Jesus reminded the disciples of the “four thousand” men plus women and children who were fed by using only “seven loaves of bread” and a “few fishes”.

The verse continues, “... and how many baskets you took up?” Matthew added the words, “and how many baskets” which means “and what amount or number of wicker baskets” “you took up” which means “the disciples gathered and collected after everyone had eaten”? Matthew shared how Jesus questioned His disciples concerning the number of “baskets” of food they gathered after He fed the “four thousand”.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see Jesus remind His disciples of the “seven baskets” of leftover bread and fish they gathered after He fed the “four thousand men plus women and children”. Jesus wanted His disciples to understand He was the power behind the miracle of the feedings, and though they forgot to take “bread” with them, the disciples would be cared for by Jesus if they needed food. God wants people to enter a loving relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and when they yield themselves to Him and His plan for “salvation”, He promises to “supply all your need according to His riches in glory”. (See Philippians 4:19)

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus tells His disciples, “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees”,, 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.