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.” (Matthew 14:13–14 (ESV)
The miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand is one of the few miracles, besides Jesus’ resurrection, that is recorded in all four Gospels (Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). It parallels the Lord’s providential provision of Manna in the wilderness for Israel. Matthew’s account is more precise while the Gospel of John’s narrative contains more detail.
“The miracle Matthew describes in today’s passage, the feeding of the five thousand (14:13–21), is a wonderful event in which Jesus actually provides food for as many as fifteen or twenty thousand (most of the five thousand men present would have had women and children from their families with them). From a human perspective it is remarkable that there was an occasion for this miracle to take place at all,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
What exactly is a miracle? A miracle is a divine act by which God reveals himself to people.God’s revelation of Himself involves not only His personal character but also His sovereign work. Many of the miracles of the Bible used nature rather than bypassed it (e.g., the wind that parted the Red Sea, Ex. 14:21). A miracle can also be a phenomenon that is not readily explainable and may reflect laws that scientists do not yet fully understand.
In Scripture the element of faith is crucial; a natural approach cannot prove or disprove the presence of a “miracle.” The timing and content of the process can be miraculous, even though the event may seem natural. In every case in Scripture, God performed a miracle not merely as a “wonder” to inspire awe but as a “sign” to draw people to himself.
The purpose of miracles was to divide the audience and confront it with the necessity of decision. Two camps result—those seeking understanding and those considering only the outward aspects of the miracle and condemning.
Matthew recorded the setting for this miraculous provision of food in the immediate aftermath of John the Baptist’s martyrdom (Matt. 14:1-12). Upon hearing the news of John’s death, Jesus withdrew from his hometown of Nazareth (Matt. 13:53-58), got into a boat and sailed to a desolate place to be alone.
Soon thereafter, the Galilean crowds heard that Jesus was nearby, they left their towns and began following Him on foot. When Jesus arrived on shore, He saw the great crowd. Crowd (ὄχλος; achios) refers to a multitude. Rather than an unruly mob, this was a large, peaceful gathering of many people.
When He saw the multitude of people, He had compassion on them. To have compassion (σπλαγχνίζομαι; splanchnizomai) means to have pity. One of the reasons for Jesus to have pity on the people, and one of the reasons the people sought out Jesus, was because many of them were sick. Jesus revealed Himself to be God by healing the sick.
The stage was set for a miraculous moment. Have a blessed day as you consider how God is revealing Himself to you today through the Scriptures, along with the providential circumstances of life.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 