Matthew 15:35

³⁴“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”³⁵And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground.³⁶Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Summary

In this verse, Jesus miraculously feeds a crowd of four thousand people with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. This event showcases Jesus' compassion and ability to provide for the needs of the people in a miraculous way. It also serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and provision, demonstrating that nothing is impossible for Him. The abundance of food left over after everyone had eaten highlights the generosity and abundance of God's blessings when we trust in Him to meet our needs.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. Not regarding the smallness of the provisions, nor any further consulting with his disciples; but knowing his own power to increase this food, and determining to feed the multitude before he dismissed them, in an authoritative way ordered them to sit down upon the ground in rows, that they might be the better seen, and served. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. Not regarding the smallness of the provisions, nor any further consulting with his disciples; but knowing his own power to increase this food, and determining to feed the multitude before he dismissed them, in an authoritative way ordered them to sit down upon the ground in rows, that they might be the better seen, and served. Matthew 15:36 mat 15:36 mat 15:36 mat 15:36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes,.... Into his hands, and lifted them up, that it might be seen, and observed, that there were no other food than these, that so the miracle might appear in its true light: and gave thanks; to God for the provision, though it was so small, in the name of the whole company, according to the usage of the Jewish nation; who, if there were ten thousand (r), one for the rest used to say, "let us bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of hosts, that sitteth between the cherubim: teaching us to do so likewise, and to be thankful for, and content with our portion, be it more or less: and brake them; which also was the custom of the master of the family to do: and gave to his disciples: as a fresh trial of their faith, to reprove their unbelief, to put them in mind of the former miracle, and that they might be witnesses of this, and, in order to distribute to the people, which they accordingly did: and the disciples to the multitude; in doing which they obeyed their master's orders, though before they could not persuade themselves, that such a multitude of people could be filled with so small a quantity, (r) Misn. Beracot, c. 7. sect. 3.