Matthew 16

Matthew 16:1

The Canaanite Woman

In the previous verses we see an oh so religious people whose hearts are in reality far from God. The Lord leaves the borders of Israel to visit places far removed from Jewish privileges. He goes to the countryside with the cities He has used as an example of those that are furthest removed from repentance (Matthew 11:21-22). Here He meets a pagan woman who is outwardly far from God, but who is close to God in her heart. The woman comes from a cursed race because she is “a Canaanite”. The emphatic ‘Canaanite’ underlines once again that she is under the curse as a great contrast with the people where God’s blessing is.

She has a great need. Her daughter is cruelly demon-possessed and therefore she makes a call to the mercy of the “Lord”. But she also speaks to Him as “Son of David” and that is not appropriate for this woman of the Gentiles. He is the Son of David, but not for her. He is that only for His people. She has to learn to approach Him on the right basis. She cannot speak as one of the people of God and on that ground God cannot help her. The Lord could not bless us either as Messiah of Israel.

The Lord does not answer her. It seems strange that He doesn’t answer the cry of help from someone in need and calls Him. As said, the woman calls upon the Lord as the Son of David. As such He has nothing to do with this woman of the Gentiles, so He does not answer her. But He does not send her away and that is what the disciples want.

They want Him to send the woman away, “because”, they say, “she keeps shouting at us”. They would rather not have to deal with this woman and do not share the Lord’s feelings. Therefore, He does address the disciples’ remark. He points to the purpose of His mission. His mission concerns only the lost sheep belonging to Israel. He thus establishes that Israel is as lost as this woman is. There can only be hope for those who acknowledge it.

The woman will have heard what He has said. Therefore she goes on and on, for the Lord hints that everything is now based on grace, and then there can be no borders. The woman shows persevering faith. She only asks if He wants to come to her aid in her distress. The answer the Lord then gives is even more dismissive if possible. First He said in veiled terms that she did not belong to Israel and was therefore not an object of His mission. Now He says in veiled words that she does not belong to the children of Israel, but to the nations whom He compares to despised dogs.

Then the effect of His words becomes clear. He achieves, by His apparent hardness, that the woman feels and pronounces her true place before God. She immediately takes that place, like a Mephibosheth who once assumed the place of a dead dog with David (2 Samuel 9:8). This does not mean that God is less good or merciful to her. That would be a denial of Himself, a denial of His nature, of which Christ is the expression. He cannot say: God has no crumb for such people. Crumbs are not thrown to the dog, but accidentally fall to the ground and remain lying there so that the dog can eat out of grace. No one who has ever appealed to the grace of God has done so in vain.

The Lord answers from the fullness of His heart. For the second time He perceives a great faith and this again with someone from the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10). Both these Gentiles take a place of self-judgment. Both think low of themselves. Then there can be great faith. She receives everything out of grace, while she knows in herself to be totally unworthy. In this way and this way alone a soul can receive the blessing.

It doesn’t just depend on the feeling of need. That has been there from the beginning, and it has brought her to the Lord. It is not enough to recognize that He can fulfil all needs. We must be made to feel in the presence of the only source of blessing that, although we are there, we have no right to enjoy it. Once one is there, everything is grace. Then God can act according to His own goodness and He responds to every desire of the heart to make it happy in fellowship with Him.

Matthew 16:2

The Canaanite Woman

In the previous verses we see an oh so religious people whose hearts are in reality far from God. The Lord leaves the borders of Israel to visit places far removed from Jewish privileges. He goes to the countryside with the cities He has used as an example of those that are furthest removed from repentance (Matthew 11:21-22). Here He meets a pagan woman who is outwardly far from God, but who is close to God in her heart. The woman comes from a cursed race because she is “a Canaanite”. The emphatic ‘Canaanite’ underlines once again that she is under the curse as a great contrast with the people where God’s blessing is.

She has a great need. Her daughter is cruelly demon-possessed and therefore she makes a call to the mercy of the “Lord”. But she also speaks to Him as “Son of David” and that is not appropriate for this woman of the Gentiles. He is the Son of David, but not for her. He is that only for His people. She has to learn to approach Him on the right basis. She cannot speak as one of the people of God and on that ground God cannot help her. The Lord could not bless us either as Messiah of Israel.

The Lord does not answer her. It seems strange that He doesn’t answer the cry of help from someone in need and calls Him. As said, the woman calls upon the Lord as the Son of David. As such He has nothing to do with this woman of the Gentiles, so He does not answer her. But He does not send her away and that is what the disciples want.

They want Him to send the woman away, “because”, they say, “she keeps shouting at us”. They would rather not have to deal with this woman and do not share the Lord’s feelings. Therefore, He does address the disciples’ remark. He points to the purpose of His mission. His mission concerns only the lost sheep belonging to Israel. He thus establishes that Israel is as lost as this woman is. There can only be hope for those who acknowledge it.

The woman will have heard what He has said. Therefore she goes on and on, for the Lord hints that everything is now based on grace, and then there can be no borders. The woman shows persevering faith. She only asks if He wants to come to her aid in her distress. The answer the Lord then gives is even more dismissive if possible. First He said in veiled terms that she did not belong to Israel and was therefore not an object of His mission. Now He says in veiled words that she does not belong to the children of Israel, but to the nations whom He compares to despised dogs.

Then the effect of His words becomes clear. He achieves, by His apparent hardness, that the woman feels and pronounces her true place before God. She immediately takes that place, like a Mephibosheth who once assumed the place of a dead dog with David (2 Samuel 9:8). This does not mean that God is less good or merciful to her. That would be a denial of Himself, a denial of His nature, of which Christ is the expression. He cannot say: God has no crumb for such people. Crumbs are not thrown to the dog, but accidentally fall to the ground and remain lying there so that the dog can eat out of grace. No one who has ever appealed to the grace of God has done so in vain.

The Lord answers from the fullness of His heart. For the second time He perceives a great faith and this again with someone from the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10). Both these Gentiles take a place of self-judgment. Both think low of themselves. Then there can be great faith. She receives everything out of grace, while she knows in herself to be totally unworthy. In this way and this way alone a soul can receive the blessing.

It doesn’t just depend on the feeling of need. That has been there from the beginning, and it has brought her to the Lord. It is not enough to recognize that He can fulfil all needs. We must be made to feel in the presence of the only source of blessing that, although we are there, we have no right to enjoy it. Once one is there, everything is grace. Then God can act according to His own goodness and He responds to every desire of the heart to make it happy in fellowship with Him.

Matthew 16:3

The Canaanite Woman

In the previous verses we see an oh so religious people whose hearts are in reality far from God. The Lord leaves the borders of Israel to visit places far removed from Jewish privileges. He goes to the countryside with the cities He has used as an example of those that are furthest removed from repentance (Matthew 11:21-22). Here He meets a pagan woman who is outwardly far from God, but who is close to God in her heart. The woman comes from a cursed race because she is “a Canaanite”. The emphatic ‘Canaanite’ underlines once again that she is under the curse as a great contrast with the people where God’s blessing is.

She has a great need. Her daughter is cruelly demon-possessed and therefore she makes a call to the mercy of the “Lord”. But she also speaks to Him as “Son of David” and that is not appropriate for this woman of the Gentiles. He is the Son of David, but not for her. He is that only for His people. She has to learn to approach Him on the right basis. She cannot speak as one of the people of God and on that ground God cannot help her. The Lord could not bless us either as Messiah of Israel.

The Lord does not answer her. It seems strange that He doesn’t answer the cry of help from someone in need and calls Him. As said, the woman calls upon the Lord as the Son of David. As such He has nothing to do with this woman of the Gentiles, so He does not answer her. But He does not send her away and that is what the disciples want.

They want Him to send the woman away, “because”, they say, “she keeps shouting at us”. They would rather not have to deal with this woman and do not share the Lord’s feelings. Therefore, He does address the disciples’ remark. He points to the purpose of His mission. His mission concerns only the lost sheep belonging to Israel. He thus establishes that Israel is as lost as this woman is. There can only be hope for those who acknowledge it.

The woman will have heard what He has said. Therefore she goes on and on, for the Lord hints that everything is now based on grace, and then there can be no borders. The woman shows persevering faith. She only asks if He wants to come to her aid in her distress. The answer the Lord then gives is even more dismissive if possible. First He said in veiled terms that she did not belong to Israel and was therefore not an object of His mission. Now He says in veiled words that she does not belong to the children of Israel, but to the nations whom He compares to despised dogs.

Then the effect of His words becomes clear. He achieves, by His apparent hardness, that the woman feels and pronounces her true place before God. She immediately takes that place, like a Mephibosheth who once assumed the place of a dead dog with David (2 Samuel 9:8). This does not mean that God is less good or merciful to her. That would be a denial of Himself, a denial of His nature, of which Christ is the expression. He cannot say: God has no crumb for such people. Crumbs are not thrown to the dog, but accidentally fall to the ground and remain lying there so that the dog can eat out of grace. No one who has ever appealed to the grace of God has done so in vain.

The Lord answers from the fullness of His heart. For the second time He perceives a great faith and this again with someone from the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10). Both these Gentiles take a place of self-judgment. Both think low of themselves. Then there can be great faith. She receives everything out of grace, while she knows in herself to be totally unworthy. In this way and this way alone a soul can receive the blessing.

It doesn’t just depend on the feeling of need. That has been there from the beginning, and it has brought her to the Lord. It is not enough to recognize that He can fulfil all needs. We must be made to feel in the presence of the only source of blessing that, although we are there, we have no right to enjoy it. Once one is there, everything is grace. Then God can act according to His own goodness and He responds to every desire of the heart to make it happy in fellowship with Him.

Matthew 16:4

The Canaanite Woman

In the previous verses we see an oh so religious people whose hearts are in reality far from God. The Lord leaves the borders of Israel to visit places far removed from Jewish privileges. He goes to the countryside with the cities He has used as an example of those that are furthest removed from repentance (Matthew 11:21-22). Here He meets a pagan woman who is outwardly far from God, but who is close to God in her heart. The woman comes from a cursed race because she is “a Canaanite”. The emphatic ‘Canaanite’ underlines once again that she is under the curse as a great contrast with the people where God’s blessing is.

She has a great need. Her daughter is cruelly demon-possessed and therefore she makes a call to the mercy of the “Lord”. But she also speaks to Him as “Son of David” and that is not appropriate for this woman of the Gentiles. He is the Son of David, but not for her. He is that only for His people. She has to learn to approach Him on the right basis. She cannot speak as one of the people of God and on that ground God cannot help her. The Lord could not bless us either as Messiah of Israel.

The Lord does not answer her. It seems strange that He doesn’t answer the cry of help from someone in need and calls Him. As said, the woman calls upon the Lord as the Son of David. As such He has nothing to do with this woman of the Gentiles, so He does not answer her. But He does not send her away and that is what the disciples want.

They want Him to send the woman away, “because”, they say, “she keeps shouting at us”. They would rather not have to deal with this woman and do not share the Lord’s feelings. Therefore, He does address the disciples’ remark. He points to the purpose of His mission. His mission concerns only the lost sheep belonging to Israel. He thus establishes that Israel is as lost as this woman is. There can only be hope for those who acknowledge it.

The woman will have heard what He has said. Therefore she goes on and on, for the Lord hints that everything is now based on grace, and then there can be no borders. The woman shows persevering faith. She only asks if He wants to come to her aid in her distress. The answer the Lord then gives is even more dismissive if possible. First He said in veiled terms that she did not belong to Israel and was therefore not an object of His mission. Now He says in veiled words that she does not belong to the children of Israel, but to the nations whom He compares to despised dogs.

Then the effect of His words becomes clear. He achieves, by His apparent hardness, that the woman feels and pronounces her true place before God. She immediately takes that place, like a Mephibosheth who once assumed the place of a dead dog with David (2 Samuel 9:8). This does not mean that God is less good or merciful to her. That would be a denial of Himself, a denial of His nature, of which Christ is the expression. He cannot say: God has no crumb for such people. Crumbs are not thrown to the dog, but accidentally fall to the ground and remain lying there so that the dog can eat out of grace. No one who has ever appealed to the grace of God has done so in vain.

The Lord answers from the fullness of His heart. For the second time He perceives a great faith and this again with someone from the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10). Both these Gentiles take a place of self-judgment. Both think low of themselves. Then there can be great faith. She receives everything out of grace, while she knows in herself to be totally unworthy. In this way and this way alone a soul can receive the blessing.

It doesn’t just depend on the feeling of need. That has been there from the beginning, and it has brought her to the Lord. It is not enough to recognize that He can fulfil all needs. We must be made to feel in the presence of the only source of blessing that, although we are there, we have no right to enjoy it. Once one is there, everything is grace. Then God can act according to His own goodness and He responds to every desire of the heart to make it happy in fellowship with Him.

Matthew 16:5

The Canaanite Woman

In the previous verses we see an oh so religious people whose hearts are in reality far from God. The Lord leaves the borders of Israel to visit places far removed from Jewish privileges. He goes to the countryside with the cities He has used as an example of those that are furthest removed from repentance (Matthew 11:21-22). Here He meets a pagan woman who is outwardly far from God, but who is close to God in her heart. The woman comes from a cursed race because she is “a Canaanite”. The emphatic ‘Canaanite’ underlines once again that she is under the curse as a great contrast with the people where God’s blessing is.

She has a great need. Her daughter is cruelly demon-possessed and therefore she makes a call to the mercy of the “Lord”. But she also speaks to Him as “Son of David” and that is not appropriate for this woman of the Gentiles. He is the Son of David, but not for her. He is that only for His people. She has to learn to approach Him on the right basis. She cannot speak as one of the people of God and on that ground God cannot help her. The Lord could not bless us either as Messiah of Israel.

The Lord does not answer her. It seems strange that He doesn’t answer the cry of help from someone in need and calls Him. As said, the woman calls upon the Lord as the Son of David. As such He has nothing to do with this woman of the Gentiles, so He does not answer her. But He does not send her away and that is what the disciples want.

They want Him to send the woman away, “because”, they say, “she keeps shouting at us”. They would rather not have to deal with this woman and do not share the Lord’s feelings. Therefore, He does address the disciples’ remark. He points to the purpose of His mission. His mission concerns only the lost sheep belonging to Israel. He thus establishes that Israel is as lost as this woman is. There can only be hope for those who acknowledge it.

The woman will have heard what He has said. Therefore she goes on and on, for the Lord hints that everything is now based on grace, and then there can be no borders. The woman shows persevering faith. She only asks if He wants to come to her aid in her distress. The answer the Lord then gives is even more dismissive if possible. First He said in veiled terms that she did not belong to Israel and was therefore not an object of His mission. Now He says in veiled words that she does not belong to the children of Israel, but to the nations whom He compares to despised dogs.

Then the effect of His words becomes clear. He achieves, by His apparent hardness, that the woman feels and pronounces her true place before God. She immediately takes that place, like a Mephibosheth who once assumed the place of a dead dog with David (2 Samuel 9:8). This does not mean that God is less good or merciful to her. That would be a denial of Himself, a denial of His nature, of which Christ is the expression. He cannot say: God has no crumb for such people. Crumbs are not thrown to the dog, but accidentally fall to the ground and remain lying there so that the dog can eat out of grace. No one who has ever appealed to the grace of God has done so in vain.

The Lord answers from the fullness of His heart. For the second time He perceives a great faith and this again with someone from the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10). Both these Gentiles take a place of self-judgment. Both think low of themselves. Then there can be great faith. She receives everything out of grace, while she knows in herself to be totally unworthy. In this way and this way alone a soul can receive the blessing.

It doesn’t just depend on the feeling of need. That has been there from the beginning, and it has brought her to the Lord. It is not enough to recognize that He can fulfil all needs. We must be made to feel in the presence of the only source of blessing that, although we are there, we have no right to enjoy it. Once one is there, everything is grace. Then God can act according to His own goodness and He responds to every desire of the heart to make it happy in fellowship with Him.

Matthew 16:6

The Canaanite Woman

In the previous verses we see an oh so religious people whose hearts are in reality far from God. The Lord leaves the borders of Israel to visit places far removed from Jewish privileges. He goes to the countryside with the cities He has used as an example of those that are furthest removed from repentance (Matthew 11:21-22). Here He meets a pagan woman who is outwardly far from God, but who is close to God in her heart. The woman comes from a cursed race because she is “a Canaanite”. The emphatic ‘Canaanite’ underlines once again that she is under the curse as a great contrast with the people where God’s blessing is.

She has a great need. Her daughter is cruelly demon-possessed and therefore she makes a call to the mercy of the “Lord”. But she also speaks to Him as “Son of David” and that is not appropriate for this woman of the Gentiles. He is the Son of David, but not for her. He is that only for His people. She has to learn to approach Him on the right basis. She cannot speak as one of the people of God and on that ground God cannot help her. The Lord could not bless us either as Messiah of Israel.

The Lord does not answer her. It seems strange that He doesn’t answer the cry of help from someone in need and calls Him. As said, the woman calls upon the Lord as the Son of David. As such He has nothing to do with this woman of the Gentiles, so He does not answer her. But He does not send her away and that is what the disciples want.

They want Him to send the woman away, “because”, they say, “she keeps shouting at us”. They would rather not have to deal with this woman and do not share the Lord’s feelings. Therefore, He does address the disciples’ remark. He points to the purpose of His mission. His mission concerns only the lost sheep belonging to Israel. He thus establishes that Israel is as lost as this woman is. There can only be hope for those who acknowledge it.

The woman will have heard what He has said. Therefore she goes on and on, for the Lord hints that everything is now based on grace, and then there can be no borders. The woman shows persevering faith. She only asks if He wants to come to her aid in her distress. The answer the Lord then gives is even more dismissive if possible. First He said in veiled terms that she did not belong to Israel and was therefore not an object of His mission. Now He says in veiled words that she does not belong to the children of Israel, but to the nations whom He compares to despised dogs.

Then the effect of His words becomes clear. He achieves, by His apparent hardness, that the woman feels and pronounces her true place before God. She immediately takes that place, like a Mephibosheth who once assumed the place of a dead dog with David (2 Samuel 9:8). This does not mean that God is less good or merciful to her. That would be a denial of Himself, a denial of His nature, of which Christ is the expression. He cannot say: God has no crumb for such people. Crumbs are not thrown to the dog, but accidentally fall to the ground and remain lying there so that the dog can eat out of grace. No one who has ever appealed to the grace of God has done so in vain.

The Lord answers from the fullness of His heart. For the second time He perceives a great faith and this again with someone from the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10). Both these Gentiles take a place of self-judgment. Both think low of themselves. Then there can be great faith. She receives everything out of grace, while she knows in herself to be totally unworthy. In this way and this way alone a soul can receive the blessing.

It doesn’t just depend on the feeling of need. That has been there from the beginning, and it has brought her to the Lord. It is not enough to recognize that He can fulfil all needs. We must be made to feel in the presence of the only source of blessing that, although we are there, we have no right to enjoy it. Once one is there, everything is grace. Then God can act according to His own goodness and He responds to every desire of the heart to make it happy in fellowship with Him.

Matthew 16:7

The Canaanite Woman

In the previous verses we see an oh so religious people whose hearts are in reality far from God. The Lord leaves the borders of Israel to visit places far removed from Jewish privileges. He goes to the countryside with the cities He has used as an example of those that are furthest removed from repentance (Matthew 11:21-22). Here He meets a pagan woman who is outwardly far from God, but who is close to God in her heart. The woman comes from a cursed race because she is “a Canaanite”. The emphatic ‘Canaanite’ underlines once again that she is under the curse as a great contrast with the people where God’s blessing is.

She has a great need. Her daughter is cruelly demon-possessed and therefore she makes a call to the mercy of the “Lord”. But she also speaks to Him as “Son of David” and that is not appropriate for this woman of the Gentiles. He is the Son of David, but not for her. He is that only for His people. She has to learn to approach Him on the right basis. She cannot speak as one of the people of God and on that ground God cannot help her. The Lord could not bless us either as Messiah of Israel.

The Lord does not answer her. It seems strange that He doesn’t answer the cry of help from someone in need and calls Him. As said, the woman calls upon the Lord as the Son of David. As such He has nothing to do with this woman of the Gentiles, so He does not answer her. But He does not send her away and that is what the disciples want.

They want Him to send the woman away, “because”, they say, “she keeps shouting at us”. They would rather not have to deal with this woman and do not share the Lord’s feelings. Therefore, He does address the disciples’ remark. He points to the purpose of His mission. His mission concerns only the lost sheep belonging to Israel. He thus establishes that Israel is as lost as this woman is. There can only be hope for those who acknowledge it.

The woman will have heard what He has said. Therefore she goes on and on, for the Lord hints that everything is now based on grace, and then there can be no borders. The woman shows persevering faith. She only asks if He wants to come to her aid in her distress. The answer the Lord then gives is even more dismissive if possible. First He said in veiled terms that she did not belong to Israel and was therefore not an object of His mission. Now He says in veiled words that she does not belong to the children of Israel, but to the nations whom He compares to despised dogs.

Then the effect of His words becomes clear. He achieves, by His apparent hardness, that the woman feels and pronounces her true place before God. She immediately takes that place, like a Mephibosheth who once assumed the place of a dead dog with David (2 Samuel 9:8). This does not mean that God is less good or merciful to her. That would be a denial of Himself, a denial of His nature, of which Christ is the expression. He cannot say: God has no crumb for such people. Crumbs are not thrown to the dog, but accidentally fall to the ground and remain lying there so that the dog can eat out of grace. No one who has ever appealed to the grace of God has done so in vain.

The Lord answers from the fullness of His heart. For the second time He perceives a great faith and this again with someone from the Gentiles (Matthew 8:10). Both these Gentiles take a place of self-judgment. Both think low of themselves. Then there can be great faith. She receives everything out of grace, while she knows in herself to be totally unworthy. In this way and this way alone a soul can receive the blessing.

It doesn’t just depend on the feeling of need. That has been there from the beginning, and it has brought her to the Lord. It is not enough to recognize that He can fulfil all needs. We must be made to feel in the presence of the only source of blessing that, although we are there, we have no right to enjoy it. Once one is there, everything is grace. Then God can act according to His own goodness and He responds to every desire of the heart to make it happy in fellowship with Him.

Matthew 16:8

The Lord Heals Many

After His grace towards the Canaanite woman, the Lord goes to Galilee. Galilee is the area where He is connected to the despised remnant of the Jews. Here are the poor of the flock, while the nation are in deep darkness (Isaiah 9:1-2). He climbs up the mountain and sits down there. It radiates majesty and tranquility. God walks on His heights, He walks over the mountains (Micah 1:3). He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Yet He is there as Lamb. He is not frightening, but inspires confidence. His whole attitude of rest invites “large crowds” and gives them the opportunity to come to Him.

The crowds who come to Him bring with them all kinds of problems for which they don’t have a solution themselves. Many come to him with the “lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others” and laid them at his feet. All their need they place at the Lord’s feet. So we may bring to His feet all those who move forward with difficulty in their walk (lame), are blind to the truth, or parts of it (blind), who have suffered under wrong doctrine (crippled), and do not honor God (mute). He heals them all. These are not fake healings.

The crowd brought all those who were sick to Him in the hope that He would heal them. Now that they have been healed, they still wonder. It must also have been an astonishing sight to see all those sick being so completely healed and that the results are immediately visible. It is a large healthy crowd praising the God of Israel. Yet it does not seem that they have seen the Lord Jesus as the God of Israel. Although He knew this, He still carried out His acts of mercy.

Matthew 16:9

The Lord Heals Many

After His grace towards the Canaanite woman, the Lord goes to Galilee. Galilee is the area where He is connected to the despised remnant of the Jews. Here are the poor of the flock, while the nation are in deep darkness (Isaiah 9:1-2). He climbs up the mountain and sits down there. It radiates majesty and tranquility. God walks on His heights, He walks over the mountains (Micah 1:3). He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Yet He is there as Lamb. He is not frightening, but inspires confidence. His whole attitude of rest invites “large crowds” and gives them the opportunity to come to Him.

The crowds who come to Him bring with them all kinds of problems for which they don’t have a solution themselves. Many come to him with the “lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others” and laid them at his feet. All their need they place at the Lord’s feet. So we may bring to His feet all those who move forward with difficulty in their walk (lame), are blind to the truth, or parts of it (blind), who have suffered under wrong doctrine (crippled), and do not honor God (mute). He heals them all. These are not fake healings.

The crowd brought all those who were sick to Him in the hope that He would heal them. Now that they have been healed, they still wonder. It must also have been an astonishing sight to see all those sick being so completely healed and that the results are immediately visible. It is a large healthy crowd praising the God of Israel. Yet it does not seem that they have seen the Lord Jesus as the God of Israel. Although He knew this, He still carried out His acts of mercy.

Matthew 16:10

The Lord Heals Many

After His grace towards the Canaanite woman, the Lord goes to Galilee. Galilee is the area where He is connected to the despised remnant of the Jews. Here are the poor of the flock, while the nation are in deep darkness (Isaiah 9:1-2). He climbs up the mountain and sits down there. It radiates majesty and tranquility. God walks on His heights, He walks over the mountains (Micah 1:3). He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Yet He is there as Lamb. He is not frightening, but inspires confidence. His whole attitude of rest invites “large crowds” and gives them the opportunity to come to Him.

The crowds who come to Him bring with them all kinds of problems for which they don’t have a solution themselves. Many come to him with the “lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others” and laid them at his feet. All their need they place at the Lord’s feet. So we may bring to His feet all those who move forward with difficulty in their walk (lame), are blind to the truth, or parts of it (blind), who have suffered under wrong doctrine (crippled), and do not honor God (mute). He heals them all. These are not fake healings.

The crowd brought all those who were sick to Him in the hope that He would heal them. Now that they have been healed, they still wonder. It must also have been an astonishing sight to see all those sick being so completely healed and that the results are immediately visible. It is a large healthy crowd praising the God of Israel. Yet it does not seem that they have seen the Lord Jesus as the God of Israel. Although He knew this, He still carried out His acts of mercy.

Matthew 16:11

Feeding of the Four Thousand

We have here a second feeding, but with a very different character than the previous. In the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21) the responsibility is emphasized, which is what we see in the number five representing responsibility. We see this also in the twelve baskets that remain there, because that represents government, and that is about the twelve tribes of Israel, as it will be exercised in the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

In this second feeding, four thousand men are fed. This is the Lord’s grace for the whole world, which is present in the number four. We can think of the four points of the compass. It is something that is general, without borders. The seven remaining large baskets also declare it. The number seven represents perfection.

Another difference with the first feeding is that the surplus of the loaves is put in large baskets here, while it is put in baskets there. Large baskets are large, while baskets are small hand-baskets. It underlines that in this second feeding the emphasis lies on the richness of the grace that transcends the borders of the people of Israel and extends without borders to the ends of the earth, to all peoples.

It is also remarkable in the connection with the story of the Canaanite woman because, as in that story, here also it is about bread. The bread represents the Lord Jesus Who is the bread that gives life to the world (John 6:33-35). Here the disciples do not come to Him, as in Matthew 14 (Matthew 14:15), but He acts in grace according to his own perfection and mercy. Therefore seven (the number of perfection) large baskets with broken pieces are collected.

The Lord sees the crowd of healthy people, but He also knows that they need food. He not only heals, but also takes further care of them. He knows how long they have been with Him and also knows that there is a chance that they will faint on the way if they go home without food. Therefore He says that He does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples respond to His remarks. He hasn’t asked them anything, but they feel that He expects something from them with His remarks. In this way we can also read God’s Word and notice that the Lord expects something from us. Our reaction is often like that of the disciples. We observe the situation and notice that the Lord expects something impossible.

There is the same situation as with the previous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), but we do not notice that the disciples expect the Lord to act like this again. They show the lack of faith that we too often have. It is easy to remember how the Lord has acted in days passed, but it is something else to count on His actions today in the certainty that He is always the same.

But the lack of faith on our side is still no obstacle for Him to act. He engages again with the little they have. He tells them to take a look at what they have. They’re done with that quickly. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Without saying anything else, the Lord takes the initiative.

He orders the crowd to sit “on the ground”. With the feeding of the five-thousand, they had to sit “on the grass” (Matthew 14:19). The ‘grass’ indicates ‘green pastures’ where the Lord wants to bring His people and where He blesses them. The ‘ground’ is a general term and refers to the blessing that goes out to the nations. In both cases the “sitting” indicates that there must be rest to receive the blessing He is going to give.

Then He takes into His hands what the disciples have and brings it into connection with heaven by giving thanks for it. Then He begins to break it. It goes via heaven through His hands to the disciples and they give it to the crowd. It is a whole chain of blessings that originates in heaven and comes to the crowd. The Lord Jesus is the Distributor of the blessing of heaven and He involves His disciples. The result is that all eat and are satisfied and even seven baskets of broken pieces remain. That is how rich and abundant the blessing He bestows is.

Also here the number of the men is mentioned. The men are those responsible in their families. They provide leadership, and are expected to live out and present the Word of God, and to bear witness to the Lord’s deeds, like those deeds He has just done.

After having satisfied the crowd in this wonderful way, He sends them away. He has provided them with bread, so that they will not faint on the way. What is more important is whether they have learned the lesson about Him Who has given them bread. It is to be feared that this is not the case. Yet that does not prevent the Lord from travelling on to another area to do His work there too.

Matthew 16:12

Feeding of the Four Thousand

We have here a second feeding, but with a very different character than the previous. In the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21) the responsibility is emphasized, which is what we see in the number five representing responsibility. We see this also in the twelve baskets that remain there, because that represents government, and that is about the twelve tribes of Israel, as it will be exercised in the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

In this second feeding, four thousand men are fed. This is the Lord’s grace for the whole world, which is present in the number four. We can think of the four points of the compass. It is something that is general, without borders. The seven remaining large baskets also declare it. The number seven represents perfection.

Another difference with the first feeding is that the surplus of the loaves is put in large baskets here, while it is put in baskets there. Large baskets are large, while baskets are small hand-baskets. It underlines that in this second feeding the emphasis lies on the richness of the grace that transcends the borders of the people of Israel and extends without borders to the ends of the earth, to all peoples.

It is also remarkable in the connection with the story of the Canaanite woman because, as in that story, here also it is about bread. The bread represents the Lord Jesus Who is the bread that gives life to the world (John 6:33-35). Here the disciples do not come to Him, as in Matthew 14 (Matthew 14:15), but He acts in grace according to his own perfection and mercy. Therefore seven (the number of perfection) large baskets with broken pieces are collected.

The Lord sees the crowd of healthy people, but He also knows that they need food. He not only heals, but also takes further care of them. He knows how long they have been with Him and also knows that there is a chance that they will faint on the way if they go home without food. Therefore He says that He does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples respond to His remarks. He hasn’t asked them anything, but they feel that He expects something from them with His remarks. In this way we can also read God’s Word and notice that the Lord expects something from us. Our reaction is often like that of the disciples. We observe the situation and notice that the Lord expects something impossible.

There is the same situation as with the previous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), but we do not notice that the disciples expect the Lord to act like this again. They show the lack of faith that we too often have. It is easy to remember how the Lord has acted in days passed, but it is something else to count on His actions today in the certainty that He is always the same.

But the lack of faith on our side is still no obstacle for Him to act. He engages again with the little they have. He tells them to take a look at what they have. They’re done with that quickly. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Without saying anything else, the Lord takes the initiative.

He orders the crowd to sit “on the ground”. With the feeding of the five-thousand, they had to sit “on the grass” (Matthew 14:19). The ‘grass’ indicates ‘green pastures’ where the Lord wants to bring His people and where He blesses them. The ‘ground’ is a general term and refers to the blessing that goes out to the nations. In both cases the “sitting” indicates that there must be rest to receive the blessing He is going to give.

Then He takes into His hands what the disciples have and brings it into connection with heaven by giving thanks for it. Then He begins to break it. It goes via heaven through His hands to the disciples and they give it to the crowd. It is a whole chain of blessings that originates in heaven and comes to the crowd. The Lord Jesus is the Distributor of the blessing of heaven and He involves His disciples. The result is that all eat and are satisfied and even seven baskets of broken pieces remain. That is how rich and abundant the blessing He bestows is.

Also here the number of the men is mentioned. The men are those responsible in their families. They provide leadership, and are expected to live out and present the Word of God, and to bear witness to the Lord’s deeds, like those deeds He has just done.

After having satisfied the crowd in this wonderful way, He sends them away. He has provided them with bread, so that they will not faint on the way. What is more important is whether they have learned the lesson about Him Who has given them bread. It is to be feared that this is not the case. Yet that does not prevent the Lord from travelling on to another area to do His work there too.

Matthew 16:13

Feeding of the Four Thousand

We have here a second feeding, but with a very different character than the previous. In the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21) the responsibility is emphasized, which is what we see in the number five representing responsibility. We see this also in the twelve baskets that remain there, because that represents government, and that is about the twelve tribes of Israel, as it will be exercised in the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

In this second feeding, four thousand men are fed. This is the Lord’s grace for the whole world, which is present in the number four. We can think of the four points of the compass. It is something that is general, without borders. The seven remaining large baskets also declare it. The number seven represents perfection.

Another difference with the first feeding is that the surplus of the loaves is put in large baskets here, while it is put in baskets there. Large baskets are large, while baskets are small hand-baskets. It underlines that in this second feeding the emphasis lies on the richness of the grace that transcends the borders of the people of Israel and extends without borders to the ends of the earth, to all peoples.

It is also remarkable in the connection with the story of the Canaanite woman because, as in that story, here also it is about bread. The bread represents the Lord Jesus Who is the bread that gives life to the world (John 6:33-35). Here the disciples do not come to Him, as in Matthew 14 (Matthew 14:15), but He acts in grace according to his own perfection and mercy. Therefore seven (the number of perfection) large baskets with broken pieces are collected.

The Lord sees the crowd of healthy people, but He also knows that they need food. He not only heals, but also takes further care of them. He knows how long they have been with Him and also knows that there is a chance that they will faint on the way if they go home without food. Therefore He says that He does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples respond to His remarks. He hasn’t asked them anything, but they feel that He expects something from them with His remarks. In this way we can also read God’s Word and notice that the Lord expects something from us. Our reaction is often like that of the disciples. We observe the situation and notice that the Lord expects something impossible.

There is the same situation as with the previous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), but we do not notice that the disciples expect the Lord to act like this again. They show the lack of faith that we too often have. It is easy to remember how the Lord has acted in days passed, but it is something else to count on His actions today in the certainty that He is always the same.

But the lack of faith on our side is still no obstacle for Him to act. He engages again with the little they have. He tells them to take a look at what they have. They’re done with that quickly. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Without saying anything else, the Lord takes the initiative.

He orders the crowd to sit “on the ground”. With the feeding of the five-thousand, they had to sit “on the grass” (Matthew 14:19). The ‘grass’ indicates ‘green pastures’ where the Lord wants to bring His people and where He blesses them. The ‘ground’ is a general term and refers to the blessing that goes out to the nations. In both cases the “sitting” indicates that there must be rest to receive the blessing He is going to give.

Then He takes into His hands what the disciples have and brings it into connection with heaven by giving thanks for it. Then He begins to break it. It goes via heaven through His hands to the disciples and they give it to the crowd. It is a whole chain of blessings that originates in heaven and comes to the crowd. The Lord Jesus is the Distributor of the blessing of heaven and He involves His disciples. The result is that all eat and are satisfied and even seven baskets of broken pieces remain. That is how rich and abundant the blessing He bestows is.

Also here the number of the men is mentioned. The men are those responsible in their families. They provide leadership, and are expected to live out and present the Word of God, and to bear witness to the Lord’s deeds, like those deeds He has just done.

After having satisfied the crowd in this wonderful way, He sends them away. He has provided them with bread, so that they will not faint on the way. What is more important is whether they have learned the lesson about Him Who has given them bread. It is to be feared that this is not the case. Yet that does not prevent the Lord from travelling on to another area to do His work there too.

Matthew 16:14

Feeding of the Four Thousand

We have here a second feeding, but with a very different character than the previous. In the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21) the responsibility is emphasized, which is what we see in the number five representing responsibility. We see this also in the twelve baskets that remain there, because that represents government, and that is about the twelve tribes of Israel, as it will be exercised in the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

In this second feeding, four thousand men are fed. This is the Lord’s grace for the whole world, which is present in the number four. We can think of the four points of the compass. It is something that is general, without borders. The seven remaining large baskets also declare it. The number seven represents perfection.

Another difference with the first feeding is that the surplus of the loaves is put in large baskets here, while it is put in baskets there. Large baskets are large, while baskets are small hand-baskets. It underlines that in this second feeding the emphasis lies on the richness of the grace that transcends the borders of the people of Israel and extends without borders to the ends of the earth, to all peoples.

It is also remarkable in the connection with the story of the Canaanite woman because, as in that story, here also it is about bread. The bread represents the Lord Jesus Who is the bread that gives life to the world (John 6:33-35). Here the disciples do not come to Him, as in Matthew 14 (Matthew 14:15), but He acts in grace according to his own perfection and mercy. Therefore seven (the number of perfection) large baskets with broken pieces are collected.

The Lord sees the crowd of healthy people, but He also knows that they need food. He not only heals, but also takes further care of them. He knows how long they have been with Him and also knows that there is a chance that they will faint on the way if they go home without food. Therefore He says that He does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples respond to His remarks. He hasn’t asked them anything, but they feel that He expects something from them with His remarks. In this way we can also read God’s Word and notice that the Lord expects something from us. Our reaction is often like that of the disciples. We observe the situation and notice that the Lord expects something impossible.

There is the same situation as with the previous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), but we do not notice that the disciples expect the Lord to act like this again. They show the lack of faith that we too often have. It is easy to remember how the Lord has acted in days passed, but it is something else to count on His actions today in the certainty that He is always the same.

But the lack of faith on our side is still no obstacle for Him to act. He engages again with the little they have. He tells them to take a look at what they have. They’re done with that quickly. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Without saying anything else, the Lord takes the initiative.

He orders the crowd to sit “on the ground”. With the feeding of the five-thousand, they had to sit “on the grass” (Matthew 14:19). The ‘grass’ indicates ‘green pastures’ where the Lord wants to bring His people and where He blesses them. The ‘ground’ is a general term and refers to the blessing that goes out to the nations. In both cases the “sitting” indicates that there must be rest to receive the blessing He is going to give.

Then He takes into His hands what the disciples have and brings it into connection with heaven by giving thanks for it. Then He begins to break it. It goes via heaven through His hands to the disciples and they give it to the crowd. It is a whole chain of blessings that originates in heaven and comes to the crowd. The Lord Jesus is the Distributor of the blessing of heaven and He involves His disciples. The result is that all eat and are satisfied and even seven baskets of broken pieces remain. That is how rich and abundant the blessing He bestows is.

Also here the number of the men is mentioned. The men are those responsible in their families. They provide leadership, and are expected to live out and present the Word of God, and to bear witness to the Lord’s deeds, like those deeds He has just done.

After having satisfied the crowd in this wonderful way, He sends them away. He has provided them with bread, so that they will not faint on the way. What is more important is whether they have learned the lesson about Him Who has given them bread. It is to be feared that this is not the case. Yet that does not prevent the Lord from travelling on to another area to do His work there too.

Matthew 16:15

Feeding of the Four Thousand

We have here a second feeding, but with a very different character than the previous. In the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21) the responsibility is emphasized, which is what we see in the number five representing responsibility. We see this also in the twelve baskets that remain there, because that represents government, and that is about the twelve tribes of Israel, as it will be exercised in the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

In this second feeding, four thousand men are fed. This is the Lord’s grace for the whole world, which is present in the number four. We can think of the four points of the compass. It is something that is general, without borders. The seven remaining large baskets also declare it. The number seven represents perfection.

Another difference with the first feeding is that the surplus of the loaves is put in large baskets here, while it is put in baskets there. Large baskets are large, while baskets are small hand-baskets. It underlines that in this second feeding the emphasis lies on the richness of the grace that transcends the borders of the people of Israel and extends without borders to the ends of the earth, to all peoples.

It is also remarkable in the connection with the story of the Canaanite woman because, as in that story, here also it is about bread. The bread represents the Lord Jesus Who is the bread that gives life to the world (John 6:33-35). Here the disciples do not come to Him, as in Matthew 14 (Matthew 14:15), but He acts in grace according to his own perfection and mercy. Therefore seven (the number of perfection) large baskets with broken pieces are collected.

The Lord sees the crowd of healthy people, but He also knows that they need food. He not only heals, but also takes further care of them. He knows how long they have been with Him and also knows that there is a chance that they will faint on the way if they go home without food. Therefore He says that He does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples respond to His remarks. He hasn’t asked them anything, but they feel that He expects something from them with His remarks. In this way we can also read God’s Word and notice that the Lord expects something from us. Our reaction is often like that of the disciples. We observe the situation and notice that the Lord expects something impossible.

There is the same situation as with the previous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), but we do not notice that the disciples expect the Lord to act like this again. They show the lack of faith that we too often have. It is easy to remember how the Lord has acted in days passed, but it is something else to count on His actions today in the certainty that He is always the same.

But the lack of faith on our side is still no obstacle for Him to act. He engages again with the little they have. He tells them to take a look at what they have. They’re done with that quickly. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Without saying anything else, the Lord takes the initiative.

He orders the crowd to sit “on the ground”. With the feeding of the five-thousand, they had to sit “on the grass” (Matthew 14:19). The ‘grass’ indicates ‘green pastures’ where the Lord wants to bring His people and where He blesses them. The ‘ground’ is a general term and refers to the blessing that goes out to the nations. In both cases the “sitting” indicates that there must be rest to receive the blessing He is going to give.

Then He takes into His hands what the disciples have and brings it into connection with heaven by giving thanks for it. Then He begins to break it. It goes via heaven through His hands to the disciples and they give it to the crowd. It is a whole chain of blessings that originates in heaven and comes to the crowd. The Lord Jesus is the Distributor of the blessing of heaven and He involves His disciples. The result is that all eat and are satisfied and even seven baskets of broken pieces remain. That is how rich and abundant the blessing He bestows is.

Also here the number of the men is mentioned. The men are those responsible in their families. They provide leadership, and are expected to live out and present the Word of God, and to bear witness to the Lord’s deeds, like those deeds He has just done.

After having satisfied the crowd in this wonderful way, He sends them away. He has provided them with bread, so that they will not faint on the way. What is more important is whether they have learned the lesson about Him Who has given them bread. It is to be feared that this is not the case. Yet that does not prevent the Lord from travelling on to another area to do His work there too.

Matthew 16:16

Feeding of the Four Thousand

We have here a second feeding, but with a very different character than the previous. In the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21) the responsibility is emphasized, which is what we see in the number five representing responsibility. We see this also in the twelve baskets that remain there, because that represents government, and that is about the twelve tribes of Israel, as it will be exercised in the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

In this second feeding, four thousand men are fed. This is the Lord’s grace for the whole world, which is present in the number four. We can think of the four points of the compass. It is something that is general, without borders. The seven remaining large baskets also declare it. The number seven represents perfection.

Another difference with the first feeding is that the surplus of the loaves is put in large baskets here, while it is put in baskets there. Large baskets are large, while baskets are small hand-baskets. It underlines that in this second feeding the emphasis lies on the richness of the grace that transcends the borders of the people of Israel and extends without borders to the ends of the earth, to all peoples.

It is also remarkable in the connection with the story of the Canaanite woman because, as in that story, here also it is about bread. The bread represents the Lord Jesus Who is the bread that gives life to the world (John 6:33-35). Here the disciples do not come to Him, as in Matthew 14 (Matthew 14:15), but He acts in grace according to his own perfection and mercy. Therefore seven (the number of perfection) large baskets with broken pieces are collected.

The Lord sees the crowd of healthy people, but He also knows that they need food. He not only heals, but also takes further care of them. He knows how long they have been with Him and also knows that there is a chance that they will faint on the way if they go home without food. Therefore He says that He does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples respond to His remarks. He hasn’t asked them anything, but they feel that He expects something from them with His remarks. In this way we can also read God’s Word and notice that the Lord expects something from us. Our reaction is often like that of the disciples. We observe the situation and notice that the Lord expects something impossible.

There is the same situation as with the previous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), but we do not notice that the disciples expect the Lord to act like this again. They show the lack of faith that we too often have. It is easy to remember how the Lord has acted in days passed, but it is something else to count on His actions today in the certainty that He is always the same.

But the lack of faith on our side is still no obstacle for Him to act. He engages again with the little they have. He tells them to take a look at what they have. They’re done with that quickly. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Without saying anything else, the Lord takes the initiative.

He orders the crowd to sit “on the ground”. With the feeding of the five-thousand, they had to sit “on the grass” (Matthew 14:19). The ‘grass’ indicates ‘green pastures’ where the Lord wants to bring His people and where He blesses them. The ‘ground’ is a general term and refers to the blessing that goes out to the nations. In both cases the “sitting” indicates that there must be rest to receive the blessing He is going to give.

Then He takes into His hands what the disciples have and brings it into connection with heaven by giving thanks for it. Then He begins to break it. It goes via heaven through His hands to the disciples and they give it to the crowd. It is a whole chain of blessings that originates in heaven and comes to the crowd. The Lord Jesus is the Distributor of the blessing of heaven and He involves His disciples. The result is that all eat and are satisfied and even seven baskets of broken pieces remain. That is how rich and abundant the blessing He bestows is.

Also here the number of the men is mentioned. The men are those responsible in their families. They provide leadership, and are expected to live out and present the Word of God, and to bear witness to the Lord’s deeds, like those deeds He has just done.

After having satisfied the crowd in this wonderful way, He sends them away. He has provided them with bread, so that they will not faint on the way. What is more important is whether they have learned the lesson about Him Who has given them bread. It is to be feared that this is not the case. Yet that does not prevent the Lord from travelling on to another area to do His work there too.

Matthew 16:17

Feeding of the Four Thousand

We have here a second feeding, but with a very different character than the previous. In the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21) the responsibility is emphasized, which is what we see in the number five representing responsibility. We see this also in the twelve baskets that remain there, because that represents government, and that is about the twelve tribes of Israel, as it will be exercised in the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

In this second feeding, four thousand men are fed. This is the Lord’s grace for the whole world, which is present in the number four. We can think of the four points of the compass. It is something that is general, without borders. The seven remaining large baskets also declare it. The number seven represents perfection.

Another difference with the first feeding is that the surplus of the loaves is put in large baskets here, while it is put in baskets there. Large baskets are large, while baskets are small hand-baskets. It underlines that in this second feeding the emphasis lies on the richness of the grace that transcends the borders of the people of Israel and extends without borders to the ends of the earth, to all peoples.

It is also remarkable in the connection with the story of the Canaanite woman because, as in that story, here also it is about bread. The bread represents the Lord Jesus Who is the bread that gives life to the world (John 6:33-35). Here the disciples do not come to Him, as in Matthew 14 (Matthew 14:15), but He acts in grace according to his own perfection and mercy. Therefore seven (the number of perfection) large baskets with broken pieces are collected.

The Lord sees the crowd of healthy people, but He also knows that they need food. He not only heals, but also takes further care of them. He knows how long they have been with Him and also knows that there is a chance that they will faint on the way if they go home without food. Therefore He says that He does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples respond to His remarks. He hasn’t asked them anything, but they feel that He expects something from them with His remarks. In this way we can also read God’s Word and notice that the Lord expects something from us. Our reaction is often like that of the disciples. We observe the situation and notice that the Lord expects something impossible.

There is the same situation as with the previous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), but we do not notice that the disciples expect the Lord to act like this again. They show the lack of faith that we too often have. It is easy to remember how the Lord has acted in days passed, but it is something else to count on His actions today in the certainty that He is always the same.

But the lack of faith on our side is still no obstacle for Him to act. He engages again with the little they have. He tells them to take a look at what they have. They’re done with that quickly. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Without saying anything else, the Lord takes the initiative.

He orders the crowd to sit “on the ground”. With the feeding of the five-thousand, they had to sit “on the grass” (Matthew 14:19). The ‘grass’ indicates ‘green pastures’ where the Lord wants to bring His people and where He blesses them. The ‘ground’ is a general term and refers to the blessing that goes out to the nations. In both cases the “sitting” indicates that there must be rest to receive the blessing He is going to give.

Then He takes into His hands what the disciples have and brings it into connection with heaven by giving thanks for it. Then He begins to break it. It goes via heaven through His hands to the disciples and they give it to the crowd. It is a whole chain of blessings that originates in heaven and comes to the crowd. The Lord Jesus is the Distributor of the blessing of heaven and He involves His disciples. The result is that all eat and are satisfied and even seven baskets of broken pieces remain. That is how rich and abundant the blessing He bestows is.

Also here the number of the men is mentioned. The men are those responsible in their families. They provide leadership, and are expected to live out and present the Word of God, and to bear witness to the Lord’s deeds, like those deeds He has just done.

After having satisfied the crowd in this wonderful way, He sends them away. He has provided them with bread, so that they will not faint on the way. What is more important is whether they have learned the lesson about Him Who has given them bread. It is to be feared that this is not the case. Yet that does not prevent the Lord from travelling on to another area to do His work there too.

Matthew 16:18

Feeding of the Four Thousand

We have here a second feeding, but with a very different character than the previous. In the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21) the responsibility is emphasized, which is what we see in the number five representing responsibility. We see this also in the twelve baskets that remain there, because that represents government, and that is about the twelve tribes of Israel, as it will be exercised in the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

In this second feeding, four thousand men are fed. This is the Lord’s grace for the whole world, which is present in the number four. We can think of the four points of the compass. It is something that is general, without borders. The seven remaining large baskets also declare it. The number seven represents perfection.

Another difference with the first feeding is that the surplus of the loaves is put in large baskets here, while it is put in baskets there. Large baskets are large, while baskets are small hand-baskets. It underlines that in this second feeding the emphasis lies on the richness of the grace that transcends the borders of the people of Israel and extends without borders to the ends of the earth, to all peoples.

It is also remarkable in the connection with the story of the Canaanite woman because, as in that story, here also it is about bread. The bread represents the Lord Jesus Who is the bread that gives life to the world (John 6:33-35). Here the disciples do not come to Him, as in Matthew 14 (Matthew 14:15), but He acts in grace according to his own perfection and mercy. Therefore seven (the number of perfection) large baskets with broken pieces are collected.

The Lord sees the crowd of healthy people, but He also knows that they need food. He not only heals, but also takes further care of them. He knows how long they have been with Him and also knows that there is a chance that they will faint on the way if they go home without food. Therefore He says that He does not want to send them away hungry. The disciples respond to His remarks. He hasn’t asked them anything, but they feel that He expects something from them with His remarks. In this way we can also read God’s Word and notice that the Lord expects something from us. Our reaction is often like that of the disciples. We observe the situation and notice that the Lord expects something impossible.

There is the same situation as with the previous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), but we do not notice that the disciples expect the Lord to act like this again. They show the lack of faith that we too often have. It is easy to remember how the Lord has acted in days passed, but it is something else to count on His actions today in the certainty that He is always the same.

But the lack of faith on our side is still no obstacle for Him to act. He engages again with the little they have. He tells them to take a look at what they have. They’re done with that quickly. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Without saying anything else, the Lord takes the initiative.

He orders the crowd to sit “on the ground”. With the feeding of the five-thousand, they had to sit “on the grass” (Matthew 14:19). The ‘grass’ indicates ‘green pastures’ where the Lord wants to bring His people and where He blesses them. The ‘ground’ is a general term and refers to the blessing that goes out to the nations. In both cases the “sitting” indicates that there must be rest to receive the blessing He is going to give.

Then He takes into His hands what the disciples have and brings it into connection with heaven by giving thanks for it. Then He begins to break it. It goes via heaven through His hands to the disciples and they give it to the crowd. It is a whole chain of blessings that originates in heaven and comes to the crowd. The Lord Jesus is the Distributor of the blessing of heaven and He involves His disciples. The result is that all eat and are satisfied and even seven baskets of broken pieces remain. That is how rich and abundant the blessing He bestows is.

Also here the number of the men is mentioned. The men are those responsible in their families. They provide leadership, and are expected to live out and present the Word of God, and to bear witness to the Lord’s deeds, like those deeds He has just done.

After having satisfied the crowd in this wonderful way, He sends them away. He has provided them with bread, so that they will not faint on the way. What is more important is whether they have learned the lesson about Him Who has given them bread. It is to be feared that this is not the case. Yet that does not prevent the Lord from travelling on to another area to do His work there too.

Matthew 16:20

The Request for a Sign

When people come to the Lord, they can have very different motives. In Matthew 15 people come to Him (Matthew 15:30), but with very different motives to the Pharisees and Sadducees here. There He helps, here He leaves them and goes away (Matthew 16:4). Pharisees and Sadducees are enemies of each other, but here these natural enemies unite in their resentment of Christ. They close ranks to stand strong to test Him. The Sadducees are the free thinkers of their day, while the Pharisees are the advocates of the statutes and authority of the law and especially of their own statutes and laws. Together they come to Him and long for a sign from heaven, while the greatest Sign ever given by God from heaven stands in front of them.

In His answer, the Lord points to the signs of nature. When they observe certain natural phenomena, they know exactly how to interpret them. In the evening they can see from the color of the sky that beautiful weather is coming. For those who can see spiritually, there is beautiful weather coming. The “Sunrise from on high” (Luke 1:78) has visited them in Christ. Similarly, they can see from the color of the sky whether a storm is coming. From a spiritual point of view, however, they cannot discern that bad weather is coming, that is, that God’s judgment will come as a result of their rejection of God’s Sign from heaven.

The Lord Jesus calls them “an evil and adulterous generation”. They are “evil” in their hearts, in their minds. They are “adulterous” in their actions, their actions of unfaithfulness to their God. He gives them a sign. The sign that He puts before them is what happened to Jonah. It is the sign of someone who disappeared from the earth, who disappeared from the Jewish people by death, as it were, and was given back to them after a while. It is the picture of death and resurrection. The Lord Jesus will act accordingly. He will go into death, but he will also rise out of death and then bring the message that Israel has despised to the nations. That is what Jonah did, and with that he is a picture, a sign, of what Christ will do.

Matthew 16:21

The Request for a Sign

When people come to the Lord, they can have very different motives. In Matthew 15 people come to Him (Matthew 15:30), but with very different motives to the Pharisees and Sadducees here. There He helps, here He leaves them and goes away (Matthew 16:4). Pharisees and Sadducees are enemies of each other, but here these natural enemies unite in their resentment of Christ. They close ranks to stand strong to test Him. The Sadducees are the free thinkers of their day, while the Pharisees are the advocates of the statutes and authority of the law and especially of their own statutes and laws. Together they come to Him and long for a sign from heaven, while the greatest Sign ever given by God from heaven stands in front of them.

In His answer, the Lord points to the signs of nature. When they observe certain natural phenomena, they know exactly how to interpret them. In the evening they can see from the color of the sky that beautiful weather is coming. For those who can see spiritually, there is beautiful weather coming. The “Sunrise from on high” (Luke 1:78) has visited them in Christ. Similarly, they can see from the color of the sky whether a storm is coming. From a spiritual point of view, however, they cannot discern that bad weather is coming, that is, that God’s judgment will come as a result of their rejection of God’s Sign from heaven.

The Lord Jesus calls them “an evil and adulterous generation”. They are “evil” in their hearts, in their minds. They are “adulterous” in their actions, their actions of unfaithfulness to their God. He gives them a sign. The sign that He puts before them is what happened to Jonah. It is the sign of someone who disappeared from the earth, who disappeared from the Jewish people by death, as it were, and was given back to them after a while. It is the picture of death and resurrection. The Lord Jesus will act accordingly. He will go into death, but he will also rise out of death and then bring the message that Israel has despised to the nations. That is what Jonah did, and with that he is a picture, a sign, of what Christ will do.

Matthew 16:22

The Request for a Sign

When people come to the Lord, they can have very different motives. In Matthew 15 people come to Him (Matthew 15:30), but with very different motives to the Pharisees and Sadducees here. There He helps, here He leaves them and goes away (Matthew 16:4). Pharisees and Sadducees are enemies of each other, but here these natural enemies unite in their resentment of Christ. They close ranks to stand strong to test Him. The Sadducees are the free thinkers of their day, while the Pharisees are the advocates of the statutes and authority of the law and especially of their own statutes and laws. Together they come to Him and long for a sign from heaven, while the greatest Sign ever given by God from heaven stands in front of them.

In His answer, the Lord points to the signs of nature. When they observe certain natural phenomena, they know exactly how to interpret them. In the evening they can see from the color of the sky that beautiful weather is coming. For those who can see spiritually, there is beautiful weather coming. The “Sunrise from on high” (Luke 1:78) has visited them in Christ. Similarly, they can see from the color of the sky whether a storm is coming. From a spiritual point of view, however, they cannot discern that bad weather is coming, that is, that God’s judgment will come as a result of their rejection of God’s Sign from heaven.

The Lord Jesus calls them “an evil and adulterous generation”. They are “evil” in their hearts, in their minds. They are “adulterous” in their actions, their actions of unfaithfulness to their God. He gives them a sign. The sign that He puts before them is what happened to Jonah. It is the sign of someone who disappeared from the earth, who disappeared from the Jewish people by death, as it were, and was given back to them after a while. It is the picture of death and resurrection. The Lord Jesus will act accordingly. He will go into death, but he will also rise out of death and then bring the message that Israel has despised to the nations. That is what Jonah did, and with that he is a picture, a sign, of what Christ will do.

Matthew 16:23

The Request for a Sign

When people come to the Lord, they can have very different motives. In Matthew 15 people come to Him (Matthew 15:30), but with very different motives to the Pharisees and Sadducees here. There He helps, here He leaves them and goes away (Matthew 16:4). Pharisees and Sadducees are enemies of each other, but here these natural enemies unite in their resentment of Christ. They close ranks to stand strong to test Him. The Sadducees are the free thinkers of their day, while the Pharisees are the advocates of the statutes and authority of the law and especially of their own statutes and laws. Together they come to Him and long for a sign from heaven, while the greatest Sign ever given by God from heaven stands in front of them.

In His answer, the Lord points to the signs of nature. When they observe certain natural phenomena, they know exactly how to interpret them. In the evening they can see from the color of the sky that beautiful weather is coming. For those who can see spiritually, there is beautiful weather coming. The “Sunrise from on high” (Luke 1:78) has visited them in Christ. Similarly, they can see from the color of the sky whether a storm is coming. From a spiritual point of view, however, they cannot discern that bad weather is coming, that is, that God’s judgment will come as a result of their rejection of God’s Sign from heaven.

The Lord Jesus calls them “an evil and adulterous generation”. They are “evil” in their hearts, in their minds. They are “adulterous” in their actions, their actions of unfaithfulness to their God. He gives them a sign. The sign that He puts before them is what happened to Jonah. It is the sign of someone who disappeared from the earth, who disappeared from the Jewish people by death, as it were, and was given back to them after a while. It is the picture of death and resurrection. The Lord Jesus will act accordingly. He will go into death, but he will also rise out of death and then bring the message that Israel has despised to the nations. That is what Jonah did, and with that he is a picture, a sign, of what Christ will do.

Matthew 16:24

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

When the disciples have come to the other side, they notice that they have forgotten to bring bread. The Lord knows that they are concerned about this. However, He is concerned with other things. He is not concerned for their physical well-being, but for their spiritual well-being. He knows how sensitive His disciples are to the arguments of the Pharisees and Sadducees. So He warns them about this. He does this by using a metaphor that they should understand.

But the disciples are on a very different wavelength to the Lord. When He speaks of leaven, they immediately make the connection with the bread they have forgotten. They can only think of physical needs. When the Lord says something and Christians begin to reason, they never understand. That’s because they start with man and then try to climb up to God. Good and healthy reasoning begins with God and ends with man.

The Lord notices both about what and how they are discussing with each other and asks a question about it. By calling them “men of little faith”, He also points out to them that they are wrong. We begin to discuss when we are not thinking of Christ. The Lord points this out in His answer. If they had thought of Him, they would not have concerned themselves with bread.

He reminds them of His feeding of the five thousand. He points out not so much what he did with the five loaves of bread, but how much remained afterwards. He not only provides, He gives in abundance. To impress His abundant provision upon His disciples He also reminds them of the seven loaves of bread which He used to feed many more than four thousand people and here too emphasizing what was left over.

They were present. They distributed the bread themselves and even collected the excess pieces themselves. They have been so closely involved in both miracles. Yet they are now so focused on the bread they have forgotten that they can only relate the Lord’s words to that. They should understand from the Lord’s reminder that He was not speaking about bread. After that He again says to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees. Then the disciples understand what He meant. By leaven He meant the evil teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

In Scripture, leaven is always a picture of that which is wrong, which is sinful. The leaven of the Pharisees represents religious hypocrisy that places all emphasis on external and ceremonial acts. The leaven of the Sadducees is the intellectual pride that places the human mind on the seat of the judge and dismisses the revelation of God and faith with a hand wave.

Christianity is pervaded by this leaven. On the one hand we see ritualism and on the other hand rationalism and sometimes a mixture. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul warns us of rationalism, reason, as well as ritualism and formalism (Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:16-22).

This warning from the Lord for this leaven immediately precedes His revelation regarding the church we hear from Him in the following verses. That is, we will not understand His revelation concerning the church in the following verses if we choke on one or other form of leaven.

Matthew 16:25

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

When the disciples have come to the other side, they notice that they have forgotten to bring bread. The Lord knows that they are concerned about this. However, He is concerned with other things. He is not concerned for their physical well-being, but for their spiritual well-being. He knows how sensitive His disciples are to the arguments of the Pharisees and Sadducees. So He warns them about this. He does this by using a metaphor that they should understand.

But the disciples are on a very different wavelength to the Lord. When He speaks of leaven, they immediately make the connection with the bread they have forgotten. They can only think of physical needs. When the Lord says something and Christians begin to reason, they never understand. That’s because they start with man and then try to climb up to God. Good and healthy reasoning begins with God and ends with man.

The Lord notices both about what and how they are discussing with each other and asks a question about it. By calling them “men of little faith”, He also points out to them that they are wrong. We begin to discuss when we are not thinking of Christ. The Lord points this out in His answer. If they had thought of Him, they would not have concerned themselves with bread.

He reminds them of His feeding of the five thousand. He points out not so much what he did with the five loaves of bread, but how much remained afterwards. He not only provides, He gives in abundance. To impress His abundant provision upon His disciples He also reminds them of the seven loaves of bread which He used to feed many more than four thousand people and here too emphasizing what was left over.

They were present. They distributed the bread themselves and even collected the excess pieces themselves. They have been so closely involved in both miracles. Yet they are now so focused on the bread they have forgotten that they can only relate the Lord’s words to that. They should understand from the Lord’s reminder that He was not speaking about bread. After that He again says to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees. Then the disciples understand what He meant. By leaven He meant the evil teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

In Scripture, leaven is always a picture of that which is wrong, which is sinful. The leaven of the Pharisees represents religious hypocrisy that places all emphasis on external and ceremonial acts. The leaven of the Sadducees is the intellectual pride that places the human mind on the seat of the judge and dismisses the revelation of God and faith with a hand wave.

Christianity is pervaded by this leaven. On the one hand we see ritualism and on the other hand rationalism and sometimes a mixture. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul warns us of rationalism, reason, as well as ritualism and formalism (Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:16-22).

This warning from the Lord for this leaven immediately precedes His revelation regarding the church we hear from Him in the following verses. That is, we will not understand His revelation concerning the church in the following verses if we choke on one or other form of leaven.

Matthew 16:26

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

When the disciples have come to the other side, they notice that they have forgotten to bring bread. The Lord knows that they are concerned about this. However, He is concerned with other things. He is not concerned for their physical well-being, but for their spiritual well-being. He knows how sensitive His disciples are to the arguments of the Pharisees and Sadducees. So He warns them about this. He does this by using a metaphor that they should understand.

But the disciples are on a very different wavelength to the Lord. When He speaks of leaven, they immediately make the connection with the bread they have forgotten. They can only think of physical needs. When the Lord says something and Christians begin to reason, they never understand. That’s because they start with man and then try to climb up to God. Good and healthy reasoning begins with God and ends with man.

The Lord notices both about what and how they are discussing with each other and asks a question about it. By calling them “men of little faith”, He also points out to them that they are wrong. We begin to discuss when we are not thinking of Christ. The Lord points this out in His answer. If they had thought of Him, they would not have concerned themselves with bread.

He reminds them of His feeding of the five thousand. He points out not so much what he did with the five loaves of bread, but how much remained afterwards. He not only provides, He gives in abundance. To impress His abundant provision upon His disciples He also reminds them of the seven loaves of bread which He used to feed many more than four thousand people and here too emphasizing what was left over.

They were present. They distributed the bread themselves and even collected the excess pieces themselves. They have been so closely involved in both miracles. Yet they are now so focused on the bread they have forgotten that they can only relate the Lord’s words to that. They should understand from the Lord’s reminder that He was not speaking about bread. After that He again says to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees. Then the disciples understand what He meant. By leaven He meant the evil teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

In Scripture, leaven is always a picture of that which is wrong, which is sinful. The leaven of the Pharisees represents religious hypocrisy that places all emphasis on external and ceremonial acts. The leaven of the Sadducees is the intellectual pride that places the human mind on the seat of the judge and dismisses the revelation of God and faith with a hand wave.

Christianity is pervaded by this leaven. On the one hand we see ritualism and on the other hand rationalism and sometimes a mixture. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul warns us of rationalism, reason, as well as ritualism and formalism (Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:16-22).

This warning from the Lord for this leaven immediately precedes His revelation regarding the church we hear from Him in the following verses. That is, we will not understand His revelation concerning the church in the following verses if we choke on one or other form of leaven.

Matthew 16:27

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

When the disciples have come to the other side, they notice that they have forgotten to bring bread. The Lord knows that they are concerned about this. However, He is concerned with other things. He is not concerned for their physical well-being, but for their spiritual well-being. He knows how sensitive His disciples are to the arguments of the Pharisees and Sadducees. So He warns them about this. He does this by using a metaphor that they should understand.

But the disciples are on a very different wavelength to the Lord. When He speaks of leaven, they immediately make the connection with the bread they have forgotten. They can only think of physical needs. When the Lord says something and Christians begin to reason, they never understand. That’s because they start with man and then try to climb up to God. Good and healthy reasoning begins with God and ends with man.

The Lord notices both about what and how they are discussing with each other and asks a question about it. By calling them “men of little faith”, He also points out to them that they are wrong. We begin to discuss when we are not thinking of Christ. The Lord points this out in His answer. If they had thought of Him, they would not have concerned themselves with bread.

He reminds them of His feeding of the five thousand. He points out not so much what he did with the five loaves of bread, but how much remained afterwards. He not only provides, He gives in abundance. To impress His abundant provision upon His disciples He also reminds them of the seven loaves of bread which He used to feed many more than four thousand people and here too emphasizing what was left over.

They were present. They distributed the bread themselves and even collected the excess pieces themselves. They have been so closely involved in both miracles. Yet they are now so focused on the bread they have forgotten that they can only relate the Lord’s words to that. They should understand from the Lord’s reminder that He was not speaking about bread. After that He again says to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees. Then the disciples understand what He meant. By leaven He meant the evil teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

In Scripture, leaven is always a picture of that which is wrong, which is sinful. The leaven of the Pharisees represents religious hypocrisy that places all emphasis on external and ceremonial acts. The leaven of the Sadducees is the intellectual pride that places the human mind on the seat of the judge and dismisses the revelation of God and faith with a hand wave.

Christianity is pervaded by this leaven. On the one hand we see ritualism and on the other hand rationalism and sometimes a mixture. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul warns us of rationalism, reason, as well as ritualism and formalism (Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:16-22).

This warning from the Lord for this leaven immediately precedes His revelation regarding the church we hear from Him in the following verses. That is, we will not understand His revelation concerning the church in the following verses if we choke on one or other form of leaven.

Matthew 16:28

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

When the disciples have come to the other side, they notice that they have forgotten to bring bread. The Lord knows that they are concerned about this. However, He is concerned with other things. He is not concerned for their physical well-being, but for their spiritual well-being. He knows how sensitive His disciples are to the arguments of the Pharisees and Sadducees. So He warns them about this. He does this by using a metaphor that they should understand.

But the disciples are on a very different wavelength to the Lord. When He speaks of leaven, they immediately make the connection with the bread they have forgotten. They can only think of physical needs. When the Lord says something and Christians begin to reason, they never understand. That’s because they start with man and then try to climb up to God. Good and healthy reasoning begins with God and ends with man.

The Lord notices both about what and how they are discussing with each other and asks a question about it. By calling them “men of little faith”, He also points out to them that they are wrong. We begin to discuss when we are not thinking of Christ. The Lord points this out in His answer. If they had thought of Him, they would not have concerned themselves with bread.

He reminds them of His feeding of the five thousand. He points out not so much what he did with the five loaves of bread, but how much remained afterwards. He not only provides, He gives in abundance. To impress His abundant provision upon His disciples He also reminds them of the seven loaves of bread which He used to feed many more than four thousand people and here too emphasizing what was left over.

They were present. They distributed the bread themselves and even collected the excess pieces themselves. They have been so closely involved in both miracles. Yet they are now so focused on the bread they have forgotten that they can only relate the Lord’s words to that. They should understand from the Lord’s reminder that He was not speaking about bread. After that He again says to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees. Then the disciples understand what He meant. By leaven He meant the evil teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

In Scripture, leaven is always a picture of that which is wrong, which is sinful. The leaven of the Pharisees represents religious hypocrisy that places all emphasis on external and ceremonial acts. The leaven of the Sadducees is the intellectual pride that places the human mind on the seat of the judge and dismisses the revelation of God and faith with a hand wave.

Christianity is pervaded by this leaven. On the one hand we see ritualism and on the other hand rationalism and sometimes a mixture. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul warns us of rationalism, reason, as well as ritualism and formalism (Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:16-22).

This warning from the Lord for this leaven immediately precedes His revelation regarding the church we hear from Him in the following verses. That is, we will not understand His revelation concerning the church in the following verses if we choke on one or other form of leaven.