Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-06
TIE MULTITUDE FED.
SECOND LESSON OF THE INTERNAL
TlONAL S. S. SERIES, JAN. 3,t633.

itNI ol the tstN"tN |A'''t N'N' '''-" -
Golden Text, JOHN Vi 35-Mcmori>c
Verses 1920.
from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by permission
of H. $ Hoffman, Philadelphia publisher
Notes. Jesus heard, !. e., what Johns dis
cipcs told him. Desert, or uninhabitcd
place Luke tx, 10, says it was to u place
called Bethsaida, or house of fishing. Com
passion, or pity for their dcsolatc condition
Evening, i. e., the first evening, extending
from T. o'clock to 6: while the second
evening, verse 23 began at g. Time is
now passed, or the day is closing in; or the
time for buying food is passing away.
Luavcs, or bread cakes in the form of plate
To sit down, l. e., to reclne, after the Jewish
manner. Fragments, or broken pieces, not
crumbs Baskets, round and plated, for
holding bread and fishes.
V. Is. Viewed from one point, it seems
strange thing that Jesus should have needed
this communication. For could Hcrod have
touched him before the time. No But he
would avoid the danger TO which he was not
called. The child Jesus must flee from the
power of this Herod's father, while the angel
that directed the fight could have screened
him from the tyrant's widest rage. Yet he
quietly departed into Egypt, and so was
placed beyond his reach. So in this case. IL
might hay, been as the disciples of John sup
posed i. G., that danger threatened Jesus
from the same hand that slew their master
They told HIM of it, and he at once quietly
withdrew. Yet when Ibis hour was come
with what perfect calmnoss he did 90 forth to
meet the soldiers commissioned to take him
Is the desire to avoid needless danger a part
of the same spirit that holds us firm and
calm and true in the presence of that which
must he met!
V. H. How long Jesus had been m this
desert place before he went forth we arc not
told. But when he went forth, che saw Il
great multitude" out of the surrounding
cities and villages. The most intense desire
to see him and to hear him seems to have
possessed the people And among low and
unworthy motives, there were. beyond doubt,
many that were high and noble and true.
They followed him on foot. They ran, cir
cling the lake, in order to reach the point
where he was. They brought their sick.
They thirsted to hear his words Is it any
wonder he was moved with compassioni
V. 10. Thus the day wore away, it was
now evening. Was there any provision for
the night, Could they pass it there: How
were these thousands TO be fed: And 50 the
disciples thoughtful, prudent souls the
worlds wisdom would call thcm-camc and
asked Jesus TO Seltl lle multitude away, llljtt
they might go into the neighboring villages
and make some provision for their wants It
was in their minds a real difficulty. These
5000 souls must he fed. and the women and
children cared for And how could this be
done. if they remained in that desert place?
V. Is. No doubt they were, beyond meas
ure, surprised when he calmly replied:
They need not depart. Give We them to
cat And Philip, doubtless, spoke the feel
ings Of all the disciples when he spoke of the
imposSbility of their doing it. For this
1000 pcnnyworth of bread"-about $50 in
our currency-whence were they to obtain it,
" Il. And their reply came from the same
side, i. e., from their belief in that which
they could see and handle, They had five
loaves and two fishes. And were they to
undertake the task of feeding these thousands
with such miserable supply!
V. 10. What picture this verse sets be
fore us! Jesus, in the midst of these
5000 men, with the lads scanty supply
in his hands looking III to heaven in thanks
giving ere he commenced the work Of distri-
button to the hungry throng He had di-
rected the order of their sitting down, i. e..
by fiftics, or in ranks, or bands of that mum
Der, probably extending in circles around
him, for the sake of more convenient access
See He breaks and gives TO the disciples,
and they distribute to the multitude. But
the supply in his hands is not diminished
Still he breaks and gives to the disciples and
they bear it to the waiting thousands before
them. There is no noise; no attempt to en-
phasize the wondrous work 1t still goes on.
and the bread, is multiplied in his hands as
quietly as the dew is formed upon the grass.
And how long does this continue.
V. 20 This verse tells us, l. e.. till all were
satisfied. They did all eat, and were filled. "
Nor was this all Fol they had more at the
ending than at the beginning of their desert
meal They took up of the fragments that re
manned, twelve baskets full'-or as John
puts it, (which remained over and above, to
them that had eaten Now, in view of this
narrative, it may be we'll to remark: LIST.
These evangelists manifestly relate a simple
matter of fact There is no room for theoriz-
ing or explaining it away, What they do as
sert is that 1000 hungry men, besides women
and children, We're fed in a desert place from
five lOaves and two fishes, that all had abund-
ance, and that twelve baskets full of frag-
ments We're taken up when the meal was con
cluded. This is what they do assert in the
most simple and matter of fact way The
bread means bread, and nothing else. The
5000 hungry men, the feeding of them, the
satisfying of their hunger, and the twelve
baskets OF fragments that renalnCd-all
mean exactly those very things. 1t is simply
unmanly tritiing with the grayest truths /,
affirm anything else.
GENERAL LESSONS.
l. Miracle as signs-The works which
commonly we call miracles are in the Bib,
known as mighty works, wonders, and in the
New Observation-Disclosures in Johns gospel
as signs. And the distinction may he wei
pondered; mighty works impress us with the
power involved in them; wonders with &
sense of the marvellous; while signs concern
the purpose for which they We're wrought, OF
the end they are meant to serve. Even witt
us, as individuals, or, with human govern
mentS, if the end in view be of sufficient i'm
portance, any expenditure can be justified
And in that case the neglect to make the eX
penditure would he criminal Now the purpos,
lying back of these miracles or signs of oul
Lord was to prove the reality of his claim tt
be the Son of God. Therefore he wrought