Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-01-06
TIE MULTITUDE FED.
SECOND LESSON OF THE INTERNAL
TlONAL S. S. SERIES. JAN. 1888.

Text of the Lesson, Matt. xiv, 1921.
Golden Text, John vi, 35-NIemorize
Verses 1920.
from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by permission
of H. S Hoffman, Philadelphia. publisher
Notes. Jesus heard, /. e., what Johns dis
cipes told him. Desert, or uninhabited
place. Luke tx, 10, says it was to a place
called Bethsaida, or house of fishing Com
passion, or pity for their desolate condition.
Evening, /. e., the first evening, extending
from II o'clock to 8; while the second
evening, verse 90, began at g. Time is
now passed. or the day is closing in; or the
time for buying food is passing away.
Loaves, or bread cakes in the form of plate
To sit down, /. e., to recline, after the Jewish
manner Fragments or broken pieces, not
crumbs. Baskets, round and plated, for
holding bread and fishes.
V. IL. Viewed from one point, it seems
strange thing that Jesus should have needed
this communication. For could Herod have
touched him before the timer No But he
would avoid the danger to which he was not
called. The child Jesus must flee from the
power of this Herods father, while the angel
that directed the flight 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 1t
might have been as the disciples of John sup
posed, l. e., 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 "his hour was come"
with what perfect calmness he did go forth to
meet the soldiers commissioned to take him.
Is the desire to avoid needless danger part
of the same spirit that holds us firm and
calm and true in the presence of that which
must be met.
V. a. How long Jesus had been in this
desert place before he went forth we are not
told But when he went forth, 'he saw a
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 conpassionl
V. Is. Thus the day wore away, it was
now evening. Was there any provision for
the nightl Could they pass it therel How
were these thousands to be fed9 And so the
disciples-thoughtful, prudent souls, the
worlds wisdom would call them-came and
asked Jesus to send the multitude away, that
they might go into the neighboring villages
and make some provision for their wants 1t
was in their minds a real difficulty. These
5000 souls must be fed, and the women and
children cared for And how could this be
DONE if they remained in that desert placer
Y. 16 No doubt they were, beyond meas
ure, surprised when he calmly replied:
''They need not depart. Give We them to
eat And Philip, doubtless, spoke the feel
ings of all the disciples when he spoke of the
! impossibility of their doing it. For this
1000 pennyworth of bread"-about $50 in
our currency-whence were they to obtain it!
V. 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 We're they to
undertake the task of feeding these thousands
with such miserable supply
V. 10 What a picture this verse sets be-
fore US! Jesus, in the midst of these
5000 men, with the lads scanty supply
in his hands, looking up 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, l. e.,
by tifties. or in ranks, or bands of that num-
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 continual
V. 20 This verse tells us, i. e., till all were
satisfied. "They did all eat, and were filed. y
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 well 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 5000 hungry men, he ides women
and children, were fed in desert place from
five loaves and two fishes that all had abund
ance, and that twelve baskets full of frag
ments were taken up when the meal was con
cluded. This is what they do assert in tn,
most simple and matter of fact way The
bread means bread, and nothing else The
0,UUU hungry lnell, the IeeClnS OF tneln, tnt
, satisfying of their hunger, and the twelve
baskets of fragments that remained--al
mean exactly those very things. It is simply
unmanly trihing with the gravest truths tx
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 tn,
/ New Testament-always in Johns gospel
as signs. And the distinction may be 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 will
us, as individuals, or, with human govern
ments if the end in view be of sufficient i'm
portance, any expenditure can be justified
D.. And in that case the neglect to make the ex
penditure would be criminal. Now the purpos
lying back of these miracles or signs of GU
Lord was to prove the reality of his claim t.
be the Son of God. Therefore he wrough
such works as none but God could work. T,