The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-05-07
,FeEp,Ne THE MULTITUDE.

FEEDING THE MULTITUDE.
International Sunday School Lesson for
May II. 1890.
Especially arranged from 8. 8. QUARTERLY
LESSON TExT-Luke 8:l017
GOLDEN TExr-Jesus said unto them: am
the bread Of life.-John 6:ab.
CENTRAL TRUTH-Jesus Christ is the bread OF
life.
TINE Early in April, A. d. g. Several
months after our last lesson.
PIAcE-A desert place on the northeastern
shore Of the Sea Of Galilee, belonging to Beth
saidA which was town Of the mouth OF the
Jordan, built on both sides Of the river. The
place was six or eight miles by land from
Capernaum, and three or four miles southeast
from the city Of Bethsaida.
PARALLEL AcCoUNTs-Matt. H:1S2l; Mark
6:32A; John CELIA.
INTERVENING HIsroRY-Two blind men and
. dumb POSSESSED were cured directly after
JAirus' daughter was raised. Second rejection
It Nazareth. Third missionary tour OF Galilee.
John the Baptist behesded at Macherus. Re-
turn Of Jesus to Capernaum. Tho events IN
their order are given in Mark 6:l-A.
HELPS OVERLAND PLAcEs-10 WhsH dhsywsrs
! rawrned: TO Capernsum from their missionary
tour. And He took them and wsnt aside: from
Cspernsum, which was within the dominion
Of Herod, to the other side Of Jordan, which was
beyond his dominions. He went by boat Matt.
His reasons appeared to be Q) to avoid posi-
BILE danger for His disciples, as they knew not
how far Herod might carry his prosecutions
% Rest and retirement MARK o:sD. o. Per
haps TO avoid any excitement among the peo'
pie on account Of Herod's murder Of John, which
might lead to rebellion. A desert place: unin-
habited, wild, uncult:vated, not sandy desert.
Bethsatdd: SEQ Place. 2. And the people
followed: by land MARK. 1t was only six or
eight miles from Capernsum. Mark says that
the people, some of them. reached there
hrst. After time Jesus went up
among the hills with His disciples (John
6:3). IL. Then came the twelus: BY combining all
the accounts, the conversation would be about
o. follows: Jesus Speaking to Philip. whose
home was at Bethsaida and who therefore was
acquainted with the region and the people,
"Whence shall we buy bread, that these may
eatr Philip-"Two hundred pennyworth "a
WORTH of bread is not sufficient for them. that
every one of them may take little" John
60 y. The Apostles-"Send the multitude
away, that they may 60 into the towns and
country round about, and lodge and get Wet
uals" Luke). Jesus-"Give We them to eat''
Guke). The Apostles-"Shau we 60 and buy
two hundred pennyworth Of bread, and give
them to eatw MARK. Jesus-"How many
losves have YET Go and seq" The Apostles
(having found out through Andrew, who found
. boy who had them for sale [JohnD-"We
have no more but 1--WE barley loaves and two
small fishes. But what are they among SC
many, except we should 60 and buy meat for all
this peopler' duke and John). IS. Ztco fshes:
small ones, and sailed, to be eaten with bread
as o relish. Il Five housdnd men: besides
women and children. They could easily be
counted, arranged as they were. St doton: on
the grass, which was abundant in the spring.
the time of this event. By .Gftis: and by hun
dreds. One way they counted fifty; the other
hundred; Mark compares them to parterres
Of flowers, as they sat on the green grass In
their bright Oriental robes Of red and blue and
yellow. II. 2Wslvs baskets: each Of the twelve
gathered into his own wallet, and filled 1t full.
THE FRAGMENTs-Q) The design is to brins
out the preciousness Of the food which Jesus
had given. It teaches q wise economy In thu
smallest affairs Of life. God loveth bountiful
not wasteful hand. C2) 1t showed to the dis
ciples the spiritual truth that the more they
gave Of the Gospel blessings to others, the more
they would have themselves. 1.-THE twelve
baskets were an apt symbol Of that love which
exhausts not itself by loving, but after all It.
outgoings upon others, abides itself far richie
than it would have done but for these. Of thu
multiplying which there ever is in true dis
pensing." (9 1t completes the proof Of thu
miracle, for more remained than there was t
begin with.
THE NEEDY MULTITUDE.-They were
needy in two senses. In spiritua
sense they were needy, having no guide.
but the Pharisees and scribes, who
themselves needed guidance. "If thu
blind lead the blind, shall they not botf
fall into the ditch?" Arrogance ant
hypocrisy were the leading characters
tics of their spiritual rulers. Undel
such circumstances, what hope wa
there for the sheep of the flock? Wher
the shepherds themselves were wolves
the case was pitiful indeed. The grea
multitude was also in temporal need
All day they had continued without food
Before passing from this point, notice
the application of this truth. The null
titudes in this world are still "as shee]
having no shepherd" Not to allude t,
heather lands, the majority in our cit
les are spiritually leaderless. The.
have gone astray like sheep, each on
having gone in his own way, The spir
itual restitution and starvation whicl
exists in this most favored land is sim
ply appalling. Moreover, among taes
masses are many whose bodily Won't
are very great. Unless help is renderet
from outside they will perish. Not thei
souls alone, but their bodies as we'll, de
mand our care. In view of these facts
! does not that throng near the lake o
Galilee stand as representative gath
ering Of mankind?
HE was moved with compassio,
towards them" This pity led Him t
minister first to their spiritual necessi
ties, for HE began to teach them.
Pity, with Him, was not q luxuriou
emotion which spent itself on itself.
moved Him to do something. All tn
wants of that throng were ministered t
by the Master. First the inward, the
the outward. Paul says: "My God sha
supply all you need" phil. 4:19). S
the Son Of God supplied all the needs {
that multitude. There is differonc
between our needs" and our 'wants.
God never supplies all our wants." fe
{ these often include things injurious
, us. But all our needs" are fully me-
D by Him. The failure to make this di
, tinction brings many people into diff
culties about prayer and its arswe
t We are indeed to make known all o,
/. wants" to Him. But He in mercy wi
!. supply only all our "needs.w When {
: subsequent period He declined
. make bread for the multitudes, it W;