The National tribune., 1890-05-01
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

indicated abovel
SUBJECT: TIE ACCOUNT OF CHRIST FEEDING
5000 MEN, BESIDES WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
/. Data
We have four reports of this miracle, one in
each Gospel. This is the first case where we
find SITS. Matthew. Mark, Luke aud John jointly
reporting an incident. We may perhaps ex-
cept single case of slight parallelism in the
four Gospels at st. Matt, 4 /: II, with which cor
respond SITS. Mark, j. II, Luke, a: Ii, and
John, d :1-3. Tho four accounts of the mir
acle Of the feeding of the 5000 plus women aud
children are as follows: ST. Matt, A 1921;
st. Mark, 6 3514; st. Luke, 9: 1917, and st.
John, 6 :4-14. The student must read all these
reports. SITS. Matthew and John were probably
present and wrote not only from inspiration,
but from knowledge. The first three Gospels
were written not far from the year 60 A. d.,
or about 80 years after the miracle. st. John,
however, wrote much later. Sts Matthew and
Mark wrote ut Rome; st. Luke at Achaia,
Greece, and st. John at Ephesus, Asia Minor.
We are pleased ST. John wrote up the miracle,
since it furnished him groundwork for that
grand discourse which follows in his sixth
chapter Notice " 26 of said chapter. showing
ST. John had in mind the miracle over which
we now study. One will find 1t very interest
ing to study and compare the several accounts,
c. e., st. Matthew says there was grass. ST.
Marks adds that it was green grass. st. Luke
has no allusion to the grass. st. John states
there was much grass. Again, all accounts de-
clare there were 5000 men, but only ST. Matthew
tells us that in addition there were women and
children. Then, st. John is the only reporter
who tolls us what kind of bread was eaten, and
he alone mentions the parts taken by SITS. Philip
aud Andrew.
9. Time.
We SEQ from st. John, Ga. that it was little
bnC ho .
%, A. ID. % st. Matt, ID 10, shows it was
toward evening, say, between 3 and o'clock
p m. The Passover in the year % was on
Wednesday, April 8. At that time the grass
would be abundant and green.
3. Place
The scene of the miracle was little south Of
the city of Bctbsaida in Perea known as Beth
saida Julias (St. Luke 9 :l0.l The Bethsaida
of st. Mark. 6 :45, was in Galilee The locality
of this miracle was n desert place, but the word
desert in the New Testament sense means sim
ply spot uninhabited and uncultivated. We
learn there was much green grass there (St.
Mark, 6 80; st. John. 6: 10.) 1t was about
three miles from where the Jordan enters the
Sea OF Galilee 1t is thought the spot where
the miracle was performed is about one-half
mile from the Jordan stream, in the extended
and beautiful plain named Butaiha, or Batheh.
tSec Robinsons Researches, vol. ii, p. 40, for a
full dcseription.J
The place is now pointed out TO travellers,
trad tions having been handed down locating
the spot. Says DIR. Adam Clarke: AS we rode
from the village of Haiti toward the of
Tiherias, the guides pointed to sloping spot
from the hight on our right, whence we had
descended. rs the place where the miracle was
performed of Savior feeding the multi
tude. IL is therefore called The Multiplica-
ton of Broad"
Bea Wilson, in his Travels in the Holy
Land" says: This mount was called by my
guide The Multiplication of Bread or, as |
had heard others dcnominate it, The Table of
the Lord 1t is remarkable that at this day
there is much grass in tho place. Near it ! was
joined by miserable, ragged soldier, who had
been stationed nj the foot of the hill by his
Pasha to protect tho grass from the depreciation
OF travellers"
Thomsons "Land aud Book" Vol. III. page
81, says: From the four narratives OF this
stupendous miracle we gather: l. That the
place belonged to Bethsaida. 2. That it was
desert place. 3. That 1t was near the shore of the
lake, for they came to il by boat. 4. That there
was mountain close at haHd. 3. That il was
n smooth. grassy spot, capable of seating many
thousand people. Now all these requisites are
found in this great locality, and nowhere else,
30 far as can discover"
4. Circumstances.
Two reasons led Christ 20 seek retirement
The Disciples bad just returned from mission
work quite wearicd. And hence Jesus sug-
gested rest. tSt. Mark. q: 81 Then Herod
the tctrarch of that region, who had murdered
St. John the Baptist, WAS stirred mp by what no
heard as TO Jesus. lSee st. Mark, chapter 8 }
Christ was anxious not To agitate tie people,
who were ready for sedition, aud hence he
wished to remain quietly pursuing his work
till the proper time came for publicity. He
therefore suggested departure from Caper-
uanm to Bethsaida Julias.
D. Lessons
j. God often tries our faith. (St John, G: G. }
. Obey Christ though his directions seem
unreasonable. tSt. Mark, 6: 30, 40.l
J. Ask u blessing aud return thanks at the
table. Il Ss., 9: Is; Tn. 5. Is; III. 4 A. 81
l. BE saving. Wastefulness is a sin. Even
they who have plenty should take care of rem
uants. Christ had ali power of supply, and yet
he enforced the duty of frugality.
8. 60 TO church. Hear the Gospel. Make
sacrifices To get to the sanctuary. Men should
DO attendants of religious services. Women
and children should also be- found in the pews.
q. Have concern for human physical wants.
Care for others bodily needs
Z. Be Christ's walters. Take from him aud
hand To others. Stand between Christ and a
needy world.
s. Trust God. lie can provide in most seri-
Gus emergencies. Ask daily bread.
y. lie orderly, systematic, aud that specially
| ut table. q Cor, Ia: 33-i0.)
| 10. Give and you will have BE not stinted.
| IL. Make much of the Holy Communion.
| The feeding of mems bodies is picture of what
| Jesus is willing 10 do for souls. (St. John,
| d; 20. "a Compare st. Matt, 8: g.
IL. When the Disciples foresaw the condition
| of tho crowd and the call for food, they imHg-
ined it was necessary to dismiss the people, Civ
| ing them opportunity to go into neighboring
| towns for supplies. But Christ vetoed such a
measure. lie said, They need not depart
| give ye them to eat. Make the men sit down"
Jesus is al the time surprising his followers;
| they cannot get used TO his muniicence and
| power aud wisdom. We are interested in the
| practical religious bearing of all the incidents
| ia Christ's life. Christ is enough The sup
| plies of the Church are ample. No one need
| leave either Jesus or Christianity III order to
| crafty any legitimate taste or ambition. The
| Church should be adequate. 1t ought not be
| necessary to abandon it for amusement, for in
| teresting discourses, for art science for edu-
cation, for philosophy. They need not de-
| mart - Eeed them whera they ara The Ehurch