Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-08-16

vi, 4S-Commentary by the Rev. ID. nj.
stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by
permission OF ii. 5. Hoffman, publisher, Phil
adelphial
l. after these things Jesus went over
the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of III
berias."
According to Matthew, Mark and Luke
this was shortly after the beheading of
John the Baptist and also the return Of
the twelve apostles from their missionary
tour. The disciples of John, having buried
his body, went and told Jesus The apos-
ties, having returned, gathered themselves
together unto Jesus and told Him all
things, both what they had done and what
they had taught (Math. xiv, IL; Mark vi
80; Luke tx, l0).
And great multitude followed Him.
because they saw His miracles which He
did on them that were diseased"
There were so many coming and going
that Jesus and His apostles had no time TO
eat, therefore lie said to them, Come
apart into desert place and rest awhile. I"
SO they departed by ship privately, to cross
the sea to desert place belonging TO the
city of Bethsaida duke tx, l0). But the
p''pi' hlltN IL anu ran ulDbi Out OIL dli the
cities and outwent them MARX vi, 1888.
3. And Jesus went up into a mountain
and there He sat with His disciples"
T. And the Passover, a feast of the
Jews, was nigh"
IL is most interesting to notice that His
teaching in the fifth, sixth and seventh
chapters of this gospel is associated with
three different feasts of the Jews Chapters
vi A. Vii L.. a
instituted they were called "Feasts of the
Lord" Q4ev. xiii, 2, 4, 81 a., but now the
Lord is so completely left out that they are
only "Feasts of the Jews"
3. when Jesus then lifted up His eyes,
and saw great company come unto Him"
The testimony of the other three gospels
is that He was moved with compassion
toward them, because they were as sheep
not having a shepherd that He healed
their sick, and that He received them and
spake unto them Of the kingdom of God.
''He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we
buy bread, that these may eatr'
Philip was of Bethsaida, and Bethsaida
was the nearest city John i, A; Luke tx,
1O). This may have been one reason why
he asked Philip. This apostle is mentioned
in the other gospels only once in each, in
connection with the choosing of the twelve;
but he is mentioned by the writer of this
gospel four different times Chapters l. AS
As; vi, 8, Z; xii, 81, %; xiv, s, 81.
6. "And this He said to prove Him, for
He Himself knew what He would do"
Having chosen us TO be His, He lovingly
tests or tries or proves us day by day to fit
US for better service. After many testings
it is written in reference to the hardest yet
God did tempt Tor try Abraham Gen.
xxi, y. And concerning Israel it is written
that the Lord their God led them SO as to
humble and prove them and do them good
at their latter end (Deut. viii, 2, lG).
z. philip answered Him, Two hundred
pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for
them, that every one of them may take n
little"
8. Zone Of His disciples, Andrew, Simon
Peters brother, saith unto Him"
Andrew was one of the first to follow
Jesus, and he was also of the city of Beth
saida John /, 40 40 He was one of the
four who privately asked the questions
which drew from our Saviour the great
discourse on last things, which is recorded
in Mark xiii, Matt. xiv and Luke xxi.
O. "rhere is lad here which hath five
barley loaves and two small fishes, but
what are they among so manyW
After healing and teaching the multi
tudes, the day being far spent, His dis
ciples asked Him TO send them away into
the villages round about that they might
buy themselves bread; upon which He said,
"They need not depart, give We them to
eat" Then He asked how many loaves
they had, and told them to goand see Matt.
xiv, 10, Is; Mark vi, 1898. 1t was after
that that Andrew reported the amount on
hand, with the remark, what are they
among so manyW Impossiblel was evil
IDENTIFY the thought of each disciple.
TO- And Jesus said, Make the men sit
down. Now there was much grass in the
place. SO the men sat down in number
about five thousand"
Mark says they sat upon the green grass
In ranks by hundreds and by fifties. lie
who teaches by His Spirit through His
servant to Let all things be done decently
and in order" fails not 90 set us the exam
pie Himself, for "God is not the author OF
confusion, but Of peace Il Cor. xiv 80, 40}.
IL. "And Jesus took the loaves."
He had said, Bring them bither to Me-
Matt. xiv, 49,, reminding us of Come
unto Me, Bring him hither to Me-" and
of Elisha's LET him come now to me-
Matt. xi. %; xvii, II; II Kings V, 81. With
out Him we can do nothing John XIV, 81.
"And when He had given thanks"
The other three say that He looked up "a
heaven and blessed them. In all things
He acknowledged the Father; even He ties
tilted, 81 can of mine own self do nothing
(chapter V, 30). "The Father that dwell
eth in Me, He doeth the works" (chaptei
xiv, i0). Do we not see here wherein oui
great failures liei
"He distributed TO the disciples, and the
disciples to them that were set down, and
likewise of the fishes as much as they
would"
IL. "When they were filed, lie said unto
His disciples, Gather up the fragments
that remain, that nothing be lost"
"They did all eat and were filed" so say
Matthew, Mark and Luke. They had not
leach little, b" as Philip had thought might
possibly be accomplished if the two hun
dred pence had been forthcoming and tn,
bread obtainable, but all had "gs much n,
they would" Verse ~. When teachers ant
preachers receive the living bread directly
from Him the people will never go away
with just little, but will be filled for tbs
time being and want to come for more.
10. Therefore they gathered together
and filed twelve baskets with the frag
ments of the five barley loaves, which re
manned over and above unto them that hao
eaten"
Twelve baskets over and aboyel What q
contrast to the five loaves and two fishes
with which they startedl And 5000 mel
had been abundantly fed, besides womer
and children Matt xiv OIL Is IL still