The National tribune., 1895-01-03
SUNDAY MEDITATION

A Study of the international Sunday
| School Lesson Appointed for Jan.
Is, 1895.
| Subject: The Account of Christ Feeding
| 5000 Men. Besides Women and Children
| ST. Mark, 6: 80 -. IT
| lone reading these notes should first carefully
| study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.l
INTRODUCTION.
| /. Data
We have four reports of this miracle, One
| in each Gospel. This is the first case where we
find Sts Matthew, Mark, Luke. and John
| jointly reporting an incident. We may per-
| haps except a single case of slight parallel.
ism in the four Gospels at st. Matt, 4:l2 with
| which correspond SITS. Mark, liza. Luke,
4:14, and John 4: ID. The four accounts OF
the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 plus
| women and children are as follows: st. Matt,
d: 1921; ST. Mark 6 80 IA; ST. Luke 8: 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 tn g
| miracle. st. John, however, wrote much
later. SITS. Matthew and Mark wrote at 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 fol-
lows in his sixth chapter. Notice V. 26 of
said chapter, showing ST. John bad in mind
the miracle over which We now study. One
will find it very interesting to study and COM
pare the several accounts; 9. e., st. Matthew
says there was grass. st. Mark adds that it
was green grass. st. Luke has alluson
to the grass. st. John states there much
grass. Again, all accounts declare there were
5000 men, but only st. Matthew tolls US that
in addition there were women and children.
Then st. John is the only reporter who tells
US what kind of bread was eaten, and he
alone mentions the parts taken by SITS. Philip
aud Andrew.
g Time.
We see from st. John. ga, that IL was .
little before the Passover. We put IL Thurs
day. March %. A. d. %. st. Matt. ID: 15
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.
8. Place.
The scene of the miracle was a little south
of the city of Bethsaida in Peres. known as
DctIlSIluI JULES. lJUkt, ID6 DbbU-
saba Of St. Mark, 6 AS, in Galilee. The
locality of this miracle was q desert place, but
the word desert in the New Testament sense
means simply spot unnhabited and unculti-
waited. We learn there was much green grass
there. (St. Mark, 6 49, st. John, 6: 10.) It
was about three miles from where the Jordan
enters the Sea of Gailee 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. (See Rohinson's Researches. Vol.
H., p. 40, for full description.l
The place is pointed out to travellers,
traditions having been handed down locating
the spot. Says DR.. Adam Clarke:
AS we rode from the village of Haiti to-
ward the Sea of Tiberias the guides pointed
to a sloping spot from the hight on our right,
whence we had descended, as tho place where
the miracle was performed of our Savior feed
ing the multitude. 1t ia therefore called The
Multiplication of Bread
Rea Wilson, in his Travels in the Holy
Land" says: ~
This mount was called by my guido The
Multiplication of Bread or. as / had heard
others denominate it, The Table of the Lord
1t is remarkable that at this day there is much
grass in the place. Nearit was joined by
miserable, ragged soldier who had been sta
toned at the foot of the hill by his Pasha to
protect the grass from the depreciation of trav-
elers." @a Sr
Thomson's Land and Book" Vol. H., page
90, says:
From the four narratives of this stupendous
miracle we gather: /. That the place belonged
to Bethsaida. 2. That it was a desert place.
g. That il was near tho shore of the lake, for
they came to it by boat. A. That there was
mountain close at hand. D. That it
smooth. grassy spot. capable of seating many
thousand people. Now all these requisites are
found in this great locality, and nowhere else,
so far as / can discover"
A. Circumstances
Two reasons led Christ to seek retirement.
The Disciples had just returned from mission
work quite wearied. And hence Jesus sug-
gested rest. ST. Mark, g: 81. Then Herod the
tetrarch of that region, who had murdered st.
John Baptist, was stirred up by what he heard
rs to Jesus. (See Mark, chapter 81 Christ was
anxious not TO agitate the people. who were
ready for sediiiOn. and hence he wished to re-
main quietly pursuing his work till the proper
tine came for publicity. He therefore sug-
gested departure from Capernaum to Beth
saba Juias.
3. Lessons.
1. God tries our faith St. John. 6:6
2. Obey Christ though his directions seem
st. Mark. 6: 80. 40.
3. Ask a blessing and return thanks at the |
table. Sa.. 9 ID; Th., 8 10; Tim, A.: T. |
g.
4. Be saving. Wastefulness Is sin. Even |
they who have plenty should take care of rem.
nants. Christ had all power TO supply, and |
yet he enforced the duty of frugalty.
5. Go to church. Hear the Gospel preached |
and explained. Make sacrifice Of time and |
ease to get to the sanctuary. Men should be
attendants Of religious services. Women and |
children should also be found in the pews.
6. Have concern for human physical wants.
Care for others bodily needs.
z. Be Christs walters. Take from him and I
hand to others. Stand between Christ and a
needy world.
g. Trust God. He can provide in most seri-
BUS emergencies. Ask daily bread.
g. BE orderly, systematic, and that specially
1t table. / Cor, Ia: 33-40
10. Give and you will have Be not stinted
IL. Make much OF the Holy Communion
The feeding of mems bodies 10 a picture of what
Jesus is willing to do for our souls. st. John,
}: &c. n; compare st. Matt. $50.
IL. When the Disciples foresaw the condition
If the crowd and the call for food. they mag
ned it was necessary tc dismiss the people,
living them opportunity to 90 into neighboring
owns for supplies But Christ vetoed such a 4
Measure. He said: They need not depart;
rive ye them to eat. Makesthe men sit down"
Jesus is all the time surprising his followers;
hey cannot get used to his munifcence and
power aud wisdom. We arc interested in the
PRACTICAL religious bearing of all the incidents
q Cbrists life. Christ is enough. The sup
,lies of the Church are a IN ME No one need |