The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-06-14
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

GOLDEN TEXT.-Give US this day our
daily bread.-Mau. G'11.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The miracle of the lesson is the only
one which is recorded in all the four
Gospels. This does not, of course,
prove that il is the most important OF
the miracles of Jesus, but it is some in
dication of its Importance. 1t occurred
in the plain of Butaiha, an unculti-
vated, uninhabited place, on the north
east shore of the Sea of Galilee. The
four accounts will be found as follows:
Matthew 14:13-2l; Mark 6:3O-46; Luke
9:l0-l7; John 6:1-15. Based upon these
four records, and combining the events
and teachings. we may make the fol-
lowing analysis:
l. Jesus Receiving the Five Thousand.
Jesus Teaches (a) and (b) Heals.
q One Method OF Instruction.
l. The Miracle.
g. Jesus Gives Thanks.
g. The Loaves and Fishes.
Z. Jesus on the Mountain in Prayer.
Jesus Receiving the Five Thousand
After the death Of John the Baptist the
apostles, who had been abroad doing
the work of Jesus, returned to report
TO the Master what they had done and
what they had taught. Jesus Himself
had not been idle, for Mark says that
"there were many coming and going,
and they had no leisure SO much as to
eat" So they went by boat across the
lake to rest. But they were seen de-
parting by many people, and so eager
were they to see and hear Jesus that, as
Mark goes on to say, they ran afoot
thither, and outwent them, and came
unto Him." So great was the heart of
the Master that He gave up the rest He
needed. He was moved with compass
sion toward them and Uuke 9:1D "re-
ceived them"
Jesus Teaches and Heals.-Jesus
came to seek and to save the lost. But
here 10 one instance (among many
where the lost came seeking the Mas
ter. How He met this occasion it is the
object of this lesson to teach: ~ He
received the people with compassion, ,
t2) He taught them, speaking OF the
Kingdom of God; (3) He healed the
sick, thus showing in a practical way
His sympathy; and, (4) He performed
the miracle Of multiplying the loaves
and fishes, thus accomplishing the
double purpose Of feeding the hungry
multitude, and also showing that He
wa more than O man, that there was
With Him the power Of God. Those who
were healed included the ones who by
. long journey afoot had gone beyond
their strength, and also many who had
ailments which permitted them to be
about IN much their accustomed way.
Besides these It may be that there were
those who had not thus far been able
10 bring their sick to Jesus, and who
thought that surely in the wilderness
|. .As-wouit5 not be SO thronged that He
could not relieve them.
One Method Of Instruction.-In this
lesson is illustrated one of Jesus IA
vorable methods Of instruction when
with His disciples. We learn by sharp
contrasts. So Jesus said to Philip,
when He saw the people were hungry:
Whence shall we buy bread, that these
may eat?" John explains the attitude
Of Jesus by adding that this He said
TO prove him; for He Himself knew
what He would do" Philip and the
other disciples were to have a striking
illustration Of the wide difference be-
tween the human way and the Divine
way. "For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the Lord. d."-Isaiah 55:s.
The Miracle.-Some of the miracles
of Jesus may be susceptible of explana-
ton and may have been in accordance
with the foreordained laws of what we
call nature. But real miracle, like
the one Of the lesson, cannot be eX-
planned to the human mind. The how
We cannot know. We can know, how
ever, that the God who created this
world, who put upon it all the wonders
Of its beautiful forms and breathed
upon 1t the breath OF life, is bound by
no precedent of His own esta blshment,
and therefore the miracles OF Jesus, the
Son Of God, need not be explained. We
may accept them as facts, and draw
from them the lessons they teach
Jesus Gives Thanks.-When the
loaves and fishes were brought before
Jesus He gave thanks" This was a
beautiful example for all disciples, and
the custom Of grace before meat can
not but be helpful if uttered in sin
cerity and with reverence. We must
remember that the chief significance
of the custom lies in the fact that it
recognizes God as the Giver OF every
good and perfect gift.
The Loaves and Fishes.-Only five
barley loaves and two small fishes! Nc
wonder Andrew asked: What are
they among so many?" God uses the