The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-06-14
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JUNE ".

Subject; Feeding the Five Thousand,
John VII, 5-IA--Golden Text, Matt. vi,
i1-Memorv Verses, ,9-12-Comnentary
on the Days Lesson.
CONNECTING L1SKs.-The twelve apostles
who had been sent out over Galilee were
preaching and healing the sick, when sud
denly, came the news that John the Baptist
had been beheaded. The disciples hast
ened to Jesus, probably at Capernaum,
and all retired across the sea OF Galilee,
to the lonely plain at the foot OF the hills
near Bethsaida, just outside of Herod's
dominions. Multltudes followed them.
5. Lifted up His eyes" This was In the
afternoon, toward evening, when the day
began to wear away" Luke 9:12. The
Jews had two evenings, the first began at
three O'Clock, the second at six O'Clock.
"A great company" He was moved with
compassion and walkod among the people,
teaching them many things and Dealing
their sick. His disciples called His ntten-
tion to the fact that thls was desert
place, and as the multitude had been there
since morning, It was time TO dismiss the
congregation so that the people could 20
and buy victuals, lost they faint by the
way. Matt. 14;14, Is. "He saith unto
Philip" Philip lived at Bethsdida, n city
near Capernaum, and not the Bethsaidn
where this miracle was performed, as some
have supposed. He was probably the pro-
Wider for the disciples, as Judas was the
treasurer. whence are we to buy bread.
X. V. Christ bad fed their souls, and healed
their bodies and now He proposes to feed
their bodies, and thus show that He IS able
to provide for all their necessities.
6. ITO prove Him." Philip had Jesus
fol more than two years, and 1t was now
time that ne, and the rest OF the apostles,
should begin to have wide conceptions
OF Ohrlst's ability. Knew what He would
do" Our Lord is mover at a loss Ia His
counsels, but in the most difficult case He
knows what course He will pursue
Christ proposed the question to test
Philips faith. This gives us glimpse in
to the educational method of the great
Teacher. He knew how many people wcro
there, how much bread it would take bow
many fish He would want to feed that
crowd.
Z. 1.-TWO hundred pennyworth." The
penny was a silver coin and was worth
about sixteen cents. Tho value OF the
bread necessary would be, therefore, about
$50. This appears to have been oil that
our Lord and all OF His disciples were
worth OF this worlds goods. This amount
at that time, with them, would probably
| represent an actual value equal to ten
times the same amount now, with Gs.
Peloubet thinks that In this conference
between Jesus and His disciples as TO ways
| and MEANS" there was some discussion,
uIlu tuul NJ tuis point Iub dpOSllSS uuNlScu
sending the multitude away, whereupon
Jesus said, "Give ye them to eat" (Luke);
the apostles then asked In dsmay, Shall
we go and buy this great amount OF bread?
Jesus asked how much they had Mark, +,
and Andrew said, Five loaves and two
small fishes.
0. 'There is a lad here" The multitude
had not thought Of their temporal necessi
ties. so anxious wore they to see and hear
Jesus, and this lad, "who had charge OF
the provisions OF the company to which He
| belonged" had all that could be found.
'Loaves. fishes" The loaves were
| round, fat cakes like large crackers. Bar
| ley was their poorest food. The fish were
small, dried or picked, and were eaten
with bread, like our sardlnes. But what
| are they2" No sooner did Andrew make
this little suggestion than he felt half
| ashamed and would have withdrawn 1t.
10. Make the men Sit" In orderly
| ranks for the convenient distribution OF
the food. Mark says they sat by hundreds
and llfties. They appear here as heads OF
| families around whom, in many cases
women and children were grouped, though
| the men alone were arranged In companies
and numbered, while the women and chill.
dren we're served separately, as Oriental
custom required. much grass" Tho
| grass was ready for moving at this time o!
| the year about fvo thousand" Be.
sides women and children. Matt. 1921
There must have been ten thousand per
sons to feed. Jesus had arranged them 50
| they could easily be counted.
| IL. "Jesus took the loayes." Thus acting
| like the master OF n family among the Jews
who took the bread into his hands to give
| thanks to God, before any at tho table
were permitted &c eat. Jesus had one loa
| for thousand men, besides the women
and children. We may hnve but little, but
| II We will give tho little wo have to Jesus
| m1IttnlU n nn-fn "a
| pass 1t back to us, and srantus the privi-
| lego OF passing it out TO the starving, sin.
| burdened multitudes. "Given thaEks.'
Jesus thus sets rs an example; We should
never eat without ilrst thanking God fol
our food, and asking His blessing upon It,
distributed to the disciples" There has
been much discussion as TO just how the
| miracle was performed. DID the breat
| multiply in the hands OF Jesus, or In til,
hands OF the disciples, or, as some think
did tho disciples put pleco OF bread aud
fish in the hands OF those who sat at thC
ends OF the ranks with orders 10 6lvo 1t tc
their companions? There is no doubt In
my mind but that the food multiplied ali
along the line. Jesus handed out to Ell:
disciples; 1t increased in their hands a
they handed out to the multitude and u;
1t was passed from one to another the
| bread and flsh continued to swell In theii
hands until they all had enough and tc
spare. The fishes as much as they
would" This does not mean that there
was scarcity OF fish, but that all ate n:
much as they cared to.
| ~. "When they wore filled" Here Il
one miracle OF our Lord attested byiat least
| five thousand (probahly ten thousand) per
| sons. No one need over leave Christs tablC
| hungry. He Is ablo to satisfy every do
mand OF soul and body. He Is the bread o
| life. Whether we demand "llttle or much
It is an easy matter for Christ to fill us
"Gather up the fragments" The broker
| pieces which remained over. II. V. "That
nothing be lost" The design Is to bring
out the preclousness of tho food whicl
Jesus had given.
13. Twelve baskets" The word trans
lated 'baskets" means pockets or wallets
| The twelve baskets were probably thu
twelve wallets OF the twelve apostles, which
they carried on their Journeys. Jesus evi
| IDENTIFY intonded that He and the apostle
would cat tho pieces AZ their needs de
manded them.
IA. "That prophet" All who had seer
| this wonderful miracle were so profoundly
| impressed with II that they said there car
| be no doubt but this Is the Messiah. The
| Prophet that should come into the world
| according to the prediction OF Moses
| Deut. la:l5-15. They at once tried to take
| Him by force and make Him their king. V
l5 Where else would they find king who
could feed his army without expense OF
| trouble, who could oure his wounded sol
diers by n word, who had wisdom anC
| power divino2 Auch n king could easil!
| overcome the Roman power. But Jesus re
sisted them and spent tho night In prayer