The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-25
Mosaic from Commentariea.

The Sen of GaIilee: Sweet water, full of fish; a surface of sparkling blue. tempting down breezes from above, bringing forth breezes of her own. tho Lake of Galllee Is at once food, drink and air. a rest to the eye. coolness in the heat, an escape from a crowd, and facility of travel very welcome in so exhausting a cIimate.-George Adam smith. When Jesus then lifted up His eyes; Better as in the American Re- vision, Jesus therefore lifting up His eyes" Saw great company ("seeing that a great multitude eometh'): Not the same crowd mentioned in verse 2, else in the Greek the article would have been inserted, but a Passover caravan coming from some other di- rectlon.---Dods. Saith unto Philip: Why to Philip? Not because he hao- pened at the moment to be nearest to Jesus (Alford1i nor as BengeI suggests because he had charge of the commis- sariat; but Cyril Is right who finds the explanation in the character Of Philip. and in the word to prove him.-Expos- itor'ss Greek Testament. This was not trial of Philips faith, but a test whether he could suggest any expe- dient; and the answer of the disciple (verse D conveys also the impression that he knew of none.-Meyer. What He would do: Without suggestions from others. It was not bread lie sought rom Philip, but faith.--Augus- tine. Philips home was Bethsaida. He was thererore acquainted with the re- zion and people.-Peloubet. Jesus takes It for granted that they must all dine with Him.-Henrl. This is the only action in Jesus's life recorded by all the evangeIists.-Toid. Make the men sit down: This was like sending Providence to market.-Ibid Philip answered; A matter r-of-fact man. quick reasoner,. good man Of business more ready to rely on his own shrewd calculations than on unseen re- sources. This weakness Jesus gives him the opportunity of conquering.- Dods. Two hundred pennyworth--$32 It was equivalent to his asking, Can He furnish table in the wlIderness?" Henry. A fad, five loaves, two fish es: When Count ZinzendofG was a boy at school he founded amongst his school-fellows a. little guild which he called the Order of the Grain of Mus tard-seed," and thereafter that seedlfng grew into the great tree of the Mora vian Brotherhood, whose boughs were blessing to the world.-Farrar. Make the men ("people") sit down: An or der indicative, of our Lords design that pS lo ana L0aL the attention. of all might be directed to what He was about to do.-ButIer It invited close 'inspC otion. Given CD that there might be no unseemly crowd ing round Him and crushing out the weaker; and (2) that they might un- derstand they were to have a full meal, not a mere bite they could take in their hand in passing. Obedience to this request tested the faith of the Icrowd.-Dods. Observe the furniture of the dining room; there was much grass there: served as cushions for those who sat upon the ground.-Henry. Jesus took the loaVes: The distribution was with thanksgiving and universal satis- faction.-Ibid Fragments: The grant We have of Gods good creatures Is large and full, but with the proviso willful waste only excepted.-Ibid This was for these orientals a most inn portant lesson in thrift. the poor are nothing could exceed the lavish waste fulness of the poor oriental when a mo- ment of good fortune has filled his hands with plenty. He absolutely takes no thought for the morrow, and, if re- minded of the coming day, will calmly reply, The Lord Will Provide. ."-Ew- ing. This has been noticed as a strong mark of truth, most unlikely to have been invented by a writer of fiction
 For it is improbable from a human point of view that one who could mul- tiply food at will should give directions about saving ragnents.-Cambridge Bible