The Morris County chronicle., 1905-02-21
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY 26.


subject: The Miracle Of the Leaves and
Fishes, John vi, 1-1A-Golden Texts
John VII, 51-NKelnory Verses, II, RS
Commentary on the Days Lesson.
/. The gathering lnnltitude Tvs. 1-N i
~ After these things The events OF the
second year, but particularly the report OF
the twelve, the murder OF john, and the
report that Herod was inquiring for him-
The twelve apostles who had been sent out
over Galilee were preaching and heaing
| the sick. when, suddenly, like fash from
a far distant cloud, came the news that
John the Baptist had been beheaded BY
Herod Antipas in Macherus castle: The
disciples hastened to Jesus, PROBABLY at
| Canernau1n. as chickens hasten to their
mother when the hawk hovers near. Over
the sea-" From Capernaum, where the
anostles met Jesus on their return, by
boat, privately, to escape the crowds
Mark 6:31, 32l. They all retired across
the sea Of Ga1ilee to the lonely plam at tne
foot of the hills near Bethsaida, Just out
side OF the dorninions Of Herod Antipae-
They needed this retirement { for physl-
cal rest. f2l for instruction, (3) for eom-
munion Ii God 2. Multitude 1ol-
lowed The people came from Al dlree,
northern shores were populous with eltles
and villages. The preaching Of the apostles
had stirred the whole country.
8. "a mountain The high ground
near Bethsaida, which there closely APP
pToaehes the lake Sat " wlth HE alse,- she
could rest and report 4 The passover
I But because OF the reason mentioned IN
chapter q: Jesus did not attend, Ihls
was His third Passover. year before His
death Feast Of the Jews This was
stated for the benefit of Johns Gentle
reader readers. This gospel was written il Asia
Minor, among Roman customs Was
nigh The fact that the Passover was
nigh at hand so that many must have been
starting on their journey to Jerusalem
around the lake and through Perea, partly
accounts for the concourse of such multi
II. Jesus confers with His disciples (vs.
5-9l. 5. Lifted up His eyes" This was
in the afternoon, toward evening. when
the day began to wear away Luke 9:l2l.
The Jews had two evenings; the hrst be
gan at 8 o'clock, the second at 8 o'clock.
compassion and walked among the people,
teaching them many things and healing
their sick. His disciples called His atten-
tion to the fact that this was desert
place, and as the multitude had been there
since morning, it was time to dismiss the
congregation so the people could go and
buy victdals, lest they faint; by the way
Matt l4:l4, l5) He saith unto Philip
He was probably the provider for the discl-
pies, as Judas was the treasurer Nv hence
are we to buy bread Il. ~ 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, s.. To prove
Him." Philip had known Jesus for more
than two years and it was time that he,
and the rest of the apostles, should begin
to have wide conceptions OF Chrlst7s abll-
ity. Knew what he would do" Christ
proposed the question to test Philip faith.
7. Philip answered" Our Lord saw
that His apostles needed lessons in faith,
and this miracle was as much for their
benefit as for the benefit Of the hungry
multitude. s'Two hundred pennyworth.s
Thespenny was silver coin and was worth
about sixteen cents The value OF the
bread necessary would be, therefore, about
S32. Jesus said, "Give ye them to eat''
Nukey: the apostles then asked in dis
may, Shall We 60 and buy this great
amount Of bread? Jesus asked how much
they had Mark, and Andrew said, Five
loaves and two small fishes
g. "A lad here The multitude had not
thought of their temporal necessities. so
anxious were they to see and hear Jesus,
and this lad, who had charge Of the pro-
visions of the company to which he be-
longed,' had all that could be found.
+ tLoaves-rfshesD The loaves were round,
fiat cakes like large crackers. Barley was
their poorest food. The fish were small
dried or picked, and were eaten with
ILL., The multitude fed (vs. 10, III. 10.
Make the men sit In orderly ranks for
the convenient distribution of the food.
Mark says they sat by hundreds and
hfties- The men alone were arranged in
companies and numbered, while the wom-
en- and children were served separately, as
Oriental custom required. Much grass"
The grass was ready for moving at this
time of the year About five thousand
Besides women and children Matt, l4:2l).
There must have been 10000 persons. to
feed, Jesus had arranged them so they
could easily be counted. m
IL. Jesus took the loaves." Thus act
ing like the master of family among the
Jews, who took the bread into his hands
to give thanks to God before any at the
table were permitted to eat. Jesus had
one loaf for thousand men. besides the
women and children. We may haye but
little, but if we win give the little we have
to Jesus He viii multiply it a thousand
fold and pass it back to US, and grant us
the privilege OF passing it out to the starv-
ing, sin-bnrdened multitudes Given
thanks" Jesus thus sets US an example,
we should never eat without first thank
ing God for our food. and asking His
blessing upon it. Distributed to the dis
ciples There has been much discussion
as to just how the miracle was performed.
There Is no doubt but that the food multi
piled all along the line. Jesus handed out
to His disciples It increased in their
hands as they handed out to the multitude,
and as it was passed from one to another
the bread and fish continued to swell in
their hands until they all had enough and
to spare
~. The fragments gathered up Tvs. y,
13). -. ..When-silled" Here is one
miracle Of our Lord attested by at least
5000 (probab,y 100000 persons No one
need ever leave Christ's table hungry He
is able to satisfy every demand Of soul and
body He is the bread Of hfe Whether
we demand little or much it is an easy
matter for Christ to fill US There is i
fulness in His mercy and love that only
those who eat can understand. Frag-
ments." The broken pieces which remain
over" r. V. THAT nothing be LOST
The design is to bring out the preciousness
OF the food which Jesus had given. l3.
fATwelve baskets The word translated
baskets means pockets or wallets
" A testimony given ". l4). "a.
The miracle About which there could
be no doubt. Truth An expression an
noting certainty That prophet" All
who had seen this wonderful miracle were
SO profoundly impressed with it that they
said there can be no doubt hut this is the
Messlah-+the Prophet that should come
iato the world, according to the prediction.
After the Votes Were Counted.