The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-02-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
NfENTs FOR MARCH 4.
Subject: Jesus Feeds the Five Thou
sand, John 0:t-14 - Golden
Text, Isaiah 4O:11 - Commit


Verses II, f2-Commentary.
TIME. 2S A. d. PLACE
Northeast shore of Galilee.
EXPOSITION. - The Hungry
Multitude and the Dismayed Apos-
ties, 10. Jesus had made a journey
to an unfreqnented spot to be alone
with His disciples for much needed
rest and counsel. But He did not get
the rest. He lived continually in a
crowd Matt. 4:24, %; S:1; 1915;
1872; 14:14; 1880. 31). There is moth
ing more wearisome than a crowd,
unless the heart is very full of love.
But when we grow so tired of the
crowd, let us remember how the Mas
ter's life was spent. It was the inces-
SAINT coming and going" of the
crowd that had driven Jesus to seek
this seclusion mark 6;3D. But He
did not thus escape them. They fol-
lowed Him. And how did He feel?
"He welcomed them" (Lu. Oil, r.
W oh, wonderful lovel His own
need sinks out of sight as He beholds
theirs. The desire and need of rest
is forgotten and the whole day spent
in teaching and healing (Luke 9:11,
12). Jesus was interested in and So
licitous about the multitude. They
were never to Him "the common
herd" or "the rabble." They were
sheep not having shepherd" and
He made Himself shepherd unto
them. That throng drawing near the
mountain was largely composed of
the poor, but the souls of the poor
were as precious to Him as the souls
Of the rich Matt. 11:5). If He were
really the acknowledged head of the
church to-day. the church would not
seek the boulevards where the few
rich live to the neglect of the alleys
where the many poor swarm. 1t was
several hours Gas we learn by a COM
parison of the accounts) before this
crowd would need feeding. but Jesus
considers their coming need at once,
and sets His disciples TO considering
1t. He takes II for granted that they
are to eat with Him. So He puts to
Philip the question, Whence are we
to buy bread that these may eat?"
Philip might well have done that, for
he had seen the water become wine in
another hour of emergency, and he
had seen other manifestations of the
fulness of divine power that there
was in Jesus. But alas! Philip was
like us, slow of spiritual perception
and slow of faith. and as Moses was
utterly at loss to know how God
could provide flesh for 5000 foot
men in the wilderness, so Philip is at
loss to see how Jesus can provide
bread for 5000 (cf. Nu. 11:21-2S;
Ps. 78:19). How often we are aghast
at the great work before us, or rather
before Christ, and the small visible
resources at hand. Philips answer
is most amusing. He figures out Just
how much 1t will cost to buy enough
so that every one may take a little"
Ali Jesus does provide "a little" for
those who sit at His table. Philip,
though, is quite a typical church
treasurer. He believed in carrying
on the Lords work on strictly busi-
ness principles" Andrew, for a mo-
ment, ventured a suggestion that
there was a little boy present with
five loaves and two little fish, but he
was at once frightened at the appar-
ent absurdity of his suggestion and
blurted out, but what are they
among so many?" But they proved
to be quite sufficient among SO many,
for the Lord Himself took these in
significant things into His own hands
and multiplied them. We often are
tempted to say of our insignificant
gifts and possessions, but what are
these?" quite sufficient" Jesus re-
plies, IF you will only put them into
My hand" The lad who had come
along with his five little cheap barley
crackers and two little salt fish
played a great part in that days
working. Jesus took him into part
nership with Himself, and Jesus and
he fed the multitude. A small boy
with very meagre means is of vast
account II he puts what he has in
Jesus hand, even though the An
drews think he don't amount to
much. Jesus left His question to
work all day in the minds of Andrew
and Philip. He Himself knew what
He would do"-He always does. AS
evening drew on the disciples had
not yet settled the hard problem and
came to Jesus and told Him that He
had better send the people away, for
they certainly could not entertain
them. They gave 1t up, then Jesus
came to the rescue Matt. 14:15:
Luke 9:12; Mark 6:35).
III. The Ever-Sufiicient and All.
Sufficient Lord Jesus, 1914. Jesus
answer must have startled Philip and
Andrew, Make the people sit down"
However, they stood this test better
this time than the former; for they
did as they were bidden. 1t was well
.hey did, for Jesus distributed to
them that were set down" We must
obey II we would be fed and we must
find rest at Jesus feet II we would
receive bread from His hand. Philip
had tried to figure out how each
might take little, but Jesus distrib-
uted to them "as much as they
would. What we get from Jesus is
what we Will. But they were all
filled" in this case and so always at
Jesus table Cps. 23:1; Phil. AID.
Jesus would not have His bountiful
giving teach us wastefulness, "the
broken pieces" must be gathered up.
The disciples got basketful apiece
10 take away and so were well repaid
for sharing with the crowd (Proy.
11:24, %; Luke 6:3S). The wonder
ing crowd seeing the sign said, This
is Of truth the prophet" OF a
truth He is, nothing could be palmer
that that. The man who has creative
power is surely the Son of God.