The Tupelo journal., 1910-05-27

LESSON l4.lS-<is AS-NS-
80. Memory verses. 10. 20.
GOLDEN T~ExT.-"Jesus said unto
them. 4 am the bread OF life. John
Gas.
TIME.-The feeding OF the 5000 In the
spring. A. ID. %: of the 1000 a few weeks
later. in the summer.
PLACE.-The first miracle at the north
ern end OF the Sea OF Galilee: the second
further down on the east side. opposite
Magdaia Magadan. Daianutha).
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
The Sick Multitudes.-Matt. 14:13.
Il; 15:29-31. These two miracles.
though plainly separate. yet have SO
many resemblances that they may best
be considered together. as II in parallel
columns; and we must combine the
accounts of all the evangelists.
On what occasion were the five thou
sand fed? Our Lord had just heard
of the tragic death of John the Baptist,
and when he heard of it. he departed
thence" (the place In which the news
reached him is not named) by ship
into a desert place apart" He was
filled with sadness at this murder of
his cousin and herald. Moreover. the
event was an indication of the perils
amid which he himself walked, and he
may have withdrawn to avoid them,
Tor his hour had not yet come. Be-
sides, Herod sought to see him (Luke),
and we may be sure that Christ had no
desire to see Herod. Mark also tells
us that the disciples had just returned
from their preaching tour through Cali
lee, and Jesus withdrew that they
might rest and that he might give
them further instruction in quiet as
well as talk over their experiences
with them. All these motives conceded.
What miracles preceded the two
feelings of the multitude? In each
case a great crowd gathered around
Jesus. In these cases those throng-
ing faces were particularly eloquent,
for SO many of them were suffering
faces. There were the lame, blind,
dumb, MANNED, and many others. all
cast down at Jesus feet.
What was the result of this healing?
What it should be whenever Christ
blesses men: 1.-The multitude won-
dered, -. and they glorified the God
of Israel" They were ready to listen
with all their hearts to Christ's teach
ing, and remained persistently, the FIVE
thousand all day and the four thousand
for three days.
The Hungry Multitudes.-Matt. IA:
Is; 1892. Our Lords compassion was
moved by more than the sicknesses OF
the multitudes; by what? BY their
hunger. In the first instance the crowd
were passover pilgrims. in large part
John 6:4), with no homes nearby to
which to go. In the second cas- the
multitude we're in their own country,
but the villages were few in the De-
capolis.
circumstances like the first, has been
considered by certain critics to be only
the first miracle disguised by a differ
ent tradition. But there are pointed
differences that rule out the idea; and
If the real object of the miracles was
~ mCCl SOlAC nulldA ACC0, IACA IAC ~
currence Of like conditions would lead
to a recurrence of the miracle. And.
In the life of Jesus, with its frequent
resort to solitary places, and the dispo-
sition of the multitude to follow him
wherever he went, the emergency of a
hungry crowd in a place where supplies
were not to be obtained would be Ger.
tain to recur."-Prof. Gould, in the In
ternational Critical Commentary.
The Challenge to Faith.-Matt. IA:
1918; 1888. "a. Who suggested feed
ing the multitudes? Jesus, in each case.
John tells of an earlier conversation
with Philip, in which our Lord asked
that disciple, whose faith seemingly
had special need of Strengthening (see
John 14:S, 81, Whence are we to buy
bread, that these may eat?" But John,
ever careful to guard his Master from
misunderstanding, adds that Jesus said
this merely to test Philip. since he
himself knew well what miracle was to
come.
What supplies were available for feed
i-g these nine thousand and more? In
the first case, only a lads simple lunch
con, consisting of five loaves Tor
rather, round fiat cakes like large
crackers) or coarse barley bread, to-
gether with two of the little dried or
picked fishes caught by millions In
the lake and eaten along with the
bread. In the second cas- eve
''loaves" could be mustered and a few
OF these little fishes.
The Hungry Fed.-Matt. 14:19-21;
15:35-39. How did the Saviour arrange
the multitude? In an orderly way on
the grass, in garden plots" as Mark
picturesquely says, of about fifty to a
group. 1t is as if Christ would indicate
by this bit of symmetry that the mira
Gle was no violent departure from the
laws of nature.
What was the first step in the mir
acle? In each Ease Christ asked a
blessing, in accordance with his Gus
tom; thus "instructing us not to touch
a meal until we had given thanks to
him who giveth us this food."-Chrys-
Ostom.
What was the second step In the
miracle? Christ broke off pieces Of
the bread and gave them to the disci-
pies, for them to give to the multitude.
This was the least DESTINATIONS way of
performing the wonder.
What was the third step in the mir
acle? The separate giving of the
fishes (see Mark). Some would give
the poor only the barest necessities.
bread only: our Lord adds fish,