Matthew 15:29-39
In this world of countless disappointments and hurts, we need to remember that Jesus has done miracles. This leads to genuine hope that His divine intervention will continue.
Soon before the event of this passage, Jesus fed thousands of children, women, and men, to the number of about five thousand men, even though He only had five loaves of barely bread, and two fish. That miracle is one of the rare occasions recorded in all four of the “gospel” books.
Comparing this second similar event with the earlier mountainside miracle, logistical details show this was a completely different event.
For example, Tyre and Sidon were the towns He visited before going to some unknown place along the Sea Galilee. And this time, Jesus engaged in His ministry work for three days! And this time Jesus started with seven loaves of bread, and the number of baskets of remaining pieces left over was seven. Lastly, the number of men fed was about four thousand, which was about one thousand less than the time before. These were all different numbers than the previous miracle. Afterwards Jesus headed to the vicinity of Magadan. Thus different details, yet it was a similar miracle.
Comparing this passage with the event which took place a short time earlier, much of the action by Jesus is similar. Jesus goes to a remote mountainside. Jesus sits down. (Both of these acts were done the first time as is recorded in John 6:3.) Jesus heals people. (Such was done before as recorded in Matthew 14:14.) Granted nothing is stated about teaching or preaching, yet He may have done such considering they were on a mountainside for three days.
Yet key: Even though Jesus performed a similar miracle earlier, once again the apostles expressed bewilderment as to how they could feed thousands of people.
“His disciples answered, ‘Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?’” (Matthew 15:33)
Here a short time later, the apostles did not show expectation of another miracle by Jesus.
Yet again, Jesus did a miracle which resulted in feeding thousands of children, women, and men. Jesus continued on doing what seemed physically impossible.
The personal message: As we remember what Jesus has done, we are opening ourselves up to His offers of goodness. Indeed the One who has compassion for us, just as He had compassion for those Israelites as stated in Matthew 14:14 and Matthew 15:32, wants us to receive goodness from Him.
Now we will still have trouble galore in this world (see John 16:33). The personal message for you is not that you will have great health, free food, and a smooth life if you follow Jesus up a mountain.
When I was twenty-two, I was in the wake of a huge victory of having graduated from Virginia Tech. Yet in my heart I was still hurting from my parent’s divorce, and my circumstances were getting worse as family problems got worse and worse.
Giving a brief synopsis of a long story, I started attending an Anglican church in a historic old brick building in Virginia, and people there witnessed Christ to me, in their unique manners. I soon turned to Jesus. Gaining eternal life, I began a journey which involved healing in my heart.
My early Christian walk involved much involvement in the Anglican community. I eventually stepped out of that Christian community. I stayed out due to some doctrinal disagreements, yet I still have some loving friends who are active in the Anglican community.
I say all this to preface the fact that I always liked the statement in the Anglican liturgy for communion, which is stated during a worship service in unison after having received the elements. That statement: “…we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ….”
It is recorded in Scripture that Jesus feed thousands of people bread and fish on remote mountain sides not just once, yet at least twice, by performing miracles. Now today, Jesus is not physically here, yet when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we can spiritually feed on Him in our hearts. Taking Communion is an important community time to remember the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us, a sacrifice which resulted in the miracle opportunity for all people who believe in Jesus to gain salvation and eternal life.
We people, all of us, have sometimes done what was wrong. And sin results in physical and spiritual death. Yet Jesus died as the substitute for us people who have done wrong. Jesus died in our place, thus forgiveness is offered to everyone. For those of us who have been saved, we need to remember Christ’s sacrifice in our hearts daily in order to live the life of joy and peace which He wants for us.
Hunter Irvine
