The Feeding of the Five Thousand

10 And the apostles having returned related to him whatever they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart into [a desert place of] a city called Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds knowing [it] followed him; and he received them and spake to them of the kingdom of God, and cured those that had need of healing. 12 But the day began to decline, and the twelve came and said to him, Send away the crowd that they may go into the villages around, and [into] the fields, and lodge and find victuals, for here we are in a desert place. 13 And he said to them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have not more than five loaves and two fishes, unless we should go and buy food for all this people; 14 for they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down in companies by fifties. 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven he blessed them, and broke and gave to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were filled; and there was taken up of what had remained over and above to them in fragments twelve hand-baskets.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 9:10-17

Commentary on Luke 9:10-17

(Read Luke 9:10-17)

The people followed Jesus, and though they came unseasonably, yet he gave them what they came for. He spake unto them of the kingdom of God. He healed those who had need of healing. And with five loaves of bread and two fishes, Christ fed five thousand men. He will not see those that fear him, and serve him faithfully, want any good thing. When we receive creature-comforts, we must acknowledge that we receive them from God, and that we are unworthy to receive them; that we owe them all, and all the comfort we have in them, to the mediation of Christ, by whom the curse is taken away. The blessing of Christ will make a little go a great way. He fills every hungry soul, abundantly satisfies it with the goodness of his house. Here were fragments taken up: in our Father's house there is bread enough, and to spare. We are not straitened, nor stinted in Christ.