; see

tendance had all the food in their possession; and what was that among so many? What were five loaves and two fishes, to five thousand men, besides women and children? The loaves were made of barley, and the fishes were probably from the neighboring lake, which supplied the surrounding population. The bread used among the Jews was not baked in the form of our loaves, but rather in that of cakes or biscuits. Hence they were never cut with a knife, but broken verse 19, and Matt. xxvi. 26. 19. To sit down on the grass, i. e. to recline, after the eastern custom when about to partake of food. The mention of the grass, and, by Mark, of "the green grass," and, by John, that "there was much grass in the place," is one of those natural particularities that mark an eyewitness of the scene, or one that received his account from an eyewitness. The grass spoken of shows that this was not a barren desert, but only an uncultivated region, probably devoted to pasturage. The other Evangelists state, that they were seated in companies, by fifties and hundreds, which enabled them to be easily counted. Looking up to heaven, he blessed. He made a prayer of thanksgiving over the food about to be distributed; a manifestation of the piety of Jesus and his sense of dependence on God. He blessed God for the food. The custom of grace at meals was universal among the Jews. The form was in these words: "Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of

the world, who hast produced this food from the earth, (or this drink from the vine)." The fact that Jesus often prayed is an evidence that he is not God, but the Son of God.

20. And they did all eat, and were filled, i. e. they had a sufficiency, an important consideration to substantiate the miracle. Twelve baskets full. The word in the original, cophini, is found in classic writers, where it appears to signify a hamper or pannier, such as the Jews were accustomed to carry about with them in their wanderings in Gentile countries, where they received but little hospitality and were obliged to furnish their own bedding and food, fearing also, perhaps, that they should be polluted by that of the Gentiles. Jesus had directed them to gather up the fragments that remained, that nothing might be lost, John vi. 12, 13; where the fragments are spoken of as what remained of the five barley loaves, but in Mark, as resulting from the fishes also. The capacity of the baskets is not known, probably they were such as the disciples carried with them in their journeys. And it has been suggested that each Apostle filled his basket with the fragments, thus making twelve in number. Although there was a profusion of food miraculously created, yet the fragments were gathered up with as much care as from an ordinary meal, and a lesson of frugality indirectly taught by him whose most common acts were pregnant with meaning and truth.

and children.

beside women

Nothing could more strongly impress them with the sense of the astonishing miracle than finding that far more remained, after so many thousands had eaten, than there was at first.

21. Five thousand men, &c. Their arrangement in companies of fifties and hundreds made it easy to count them. A miraculous increase of food is also related in 1 Kings xvii. 16, 2 Kings iv. 42-44, though in much smaller quantity. It is interesting to notice that Jesus adapted his miracles, as he did his instructions, to different classes of persons; some to his disciples, and some, as in this case, to a vast multitude. Few miracles could be less exposed to cavil than this, which addressed not only the eye, but satisfied the appetite of thousands. What could have been more morally sublime, or a higher proof of divine authority, than the creation so suddenly of an immense quantity of food, to relieve the famishing crowd? What then shall we say of that Providence which supplies the wants of a dependent universe, and every moment diffuses life and happiness throughout millions of beings and worlds? The effect of the miracle is described in John vi. 14, 15.

22-36. Mark vi. 45-56. John

vi. 14-21.

22. Constrained his disciples, &c. Perhaps the disciples favored the multitude in their desire to take Jesus and make him king, and Jesus was obliged therefore to be peremptory in sending them away, as he could more easily dismiss the peo

66

"" unto

ple without their presence. The other side, i. e. the west side of the lake, according to Mark, Bethsaida," whilst John says, they went over the sea, toward Capernaum." Both are correct, as another Bethsaida was on the western side of the lake, whilst they were near one on the eastern side. Capernaum was also on the northwest side. Sent the multitudes away. It would seem that he had acquired such complete ascendancy over the people, that he could dismiss them without difficulty when freed from the perhaps embarrassing presence of his ambitious disciples.

It

23. Went up into a mountain apart to pray. An eminence that probably overlooked the lake. He had just given a manifestation of his benevolence by feeding the fainting multitude; he now exhibits his piety by communing with God; so intimate is the union between love to man and love to his Maker. is noticeable, that he retires apart to pray, agreeably to his direction of seclusion in performing this act, Matt. vi. 6. He retires to a mountain, " where inviolate stillness dwelt," and where "the spirit of the solitude fell solemnly upon the breast. He had just passed through a critical passage of hie life, and he turns to offer his thanksgivings to God; the Holiest on earth adoring the Holiest in heaven.

"Cold mountains and the midnight air

Witnessed the fervor of his prayer." What a beautiful example of trust and love towards God, of the obligations and pleasures of prayer and

But the ship was

secret communion, is here offered to our imitation! If, too, it was necessary and delightful to Jesus to refresh his spiritual being with these communings with Heaven, how much more is it needful for us, enveloped in the smoke and din of the earth! "It is extraordinary, that these frequent accounts of Jesus' praying to God should not have prevented any idea of his being himself God. For, if he had been God, he could not have any occasion to pray. That his human nature prayed to his divine nature, or that one part of himself prayed to the other part, is too absurd to be replied to." The evening was come. This is the second evening, as that mentioned in verse 15 was the first, according to the Jewish method of computing time. He was there alone, yet not alone, for the Father was with him.

"He was there alone,'. when even

Had round earth its mantle thrown;
Holding intercourse with Heaven.
'He was there alone.'

"There his inmost heart's emotion
Made he to his Father known;
In the spirit of devotion,
Musing there 'alone.'

"So let us, from earth retiring,

Seek our God and Father's throne;
And to other scenes aspiring,
Train our hearts alone.'"

24. Tossed with waves. ⚫ Violently tossed with the waves, for so the original authorizes us to translate it. This lake was subject to sudden squalls and frequent gusts of wind from the surrounding mountains. Dr. Clarke says, that a boisterous sea is instantly raised, when the strong current made by the Jordan is opposed by contrary winds, which sometimes blow here with the force of a hurricane from the southeast.

25. Fourth watch of the night. Anciently the Jews divided the night into three parts; the first lasting till midnight, Lam. ii. 19; the second, from midnight till cockcrowing, Judg. vii. 19; the third or morning watch, from cock-crowing till the rising of the sun, Ex. xiv. 24; 1 Sam. xi. 11. But after the conquest of Palestine by Pompey, this mode was superseded by the Roman division of the night into four watches, which furnishes an incidental evidence of the period when these events took place, and authenticates the Gospel history. By this last division, 1st, the evening watch was from six to nine o'clock; 2d, midnight watch, from nine to twelve; 3d, cock-crowing, from twelve to three; 4th, morning, or fourth watch, from three to six. It was, therefore, after three in the morning, when Jesus came to them. So long had he been engaged in communion with God; finding thus his rest in prayer, as at another season he found it to be his meat and drink to do the will of his Father. Upon a previous occasion, Luke vi. 12, just before the choice of his twelve Apostles, he continued all night in prayer. - Walking on the sea. This was an undoubted exhibition of supernatural power. The Egyptian hieroglyphic for an impossibility was the figure of two feet walking upon the sea. Jesus comes down from the mount of prayer, to still the boisterous lake and relieve his endangered disciples.

26. It is a spirit, i. e. a spectre, apparition. The ancients believed that the spirits of the departed reappeared to the living; and the unusual circumstances under which

But straightway Jesus 27 cheer, it is I; be not

they saw the figure of a man on the billows, in the darkness of the night, at once suggested that here was such an appearance, the most appalling in nature.

27. It is I; be not afraid. Jesus does not attempt to correct their philosophical error respecting ghosts, but simply to banish their fears. In like manner, he did not disabuse his hearers of the popular but false notions of possessions by demons. We have an illustration in this narrative of the terror produced by superstition.

"When power divine, in mortal form,
Hushed with a word the raging storm,
In soothing accents, Jesus said,
'Lo! it is I! be not afraid.'

"Blessed be the voice which breathes from heaven,

To every heart in sunder riven,
When love, and joy, and hope are fled,
'Lo! it is I! be not afraid."

"And when the last dread hour shall come,
While shuddering nature waits her doom,
This voice shall call the pious dead:
'Lo! it is I! be not afraid.""

And immediately Jesus 31

undeveloped strength, of the truth of the book.

29. He said: Come. Our Lord gave permission to his rash and ardent disciple to make the attempt, principally, we may conjecture, in order to test his character, and acquaint him with its weaknesses. Walked on the water, &c. It appears that Peter succeeded for a time, and actually walked upon the fluid surface, as upon a solid floor.

30. But when he saw the wind boisterous, &c. He was terrified by the rough appearance of the sea, and began to sink, though he still retained faith enough in Jesus to call upon him to rescue him. "Whilst he believed, the sea was brass; when he began to distrust, those waves were water.' 99 But his want of faith was the occasion, not the cause, of his sinking. As long as his confidence continued, he was sustained by supernatural power; but when it ceased, that power was withdrawn by the will of Jesus, to teach his disciple his own defective character, and the necessity of unwavering faith in him. This whole account is in perfect keeping with Peter's character, as elsewhere recorded in the New Testament. All his bold and headlong acts are kindred to each other. It is the same spirit under different circumstances; first rash, then "easily daunted, and prone to fall." We are led to

remark, how many persons in life sink in the sea of troubles and difficulties, for lack of faith. A distinguished lady, who exhibited uncommon force of character, and steady devotion to noble objects, once observed, that she drew, in her youth, a vital lesson of the importance of courage and faith, from this narrative.

31. Immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, &c. There was no real danger of his drowning, while such a friend was near him. His call for help is instantly answered, and he is taught the feebleness of his own faith. Wherefore didst thou doubt? The Greek for doubt is taken from a word descriptive of a person's standing where two ways meet, hesitating which to choose, inclining sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other, with a doubtful, swaying motion, as of a balance. "Christ's mild rebuke, so unlike the denunciations which his professed followers in other ages have launched at what they have been pleased to call, but could not with certainty know to be deficiencies of faith, that mild rebuke from him who did know all things, was the only punishment for the failing faith of the disciple. 'Wherefore didst thou doubt?" wherefore, after seeing what thou hast seen, and hearing what thou hast heard, couldst thou doubt?"

32. The wind ceased. Was hushed or lulled. He who could walk upon the waves could by the same power calm the winds and smooth

33. They that were in the ship. Probably the disciples. Worshipped him. They did not offer Christ divine worship, of which there is no example in ancient times, and for which there is no authority in modern, but they did him obeisance, probably by prostrating themselves before him, according to the eastern custom of paying respect to kings and great men. Mark describes their amazement as great, and assigns as one cause of it, that, hardened in their hearts, they had forgotten the miracle of the loaves.

The Son of God, i. e. the Messiah. Matt. xxvi. 63; John i. 49. If Jesus Christ was God himself, is it not incredible, that they should never have suspected that he was God, or addressed him thus, but called him the Son of God, or the expected Messiah?

34. The land of Gennesaret. Called, in the Old Testament, Chinnereth. Deut. iii. 17; Numb. xxxiv. 11; 1 Kings xv. 20. It was a small district of Lower Galilee, adjacent to the lake, on the western side. It was sometimes called, on this account, the lake of Gennesaret. The towns of Capernaum and Tiberias

were

situated in this territory. Hence, John vi. 17, says, they "went over the sea, toward Capernaum," and Mark vi. 45, that they were to go to Bethsaida, which was on the west side, in the same region. From Bethsaida, on the east