Matthew 15:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?”

NIV: His disciples answered, 'Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?'

NASB: The disciples *said to Him, 'Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?'

CSB: The disciples said to him, "Where could we get enough bread in this desolate place to feed such a crowd? "

NLT: The disciples replied, 'Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?'

KJV: And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

NKJV: Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?”

Jesus has been preaching and healing people for three days in the region of the Decapolis. So much time has passed that He is filled with compassion for how hungry the people are. He does not want to send them away, saying He is afraid they will faint on their way back home. Jesus wants to feed the people (Matthew 15:29–32).

In a situation like the one depicted earlier in Matthew's writing (Matthew 14:13–21), the disciples give Jesus a similar response. In summary, the crowd is huge, the location is remote, they have no food and no reasonable way to obtain it. While there are differences from this event to the earlier miracle, in each Jesus seems eager for the disciples to see that what's impossible for them is no problem for Him.

It's entirely possible the disciples fully expect Jesus to use another divine intervention, but don't want to be the ones to suggest it. They won't have to wait long (Matthew 15:34–36).

Matthew 15:32–39 describes another miraculous feeding, separate from an earlier event where Jesus provided as many as twenty thousand meals (Matthew 14:13–20). Jesus has compassion on the hungry crowd after three days with them. He does not want to send them away without feeding them. He takes the disciples' seven loaves and few fish and makes all the people sit down. He gives thanks and starts handing food to the disciples, who pass it out until everyone has eaten all they want, which includes four thousand men plus women and children. While the first miraculous feeding was for a mostly Jewish crowd, this assembly is almost all Gentiles. After they leave, the disciples return to Jewish territory on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Pharisees and scribes come from Jerusalem to challenge Jesus. They are offended that His disciples break the religious leaders' tradition about ritual handwashing before meals. Jesus turns that attack upside down, pointing out that His critics honor tradition above God's actual commands! He insists that nobody is defiled by what goes in the mouth—by the literal matter itself—but by the overflow of the spirit, such as the words that come out of the mouth. He and the disciples travel out of the country. Jesus casts a demon out of the daughter of a persistent Canaanite woman. They travel to the southeast side of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus feeds thousands of people from a few loaves and fishes. These last two events set up the eventual spread of the gospel beyond the people of Israel.

Matthew 15 begins with a confrontation between some Pharisees and Jesus. They ask why His disciples break the traditional practice of ritual handwashing. Pointedly, Jesus asks why they allow the obvious intent of God's commandments to be broken through their traditions. Jesus and the disciples travel out of Israel, encountering a Canaanite woman. He praises her faith and casts a demon from her daughter. They travel to the southeast side of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus heals more people and feeds thousands more from another few loaves and fishes. This sets up another confrontation with religious leaders, warnings about their teachings, and predictions of Jesus' death in the next chapter.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/2/2024 2:22:17 PM