Mark 6
DODDMark 6:1-6
visit to Nazareth, where he is again rejected by the inence takes a circuit through the neighbouring country. to the end. IX. 35, to the end. Mark VI. 1—6. MARK VI. 1. AND Jesus, when he went out from thence,² and was departed from Capernaum, where he had raised the daughter of Jairus and performed the other miracles which have just been mentioned, came again into his own country and town of Nazareth, and there renewed the gracious proclamations which they had several months before so ungratefully rejected; and his disciples, as usual, followed him thither. And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue, as he had formerly done, though they had then attempted in a tumultuous manner to destroy him on the same occasion: (sect. xxxii. p. 188.) And many of his townsmen hearing him, were struck with amazement, and said, as several had done before,³ From whence hath this man, whose birth and education we know, this wisdom which he manifests in these excellent discourses, and the power of performing these mighty works? And what supernatural wisdom is this which is given to him, that even such amazing miracles as these are done by his hand? Is not this Jesus, the man who but a while ago wrought among us as a carpenter,⁴ and was the son of Joseph the carpenter? And is not his mother, who is called Mary, still living? And [are not] our neighbours, James and Joses, and Simon and Judas, whom we all know and daily converse with, his brethren or near kinsmen?⁵ And are not alfrom thence.] These plainly shew, that this to be placed here; I at being called his own satisfaction from the rest circularly from Capernament out. See Luke several had done before.] Is that visit to Nazareth , to have been before which Mark tells us hap- It is evident therefore sits; nor is there any ing, that some now prehad not heard him beso natural a reflection Luke iv. 22. p. 186. Wrought among us as a carpenter Jews tell us, he made rakes and roke camons required, that all parents show their children some trade; and probpoverty of the family engaged Chris he was at home with his parents, at his. See Gratius on Mat. xiii. 5 His brethren or near kinsmen.] W they were the children of Josep former marriage, or the children brother or sister of Joseph or Mary, material. Every one knows, that common with the Jews to use th of brethren in a larger sense, and it to cousins and near kinsmen, as those that were brethren in the sense of the word.
He is despise at Nazareth as a carpente
his sisters, or kinswomen, here at Nazareth with us? From whence then hath this man all these extraordinary thingsᵉ which furnish him for this illustrious character which he assumes superior to that of the greatest teachers and princes of our nation? And they were offended in him, and stumbled at the poverty of his education and family; so that they paid very little regard to what he preached.
But Jesus said unto them, This is indeed a most unreasonable treatment that I meet with from you: but it is obvious, even to a proverb, That a prophet is no where less esteemed than in his own country, and among his nearest relations, even in his own family;ᶠ who form their judgment of him by the mean appearance which they remember he made formerly in private life, and are regardless therefore of the excellence of his doctrine, and of the plainest evidences of his Divine authority and mission.
And this was verified in their conduct to him: for notwithstanding all that he had done in other places, they were so strongly prejudiced against him by the meanness of his outward circumstances, that they were openly regardless of the favour of his presence, and would not come to him for help for which reason he could not there have any opportunity to exercise his power, or to do any miracle of note,ᵍ excepting only that he laid his hands upon
hence hath this man all these extraordinary things? This, like many other things have since been objected against the of Christ, is as much the language of his life as of infidelity; for the means of Christ’s education was a demonon that his teaching in so excellent a r must be the effect of some extra-ry divine influence on his mind.
prophet is no where less esteemed, &c.] is plainly the sense of the words h our translation is more literal: for het may be, and often is, affronted at nce from home; as Christ himself by frequent experience. (Compare v. 44, p. 180, and Luke iv. 24, p. I have rendered the last words, an omin wln, even in his own fam-s ex often has such a signification, re seems most forcible if it be so in-ted.
could not there do any miracle.] We t to understand these words so, as if the power of Christ was here
disarmed; but only, but few sick people t did not judge it conv miracles upon them, ourably and properly the same principle some cases, though n condition of receivin Mark ix. 23; Mat. ix 9.) And Christ saw so here; as he well what they must undo of him from other pl had confessed themse of mighty works bei hands: which shews unbelief did not so mu of his miraculous po mission, which to an son’s mind that power ed. In this view th say, how he could wi have lavished away unworthy a people.
Their unbelief prevents his working miracles among them.
a few sick people, and cured them; [but] he did not perform many mighty works among them, on account of their unbelief. And he wondered at the continuance of their infidelity, especially considering the many additional evidences they had received of his Divine power in his late signal operations.
And upon this Jesus left them, and departing from Nazareth, went round about to all the neighbouring cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the good news of the kingdom which God was about to erect; and wherever he came, he gave abundant testimonials of the truth of his doctrine, by healing every disease, and every malady among the people. And beholding the multitudes which flocked around him, he was moved with tender compassion for them, because they were faint with the fatigue of frequent journeyings, and exposed to continual danger, as sheep that had no shepherd to feed them with spiritual food, or to watch for the safety and edification of their souls. Then, as he intended immediately after this to send out his twelve apostles, he says to them and his other disciples, to quicken their devotion and zeal, The harvest of souls to be gathered in is indeed great, but the faithful labourers who assist in it are few: And therefore let me urge you to make your importunate supplications to the great Lord and Master of the harvest, that he would by the secret but powerful energy of his Spirit on men’s hearts, conquer their natural disinclination to this excellent work, and so thrust forth a sufficient number of active indefatigable labourers into his harvest, by
h Jesus left them.] So far as we can learn from the gospel history, he never after this returned any more to Nazareth.
i Faint and expose. Though the learned Elsner has taken a great deal of pains to prove in his note on this text, (Observ. Vol. I p. 49, 50) that the signifies scattered, or wandering; yet I still choose to render it, they were faint; which sense of the word is sufficiently vindicated by Wolfus, (in loc.) and Albert, (Observ. p. 76, 77,) and is established by the use of it in other places of the New Testament. Compare Mat. xv. 32; Mark viii. 3; Gal. vi. 9; and Heb. xii. 3, 5. But I think
Elsner has advanced enough to justify the rendering of the synagogues, exposed to every invading danger, as sheep are when thrown up or abandoned by their shepherd.
k Thrust forth labourers into his harvest.] The word the sign is so plainly imports this that I am sorry I retained our less emphatical translation in the first edition Whoever considers the immense difficulties and oppositions with which every minister of Christ’s kingdom was sure to encounter in those early days of it, will see the necessity of some unusual energy and impulse on the mind to lead any to undertake it.
c
406 Reflections on the treatment Christ met with at Nazareth.
whom it may successfully be carried on, to his Ixxiii. own greater glory, and the edification and salvation of souls.
IMPROVEMENT.
Mark vi. 1 SINCE the blessed Jesus vouchsafed to renew his visit to Nazareth, where they had attempted to murder him on his first preaching among them, let us not be weary of well doing, nor refuse to renew our attempts on the most obstinate sinners, where the interests of their immortal souls are concerned.
But though they were astonished at his wisdom, and could not but allow the mighty works that he had wrought; yet these ungrateful creatures went on to reject him, and in so doing were condemned out of their own mouth: nor can we be at any loss for instances of those who in later ages have fallen under the like condemnation.
He is spoken of as the carpenter; which intimates that he once wrought at that mean employment. What amazing condescension was this in the Son of God, and the Heir of all things, by whom also the worlds were made! (Heb. i. 2.) Yet surely while the hands of Christ were employed in these daily labours, his soul was rising in holy contemplations and devout affections. So may we intermingle pious meditations with our secular cares, and have our conversation in heaven, while our dwelling is on earth!
How much did these Nazarenes lose by their obstinate prejudices against Jesus! How many diseased bodies might have been cured, how many lost souls might have been recovered and saved, had they given him a better reception! May Divine Grace deliver us from that unbelief, which does as it were disarm Christ himself, and render him a savour of death, rather than of life to our souls!
Mat. ix. 35 Still he continued his gracious labours, and, when rejected in one city, went and preached in another; still surrounded with a crowd of admirers, whom he viewed with tender regard. Let us, ministers, learn of him, tenderly to pity those who are faint and exposed to danger, and are as sheep having no shepherd. The extreme necessities of his churches in many places are but too apparent: let us earnestly pray, that God would behold them with compassion; that he would graciously provide for their instruction, and would thru t forth such labourers among them as may be diligent and faithful in their work, and prove the happy instruments of gathering in fruit to everlasting life. (John iv. 36.)
The twelve apostles prepared for their mission.
Mark 6:30-46
Parallels: John 6; Luke 9; Matthew 14
When the apostles were returned from executing their commission, our Lord passes over the sea of Tiberias; and finding vast multitudes had followed him to the place of his intended retirement, he instructs and heals them; and, having miraculously fed above five thousand, retires afterwards to pray. Mat. XIV. 13—23. Mark VI. 30—46. Luke IX. 10—17. John VI. 1—15.
MARK VI. 30.
AND the apostles [when they were returned,] gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him
MARK VI. 30.
AND quickly after this awful event of the Baptist’s death, which has been just related, the twelve apostles, when they were returned from their circuit, gathered together unto Jesus, and told him all the occurrences of their late
After this awful event of the Baptist’s death.] Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are all so express in the connection of this story with the foregoing, that there can be no doubt as to the propriety and necessity of placing it here.
F
Jewus retires with his disciples to a so itary journey; recounting to him both what miracles they had done by his divine assistance, and what doctrine they had taught according to his direction. And when Jesus heard [of it,] and was informed (as we have just now seen) of the death of John, as well as of the event of the journey which his apostles had been making, he said to them, Come ye yourselves privately with me into a solitary place in the neighbouring desert, and repose yourselves a while after the fatigue of your journey, that we may there indulge such meditations as are suitable to this awful dispensation. And it was necessary to give them this advice, for there were many continually coming and going to and from the public place in which they then were, so that they had no opportunity even to eat without interruption, and much less had they leisure for religious retirement and recollection. And, accordingly, after these things, he took them with him, and retired from the multitude; and they departed from thence, (even from the place where they had been so much crowded and hurried,) and setting out in a ship privately, they withdrew into a lonely desert belonging to the city called Bethsaida, which we have several times mentioned before. [And] as this desert was divided from the place they set out from by a creek or bay of the sea, Jesus in passing to it went over a part of the sea of Galilee, which is also sometimes called [the sea] of Tiberias, 1r. Manne supposes this sixth chap. John ought to be connected with the the fourth (see his Dissertations, p. 163; and the rather, because he is one may find a connection between iv. 54, and vi. 1; the first of which tells us that Jesus was in Galilee; the latter, that he went over the sea of c, which is the sea of Tiberias. But not see the least force in the argu- considering how often Christ chang- s place, and came back again to which he had formerly visited: nor e urge it with any consistence, be- according to his own scheme of the ns, Christ had crossed the sea to sa, and dispossessed the Legion, after the cure of the long before the pass is here referred to ( to Gergasa, but to t da:) so that there is son for such an une. which has no copy or Besides, that this r in verse 4, which and (as we shall s section) most contr. faith of all copies, things. Sometimes called We have before o various names. (S p. 195.) It is not s they crossed the lake only over the extra
ople follow him to the desert of Bethsaida.
cause that is the most considerable place on ts shore.
And when the people who had been attendng on his ministry saw them departing, and, hough he was at some distance, many of them ’new him, and others thereabout heard of [it,]
great multitude followed him; because they ad seen his miracles, which he had just before erformed on them that were diseased, and, struck with the energy of them, were impatiently desirous still to hear so divine a Teacher. And, therefore, observing how he steered his course, and guessing right as to the place at which he intended to land, they ran thither on foot, and increased their numbers out of all the cities by which they passed: and they pursued their journey with such eagerness, that they outwent them who had taken ship, and, getting round to the shore where he was to land, they came together to him, and stood ready to salute him in a large body.
And Jesus, when he came out of the ship, and saw such a great multitude of people, who had taken so much pains to meet him there, was moved with tender compassion for them; because he perceived they were sadly neglected by those who ought to have been their spiritual guides, and were forced to wander from place to place, as sheep having no shepherd to feed and take care of them: and with this he was struck to such a degree, that though he had come thither for retirement, he did not either dismiss or forsake them; but, on the contrary, received them in a most condescending and indulgent manner, and began with renewed zeal and fervency to teach them many important things; and, in particular, spake to them concerning the kingdom of God which he was now erecting, and healed many of their sick people, [even all] those that were brought to him and had need of healing.
they only made a coasting voyage round some creek or bay of it; otherwise it is hard to say how the people going on foot could have been there before him, as it is said they were, Mark vi. 33. See Lightf. Hor. Hebr. on Mat. xiv. 13; and Calmet, Dissert. Tom. I. part. i. . 89. 4 Many knew him.] It should seem that Christ ordered the vessel to be prepared at some distance from the place where the multitude was; yet not so far off but some of the company could make shift to distinguish who he was.
His disciples would have dismissed them in the
And, in prosecution of this design, that he might be heard and seen with the greater advantage, Jesus went up into a mountain, and there sat down with his disciples, and the multitudes about him. And indeed it was a season of the year which admitted it; for the spring was now so far advanced, that the passover, a grand feast of the Jews, was near.
And when they had thus spent the day in a delightful attendance upon him, and it now began to decline, and indeed was so far spent that the evening came on, then some of his disciples, and particularly the twelve apostles, who were now round him, came to him, and said, This is a solitary desert place, where there is neither
The passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.] Almost all who have compiled harmonies of the gospels have concluded that this was at least the third passover of our Lord’s public ministry; and Sir Isaac Newton reckons it the fourth. See note on John ii. 13, p. 141, 142.) But Mr. Manne advances a most singular hypothesis, which is, that it was no passover at all, but was the feast of pentecost: (Dissert. p. 163.) But he has no authority for making such an alteration, all the old manuscripts and versions agreeing with the received reading, which therefore should not be changed without urgent necessity; whereas there is no necessity at all for it in this place: nor is it possible that this should be, as he supposes, the feast of pentecost, following the first passover of Christ’s ministry; because such things are expressly said to have happened between that passover and this feast, as could not be crowded into the narrow compass assigned them on this scheme. For, according to Mr. Manne’s scheme, the passover happened on April the 24, the feast of pentecost on May the 24, and this miracle of feeding the five thousand at the latter end of April. Now he himself allows that, after the first passover [at which he staid long enough to work many miracles, and to have a conference with Nicodemus,] Jesus [having, as John tells us, chap. iii. 22, tarried some time with his disciples in Judea, and made so many disciples there that he alarmed the Pharisees; see John iv. 1] went through Samaria; and after having spent two days at Sichar, [and every hour in such a circumstance is important,] came into Galilee, and taught in all their synagogues; preached the sermon on the mount, and then
[having, as Luke tells us, chap. iv. 31, dwelt a while at Capernaum, and taught them on the sabbath days,] cured Peter’s mother-in-law: then having cast out Legion cured the paralytic, called Matthew, and [after having kept them with him some time, as Mark and Luke intimate, sect. iii. p. 94,] sent out the twelve apostles; and having on one sabbath vindicated his disciples for plucking the ears of corn, and on another cured the man with a withered hand, he then goes to Nazareth, [where he spent at least one sabbath;] and after many other miracles, and the return of the twelve, goes into the desert: [John the Baptist in the mean time having been seized (for it is directly said, he was at liberty after the first passover, John iii. 24,) and after frequent audiences, while Herodias long waited an opportunity to destroy him, being at length beheaded.] All these events, except those included in crotchets, Mr. Manne expressly mentions, (p. 166—171;) and those that are so included, the evangelists in express words connect with the rest. Now I appeal to any unprejudiced persons, whether it is possible these things could happen in a month. It may rather be doubted whether two years be sufficient for them, and others connected with them in the preceding sections. On the whole, I cannot recollect any instance in which a person of such distinguished learning and abilities has been betrayed, by love to an hypothesis, into so palpable an error. The reader will pardon my having been so large in confuting a scheme so inconsistent with that laid down above; and will, I hope, perceive that it is proved, not only to be precarious or unlikely, but even impossible.
would first give them something to eat.
ood nor lodging to be had, and the time of day ’s now far advanced ; it will therefore be propr to put an end to thy discourse, and to dismiss the multitude, that they may go into the towns nd country places round about us, and find coneniences to lodge there, and may have opportunity to buy themselves bread and get other ood ; for they have fasted all the day, and can have nothing here to eat.
Then Jesus lifted up his eyes, and, seeing a great company who (as was said before) were come out of all the cities to him, he says to Philip, who, being a native of Bethsaida, was acquainted in that country, (John i. 44, sect. xxii.) How and whence shall we buy bread for the entertainment of all these people, that they may eat with me before we part? (And this he said only to try him, and to give him an opportunity of observing what followed more attentively ; for he himself very well knew what he was about to do, and had determined how to proceed.) But Philip, forgetting what had been done of this kind by Elijah and Elisha, prophets so far inferior to Jesus (1 Kings xvii. 14—16, and 2 Kings iv. 4—6, 42—44,) and even by Jesus himself at Cana in Galilee, (John ii. 6— 11, sect. xxiii.) was surprised that he should mention such a thing, and answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread, or as much as could be purchased for two hundred denarii, which is at present all our little stock, is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little refreshment, and much less would it furnish them with a full meal ; it will be necessary therefore immediately to dismiss them, that they may have time to shift for themselves.
But Jesus said to him, and to them that stood near him, who had but just now made the same proposal, They have no need to go away fasting, nor am I willing to dismiss them so without any supply ; and therefore let them have food for their refreshment here ; and, instead of sending them away to provide for themselves, do you
[For two hundred denarii.] This seems to intimate (as in the paraphrase amounts to about six pounds five shillings that their whole stock amounted to of our money. The mention of that sum much.
He orders them all to sit down on the grass
make ready for them, and give ye them [something] to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we then go to any neighbouring place, and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread [and] meat for all this multitude of people, and give [it] them to eat, that it may go as far as it can? If such be thy pleasure, we shall not offer to dispute it, whatever be the consequence as to ourselves.
But, as he purposed in himself to entertain the multitude out of the little store of provisions they had, Jesus says to them, How many loaves have you here already? go and see that, and there will be no need of buying any more. Upon which one of his disciples, namely, Andrew, who was Simon Peter’s brother, went to inquire; and, soon returning back with an account of what they had, he says unto him, I find there is a lad here, that has five coarse barley loaves, and two small fishes, which he would let us have; but we have no more to offer them, either of bread or meat; [and] what are they among so many, to satisfy the hunger of so great a company? And he said to them, Do you be under no concern about the scantiness of your provisions; but bring them hither to me, for even these shall suffice.
And, when they were brought to him, he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the green grass, which at that season of the year was pretty high: and, that the distribution of the food might be more orderly, and the number of persons be the better observed, he said to his disciples, Let them be placed in order, and cause them all to sit down by companies in rows. Now there was then much grass in the place, in which they might sit down with ease and pleasure.
And his disciples would no more dispute the matter with him; but they did so as the Lord had commanded them, and caused them all to sit down, though they could not see how they were
¶ There was much grass in the place.] It is also said (Mark vi. 39, that the grass was green; as it was before the passover, but not near the feast of pentecost, when even the corn harvest was concluded. Though they sat thus on the ground, under no canopy but the sky, and had only barley bread, and, as it seems, cold or dried fishes to eat, and probably nothing but water to drink; yet, as Mr. Henry truly and beautifully observes on Mat. xiv. 19, “There was more real grandeur displayed by the Master of this feast, than by Ahasuerus in that royal feast which was intended to shew the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honour of his excell majesty.” See Esth. i. 4—7.
ve thousand with five loaves and two fishes.
to be fed. The men therefore sat down by themselves in rows, which there was room to pass between, by hundreds and by fifties, in a long square, containing an hundred in rank and fifty in file:^h and they were about five thousand in number, not to mention the women and children who were placed apart.
And Jesus, taking the five loaves and the two fishes, looked up to heaven with great reverence and affection, and, having given thanks to his heavenly Father for the bounties of his kind providence, and the extraordinary instance of divine favour now to be manifested, he, in a solemn manner, blessed them, commanding upon the provisions before him that singular blessing by which they were to be multiplied in the distribution; and then he brake the loaves in pieces, and distributed them to his disciples, that they might set [them] before the multitude, who were set down upon the grass as he had ordered them: and accordingly the disciples [gave them] round to all the multitude, with believing hearts, and unsparing hands: and he likewise divided the two fishes among them all, and gave them by the hands of his disciples to the whole company, supplying them with as much as they would take. And so wonderfully were the provisions increased by passing under his creating hand, that they did all eat of them till they had every one enough, and were all fully satisfied.
And, when they were all sufficiently filled, he says to his disciples, Let there be no waste made of any part of the divine bounties, but gather up the broken pieces that remain, that so nothing may be lost. The disciples therefore, in obedience to his word, went through the several ranks of the whole company, and picking up the pieces that were left, they gathered them together, and filled no less than twelve baskets with the very fragments of the five barley loaves,
^h An hundred in rank and fifty in file.] That this is the proper import, is abundantly proved by Mr. Pierce, in his Fifth Dissertation annexed to the Hebrews. This was the shortest and exactest way of ranging them, and reconciles Mark’s account above with Luke’s, who only speaks of their sitting down by fifties. Thus disposed, they would wait more patiently till they were served in their turns; the number would appear at once; and they would see that Christ knew it.
The people think to make him king.
and of the two fishes, which remained over and above to them that had eaten : a quantity vastly larger than they had at first.
And yet they who had eaten of the loaves and fishes (as by the disposition of the multitude in rows the number of them might be easily computed) were about five thousand men, besides women and children, who sat by themselves, and might almost amount to an equal number.
The men therefore who were present upon this occasion, and were thus miraculously entertained, having seen the miracle which Jesus wrought, after all the preceding wonders of the day, were so mightily struck with it, that they said, Truly this is the great Prophet who was to come into the world, and has so long been impatiently expected by us ; even the Messiah himself, whom God has appointed to rule as well as to teach his people. (Compare Deut. xviii. 18; and see also 1 Mac.xiv. 41.) And, concluding that the same miraculous power could make itself victorious over all opposition, and easily could subsist and maintain an army in the greatest extremity, they began to enter into measures for proclaiming his title to the kingdom of Israel, and fixing him on the throne of David his father.
Jesus therefore, knowing that they would quickly urge this proposal, and that their hearts were so much set upon it that they were ready to come and seize him by force to make him king, was determined immediately to part with them, lest he should give umbrage to the jealousy of the Romans, and lead the people that followed him into inconvenience and ruin: he therefore immediately obliged his disciples to get into the ship in which they had come thither, and to go before
Concluding that the same miraculous power could subsist and maintain an army ] It is certain, that an army of less than five thousand men might, under such a Leader, have accomplished the greatest events, and have obtained even universal empire, had he been pleased to exert his power to such purposes. They probably remembered how vast an host had been defeated by Gideon with only three hundred men with their trumpets and lamps (Judg. vii. 22,) not to mention Samson’s slaying a thousand with a farmhouse (Judg.
xv. 15,) and other extraordinary events of this kind recorded in the Old Testament. (see 2 Kings iii. 21—24; 2 Chron. xx. 22—25; and compare Lev. xxvi. 8.) They also knew that the whole body of the Jewish nation was then highly spirited with these sentiments; and might reasonably expect that legions of them would soon pour in to the standards of such a Leader.
Obliged his disciples, &c.] This phrase may intimate that they, who plainly appear to have been too fond of secular views,
ions on Christ’s feeding five thousand people.
him to the other side of the creek, to the city of Bethsaida,¹ while he dismissed the multitude, who upon seeing his disciples go aboard would be more easily prevailed upon to go away. And, when he had accordingly dismissed the multitude, and sent them off as well as his disciples, and the evening was now come, he again withdrew, according to his frequent custom [and] ascended up by himself alone to a mountain in those parts, to pray to his heavenly Father, in which delightful exercise he spent the greatest part of the night.
IMPROVEMENT.
true is it that man liveth not by bread alone, but by proceedeth out of the mouth of God! (Mat. iv. 4.) did the power of Christ appear in thus multiply-d how amiable his compassion, in his affectionate belief of his necessitous followers! It is to be happiness when the ministers of the gospel have to assist men in their temporal as well as spiritual it is peculiarly incumbent upon them thus to do aicate; for with such sacrifices from their hands well pleased, and the success of their ministry promoted by them. (Heb. xiii. 16.) received from the hand of Christ the food they people: and so should ministers be concerned that from Christ what they dispense to others as the d that they also at the same time may live upon of their own souls. How great an honour is it s stewards of the mysteries of God! Let not im-r cares, let not the desire of worldly riches or upt us in this blessed work! Christ withdrew would have made him king: ill therefore does
were rather inclined to stay, and quitted the multitude with some reluctance in what they thought so favourable a conjecture. But it was certainly the highest prudence in Christ, considering what his purposes were, to order them away, and to dismiss them and the multitude before any thing happened which could alarm or offend even the most jealous spies, who might perhaps herd among the crowd.
¹ And to go before him to the other side of the creek to Bethsaida.] It was observed before (Luke ix. 10, p. 430,) that they were now in a desert place belonging to Bethsaida; which probably was divided
from it by some bay or creek that run into the land: and Christ now only ordered his disciples to pass over this creek to the city of Bethsaida, where he might afterwards have joined them when he had sent away the people. But in their passage thither a great storm arose, and they were driven by a contrary wind into the midst of the sea towards Capernaum. This reconciles the place before us with the beginning of the next section, where, notwithstanding the direction Christ had given them to go before them to Bethsaida, we find them going to Capernaum, which lay on the other side of the lake. Compare note ² in the foregoing page.
G
The disciples take ship to go to Bethsaida.
it become his disciples to pursue earthly grandeur; and most lxxviii unworthy is it of his ministers to act as if his kingdom were of this world. May we learn in every state to be content! (Phil. iv. 11.) In want may we cheerfully trust Providence! In plenty, Verse may we not wantonly abuse it! but learn, by his command 12 of gathering up the fragments even of this miraculous feast, a wise frugality in the use of our enjoyments; that nothing may be lost, nor a reserve be wanting by which the streams of future liberality may be fed!
Mat. When the day had been thus employed, Christ retired to a xiv.23 mountain to pray. Thus must secret devotion attend our public labours for the instruction and salvation of men, if we would secure that Divine blessing, without which, neither the most eloquent preaching, nor the most engaging and benevolent conduct, can command or promise success.