July 11

Jesus said unto them, they need not depart, give ye them to eat.—Matthew 14:15.

JESUS had been actively engaged in teaching and blessing the people, until the shadows of evening were encompassing the multitudes with whom he had been surrounded. Besides, having been with him for several hours, the people were ready to faint for want of food. Jesus, who possessed a body possessing all our sinless infirmities and weaknesses, knew the state of the people, and had compassion upon them. The disciples had already intreated Jesus that the people might depart—that they might go into the neighbouring villages and obtain food, seeing that they were in a desert place. But Jesus said, "They need not depart; give ye them to eat." Now the number of the multitude was about five thousand, besides women and children. It was obvious that it would require a large stock of provision to satisfy the demand of a single meal, for so great a number: so the disciples reminded Jesus that all the food they possessed consisted only of five loaves, and two small fishes. How totally inadequate were these to meet the wants of the great multitude: there would not have been a single grain for each person, seeing that these very loaves were most probably nothing more than small cakes, or biscuits, of a few ounces each. But with Christ all things are possible. So Jesus said to the disciples, "bring them hither to me." In the hands of the disciples these loaves and fishes were of no avail in the case of the exigency now before them: but in Christ's hands they were all-sufficient—they were as the seed-corn of that abundant supply which he was about, in his munificent goodness and almighty power, to provide. "Who hath despised the day of small things?" Jesus did not: and we are called to see these five cakes and two fishes so multiplied by his blessing, as to satisfy the immense multitude which now surrounded him.