Matthew 14:13-21
Chapter 14
Feeding the Five Thousand
When Jesus heard about it, he took a boat to go to a quiet place to be alone. But the people found out and followed him on foot from their towns.When Jesus went ashore, he saw the crowd gathered there and had compassion on them. He also healed the sick.
Late in the afternoon, his disciples approached him and said:
“We are in a lonely place, and it is now late. You should send these people away so they can go to the villages and buy something to eat for themselves.”
But Jesus replied:
“They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat.”
They replied:
“We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.”
Jesus said to them:
“Bring them here to me.”
Then he made everyone sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fishes, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and handed them to the disciples to distribute to the people.
And they all ate, and everyone had enough; then the disciples gathered the leftovers, filling twelve baskets.
About five thousand men had eaten there, along with women and children.
Commentaries
Feeding the Five Thousand.
Jesus, who refused to perform a miracle to satisfy his hunger in the desert because he lived on the Word of God (4:4), has shared that word with the people and now performs the miracle of giving them bread, with the help of his disciples and others. A word that does not lead to feeding the hungry and clothing the naked is not the Word of God.