Author: Charlie Garrett

Saturday, 17 January 2026

And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala. Matthew 15:39

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube, (Click Here to listen), and part II (Click Here to listen).

or at Rumble (Click Here to listen), and part II (Click Here to listen).

To read the CG translation of Matthew 15, scrolling with music, on YouTube (Click Here to listen), or on Rumble (Click Here to listen).

An extra bonus from Daniel Higgins at “Bible in Ten” podcast. His input on links between Ezra and Matthew 15. (Click here to listen).

“And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala” (CG).

In the previous verse, it was noted that there were four thousand men, besides women and children, who comprised the multitudes Jesus fed. With that portion of the narrative complete, and to close out the chapter, Matthew next notes, “And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat.”

They have been on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. With this cycle of attending to a Gentile woman in the allotments of Tyre and Sidon noted, followed by a time in the Gentile-led eastern regions near the Decapolis completed, He got into a boat, “and He came to the borders of Magdala.”

This is a location not named this way anywhere else in Scripture. Some manuscripts note the location as Magadan, meaning Megiddo, but that is incorrect based on Matthew 16:5, which notes they are still in the region of the lake. Rather, the town Magdala in Hebrew is Migdal-el, Tower of God, a city of Naphtali recorded in Joshua 19:38.

This is also known as Al-Majdal (Mejdel) on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, north of Tiberias. Mark 8:10 notes that when they got in the boat, they came to the allotments of Dalmanutha. Saying it this way, there is no contradiction to be found. Just as Jesus went to the “allotments” of Tyre and Sidon, meaning the surrounding areas, in Matthew 15:21, so they went to Magdala in the allotments, meaning the surrounding areas, of Dalmanutha.

Life application: Chapter 15 of Matthew gives a picture of what is going on in the world from the time Jesus fulfilled the law until the rapture. The verses, though literally occurring at the time of Jesus, point to truths after the completion of Jesus’ ministry. The New Covenant is now what God is doing in the world. Israel as a whole, however, rejected that.

Though they no longer observe the Law of Moses, they remain bound to it. During this dispensation, they are spiritually led by rabbis, both in their writings in the Talmud as well as in their cultural and religious life.

These are reflected by the scribes and Pharisees who came from Jerusalem (verse 1) to challenge Jesus. Paul explains in Galatians 4:21-31 that the earthly Jerusalem reflects them and their teaching. The main point for now says –

“But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, ²⁴ which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— ²⁵ for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— ²⁶ but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:23-26

In verses 2-9, Jesus explains the state of Israel at this time, living by the laws of men rather than by the law of God. After the introduction of the New Covenant, the law of God is not the Law of Moses. Rather, that is fulfilled.

At this time, religious Israel draws near to the Lord with their lips, but their hearts, because of their rejection of Jesus, are far away from Him.

In verse 11, Jesus stated that what goes into the mouth does not defile. Rather, what comes out of it does. Though that was a truth concerning the traditions of these elders, it is a truth that is spiritually seen in Israel to this day. They refuse to proclaim Jesus.

This is their defilement. But what does Paul say concerning this? In Romans 10, he says –

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13

The only thing that can cleanse a person from sin is Jesus. Anything else, meaning any other proclamation, defiles that person. As such, Jesus says in verse 14 to let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind, and both will fall into a pit.

In verse 15, Jesus reexplained to dull Peter (later, the Apostle to the Jews) the matter of the heart and what it is that causes defilement. While Israel remains in their state of defilement because of their oral proclamations, something else takes place. This is seen in verse 21, where Jesus “went out from there,” meaning from the Jewish people to the allotments of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile area.

Tyre (Hebrew: Tsor) signifies Rock. While Israel abandoned their Rock, the Gentiles received Him. That this is speaking of Christ is seen, for example, in Deuteronomy 32:32, where it says, “For their rock is not like our Rock.” There are those who are confident in their rock (tsur), and yet their rock is not the Lord who is the Rock (tsur).

Sidon (Hebrew: Tsidon) signifies Fishery. It is a place for catching fish. Everyone is like a fish. When Jesus said to Simon and Andrew that they would be fishers of men, He meant that men are like fish to be caught.

While in this area (verse 22), a Canaanite woman came to Jesus and begged for compassion for her demon-possessed daughter. Canaan signifies Humbled, Humiliated, or even Subdued. She pictures those of faith who have humbled themselves before the word of Christ.

The issue is the daughter. In Scripture, a son or a daughter is representative of the state of something. A “son of death,” for example, is a person deserving of death. That is his state. A daughter, in this case, is the state of a group of people, such as “daughter of Jerusalem,” “daughter of Tarshish,” etc. What is the state of the Daughter of the Humbled who are also Gentiles?

Jesus said in verse 24 that He had come “if not to the sheep, the ‘having been lost’ – House Israel.” Despite there being a New Covenant, with whom was that covenant made? The answer is found in both Jeremiah and Hebrews –

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” Jeremiah 31:31

The early church did not understand that the word was to go to the Gentiles. That is a major subject found in Acts. It is representative of the disciples’ comments found previously in verse 23 when they told Jesus to dismiss her.

It literally took an act of God to get them to see that the New Covenant included Gentiles, first with the Ethiopian eunuch and then the house of Cornelius. Jesus’ calling, though, to redeem the House of Judah and Israel, is inclusive of the Gentiles of faith, as seen in this account. It is something prophesied in Isaiah 49:6, but which is revealed in typology here.

The woman was told that it wasn’t “good to take the children’s bread and cast to the puppies.” In the Bible, dogs represent Gentiles. That is seen in the Caleb series of sermons. Caleb, kalev, is from kelev, dog. It is also seen in the account of Gideon and his men, who lapped like dogs, a typological picture dealing with the Gentiles.

The woman didn’t argue Jesus’ point. Instead, she noted that “even the puppies – he eats from the crumbs, the ‘falling from their master’s table.” Jesus thus remarked concerning her great faith, something evidenced in the Gentile world. At that time, it noted the child was cured. Salvation, in fact, is also directed to the Gentiles. They are brought into the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).

From there, verse 29 said of Jesus that “He went near the Sea of the Galilee, and having ascended to the mountain, He sat there.” The Galilee has previously been explained as “the Liberty.” It is a picture of freedom from sin. As sin stems from a violation of law, it ultimately signifies freedom from law.

A mountain in the Bible represents a lot of something gathered. In typology, it is synonymous with a large but centralized group of people. Though it is only stated in Mark, the last area noted was the Decapolis, a Gentile controlled area.

Thus, this is typologically referring to a large but centralized group (meaning under Jesus) of Gentile people. The Canaanite woman already established that, but this is an extension of the thought, explaining the result of the dispensation of the Gentiles. In other words, “What will happen in the world once it is established that Gentiles are to be included in the New Covenant?”

In verses 30 and 31, multitudes came to Jesus for healing, so many that they were strewn about Him. It is reflective of the broken Gentile world coming to Christ for healing and salvation. As many came, He healed them so that “they glorified the God of Israel.”

As noted at that time, the term is unique in the New Testament. It suggested the presence of Gentiles on the mountain, but it typologically asserts this fact. Paul’s ministry literally shouts out the parallel to this thought in Matthew –

“Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:11, 12

Was the God of Israel glorified through this? The answer is found in Romans –

“Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ⁹ and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
‘For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,
And sing to Your name.’” Romans 15:8, 9

And…

“For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— ¹⁹ in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Romans 15:18, 19

In verses 32-38, the feeding of the four thousand is recorded. Jesus said they had been with Him three days. In Scripture, three “stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire. … Hence the number three points us to what is real, essential, perfect, substantial, complete, and Divine.” Bullinger

The time these people have been with Jesus speaks of a divine fullness, something reflected in Romans 11:25, “that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” It goes right back to the state of Israel, noted in Matthew 15:14, where the blind are leading the blind.

While Israel is blinded, the blind of the Gentiles (Matthew 15:31) are brought to sight. The miracle of the bread (think of Jesus, the Bread of Life) and fish (a word which signifies “increase” in Hebrew) speaks of the immense harvest. There were seven loaves, the number of spiritual perfection, and a few tiddlers. However, they were enough to feed the multitude of four thousand. The number is a product of four and tens.

Four is the number of material creation, the world number. It speaks of the entirety of the world hearing the gospel, just as Jesus said it would. Ten is the number where nothing is wanting, and the whole cycle is complete. The entire world of the Gentiles will be evangelized before the end comes.

To demonstrate the immense harvest that will be realized in the church age, the baskets of fragments were collected, totaling seven large baskets. Notice the difference from the feeding of the five thousand –

“And they ate all, and they gorged, and they lifted the superabounding pieces – twelve handbaskets full. ²¹And those eating, they were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”

“And they ate all, and they gorged, and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full. ³⁸And those eating, they were four thousand men, besides women and children.”

Whereas a remnant of the twelve tribes of Israel represented by the twelve small handbaskets (Greek: kophinos) was collected, there will be an immense harvest of the seven churches (as defined in Revelation 2 & 3), represented by the seven large hampers (Greek: spuris).

The chapter ended with a location only mentioned here in Scripture, saying of Jesus, “And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala.”

The town Magdala in Hebrew is Migdal-el, Tower of God, a city of Naphtali recorded in Joshua 19:38. Migdal El is contrasted to the tower of man, meaning Babel and all that accompanies her. Thus, this is implicitly a picture of the ending of the church age, where believers are delivered from the Babylon of the end times recorded in Revelation.

To understand why these conclusions have been made, one should refer to the descriptions of these locations found in the Old Testament sermons given by the Superior Word. Each location, number, or other reference has been drawn from the information already recorded there. Thus, the typology is not new. It has already been seen and has been reused without change, confirming that this analysis of Matthew 15 is sound.

Lord God, Your word is beyond amazing. It is a lifeline for the soul caught in despair. It is a treasure for the seeker of riches. It is a guide for the path of our lives. And Lord, it is so much more. It is so glorious to enter into its pages and find rest for our souls in the Person of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Thank You for this precious word. Amen.

Matthew 15

15 Then they came to Jesus from Jerusalem, scribes and Pharisees, saying, ²“Through what – Your disciples, they sidestep the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they may eat bread.”

³And answering, He said, to them, “Through what – also you, you sidestep the ‘God’s commandment’ through your tradition? ⁴For God, He enjoined, saying, ‘You honor your father and your mother,’ and the ‘disparaging father or mother,’ death – he expires!’ ⁵And you, you say, ‘Whoever, he should say to father or mother, “Gift – whatever if from me you should benefit.”’ ⁶And no, not he should honor his father or his mother. And you invalidated God’s commandment through your tradition. ⁷Hypocrites! Well, Isaiah, he prophesied concerning you, saying,

⁸‘He neared Me, this people – the mouth,
And the lips – he honors Me,
And their heart, it distances far from Me.
⁹And vainly they revere Me,
Teaching instructions – men’s injunctions.’”

¹⁰And having summoned the crowd, He said to them, “You hear and comprehend! ¹¹Not the ‘entering into the mouth’ it profanes the man, but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,’ this, it profanes the man.”

¹²Then His disciples, having come near, they said to Him, “You have known that the Pharisees, having heard the saying, they stumbled!” ¹³And having answered, He said, “Every planting that not He planted, My heavenly Father, it will be uprooted. ¹⁴You leave them! They are blind, blind-conductors. And blind, if they should conduct, both – they will fall into a pit.”

¹⁵And Peter, having answered, he said to Him, “You expound to us this parable.”

¹⁶And Jesus, He said, “And yet, you, you are unintelligent! ¹⁷Not yet you grasp that all, the ‘entering into the mouth,’ into the stomach it contains, and into the john it ejects? ¹⁸And those proceeding from the mouth, it comes from the heart, and those, it commonizes the man. ¹⁹For from the heart, they come: evil meanderings, murders, adulteries, harlotries, thefts, false-witnessings, blasphemies. ²⁰These, they are, the ‘defiling the man,’ but to eat with unwashed hands, not it defiles the man.”

²¹And having departed thence, Jesus, He withdrew to the allotments – Tyre and Sidon. ²²And you behold! A Canaanite woman from those same borders, having come, she cried to Him, saying, “You compassionate me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter, she is demon possessed-badly.”

²³And He answered not a word.

And having approached, His disciples, they entreated Him, saying, “You dismiss her! For she cries after us.”

²⁴And answering, He said, “Not, I was sent, if not to the sheep, the ‘having been lost’ – House Israel.”

²⁵And having come, she worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, You rush-relieve me!”

²⁶And answering, He said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and cast to the puppies.”

²⁷And she said, “Yes, Lord. And even the puppies – he eats from the crumbs, the ‘falling from their master’s table.’”

²⁸Then, Jesus answering, He said to her, “O! Woman, your faith is great! It become to you as you determine.” And she’s cured, her daughter, from that hour.

²⁹And having departed thence, Jesus, He went near the Sea of the Galilee, and having ascended to the mountain, He sat there. ³⁰And they came to Him, great crowds, having with them lame, cripples, blind, mutes, and others – many, and they strewed them near Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. ³¹So too, the crowds marveled, seeing mutes speaking, cripples healthy, lame walking, and blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel.

³²And Jesus, having summoned His disciples, He said, “I gut-wrench upon the crowd because already three days they bivouac with Me, and naught they have that they may eat. And I wish not to dismiss them unfed, not lest they should collapse in the way.”

³³And the disciples, they say to Him, “Whence to us in solitude – loaves so many as to gorge a crowd so vast?”

³⁴And He says to them, Jesus, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven, and a few tiddlers.”

³⁵And He ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground. ³⁶And having taken the seven loaves and the fish, and having thanked, He broke, and He gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the crowd. ³⁷And they ate, all, and they gorged, and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full. ³⁸And those eating, they were four thousand men, besides women and children. ³⁹And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala.

Friday, 16 January 2026

Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 15:38

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And those eating, they were four thousand men, besides women and children” (CG).

In the previous verse, the multitudes ate, and yet, after the meal, the disciples took up seven hampers full of leftovers. With that stated, Matthew next reveals the size of the crowd, saying, “And those eating, they were four thousand men.”

It is a new word, tetrakischilioi, four thousand. It is derived from tessares, four, and chilioi, a thousand. Thus, it is four times a thousand, or simply four thousand. The number is derived from four and tens.

In the Bible, four, according to Bullinger, “always has reference to all that is created. It is emphatically the number of Creation; of man in his relation to the world as created; while six is the number of man in his opposition to and independence of God. It is the number of things that have a beginning, of things that are made, of material things, and matter itself. It is the number of material completeness. Hence it is the world number, and especially the ‘city’ number.”

Ten “is one of the perfect numbers, and signifies the perfection of Divine order, commencing, as it does, an altogether new series of numbers. The first decade is the representative of the whole numeral system, and originates the system of calculation called ‘decimals,’ because the whole system of numeration consists of so many tens, of which the first is a type of the whole. Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.”

Of this number of men, Matthew adds, “besides women and children.” If one were to figure each man had a wife and two children, the crowd would have been about sixteen thousand. It is impossible to know if there were this many, more, or fewer, but it is a good estimation of those who were fed.

Life application: As the chapter is winding down, take time to think about all that has been going on. God is giving us information in the things Jesus does, the places He goes to, etc. There is the surface text, which is given to provide a literal historical account of what occurred. There is normally an underlying pictorial or typological story or truth being conveyed.

At times, there will be a prophetic application. And finally, there is usually a moral application to be considered. These will not always be included in every chapter, but they will be seen throughout the Bible for one who is attentive to what is being said.

And more, these four ways of viewing Scripture will often overlap. The main thing is to be careful not to insert information into the text. Rather, it is to be drawn out based on a reliable reading and understanding of the overall tenor of Scripture.

As an example, within twenty-four hours of having typed this commentary, a pastor was in the news saying that Jesus must have been “super gay” because He was always around twelve men. Not only is this an unfaithful reading of the life of Jesus, inserting a homosexual agenda into Scripture, but it is also a morally perverse statement.

The person teaching this will be held accountable for his blasphemous remarks. He thinks he is scoring points with a congregation, but what he is actually doing is storing up wrath in His day of condemnation.

Be careful to never take your own ideas about what a passage is saying and apply them to the word. The Bible is not about any one of us, what we hope for, or how we can manipulate it for some perceived profit. It is a holy word given to us by God to understand what He has done and is doing in redemptive history. Above all, it is a book pointing to His work in and through Jesus Christ. Be sure to always look at it from this perspective.

Lord God, it is terrible how people treat Your word, shame Your glory, and bring reproach upon themselves as they tear apart Your precious word. We know they will be dealt with, but it is troubling to us at this time. Help us to never bring discredit upon Your glorious name, but rather exalt You at all times. May it be so, to Your glory. Amen.

Thursday, 15 January 2026

So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. Matthew 15:37

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And they ate, all, and they gorged, and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus took the loaves and fish, gave thanks, and broke them. He then gave them to the disciples who, in turn, passed them to the crowds. Of this event, it next says, “And they ate, all.”

It was noted in verse 30 that there were “great crowds.” Even without yet knowing the number, for all of them to have eaten, it means there would have had to have been a very large grocery store of bread and fish. And yet, all that was available were the seven loaves and a few fish.

Like the feeding of the five thousand, this is an assured miracle. Attempts to downplay it, as liberal scholars attempt to do, prove they have a purposeful agenda to deny the miraculous. And more, not only did they all eat, but it next says, “and they gorged.”

They didn’t just eat, but they ate until they were fully satisfied. This note is important because they could have symbolically taken the loaves and fish and broken off a teeny weeny, eensy weensy, speck of food for each person as a gesture of thanks. It would be akin to our modern Lord’s Supper, where a small piece of bread is taken by each person. But no, that wasn’t the case.

Rather, they all ate, and they all were gorged. But even more incredible are the next words, “and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full.”

Here is a new word, spuris. This is a large basket. In fact, a spuris was used in Acts 9:25 to secretly lower Paul down the wall of Damascus so that he could escape. It is unknown how big these baskets were, but they were quite large. The point then is that an immense amount of food was left over after the crowds had gorged themselves.

As an important side point, notice the very poor nature of the translation of these two verses:

And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments [kophinos] that remained twelve baskets full. Matthew 14:20

And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets [spuris] full. Matthew 15:37

The King James Version translated the two words, kophinos and spuris, with the same word. How can anyone rightly understand what is being conveyed without knowing that different things are being described? Without going to the original texts, people who have read the KJV wouldn’t have an inkling about the wonderful things God is conveying to us in His word.

Life application: Imagine the marvel of sitting on the mountain with Jesus and being so hungry that you think you will pass out as you start home. There are no stores around, everybody around you has eaten, and there are no wagons of food with Jesus and His disciples.

Now imagine that Jesus receives enough bread for a ceremonial thank offering to God. You are reminded that the world doesn’t revolve around you. Jesus has been tending to the people for three days with hardly any time out of the public view. And here He is, once again, tending to the people by teaching them that thanks to God is the most important thing of all.

As Jesus gives thanks, something seems to happen, something you know is unimaginable, and yet, you don’t know what it is. But there seems to be a sense of multiplication in the air? The anticipation of something unexpected arises. And then, suddenly, the disciples begin to pass out bread to everyone.

In fact, the hands of every person who reaches out are filled, even to the point that there is no way they could finish what they have been handed. No truck has pulled up, and there were no underground storage facilities opened. Rather, there was a loaf in the hand of the disciple, and when he handed it to a person, there was… another loaf in his hand.

This went on throughout the entire body of people. What is going on here?

Have you ever felt that Jesus’ grace and mercy will never extend to someone like you? Or have you ever thought that you have worn out any grace that you once received when you called on Jesus? The word tells us that it will never happen. No matter how fallen you are or how far you fall, when you reach out to Jesus, the supply of His tender mercies will continue to satisfy.

Now think of the magnitude of this aspect of Christ. He has been saving the worst of offenders for two thousand years. What did Paul say –

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. ¹⁶ However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:15-17

At the earliest point in church history, Paul was so bad that he thought he was the worst of all offenders. Since then, billions of “worst offenders” have been brought into a restored relationship with God because of Jesus. And what did Paul say the purpose of that is? It is to the honor and glory… of God!

He saves us because He is merciful and gracious, and He wants us to know this and consider it for all eternity. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is an inexhaustible source of life. Never make the error that your sin is so great that God has removed you from His list of the redeemed. Your sin is not greater than His goodness as found in Jesus Christ. No way, José.

Lord God Almighty, You are great and greatly to be praised. All glory, honor, and majesty belong to You, forever and ever. Amen.

Wednesday, 14 January 2026

And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. Matthew 15:36

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And having taken the seven loaves and the fish, and having thanked, He broke, and He gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the crowd” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground. That continues now, saying, “And having taken the seven loaves and the fish, and having thanked.”

As noted in the verse 34 commentary, the word ichthus, fish, is now used instead of ichthudion, tiddler. What was seen as insignificant by the disciples is acknowledged to be sufficient when Jesus receives it from their hands.

Also, a new word, eucharisteó, to give thanks or be thankful, is seen here. That is the basis for eucharistia, thankfulness, found first in Acts 24:3. These words are the etymological root group for our word eucharist, thankfulness.

Jesus was careful to set the example for those in attendance, ensuring the continued practice of giving thanks for the abundance God provides. After giving thanks, it says, “He broke, and He gave to His disciples.”

Considering that it was seven loaves and a few fish, giving it to the disciples already tells us that multiplication had taken place. Even if it were only the twelve, there wouldn’t be enough for each to have a full portion. And yet, they received something from Jesus’ hand. And more, the verse finishes with, “and the disciples to the crowd.”

Despite having done this in the recent past, the sensation of walking around vast multitudes of people, handing out bread without diminishing the amount you started with, must have been beyond exhilarating.

Even today, in a world where stores are filled with food, to see that accomplished would not fail to cause the one handing out the food to be utterly astonished at what was occurring.

Life application: Think of what happened, now for the second time, as these men handed out the food to the people. Now consider it in relation to the salvation provided by Jesus as well as the truths found in the pages of Scripture.

Jesus’ atonement was effectual not just for a few first-century Jews on the day of Pentecost. Rather, His salvation extended throughout much of the Roman Empire as recorded in the Bible. But since the completion of the Bible, it has continued to save people around the entire planet, and for a period that is now over two thousand years in duration.

There is an unlimited amount of salvation being passed out to the people of God. Indeed, if every person on the planet heard and received the message, every single one of them would be included in His salvation.

Likewise, the Bible has been feeding people for thousands of years. Even before it was completed, people were relying on it for their light, food, and understanding of God. But think of it! Since it was completed two thousand years ago, people are still, even day by day, discovering new patterns and hidden treasures in the word.

These things should give us complete confidence that God is in control and that we are being safely and assuredly carried along in our lives to a final, good destination. Living in a fallen world means troubles, uncomfortable times, pains, sadness, and loss.

None of us is getting out of here alive unless the Lord comes during our lifetime. Death is a part of life that is inescapable. So why should we fret over it? Its effects are but a temporary moment on the way to eternal glory.

No matter what we face, may it be with the hope-filled determination that we will live out our days giving thanks to God for the abundance He gives us in this walk of life. May He be our point of boasting and the recipient of all of our praise. Yes, may it be so.

Lord God, You are good, and all that You have done and are doing serves a good purpose. We may not see it as we face difficult times, but we can know it is true. Help us to have the right and positive attitude, regardless of what we face in this temporary walk. May we look ahead to the glory that You have promised us, knowing for certain that it will come. Amen.

Tuesday, 13 January 2026

So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. Matthew 15:35

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And He ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus asked the disciples how many loaves they had. The answer was seven, with a few tiddlers. With that in mind, it next says, “And He ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground.”

In Matthew 14, at the feeding of the five thousand, they were told to sit on the grass. In fact, John 6:10 notes there was much grass. Depending on how much later this is, and this state of abundant grass would not last long, there may have been only scorched grass or bare ground. The lack of the note of grass tends to suggest this.

It is probable, though unstated, that He had them sit in groups as before. This would simplify passing things out. It would also allow for counting the people more accurately.

Life application: The lack of noting grass is an important clue concerning the timing of the event. As summer closes in, the land quickly heats up, and such vegetation hastily dries out. The seasons in Israel are distinct, and throughout the Bible, the Lord uses them to teach truths concerning many things.

For example, of the grass, it says –

“The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:7, 8

The Lord equates man’s existence to mere grass that rises quickly, lives abundantly (as noted in its flowering), and then quickly fades away. This is in contrast to the word of God. The implication is that in our temporary, otherwise futile existence, we should be learning and applying the word of God to our lives. If we want to participate in the eternal, this is a necessary step for us to take. This thought concerning the grass is used by both James and Peter –

“Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.” James 1:9-11

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, ²⁴ because
‘All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
²⁵ But the word of the Lord endures forever.’
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:22-25

As you go through Scripture, be sure to look at the metaphors God uses to describe things. He created us, He created the land, He set the seasons in place, etc. As He has done all things, His use of metaphor is given as an accurate description of what He intends to convey.

The word equates the life span of grass to that of man. Almost all people on earth see the grass come and go. It is something we can easily grasp in our minds. Some things are more relevant only when the land of Israel is understood in relation to the metaphor. Therefore, doing studies on those things from a documented perspective of the land is immensely helpful.

And there are innumerable sources to find such things. Be sure to take advantage of studies that complement your Bible reading. This will help you mentally perceive the wonderful things God is conveying to us in His word.

Lord God, thank You for the wisdom that is displayed on every page of Your word. There is a lifetime of things we can learn from it, even more in fact. No matter how much time and study we put into it, there will always be new things we can glean from it. What a precious gift You have given us. And above all, thank You for Jesus, who is the focal point of this wonderful word. Amen.