Daily Writing

Wednesday, 26 November 2025

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. Matthew 14:23

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 dismissed the crowds, He ascended to the mountain, off alone, to pray. And evening, having arrived, He was there solo” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus compelled the disciples to get in the boat and cross to the other side while He dismissed the crowds. Next, Matthew records, “And having dismissed the crowds.”

It isn’t known how Jesus did this, meaning with a word of encouragement and then prayer, but that is likely. John 6 notes that some wanted to make Him king by force. His redirecting them back to the Lord God as their true King, and through prayer, demonstrating that He was on a spiritual mission, may have quelled that among them.

Mark 6 notes that He sent them away. The day was long, and the walk to return would add to it. Therefore, some may even have slept under the stars, waiting till the next day to return home. Having an evening outside with a bonfire would be a nice cap to the wonderful day spent in the open with Jesus. If so, this would be an added reason for the next words, “He ascended to the mountain, off alone to pray.”

Whether He was removing Himself from all of the crowds as they departed, or if some were laying out mats to sleep on, there were still people there. This necessitated Him to ascend the mountain. Or it may be that ascending the mountain was keeping in accord with the traditions of meeting God on the high places that were instilled in the people’s thinking, and a point which permeates the Hebrew Scriptures.

This would be in line with the transfiguration, which occurred on a mountain as well. Whatever other reason may be involved, Jesus went up in order to find solace and to pray. Matthew next records, “And evening, having arrived.”

This would be the second evening of what is known as “between the evenings,” explained in Matthew 14:15. This would be the evening of the light when the day transitions into night. At this time, it says, “He was there solo.”

Nobody had followed Him up the mountain, disturbing His time of prayer alone. These words of Matthew had to come from somewhere, so either an eyewitness saw that Jesus went up alone, or that Jesus had specifically told him this was the case.

Life application: Things were obviously done differently when Jesus walked among the people of Israel. There were no cars, cellphones, or TVs. People’s lives would have been run at a completely different pace than what we are used to.

However, the days for Jesus were long and certainly tiring. What did He do at the end of His long day? He spent more energy ascending the nearby mountain, and He engaged with His Father in prayer. Although there is nothing prescriptive in this, it is an ideal that we can strive to attain.

Taking some time alone, away from the innumerable distractions we face, and spending time with the Lord will never be wasted time. Your mind can relax from the nag of calls, messages, text reminders, etc. Well, that is if you leave your phone behind when you decide to spend time with the Lord and pray.

If you are not used to this, it can be difficult to adjust. Being connected to the world through digital devices has become a standard part of our existence. And more, it has become an addiction for many. Take time to actively consider what value it is in your life. Is answering another text as important as spending time with the Lord through prayer or through His word?

Do your best to set your priorities straight and be willing to put everything else aside from time to time. At set times, try to refocus on filling the spiritual chasm in your life, replacing it with the goodness of God. You will find your time doing so a blessing you could not have imagined.

Glorious God, there are so many things that constantly distract us, pulling our attention away from what is truly important. If we stop and evaluate the time we spend doing things that are wholly unproductive, and then compare it to the time we spend with You, what would the balances reveal? Help us, Lord, to have our spiritual priorities right, focusing on You and fellowshipping with You each day. Amen.

Tuesday, 25 November 2025

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. Matthew 14:22

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 immediately, Jesus, He compelled His disciples to in-step into the boat and precede Him to the beyond until which He dismissed the crowds” (CG).

The previous verse noted that those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Now that the meal was over, it next says, “And immediately, Jesus, He compelled His disciples to in-step into the boat.”

A new word, anagkazó, to necessitate, compel, or constrain, is seen here. It is derived from the noun anagké, constraint, distress, etc. There is a sense of urgency in the word, as if the disciples were hesitant to enter the boat without Him. Matthew doesn’t give the reason for the constraint they were placed under. However, the same narrative in John 6 says –

“Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’
¹⁵ Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:14, 15

If this was the impetus in the mind of Matthew as he penned his gospel, one can see how the matter may have continued if the disciples had stayed. The people came to make Jesus king by force. How would things have turned out if the disciples had stayed?

Would they have sided with the masses and caused Jesus additional stress in shunning their advances? Would they have defended the Lord when He declined the advances, thus causing a brawl to break out? Whatever the reason, it appears that Matthew was remembering the day while not explaining the circumstances and noting the event with this new word. Because of Jesus’ instructions, it next says, “and precede Him to the beyond.”

In other words, they were to cross the Sea of Galilee, returning to the side they had left that morning. Thus, they would be leaving Him without a means of crossing. Despite this, He constrained them to go. He would stay behind, “until which He dismissed the crowds.”

Whatever the state of the crowds or the mindset of the disciples, it is evident that Jesus wanted to dismiss them personally and to also be alone in prayer. Hence, they were instructed to leave alone and head across.

Life application: It is certain that the disciples could have refused to get into the boat and do as instructed, but they were obedient to Jesus as their Master. The word of God, the Bible, is a word from the Lord that also constrains us. It tells us to do things that we may not want to do. Maybe that is why so many people stop reading it or never read it.

They hear what the word expects, maybe in a sermon or from a friend, and don’t want to have to face its demands. So they live life without engaging with the word. But if we want to be obedient to our Master, we need to do what He expects of us. That is what the word is for.

It isn’t easy to stand up in a church and head for the door when something inappropriate is taught, but no one should sit under a preacher who is instructing contrary to the word. It is better to leave such a church than to accommodate the bad doctrine. Such an attitude places the church above the Lord. That cannot stand.

Let us remember this point. What the Lord says is like our government’s constitution. We get upset at politicians who ignore the law as if it doesn’t apply to them. How much more should we be upset at pastors, preachers, and teachers who ignore the highest authority of all?

This doesn’t mean we should get up and walk out every time we hear something amiss. People are prone to mistakes. However, when something is obviously purposeful that fails to align with the word, it is time to depart. Just recently, the Anglican Church split because those in the UK selected a woman as the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is the highest position in the church.

The African Anglicans noted that this was unacceptable. Further, her stance on abortion and gay rights made her selection a slap in the face of all who desire to hold to the word. The problem, however, rests as much with the African Anglicans. They failed to say anything years ago when unacceptable people began to be ordained.

The selection of this woman to be the Archbishop was merely an obvious step in the rush to total apostasy. The Africans, for years, failed to uphold the word by dividing from the UK, only taking action when it became intolerable to them, not to God, whose word had already been violated numerous times. Let us not let things get to such a point. Instead, let us exalt the word and thus honor the Lord at all times.

Lord God, give us the desire to be obedient to Your word as well as have the intestinal fortitude to stand firmly on it. It can be difficult for us to stand against the masses, but with You on our side, it really is no problem. Help us to remember this and adhere to what You have stated. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Monday, 24 November 2025

Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:21

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 about five thousand men, besides women and children” (CG).

In the previous verse, it was noted that all the people present ate, were gorged, and they collected twelve baskets of pieces that were left over. Matthew next records, “And those eating, they were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”

Each gospel narrative notes the number of men. Matthew, however, adds in the “besides women and children” to ensure that the number is understood to be men, plus others. The addition of this note concerning women and children could potentially bring the number up to as many as fifteen to twenty thousand people.

There is no need to assume, as many scholars do, that there would not be as many women and children as normal because of the long trek or some other reason. People moved about on their feet. It was common and the expected norm that all would keep up on such treks.

During the three annual pilgrim feasts, the entire family would walk from wherever they were to Jerusalem. Such a walk around the Sea of Galilee would be a snap for such hardy annual travelers. The numbers would have been great who received the miraculously provided food from Jesus.

Life application: It is not uncommon for people to say that only the men were required to travel to Jerusalem on the pilgrim feasts. This is because it says in Exodus 23:17, “Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.”

With that, they stop their analysis and conclude that only the men went. However, later it says –

“You shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. ¹² And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.” Deuteronomy 16:11, 12

This is repeated in Deuteronomy 16:13-15. Then the matter is summed up, saying –

“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. ¹⁷ Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.” Deuteronomy 16:16, 17

In other words, the “all your males” is stated in the same manner that the gospels speak of the males in relation to the feeding of the five thousand. It is an all-inclusive statement concerning the family that is represented by the males.

When reading the Bible, be sure to be familiar with it by methodically checking on things. There is a lot of information that has to be learned, and it is a lifetime challenge, but the more you read and remember, the less likely you are to have errors in your understanding. Even scholars of the Bible make blunders by assuming things from a single verse that are later qualified. So be methodical and contemplative. If you are, you will be rewarded for your diligent efforts, for sure.

Lord God Almighty, how wonderful is Your word! You have filled it with wisdom, wonder, and treasure. May we be responsible and read it slowly, contemplatively, and prayerfully. May we carefully tend to this wondrous and sacred gift You have given to us. Amen.

Sunday, 23 November 2025

So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Matthew 14:20

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 they lifted the superabounding pieces – twelve handbaskets full” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus prayed over the bread and fish and gave them to the disciples. They, in turn, gave to the multitudes. Now, after the people were satisfied, it says, “And they ate all, and they gorged.”

It is an amazing sentiment. From five small loaves and two small fish, the entire multitude ate to the point of being gorged! The word, chortazó, to gorge, has only been seen one time so far –

“Blessed – those famishing and thirsting righteousness,
For they – they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

These multitudes had rushed around the Sea of Galilee while Jesus took the boat across, anxious to hear more from Him. This was in the morning, and they had stayed until later in the day, not focusing on food, but on the powerful words of Jesus.

Certainly, they were famishing and thirsting for righteousness. And by the time they were done, they had received His miracles, His healings, His words of righteousness, and a feast on which they gorged themselves to satisfaction! With the feeding complete, Matthew next records, “and they lifted the superabounding fragments.”

John 6:12 adds, “So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.’” The disciples were told to go around and gather up anything left over from the meal. The word klasma, a piece or fragment, is introduced here. It is derived from the verb klaó of the previous verse, which referred to Jesus breaking the bread after having blessed it.

Jesus had broken these small loaves and fishes. From there, they were handed out to the people, as much as they could eat. After that, there were broken leftovers scattered throughout the multitudes, which the disciples then went and collected. Having done this, it next says the result was “twelve handbaskets full.”

Another new word is seen, kophinos, a small basket. The derivation of the word is unknown, but Ellicott, citing Juvenal, “describes the Jews of Italy as travelling with ‘their cophinus and a wisp of hay,’ by way of pillow, as their only luggage.” Thus, it was certainly a small basket used for carrying things as one traveled.

There were enough bread fragments lying around to fill twelve of these.

Life application: The account concerning the feeding of the multitudes is plain, clear, and sufficiently detailed to leave little room for speculation on what occurred. How it occurred, meaning how the bread was multiplied, is something we don’t know. It happened, and it was miraculous.

Having said that, here are a couple of the ways people have tried to dismiss the miracle, as cited from Myers’ New Testament Commentary –

“To explain away the miracle, as Paulus has done (who thinks that the hospitable example of Jesus may have induced the people to place at His disposal the provisions they had brought along with them; … is inconsistent with the accounts of all the evangelists, and especially with that of the eye-witness John.”

“Schenkel thinks he sees his way to an explanation by supposing what is scarcely possible, viz. that Jesus fed the multitude with a rich supply of the bread of life from heaven, which caused them to forget their ordinary food, though at the same time He devoutly consecrated for their use the provisions which they had brought with them, or had managed to procure for the present emergency.”

These and other excuses they reference for how the miracle can be dismissed have no basis in any reality. There is nothing in the biblical account to justify a word of what they claim. In other words, simply to dismiss the miraculous nature of what it clearly and precisely recorded, these false scholars insert nonsense into what the Bible presents, making things up out of their own demented heads.

Be careful when reading commentaries. The intent of many of them is to attempt to sound smart and educated while tearing apart what Scripture clearly presents. There are times when translations miss the mark on properly presenting what is detailed in the manuscripts, but outside of translations by several cults, these are not usually intentional perversions of reality.

Hold fast to what the Bible says. Accept that God can do the miraculous and that when He does, it is to make a point for us to understand what He is doing in the stream of time to reveal His caring affection for His people as displayed in the sending of Jesus to bring us back to Himself.

Lord God, help us to be people of faith, not attempting to outsmart You and what is recorded in Your word. Give us wisdom to accept what it says about creation, the fall of man, the process of redemption, the presentation of miracles, and all other things recorded there, taking them at face value. You are God. Your word is truth. May we accept this, reveling in what is recorded there. Amen.

Saturday, 22 November 2025

Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. Matthew 14:19

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 commanded the crowds to recline upon the grass, having taken the five loaves and the two fish, having up-looked to the heaven, He blessed, and having broken, He gave to the disciples the loaves, and the disciples to the crowds” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus instructed the disciples to bring the loaves and fish to Him. The narrative continues, saying, “And having commanded the crowds to recline upon the grass.”

The people were probably walking around, standing in groups, some deciding it was time to leave and preparing for that, etc. In order to bring a sense of order to the event, the masses were instructed to sit. Mark adds –

“Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.” Mark 6:39, 40

Luke says, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty” (Luke 9:14). This would allow for an easier counting of the people and a more harmonious time among the groups. One large group would lead to a state of chaos as people shouted back and forth about whatever was on their minds. With the people arranged, Matthew continues, “having taken the five loaves and the two fish.”

The contents of the verse are given in rapid succession. Several clauses begin with participles and have no conjunction to join them. In the previous verse, Jesus had said in response to the disciples’ statement concerning the desolate nature of the place, “You carry to Me here – them.” He was preparing to reveal that, despite the desolateness of the area, there is an abundance to be found in Him. He prepares to reveal this by taking the loaves and fish, and “having up-looked to the heaven, He blessed.”

The standard prayer over bread is, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth.” This is probably at least a part of what was said by Jesus as He blessed the food. Once that was done, “and having broken, He gave to the disciples the loaves.”

This final clause of Jesus’ actions includes a conjunction at the beginning of it as a means of summing up the narrative. A new word is seen here, klaó, to break. In the New Testament, it is always used in connection with the breaking of bread. The bread would have been without yeast, making it harder cakes instead of loaves. Thus, the bread would be broken instead of torn or cut.

With this accomplished, the words finish with, “and the disciples to the crowds.” This would have been a moment none of them would ever forget, even if they failed to understand the matter fully (see Matthew 16:8-12). They presented Jesus with the paltry bit of food available among them, and now they were passing out pieces of that food to thousands of people hungrily sitting along the slopes, waiting to be fed.

Life application: It may be hard to get our minds around the event being described by Matthew, but it is not unprecedented for so much food to appear as it did. In the wanderings of Israel, enough manna was provided each day to feed several million people. This continued on for forty years.

One may dismiss that as some type of allegory or hyperbole, but Jesus spoke of the matter as a fact in John 6. The people of Israel spoke to Jesus as if the account was reliable. Jesus’ words confirmed that.

It is as common as raindrops in a thunderstorm for people to dismiss the early creation account and the miracles found throughout Scripture, as if they didn’t happen as stated. However, that is what faith is about. It is believing what we do not see, accepting such things as true and reliable despite the standard way things work in the world around us.

If there is a God, He is capable of doing things in a certain way, and then He is reliable to give us an accurate rendering of what He has done.

Our salvation may not be conditioned upon accepting whether God actually created in six days or not, but our rewards will be. If we dismiss the word, it is a demonstration of a lack of faith in the credibility of God, who gave us the word. Hearing and believing the gospel is what saves.

So ask yourself, which is more incredible, that God could create all things in six days as well as feed Israel with manna in the wilderness for forty years, or that a man being executed on a cross, was then interred, and then He came out of the tomb on the third day, alive forevermore?

If you believed the gospel, as incredible as it sounds, why should you struggle over the lesser things that God proclaims as fact? Have faith and be reckoned not just as God’s redeemed, but of those who fully trust God in everything associated with His word.

Lord God, Your word makes many claims that we cannot verify. However, we can accept them by faith, believing that even the incredible and miraculous are possible when it comes from You. May our faith be strong and sure in what Your word states until the day we are brought into Your presence to revel in who You are forever and ever. Amen.