Tuesday, 13 January 2026
So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. Matthew 15:35
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“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.