Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
John Gill
After this—After Christ’s curing the man at Bethesda’s pool, and the vindication of himself for doing it or the Sabbath day, and for asserting his equality with God; near a year after these things: for these were done at the Feast of the Passover, and now it was near another; and what is related here, was after the death of John the Baptist, and when the disciples had returned from preaching in the several cities and towns, where Christ afterwards went, and had given an account of their success; see Mat 14:12-13; Mar 6:30-31; Luk 9:10. Quickly after the Passover was ended, Christ departed from Jerusalem, and went into Galilee, and preached in the several cities and towns in those parts, and wrought many miracles: and after these things, in process of time,
Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee—The same with the lake of Gennesaret (Luk 5:1);
Which is the Sea of Tiberias—And is frequently so called by the Jewish writers, who often make mention of “the Sea of Tiberias”; and by other writers, it is called the lake of Tiberias; Pliny, who calls it the lake of Genesara, says,
“it was sixteen miles long, and six broad, and was surrounded with very pleasant towns; on the east were Julias and Hippo, and on the south Tarichea, by which name some call the lake, and on the west Tiberias, wholesome for the hot waters.”
And these are the waters which the Jews call the hot baths of Tiberias; and from the city of Tiberias built by Herod, and called so in honour of Tiberius Caesar, the sea took its name.
2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
John Gill
And a large crowd was following him—From several cities and towns in Galilee, where he had been preaching and working miracles:
Because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick—So that it was not for the sake of his doctrine, or for the good of their souls, they followed him; but either to gratify their curiosity in seeing his miracles, or to be healed in their bodies, as others had been.
3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.
John Gill
Jesus went up on the mountain—In a desert place near Bethsaida (Luk 9:10);
And there he sat down with his disciples—Partly for security from the cruelty of Herod, having just heard of the beheading of John; and partly for privacy, that he might have some conversation alone with his disciples, upon their return from off their journey; as also for the sake of rest and refreshment; and according to the custom of the Jewish doctors, which now prevailed (see Gill on Mat 5:1), he sat with his disciples, in order to teach and instruct them.
4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
John Gill
Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand—This was the third Passover, since our Lord’s baptism, and entrance on his public ministry; see Joh 2:13; 5:1. Whether Christ went up to this feast is not certain; some think he did not; but from what is said in Joh 7:1, it looks as if he did: how near it was to the feast, cannot well be said. Thirty days before the feast, they began to talk about it; and especially in the last fifteen days, they made preparations for it, as being at hand; and if there was now so long time to it, there was time enough for Jesus to go to it.
5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”
6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
John Gill
He said this to test him—Or “tempting him,” trying his faith, and not only his, but the rest of the disciples; not as ignorant of it himself, but in order to discover it to him and them, and to prepare them for the following miracle; and that it might appear the more illustrious and marvellous:
For he himself knew what he would do—Christ had determined to work a miracle, and feed the large number of people that were with him, with that small provision they had among them; and being God omniscient, he knew that he was able to do it, and that he was determined to do it, and it would be done; but he was willing first to try the faith of his apostles.
7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”
21 But Moses said, “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’
Rashi
Six hundred thousand on foot—He was not particular to mention also the odd number—the remaining three thousand. But Rabbi Moses the Preacher explained that the number 600,000 is exact because only those who went forth from Egypt wept.
Sotah 12b:14
And this is what Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy” (Num 20:13)? The verse indicates that these are the waters that the astrologers of Pharaoh saw and on account of which they erred. And this is what Moses said: “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot [ragli], and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month” (Num 11:21). Moses said to the Jewish people: On account of me, which is an alternative meaning of the word ragli, all of you were saved, as the decree to throw all males into the river was canceled on my account.
22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?” NUM 11:21-22
Chullin 27b:8
The Gemara asks: From where do we derive that fish are not subject to slaughter? If we say that it is because it is written: “Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them . . . or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them” (Num 11:22), which indicates that mere gathering suffices for them, that is not a proof.
Rashi
Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered—This is one of those four things which R. Akiba interpreted in a certain way but R. Simeon did not interpret them similarly. Rabbi Akiba says: “Six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said that I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month, and be enough for them?”—all this is to be taken literally. This is similar to the clause, “and he has sufficient means for redeeming it” (Lev 25:26). Which case was worse? This or that when Moses exclaimed, “Hear now, you rebels” (Num 20:10)? Obviously this case here was worse, only because he did not utter his doubt in public, Scripture showed some regard for him and did not punish him. But that of Meribah was in public, therefore Scripture does not show any regard for him. Rabbi Simeon says: “God forbid! This never entered the mind of that righteous man! Would the one about whom it writes, ‘he is trusted in all my house’ (Num 12:7) suggest that the Omnipresent cannot supply sufficient for us? But what he said was this: ‘Six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, “I will give them meat a whole month” ’—and then you want to kill a nation so great as this is?! Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them that they should then be killed, and this eating should be their last (lit., should satisfy them for ever)?! Is this your praise? Do we say to an ass, eat this measure of barley and then we will cut off your head? The Holy One, blessed be he, said to him, ‘If I do not give them, they will say that my hand has waxed short; would it be pleasing to you that the hand of the Lord should appear in their eyes to have waxed short?—Let them and a hundred like them perish but let not my hand appear to them to have waxed short even for a single moment’! ” (Tosefta Sotah 6:4)
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him,
9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.
John Gill
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down”—The Syriac version reads, “all the men”; and the Persic version, “all the people”; men, women, and children: Christ, without reproving his disciples for their unbelief, ordered them directly to place the people upon the ground, and seat them in rows by hundreds and by fifties, in a rank and company, as persons about to take a meal:
Now there was much grass in the place—At the bottom of the mountain; and it was green, as one of the evangelists observes, it being the spring of the year, and was very suitable to sit down upon:
So the men sat down, about five thousand in number—Besides women and children (Mat 14:21), so that there was but one loaf for more than a thousand persons.
11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”
John Gill
When they had eaten their fill—Had not only eaten, but had made a full meal, and were thoroughly satisfied, having eaten as much as they could, or chose to eat:
He told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost”—This he said, partly that the truth, reality, and greatness of the miracle might be clearly discerned; and partly, to teach frugality, that, in the midst of abundance, care be taken that nothing be lost of the good things which God gives; and which may be useful to other persons, or at another time.
13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. GEN 49:10
Rashi
The scepter shall not depart from Judah—Even after the house of David ceases to reign. For this refers to the Chiefs of the Exile in Babylon who ruled over the people with a scepter having been appointed by the government (Horayot 11b; Sanhedrin 5a).
Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet—Scholars. These are the princes of the land of Israel (Horayot 11b; Sanhedrin 5a).
Until tribute comes means until the King Messiah will come, whose will be the kingdom (Bereishit Rabbah 99:8). Thus too does Onkelos render it. According to the Midrash Aggadah, “tribute” is the same as a present to him, as it is said: “they bring gifts to him who is to be feared” (Psa 76:12).
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.