Matthew 15:38
in Matthew 15A total of four thousand men were fed, in addition to women and children.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they that did eat were four thousand men, besides women and children.
KJV
And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
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This verse in Matthew 15
Commentary
13 notes on this verseAs that first multitude which He fed answers to the people among the Jews that believed; so this is compared to the people of the Gentiles, the number of four thousand denoting an innumerable number of people out of the four quarters of the earth.
This site's exposition
sit down on the ground
on Matthew 15:35-38
The multitude sits, the loaves are broken with thanksgiving, and the crowd of four thousand men besides women and children eats until filled, with seven baskets of fragments left over. Clarke points out that the Greek word for these baskets, spyrides, differs from the kophinoi of the five thousand's account in chapter 14, a large hamper rather than a personal wallet basket, a detail the older harmonists used to answer the charge that Matthew has simply doubled one story into two. The differing numbers, five loaves against seven, twelve baskets against seven, five thousand against four thousand, stand in the text as the marks of two distinct events rather than one retold.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
He does this not only once but also a second time, in order that we should know his strength. This strength by which he feeds the multitudes when he wishes and without bread finds its source in his divinity. He does this in order to …
(Sup. c. 14:15.) As we have spoken of this above, it would be tedious to repeat what has been already said; we shall therefore only dwell on those particulars in which this differs from the former. For these are not five, but four thousand; the number four being one always used in a good sense, and a four-sided stone is firm and rocks not, for which reason the Gospels also have been sacredly bestowed in this number. Also in the former miracle, because the people were neighbours unto the five senseso, it is the disciples, and not the Lord, that calls to mind their condition; but here the Lord Himself says, that He has compassion upon them, because they continue now three days with Him, that is, they believed on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 53 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
But when we come to the end, there is a difference. For, "they did all eat," so it is said, "and were filled, and they took up of the broken meat that was left, seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, besides women and children." But why at the former time, when there were five thousand, did twelve baskets full remain over and above, whereas here, when there were four thousand, it was seven baskets full? For what purpose, I say, and by what cause, were the remnants less, the guests not being so many? Either then one may say this, that the baskets on this last occasion were greater than those used before, or if this were not so, lest the equality of the miracle should again cast them into forgetfulness, He rouses their recollection by the difference, that by the variation they might be reminded of both one and the other. Accordingly, in that case, He makes the baskets full of fragments equal in number to His disciples, in this, the other baskets equal to the loaves; indicating even hereby His unspeakable power, and the ease wherewith He exercised His authority, in that it was possible for Him to work such miracles, both in this way and in the other. For neither was it of small power, to maintain the exact number, both then and now; then when there were five thousand, now when there were four thousand; and not suffer the remnants to be more than the baskets used on the one occasion or on the other, although the number of the guests was different.
(Verse 33 and following) And His disciples said to Him, "Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?" And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few small fish." And He directed the people to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them, and He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied.
The Medieval Church1 voice
There follows the number of those who ate: and they that did eat were four thousand men. Above there were five thousand, because they were given over to the five senses; or on account of the five books of Moses; but here four thousand, on …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
(ord.) The seven loaves are the Scripture of the New Testament, in which the grace of the Holy Spirit is revealed and given.
He teaches frugality by having them sit on the ground; and He teaches us to give thanks before eating by Himself giving thanks. Do you ask why it is that when there were five loaves and five thousand being fed, twelve baskets remained, but here …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they that did eat, were four thousand men,.... This number of men, as well as of the baskets of fragments, clearly shows this to be a distinct miracle from the former of this kind, recorded in Mat 14:
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Four thousand - Let the poor learn from these miracles to trust in God for support. Whatever his ordinary providence denies, his miraculous power will supply.
The beginning of this passage contains three points which deserve our special attention. For the present let us dwell exclusively on them. In the first place, let us remark how much more pains people take about the relief of their bodily diseases than about their souls. We read that “ great multitudes came to Jesus having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed and many others.” Many of them, no doubt, had journeyed many miles, andgone through great fatigues. Nothing is so difficult and troublesome as to move sick people.
The beginning of this passage contains three points which deserve our special attention. For the present let us dwell exclusively on them. In the first place, let us remark how much more pains people take about the relief of their bodily diseases than about their souls. We read that “ great multitudes came to Jesus having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed and many others.” Many of them, no doubt, had journeyed many miles, andgone through great fatigues. Nothing is so difficult and troublesome as to move sick people. But the hope of being healed was in sight: such hope is everything to a sick man. We know little of human nature if we wonder at the conduct of these people. We need not wonder at all. They felt that health was the greatest of earthly blessings; they felt that pain was the hardest of all trials to bear. There is no arguing against sense. A man feels his strength failing; he sees his body wasting and his face becoming pale; he is sensible that his appetite is leaving him: he knows, in short, that he is ill, and needs a physician. Show him a physician within reach, who is said never to fail in working cures, and he will go to him without delay. Let us, however, not forget that our souls are far more diseased than our bodies, and let us learn a lesson from the conduct of these people. Our souls are afflicted with a malady far more deep-seated, far more complicated, far more hard to cure than any ailment that flesh is heir to. They are in fact plague-stricken by sin. They must be healed, and healed effectually, or perish everlastingly. Do we really know this? Do we feel it? Are we alive to our spiritual disease? Alas, there is but one answer to these questions! The bulk of mankind do not feel it at all. Their eyes are blinded. They are utterly insensible to their danger.
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἱ | hoi | Those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐσθίοντες | esthiontes | eating | G2068 → | 65 times |
| ἦσαν | esan | were | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τετρακισχίλιοι | tetrakischilioi | four thousand | G5070 → | |
| ἄνδρες | andres | men | G435 → | 216 times |
| χωρὶς | choris | besides | G5565 → | 40 times |
| γυναικῶν | gunaikon | women | G1135 → | 211 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| παιδίων.¶ | paidion | children. | G3813 → | 51 times |
οἱThose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐσθίοντεςeating
esthiontesG2068 →65 times
ἦσανwere
esanG1510 →2333 times
τετρακισχίλιοιfour thousand
tetrakischilioiG5070 →
ἄνδρεςmen
andresG435 →216 times
χωρὶςbesides
chorisG5565 →40 times
γυναικῶνwomen
gunaikonG1135 →211 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
παιδίων.¶children.
paidionG3813 →51 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Hilary of Poitiers, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 53; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Theodore of Heraclea, FRAGMENT 98; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.