from WL Worcester (H Blackmer, ed.), 
The Sower.  Helps to the Study of the Bible in Home and Sunday School
 
(Boston: Massachusetts New-Church Union, n.d.)

Table of Contents
 

Psalms

Matthew
Mark

Luke 

John

The Acts of the Apostles

Revelation

 

Lesson 52

Luke 9:10-17  Feeding the Five Thousand

The Story

Primary and Junior

Tell me about the Lord's sending out the twelve apostles. How did they go? What were they to say? And do? Now they came together again to the Lord by the Gennesaret shore. The multitudes were coming and going. He took the twelve apart to a quiet place for rest. Here is the place, the green slopes at the northeast corner of the lake, pasture land belonging to Bethsaida Julias, a little town east of the Jordan where it comes near the lake. (John 6: 1; Luke 9:10) It is called a desert place, but that does not mean barren for there was much grass in the place. It is a part of the fine pasture land of Bashan. A desert place means quiet, open country with few towns. See on the map, as they sailed across they were not far from the northern shore of the lake. The people saw them setting sail and ran along the shore, others joining them from each town they passed, so that when the boat came to land a great multitude were already there - five thousand men beside women and children. The Lord pitied them. They seemed as sheep not having a shepherd. He healed, those that were sick, and spent the day teaching them heavenly things.

It was spring, when the pastures were rich and green from the winter rains and full of bright flowers. The Lord led the people up on the sunny slopes above the lake, and sat teaching them as they gathered about Him. So the day passed, and it drew toward evening. The people were far from home. The disciples begged the Lord to send away the people that they might go into. the towns and country round about and lodge and buy food. But the Lord said, "Give ye them to eat." There were five thin cakes or loaves, and two small fishes to be eaten as relishes with the bread. There was enough for all, and they filled with pieces that were left twelve baskets - wicker baskets, such as they used on a journey to carry provisions in.

The miracle helps us to realize that it is the Lord's power which gives us all our food. (Psalm 104:28)


1. "When they were returned." From what?

2. "All that they had done." What had they done?

3. Who were the five thousand who were fed? Where were they fed? How were they fed?

Spiritual Study

Intermediate

There were two miracles of feeding the multitude. Compare with this one that described in Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10, and notice the differences, especially the numbers in each miracle.

We have learned that the Lord's miracles were all outward expressions of His spiritual works. So the healing, and the calming of the storm. What spiritual work does the feeding of the people picture? Do we need spiritual food? Suppose we had plenty of natural food, would that make our spirits grow strong? Our minds need food: interesting subjects of thought, and good things to love. Instruction in these heavenly things is spiritual food. Read of such food in Isaiah 55:1, 2; Amos 8:11; Matthew

16:6, 12. (A. 680; E. 750) The Lord on this day by the Sea of Galilee had been giving spiritual bread as He taught the people; and now to show His desire to feed them and make them strong, He gave them also food for their bodies. Remember the spiritual help we need when we say, "Give us this day our daily bread."

A fruit tree represents growing knowledge about some good use, and the nourishing fruit is the use with the satisfaction we feel in, it. Grains represent little plans for daily use; small, in great numbers, comparatively dry and unattractive; but after all they give life its chief satisfaction. John tells us that the loaves were of coarse barley, which represents duties done not from the highest motive of love to the Lord, but from the more natural motive of love to the neighbor. The Lord blesses duties done in this more common motive and makes them strengthening to the soul. And the little fishes. We have thought of the sea as representing an atmosphere of natural thought. The fishes are the affections for learning natural knowledge and thinking in a natural way. The Lord gives the humbler satisfactions, if we are not able to receive the best. (E. 430, 617)

See in the charge to gather up the fragments, and in the gathering of twelve baskets full, the duty to use well the little opportunities, especially the little opportunities for service, in which the satisfaction of life is found. (John 4:34) Look for them, gather them up, save them by using them all.

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