The Second Multiplication of the Loaves

III: The Second Multiplication of the Loaves

Mark vii. 31-37; viii. 1-9; Matt. xv. 29-38.

The Decapolis lies to the east of the Sea of Tiberias, extending in a northerly direction toward Damascus, and to the south as far as the cataract of Jabbok.  As its name implies, it formed a confederation of tend three towns, half Pagan, which the Jews had not been able to subjugate after their return from the Captivity.  Jesus was not a stranger nor entirely unknown here in these Greek cities, for the possessed persons of Gergessa had published the power of their Saviour on all sides, and hardly had His coming been noised broad before they brought a deaf and dumb and to Him.  Those who had guided him thither besought Jesus to lay His hands upon him.  The gift of mercy was not refused them, but hoping to find in the Decapolis the same seclusion which he had enjoyed in Phoenicia, He decided to perform the cure in privacy.  Therefore, He took the feeble fellow’s hand in His own, led him away from the throng, and there laid His fingers lightly upon his ears to denote that they were to open, and with a little saliva touched the tongue which was soon to be loosed; then He raised His eyes Heavenward and groaned, sighing not merely for the sad condition to which sin has reduced mankind, but for the many hearts still hardened to the truth.

"Ephphetha," He said.  "Be thou opened!"

"And immediately his ears were opened, the string of his tongue was loosed, and the dumb man spake distinctly."

Jesus enjoined secrecy upon the witnesses of this marvel, but they only listened to the promptings of heartfelt gratitude.  "The more He forbade them to speak, the more they published it abroad: He doeth all things well, they said; He hath made the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak." In vain did the Master retire into the wild and desolate highlands lying to the east of Genesareth Lake, wishing to avoid their eager demonstrations.  From the hill-slope where He found a resting place soon He saw a great crowd of country-folk pushing their way up to where He sat.  On every hand they were bringing all manner "of dumb, and blind, and lame, and maimed, and many others, and these they put down at His feet," fully confident that they would rise up sound and well.  Touched by their faith, Jesus granted the petitions of each and all, "in so much that the people were struck with wonder when they saw the dumb speaking, the cripples made whole, the blind seeing;" and in their joy these Pagans of the Decapolis "loudly glorified the God of Israel."

However the concourse was growing greater from hour to hour; in a short time four thousand men, without counting their women and children, had all gathered together in this far-off wilderness.  For all of three days they stayed close about the Saviour, only desiring to follow Him; but such little food as they had soon disappeared, and being remote from any village, they began to suffer the weakness of hunger.  Once more Jesus was minded to spread a table for His people in the midst of the wilderness, and He called the Apostles.

"I have compassion on this throng," He said, " because for three days now they have remained with Me and they have nothing to eat.  If I send them back thus to their homes, their strength will fail them, for some have come from far away."

The Twelve were surprised at any such plan.  Unquestionably they had not forgotten the prodigy performed near Bethsaïda a few months earlier, but the answer given to the Chanaanitish woman was still fresher in their memory,—how that it is not fitting to cast the children’s bread to dogs,—and they had no notion that their Master would lavish upon these Pagans any such bounties as He had been wont to bestow on the sons of Israel.  So they answered:—

"How are we to find enough bread in this desert place to satisfy so great a multitude?"
"How many loaves have you?" asked Jesus.

"Seven," was the reply, "and a few small fishes."

Upon that He bade the throngs sit down upon the ground; took the seven loaves and fishes; then, giving thanks, He broke them, gave them to His disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.  The four thousand men, the women-folk, and the children ate and were filled.  This time, without waiting to be prompted by Him, the Apostles gathered up all the fragments that were left, and they filled seven large hampers.2  Afterwards He had still to dismiss the concourse whose face had made them intrude upon the solitude of the Master.  However, from this gathering Jesus had not to encounter either that or obstinacy or those ambitious cravings which His former miracle had excited among the Jews at Bethsaïda.  All showed their willingness to Obey the His behest us, and readily departed.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam