Healing and the feeding of the four thousand

St Matthew Chapter XV : Verses 29-39

Contents

• Matt. xv. 29-39.  Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Notes on the text.

Matt. xv. 29-39

 Healing the dumb, the blind, the lame... J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.  

29 And when Jesus had passed away from thence, he came nigh the sea of Galilee. And going up into a mountain, he sat there.

Et cum transisset inde Jesus, venit secus mare Galilææ : et ascendens in montem, sedebat ibi.

30 And there came to him great multitudes, having with them the dumb, the blind, the lame, the maimed, and many others: and they cast them down at his feet, and he healed them:

Et accesserunt ad eum turbæ multæ, habentes secum mutos, cæcos, claudos, debiles, et alios multos : et projecerunt eos ad pedes ejus, et curavit eos,

31 So that the multitudes marvelled seeing the dumb speak, the lame walk, and the blind see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

ita ut turbæ mirarentur, videntes mutos loquentes, claudos ambulantes, cæcos videntes : et magnificabant Deum Israel.

32 And Jesus called together his disciples, and said: I have compassion on the multitudes, because they continue with me now three days, and have not what to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

Jesus autem, convocatis discipulis suis, dixit : Misereor turbæ, quia triduo jam perseverant mecum, et non habent quod manducent : et dimittere eos jejunos nolo, ne deficiant in via.

 Feeding the four thousand. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.   

33 And the disciples say unto him: Whence then should we have so many loaves in the desert, as to fill so great a multitude?

Et dicunt ei discipuli : Unde ergo nobis in deserto panes tantos, ut saturemus turbam tantam?

34 And Jesus said to them: How many loaves have you? But they said: Seven, and a few little fishes.

Et ait illis Jesus : Quot habetis panes? At illi dixerunt : Septem, et paucos pisciculos.

35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the ground.

Et præcepit turbæ ut discumberent super terram.

36 And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the people.

Et accipiens septem panes, et pisces, et gratias agens, fregit, et dedit discipulis suis, et discipuli dederunt populo.

37 And they did all eat, and had their fill. And they took up seven baskets full, of what remained of the fragments.

Et comederunt omnes, et saturati sunt. Et quod superfuit de fragmentis, tulerunt septem sportas plenas.

38 And they that did eat, were four thousand men, beside children and women.

Erant autem qui manducaverunt quatuor millia hominum, extra parvulos et mulieres.

39 And having dismissed the multitude, he went up into a boat, and came into the coasts of Magedan.

Et, dimissa turba, ascendit in naviculam : et venit in fines Magedan.

Notes

Note.— Verses 29-31 have no parallels.

    29. from thence. From the confines of Tyre and Sidon. Jesus returned by a journey northward through the region of Sidon, or skirting it, and then by the cities of Decapolis which lay on the east and south of the lake. This is one of the longest journeys of our Lord which the gospel records.

    a mountain. Better, “ the mountain” (τὸ ὄρος). The lake is bounded by hills on the north and north-east.

    30. great multitudes. Many of whom came from afar (St Mark).

    having with them the dumb, etc. The original word used may mean deaf or dumh (κωφούς). It is applied to one whose senses are blunted.

    “The catalogue of sufferers that follows, represents accurately the sight that meets one in Oriental towns and villages, where the absence of medical appliances, and the general want of surgical treatment, render slight maladies or injuries chronic and inveterate, and fill the streets with persons in all stages of disease.”

    maimed. (κυλλούς) This word is rather difficult to translate. It means deformed, or deprived of the use of some member ; hence in the next verse we find inserted in some MSS. “the maimed, whole" (κυλλοὺς ὑγιεῖς). They are not found in א nor in the Vulgate, nor in several other ancient versions.

    many others. In what an almost infinite variety of forms does disease, the work of sin, ravage and prey upon the body of man. How much suffering is comprised in these two words, many others !

    cast them down. To move His compassion.

    31. the God of Israel. Many of those who were healed were doubtless pagans.

    32. Jesus called together, etc. This happened sometime during our Lord’s ministry in Northern Galilee. Jesus called His disciples in order to prepare them for the miracle which He was about to work, by giving the reasons why He should help the people. His compassion was excited by —

    (a) Their perseverance in following Him for three days.

    (b) Their extreme poverty: they lacked necessary food.

    (c) They were exhausted in consequence, and unable to return without fainting in the way.

    Notice that man’s necessity always calls forth God’s compassion.

    faint in the way. Some had come from afar off (St Mark).

    33. Whence then should we, etc. ? The disciples, again without knowledge, and still wanting understanding concerning the loaves, which Christ had previously multiplied, did not seem to anticipate another miracle. Perhaps their faith was not strong enough to lead them to expect a repetition, or it is possible that, as many of the multitude would necessarily be Gentiles, they imagined Jesus would not work a like miracle for them.

    desert. Which wilderness is not mentioned. We know it was on the eastern side of the lake, and probably farther south than the scene of the first miracle.

    34. How many loaves have you ? This time the loaves and fishes evidently belonged to the apostles.

    36. taking the seven loaves. In exactly the same order as on the first multiplication of the loaves and fishes, Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks (consequently. He blessed the loaves), and gave to his disciples to distribute.

    37. seven baskets. The “spuris” or rope basket used by fishermen (σπυρίς, a large basket, a creel). In such a basket or net St Paul was let down from the window when lie escaped from Damascus. But the disciples taking him in the night, conveyed him away by the wall, letting him down in a basket (Acts ix. 25).

    39. Magedan. St Mark gives Dalmanutha (viii. 10). These may be two names of one place, or two proximate places. Most commentators agree that the reference is to the Migdal or Magdalel of the Old Testament, one of the ancient strong cities (Jos. xix. 38), the El-Medjel of modern times. It is on the western side of the lake, about three miles north of Tiberias.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.