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-4e-<9-sGoLDE
N DAYSsai
April 8, 1882.
+!- INTERNATIONAL LESSON-FOR APRIL 16.-2+
)IAIlK 6 : 30-14.
GOLDEN Taxi’, PSALMS 132110.
SubjectaThe Miraculous Feeding of Five Thousand Men.
BY REV. D. IjI:lDDER, D. D.
INTRODUCTORY.
Soon alter the death of John the Bap-
tist, the twelve disciples retllrned from
Lord when He landed. “'9 may well
believe tllat ill tlle multitude were many
sick alld alllioteil people, while tllcrc
may have been others who scarcely
the preaching tour on which they had knew “.1”. they were more.
been sen
Capernaulil,
And told Him all things, both w‘-
had done, and what they had taught
‘Vhat an interesting interview t hat
must have been ! It was not tllat Jesus
needed to be inforinerl of their doiilgs
and sa ings, l'or He knew them all. But
the di ciples wished to tell llinl, ill the
presence of each other, of the varied ex-
perience: with which they hail inet.
They doubtless hail n lortcolnings to
acknowledge, and ques o s to ask, as
well as triumphs to lllclltioil, ill which
all would alike rejoice.
Jesus appears to have roco-.;ili7.ed their
need ot' rest, as well as of advice and
further instruction. I once,
“ He siaid unto lll(‘lll, Come ye yourselves
apart into a desert place, and rcst iiwllilc.”
They met Jesus at, or near,
Mark gives another reason for this ill-
vitation.
c ewere many coming and go-
ing, and they lnul no lcisnrc so nlilcll as to
eat."
From this statement, we may infer
how the Master had been occupied dur-
ing the absence of the twelve, alld how
the people still throllged Him, bringing
tlleir sick to be healed!
A DESERT l’l..XCE.
By this term, we are to understand
an llllinllabited placc apart from the
usual resort of men ‘ml such a
place, they departed by sllip, privatelya
tllat is, without making kilown tllcir in-
tention, they sailed out upoll the Sea of
Galilee, heading for the opposite shorc.
They were near its llppcr clld, where tho
Jordan flows into it from the north.
Luke (chapter 0 : 10) defines the lo-
cality as belonging to tllc city called
Bethsaida. Bethsaidzl was a towll located
at the northern extreiliity of the lake
and extending on hotll sidcsof tlle rivor.
That portion of it lowltod on the eastern
side was rebuilt alld enlarged by llcrorl
Philip, not long after the birtll of Christ.
He raised it to the digility oi‘ a towll, illi-
'der the name of llcthsaida-Julias, ill
compliment to Julia, the dauglltcr of the
Emperor Augustus.
he south of that town was a plain,
extendin r to the lake shore, which is be-
lieved bogllave been the lonelyor retired
place to which Jesus retired wit '9
disciples. '
It is now called liutailla, and is well
identified by Thomson, who says of it:
“ It was a smooth, grassy spot, capable
of seating illany thousand people. At
its southeast corner, tllc lilountaiil shuts
down upon the lake bleak and barren.
It was doubtless desert then, as now, for
it is ilot capable of cultivation.”
THE GATIII-IltlNl;' OF A MULTITUDE.
The people who had before surround-
ed Jesus alld lIis d‘ cip es, seem to have
at once iinagillcd where they were going
and to havo had their curiosity to see
and hear Him greatly illcrcased by His
withdrawal from them.
VVhilo, therefore, lie was quietly sail-
ing across the head ol‘ the sea, tllcrc colli-
inenced agcneral inoveilleiltoftlle popu-
lation hastening by land toward the spot
ere it was supposed llc was going.
As is said by tile historian, they
“Rail afoot. tllltllcr out of all cillcs, and
outwl.-lit tlloln.“
Josephus says that there were six
cities ofooiisiderablo aim on tho tllirttcll
miles of coast-lillc along tllo northern
and northeastern shoro oi‘ the Sea of
Galilee. ’
As the excitement spread, the crowd I
naturally increased. .Vor doixs it appear .
strange that tho pooplo ill their Ilasto‘
should get to tho spot soonor than the
Master and llis disciples ill the boat.
attcr were soaking rost, alld
mi;-.l;ht llavo l'ouml it, in part, ill a slow
movement, whereas the lalld travelers
had only it fow lllih,. to walk or rliil.
In this way illucll people callle to-
gether, and were in waiting to lllcitt our
0l'lt LORD. L‘0.‘lI'ASSION.
ilot in the tender llcart of our
lt vi
‘t “my Lord to criticise the lilotives which had
broiigllt the people thither. ()n the other
hand, when lle saw them, He
“Was lllovcd with colllpawiml tI)W:u'Ll
tllcm, ilomllls-cl l ' ll'L‘I'(‘:ts . mp no v
ing kt sliolillcril iiil Ilc lJl",’,‘:IIl to (extol)
them many Ill!’ '
The reason why Ile looked upon them
as sheep withouta sllepllcrd may be seen
ill the fact that their only previous teach-
ers and uidcs were the blinded Scribes
and Pharisees, who gave them only rab-
V x
%.p‘At .
THE .Vlll(A(:LE Ur‘ ‘HIE LOAVES AND HISLIES.
biniolll traditions iil place of spiritual
fond.
Ill Vl(lW of the wants oi’ tllcsc people,
ollr Lord at once pllt away the idoa of
seeking rest, Hlll : ill dcvotcil lliiilself
to His spoc ll work of tollollillg, lllilluglcd,
no doubt, with miracles of healing.
Tllils llc spent the day, and the multi-
tndc showed no sign of dispcr ll
Wilt-,il the day was far spcnt or, proba-
bly, about three o'clock ill tl l'tei'noon,
,- illa iliwiplos (‘HIIIU mm mm, mm said.
'lh Hltlll, art [)l:L('(:,:I.lI1l lH)“' tho mm: l..-
that nu-y may go llllf)
. lloul 1IIIIl into the vil-
luzm-. and buy ilwlll-i-it ,. )I'l'll. : for I
h , 0 lllllg or-ax,“
vy
This seonls to have been only a timely
forotllollgllt on the part oi‘ the (“SL1 ,
who, froill :1 human point of Vl0W, soilgllt
the XVIfllill'l! o l v peoplo upon
whom tlwir Master was colllorriilg grunt-
er bcnclits.
A .%'l'.il!'l'l.lN G l’ltl)l’1)eI'I'lUN
Our Lord did not sock to .‘4ll]i[)r(‘S.‘-l the
kind soliieitmlo of His dis:-iplos. (in tho
other halld, by lll..‘<1IlN“‘0l', llo aillllittiwl ,
that tho illllltillido lllllst havo liloil, while
I
y lllight wi-ll bo startlml,
kllowilu; tho povorlv ill’ illl‘ll' i'osoiiri'I-s.
'l'liriy, llow:-vor, rlxprv 1 no ullwillillg.
llllss to do what this. oulll.
“TINY silly llliln llilil. shall wv pr: llllil
lmy two llIllIvIl‘!',il ]M'IlIl)'“!)l'lll or lil'l':Ill,
ltliil ,':it'i: tlii-iii to '3"
’I'ho sum ll)l‘lll lIllil‘tl was ilqllivzllclit ill
tiosotiillos loabollt two hulldroil dol-
lars‘ worth oi’ olir liioiicy now, llll '
probably lilciltioilud by thcdi. iiplus‘ as a
low cstilllhte of the cost of a meal for so
' t a sum utterly beyond
Having called their atten-
tion to the dillioulty of doing what they
saw ought to be done, He spoke to them
again, saying‘:
“llow lmllly loaves havi-. yo? go and sec.
and wllell ‘they ltnew, they say, Fivc,zln
The lollv
s referred to were of barley-
] e on V cell. Tlle llshcs
l It and dried, used as a relish, a,
:('.()l'lllllg to the oilstolll oi‘ the coulltry.
Such load was oi’ the plaiilost kind, and
very small quantity, evcll forthc
isclplcs tlicillsclves.
TIIE l’IlEl‘AltA'l‘IUN.
Our Lord was now about to work a
' s new to the d. . llcs as to the
' Morcovo
r the rclict’ot'tho latter. ll:-,
tllercl'ore, made the disciples llis co-
workers from the bcgilllling.
;‘ “in: ('(>lIllll1lIlill'Il tlI(‘lll lo llltllte
(lO“ll by C(illl]l:llll()s upon tho ;.',l'CI‘ll gras
i “And they sat down i -
titudc, our Lord
not only SilI)“‘U(l
a so re ll 0 coil-
sciousiless of power, knowing what ‘He
was about to -do, but wisolv pl-ovilllul
,. inst colllnslon or any pr .. blc decep-
lll sitting down, or rather rcolillillg,nn
1 the grass, the w iricd pcoplc wt (3 put
l at their cast-, probably ill scllli-olrcillar
rows, whore they could bc (easily counted
and served.
The scent‘ must have boell as illt
ing as it w; iill lo. 'll<,=:. It w '
‘tho llloiitli oi" ll0“'( s, when the . opt.
l were rich with the soil, fresh green of
I the spring g
“On tll blvaiitiflll sword, at the baso
of tho rlwkv hill, the people u
, ed to ri-oleiw ' illl tllc hallils oi‘ tllc o
ollfiod the IIill‘:tI'llllillS broad, oillblelll-
atic ot ills body, which is the true bread
‘-1'liom.wm.
H :’ll‘l‘2lllgPlll(‘lll (VISC dllll
7
.p
in,
r‘
'1
oolllllll-t wore.
‘ tho l)(‘lllI‘(.' (',olll'iiscd inullitudo was
i I-!l‘“”l"'ll dlltll all oi'doi‘1yasscliililv, ticr
lioyolltltloi‘. Yiowoil l'l'oili tho side or
ill ilvs, l.lll!l'l‘, wcro ranks ol' lilties
, "ii>wi-d frolll tho l'l'1>llt [ll(‘l'0 were a lllili-
3 dri,-d Sll(‘l!('V.N'lX'C groups of fiftiiggy while
pain! l- UH‘ ranks there was rooiil for
t it: i
iplos to pliss.
Tllld Ml‘l,'l‘ll'l.ll‘A’l'l()N AX! ' .
m,,”m,' J llwrlti
“iII4lWllt'lI lll‘lI1Ill1h' ii i -. . .
llml llll‘ two llslli-s, lip l.‘..,‘l,-11., ’,1,‘,‘1,,'.?,‘,L.:.(,',"
:h..i ltli-t--.-ll,;m-l lilvilu-lliu l1):IV‘l'sl hml';.r-mi
. rl..-h. [ti Ills .ll-n .h-- to it‘! -i.‘,.-.. n,,'.,,,
Hill] the two lisln-s lllvliltll ill: llllhhw nlmh
hli, '- '
“And tlh-y dld ltll
l
l ,mhl u'Ll‘1‘ llll(‘.<l."
l ’'I‘ Now
1 In mi.-mi up 1.. helm: . “ll! ]ll‘1lVf‘l' “'13
Jdlltilllll h..- .lh.>h Hill‘ ll-.l .a...,.,.., . m, .
I-HM "Hy M-m-, to l'.k1il‘l.'.xi lliu lll“'llI'(l dis-
<.
moal, llllllle into thin cakes, baked hard, ‘
so to l> ’ '
ui ,d to each illdividual, -
I
l givilig thilllks. lll‘lS ii if he n
it tr '
l :lIlXl0n
l
7
l
I
l
1
ll]
alvrays pl'()ll()llIH.'l:tl by
, sollws art‘ a hays moi
Gqve to I1i.w,(lisci]lIex.-
l.i'1IlI0n lint ti '
. was provided for distl
position and holy aifcctiolls of our lloart
and soul. -
P liter.
And biesscd.- It was held hy the -l('““
that ‘he who u- t.‘:'0':Ill ling wlllhml
I (-oil.’ 'l‘llc prayer oi lmlhl;- w...
(ill! llllli(‘l' til llll‘
iaulily; llnll Josiis nttvltr neglects hi’
't 0.
"The description recalls the nut Hll]IlH2l',
of will ’- h'- (5 is ll pulllhllllhm.
Thcworil‘ l(""iIl lhc illhlu lhuhllstsoilu
f:l.VOI'lligils, oilrasking hm - ' '
out tll:mi.s;.rnul;:iul-slmil hlvnrs- ll'(‘llll‘i‘It
iliixlillllnu hgm ilii
nu the l)l'('ll<l oi‘ H o pi-n.lt
lpot ll
4 or iii;:ol' llis ihhhl llllil ]lKilll‘l'.
nliil;.:Iin it with that (If lmhmh ihhhl. illill
ezirllilyclcliielils."
"Ast ' -‘
hv W]ll()“
akiug hmi dllirlinlmlgs-<7
spir . ' to I, iii by
hoopillg Illclll tug mt by lllslldlilllilllg
Lllvlll llbrl) <1”
h ,
llicy slmulil (lI‘llIl(, only
. o he-.lr lit on I lit‘ ()lll)'St‘i'l(-
mg the klllgllmllor llmlx-ml; and mm
l.wmlol- thin llccorlling to the “Owl til
llle pronlisc, were added ullto thcm.">
0 ch.
ing to kno
H . .
ll a t
Tho llitr-lllpts to e.
vent]
.. . . E
type is the In
Sela .
" This IHll'l](‘lC is a Syll!l>OlOr tho illmw
llanstihlc l()t'00l‘Clll'isl llimwlt; Ll .Kl'llll)( l
of ' . - lhhlllpiyihgm .1i4'l'(‘iI
I, ma ' ' , r
illtlilollccs W.
tllree active year
hm i‘(Il(t3ll ml the true, in
Him ’ ' ll. five “‘lll(‘llClll
llisilisvi ill‘ uiiilwliioli ilh-yhl ml-h
vi-y IIil'oIl;.;llout the ages hull to all l2tll(l>.‘
Abbott
Till‘) AF'l‘l-llt-UATIIIC
"Allll illuy took up iW(‘ll l,’ b
l.lll‘ l'i':i;,'liit'iiIs, iiiid of the Hall
"Allll illoy llmi dill wit oi the Ioiivcs were
about tivc tllousam in
In this act of the aftor-gatllerillg, not
only all example of cconoiny was given,
toaclliilg that nothing ilsofill should lit‘
i "toil, hilt what was cvoil more valu-
able, a symbol of tho divine lrlvc. 'l'll;lt
love does not cxllallst itsolf ill lox lllL',’
alld gi illg, butal'tor all its giving, re-
mains riolioi‘ than it" it had not given.
Ill tllc miracle recorded. oauh loaf tll:lt
had been on llalld at lirst had hceil mill-
tiplicd a tlioilszilltlfold, so that tho livo
loavcsllad foil live thollsallll lIIl‘ll, -llld
now the quantity of fraglllt-llts [Pit w s
vastly greatcr than the whole stock at
tile beginliing.
It is sup; scd that the baskets used at
the gathe ing were siloll as the Jmls
were accu.tollleil to carry on thvi '
neys, perllaps thc ‘aim-. as the
wallet alluded to ill a prvviolis ll
Now that their spooial Iilis, ll
over, the disciples might have bcoll pro-
vided with these for lilture occasiolls.
Rl'I.‘l.Xltl(>'.
1. We are not to suppose that the l"r:l,i,:-
llloilts taken up wore the uasto oi‘ tho
eaters, hilt ratllcr thc sllrpllls of what
iblltioll. and what
might properly be kcpt for 1'iltllre USU.-
‘.5. The bread of life, or (lud's truth, s
given to lllon tllroiigll Christ s disoipli-s
or millistcrs.
3. In order to nourish the souls oi"
lllcn, it must be r'ul-eived with glzldllcss
and partaken with tlianksgiving.
LESSON HYMN.
IS, Thou Joy or loviilgz lii':irIs! , I
Follllt oi l‘il- I Thou 1.‘ 'lil ol IIICH.
Frhvlll the l)L:s‘i. llllss that earth llhparl-.
All
We drink o('Tlii:c, tho Folllilaiil
lid tliirst oursonls l
-Ix'cr1l<irtI of cmmuuz.
d7’., ,
-To have the position oi‘ a tcacllcr.
(loos not make you a toaollcr. Yon llln.-it
first inform voursell', alld “be lillvd
with tho spirit that to:i<'lic-s us “ll”
lrutll," before you van riglltly iilsl.i'ut7L
culiglltoll, uplilt your oh ss. To lllorc
ask the p -'lltoil qucstiolls, or “;.r,I%t Ill’
a little “dk u loll " on some li.'iI.)'l """'
przwtioal lint-this is not to tone] cw-ii
thougll you be callod tciu lot‘. It “"5
‘WI! “Hill. “ llcal lllastcrsllip lllay ever
be distiilguislled from more positional
authority.”
rr-x