Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
commanded them to make them
all sit down, arranging the guests
on the green grass. 40. And they
sat down, arranged in hundreds,
and fifties. 41. And when he had
taken the five loaves and the two
fishes, raising his eyes to
heaven, he blessed, 374 and brake
the loaves, and gave to the
disciples to set before them, and
divided the two fishes among
them all. 42. And they all ate,
and were satisfied. 43. And they
carried away twelve baskets full
of the fragments and of the
fishes. 44. Now they who had
eaten were about five thousand
men.
Matthew 14:13. When Jesus heard it. John, who relates the same narrative, does not mention
the reason why Jesus crossed over to the opposite bank, (6: 5.) Mark and Luke differ somewhat
from Matthew; for they describe the occasion of the journey to have been to give some repose to
his disciples, after that they had returned from their embassy. But there is no contradiction here;
for it is possible that he intended to withdraw his disciples into a desert place, in order that he might
be more at leisure to train them for higher labors, and that, about the same time, an additional reason
arose out of the death of John. Minds which were still feeble might have been terrified by the death
of John, learning from the melancholy end of that eminent prophet what condition awaited them
all. Certainly, as it was formerly related that, when John was imprisoned, Christ removed from
Herod’s territory, in order to avoid his fury for the time, so we may now infer that Christ, in order
to keep his trembling disciples at a distance from the flame, withdrew into a desert place.
How long the Apostles were employed in their first embassy it is not in our power to determine;
for the Evangelists, as we have formerly remarked, either did not attend to dates, or did not observe
them with great exactness. I think it highly probable that their commission to proclaim the kingdom
of Christ was not confined to a single occasion, but that, as opportunities were offered, they either
repeated their visit to some places, or went to others after a lapse of time. The words, they came
together to him, I look upon as meaning that ever afterwards they were his constant attendants; as
374 “Rendit graces;” — “gave thanks.”
160
John Calvin