Matthew by Grant R. Osborne & Clinton E. Arnold

Author:Grant R. Osborne & Clinton E. Arnold [Osborne, Grant R. & Arnold, Clinton E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Reference, NM, Bible Commentary, Religion, Christianity
ISBN: 9780310243571
Google: Pkb02oWCyv8C
Amazon: 0310243572
Barnesnoble: 0310243572
Goodreads: 6246691
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 1996-09-20T04:00:00+00:00

The Feeding of the Multitudes (15:32-39)

Similar to the first feeding story in 14:15-21, this second account is one of the Gospel’s most profound illustrations of Jesus’ messianic mission, retrospectively evoking thoughts of the feeding of Israel with manna in the wilderness and the prophetic missions of Elijah and Elisha as well as prospectively making links with the eucharistic practice of the community and its longing for the eschatological banquet (see the discussion in 14:15-21).

Taking Matthew’s story on its own terms, this feeding of the multitudes now takes place on the same mountain where the crowds of sick had gathered in the previous scene. This enhances the story’s connection with the motif of the great eschatological banquet on Zion portrayed in Isa 25:6-9. Thus, on the mountain Jesus wipes away the tears of the people (the image used in Isaiah) through his healing and feeds them with the joyous food of the kingdom. Even the expansion of the numbers of those present (four thousand plus women and children in Matt 15:38) contributes to the epic atmosphere of the scene. This connection to the Zion motif is not explicit, but lies close to the surface of Matthew’s narrative (see above, 15:29-31).

Matthew also has other characteristic touches in his story. As in the previous feeding story, the disciples have an important role. Here they seem to readily grasp their responsibility to feed the crowds (contrast 14:15-16) but do not know how to do so. The use of the term eucharistēsas (“giving thanks,” 15:36) and the suppression of the blessing and distribution of the fish (note the elimination of Mark 7:7), with the resulting focus on the loaves and the baskets of leftover fragments, underscore the connection of this story to the eucharistic practice of the community.

The story ends with Jesus getting into a boat and going to the region of “Magadan”; Matthew probably thinks of this as somewhere on the eastern shore of the lake, but its location is unknown. Other manuscripts identify this as Magdala (on the northwest corner of the lake) or Dalmanutha (as in Mark 7:10, also to be located somewhere on the northwest corner). In Matthew’s version of the story, Jesus is alone at this point; the disciples join him later (16:5; contrast Mark 8:10).

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