Matthew 15:33
Sunday, 11 January 2026
Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?” Matthew 15:33
“And the disciples, they say to Him, ‘Whence to us in solitude – loaves so many as to gorge a crowd so vast?’” (CG).
In the previous verse, Jesus told the disciples that He had compassion on the crowd, knowing they had not eaten for three days. He noted that He didn’t want them to depart hungry lest they might collapse on the way. Matthew now records, “And the disciples, they say to Him, ‘Whence to us in solitude – loaves.’”
A new word is seen, erémia, solitude. It is derived from erémos, lonesome. Both give the sense of a wilderness or waste area, including a desert. The disciples are concerned about presenting bread to the people, as there was no place near enough to obtain it.
This attitude perplexes scholars who immediately assume they would have remembered the feeding of the five thousand and taken it for granted that this would be expected again. Such an attitude is shallow, and it dismisses the reality of life with Jesus.
They traveled to places, had to feed themselves, such as when walking through the grainfields picking the heads, they ate at people’s houses, etc. At these times, Jesus didn’t just pop food in front of them. Luke specifically records this thought in his gospel –
“Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” Luke 5:17
The words seem to presuppose that there were times when the power to heal wasn’t openly manifest. They may have gone to many towns where He taught, and yet no healings took place. We weren’t there and cannot know.
This is true with the disciples and apostles as well. There were times when they could heal and times when they did not. This continued through the apostolic age. Paul specifically mentions a number of people with physical troubles whom he did not heal. There are times when Peter and Paul restored the dead to life. But these were unique, non-repeatable events.
This attitude also dismisses the record of Israel where there were great miracles, such as the crossing of the Red Sea, the bitter water made sweet, manna and quail being provided, etc., and within no time, Moses was saying –
“The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?” Numbers 11: 21, 22
There is no reason for the disciples to have been confounded by Jesus’ words. One miracle does not presuppose that it can be or will be repeated. Throughout the times in the wilderness, Israel faced hardship and deprivation as a means of testing the people. Jesus is now testing His disciples, who continue with the words concerning their need for bread, saying, “so many as to gorge a crowd so vast?”
The multitude was expansive, and the location was barren. Just like Israel in the wilderness being led by Moses, the answer to their dilemma was and is –
“Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” Numbers 11:23
Life application: It is easy for us to look back on the narrative in Scripture and say, “Why are they so dull?” John Calvin reflects this superior attitude, “nimis brutum produnt stuporem: They reveal too much brute stupor.” But we can be certain that Calvin’s faith ebbed like the tides in the Bay of Fundy at times.
We look at the Bible as events occurring in seconds and without any discomfort or temporal confusion for us as we sit reading and turning page by page. But those with Jesus, as well as the apostles later in their ministries, faced daily life, trials, attacks by foes, splinters, and thorns as they walked, heat in the day, and cold at night.
The disciples’ understanding that Jesus is the Messiah is not the same as understanding that Jesus is God. It took until after the resurrection to figure that out. In the meantime, they thought they were dealing with a guy selected by God to do what God instructed Him. When power was available, they saw it and were amazed. When it wasn’t, they had to struggle through daily life.
Elijah, through faith, conquered the challenge of the four-hundred prophets of Baal. The next day, he ran away as scared as a kitten at the threat of one woman.
We have the full counsel of God with the knowledge available to us that Jesus is God and He prevailed over death for us, and yet our faith wanes at times. Who is in the weaker position? To avoid such times of consternation, we should ensure we read the word daily, stay in tune with the Lord at all times, and hold fast to our faith without easing up. Life is difficult, messy, and each moment is uncertain. Eyes on Jesus! That will carry us through the rough patches of this earthly walk.
Lord God, help us to remember You as we enter into times of uncertainty, trouble, loss, grief, and so forth. We know You are there, and yet our minds are so easily distracted. May we have the wisdom to keep You and Your promises at the forefront of our minds to help carry us through the days of difficulty. Amen.
