Then he took the five loaves - A minister of the Gospel, who is employed to feed souls, should imitate this conduct of Christ:

1. He ought to exhort the people to hear with sedate and humble reverence.

2. He should first take the bread of life himself, that he may be strengthened to feed others.

3. He ought frequently to lift his soul to God, in order to draw down the Divine blessing on himself and his hearers.

4. He should break the loaves - divide rightly the word of truth, and give to all such portions as are suited to their capacities and states.

5. What he cannot perform himself, he should endeavor to effect by the ministry of others; employing every promising talent, for the edification of the whole, which he finds among the members of the Church of God. Under such a pastor, the flock of Christ will increase and multiply. See Quesnel.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes,.... Into his hands, being brought him by the disciples from the lad that had them:

and looking up to heaven: to his Father there, from whom all the mercies and blessings of life come;

he blessed them; either asked, or commanded a blessing on them, that they might multiply and increase, that there might be a sufficiency for all the people, and that, they might be nourishing to them. Beza observes, that in his most ancient copy, it is read, "he blessed upon them"; which perfectly agrees with the Jewish way of speaking, "he that blesseth upon the bread"; "he that blesseth upon the wine"; and so upon the fruits of trees, and upon the fruits of the earth, and upon other things (s);

and brake; the loaves, and divided the fishes into parts:

and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude; as they sat in ranks, and in their distinct companies.

(s) Misn. Beracot, c. 6. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.

Brake and gave (κατέκλασεν - ἐδίδου)

Note the two tenses, as in Mark 6:41, and see note there.

To set before (παραθεῖναι)

Lit., to set beside, since the table was at the side of the guest. A common word for serving up a meal. Compare Luke 10:8; Acts 16:34. From the sense of placing beside, comes that of putting in charge, committing (Luke 12:48; Luke 23:46; 1 Timothy 1:18). Hence the kindred noun παραθήκη (2 Timothy 1:12), a deposit: that which f halve committed.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, {e} he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

(e) He gave God thanks for these loaves and fishes, and prayed at the same time that God would feed this multitude which was so great with such a small quantity, and to put it briefly, that this whole banquet might be to the glory of God.

9:10-17 Went aside privately. For the feeding of the five thousand, see notes on Mt 14:13-27 Mr 6:30-44 Joh 6:1-21.

A desert place. Near Bethsaida, on the eastern shore of the Jordan.

Bethsaida. Near the mouth of the Jordan into the Sea of Galilee.

9:10-17 The people followed Jesus, and though they came unseasonably, yet he gave them what they came for. He spake unto them of the kingdom of God. He healed those who had need of healing. And with five loaves of bread and two fishes, Christ fed five thousand men. He will not see those that fear him, and serve him faithfully, want any good thing. When we receive creature-comforts, we must acknowledge that we receive them from God, and that we are unworthy to receive them; that we owe them all, and all the comfort we have in them, to the mediation of Christ, by whom the curse is taken away. The blessing of Christ will make a little go a great way. He fills every hungry soul, abundantly satisfies it with the goodness of his house. Here were fragments taken up: in our Father's house there is bread enough, and to spare. We are not straitened, nor stinted in Christ.