Article August 22, 1936 ISSUE

"Give ye them to eat"

ELIZABETH YATES MC GREAL

A Certain marvelous Bible story appears in each one of the Gospels. It is the only "miracle" that all four recorders have set down—Jesus' feeding of the people with the five loaves and two fishes.

The story tells of the great multitude who surrounded the Master, the multitude who had followed him far, listening to his teaching, experiencing the healing effect of his presence. But evening was upon them and the disciples were troubled. They were in "a desert place," and said to the Master, What is there for the people to eat? Surely it would be better to send them away that they might go to the villages and buy food.

Jesus knew that man's source of supply is where man is; that God, through whom all needs are met, is omnipresent. Matthew tells us that Jesus replied to his disciples, "They need not depart; give ye them to eat." The disciples thought only of a limited supply of food and answered, "We have here but five loaves, and two fishes." "Bring them hither to me," was the Master's reply. The food was brought to Jesus, who bade the multitude sit down. Then, looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the bread, and gave it to the disciples to distribute among the multitude. All Christendom knows the wondrous tale—how the multitude was fed and the fragments, when gathered, filled twelve baskets.

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