The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand — the five thousand men (andres, specifically males) is the headcount for the miracle, which Matthew adds were in addition to women and children — the total number fed may have been significantly larger. The number communicates scale: this is not a small gathering but a crowd of thousands, and every one of them ate and was satisfied. The miracle is public, large-scale, and undeniable.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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