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MATTHEW 15:36 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 15:35Matt 15:37
“And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”
He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. The four eucharistic actions in the four-thousand feeding: took, gave thanks, broke, gave. The disciples who distribute the broken bread and fish are the mediators of the divine provision — the same role as in the five-thousand feeding. The community of disciples is the channel through which the kingdom's abundance reaches the crowd.

Church Fathers on Matthew 15:36

Christ first took away the infirmities of the sick, and afterwards supplied food to them that had been healed. Also He calls His disciples to tell them what He is about to do; 'Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude.' This He does that He may give an example to masters of sharing their counsels with the young, and their disciples; or, that by this dialogue they might come to understand the greatness of the miracle.

Jerome · 4th century

For the multitude when they came to be healed, had not dared to ask for food, but He that loveth man, and hath care of all creatures, gives it to them unasked; whence He says, 'I have compassion upon the multitude.'

Chrysostom · 4th century · Hom., iii

In this Gospel lection we must consider in Christ the work of His humanity, and of His divinity. In that He has compassion on the multitudes, He shews that He has feeling of human frailty; in the multiplication of the loaves, and the feeding the multitudes, is shewn the working of His divinity. So here is overthrown the error of Eutyches [margin note: vid. sup. p. 16], who said, that in Christ was one nature only.

Remigius · 9th century
Read all 15 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Matthew 15:36 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy