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MATTHEW 16:8 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 16:7Matt 16:9
Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
But Jesus, aware of this, said: O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? The little-faith rebuke — this time in plural — addresses the disciples' bread-anxiety with the same gentle challenge as Peter's water-walking (Matthew 14:31). The why are you discussing among yourselves communicates the unnecessary anxiety: the disciples have no bread because they forgot it, but they are with the one who can feed thousands with five loaves.

Church Fathers on Matthew 16:8

As the Lord had left the Pharisees on account of their unbelief, so now He teaches His disciples to be on their guard against their doctrine; whence it follows, 'And when His disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.'

Gloss (Glossa Ordinaria) · medieval compilation · non occ.

They were bound to their Master with so great affection, that they were unwilling to part from Him for even a moment of time. And herein it should be observed how far they were from any longing for delicacies, when they took so small care for necessaries, that they had even forgotten to take bread, without which human weakness cannot support itself.

Remigius · 9th century

Herein the Apostles are admonished not to be partakers in the doctrine of the Jews; for the works of the Law were established to produce faith, and to prefigure the things that were to follow; and they on whose times truth itself had chanced should look for no further types of truth; lest the teaching of the Pharisees, which knew not of Christ, should stay the effect of Gospel truth.

Hilary of Poitiers · 4th century
Read all 13 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Matthew 16:8 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy