Matthew 14 19

Matthew 14:19 kjv

And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Matthew 14:19 nkjv

Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

Matthew 14:19 niv

And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Matthew 14:19 esv

Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

Matthew 14:19 nlt

Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people.

Matthew 14 verses

Matthew 14 19 Meaning

In Matthew 14:19, Jesus demonstrates His divine authority and compassion by orchestrating the miraculous feeding of over five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. This verse details the pivotal actions: Jesus' command for order, His humble acknowledgment of God's power through prayer (looking up to heaven and blessing), and the process of multiplication through breaking the bread and distributing it via His disciples to the waiting multitude. It portrays Jesus as the ultimate provider and models the role of His followers in ministering to human need through God's abundant grace.

Matthew 14 19 Context

Matthew chapter 14 begins with Herod Antipas executing John the Baptist, creating a somber backdrop. Jesus, seeking a desolate place, is pursued by large crowds, for whom He feels compassion and heals their sick (Mt 14:13-14). As evening approaches, the disciples, practical yet lacking faith, urge Jesus to dismiss the hungry multitude (Mt 14:15). In this moment of human inability and divine compassion, Jesus commands His disciples, "You give them something to eat" (Mt 14:16). The verse Matthew 14:19 describes Jesus' immediate response to this challenge, demonstrating His role as the Messianic provider, recalling Israel's expectation of a prophet like Moses who would provide bread in the wilderness. The historical context for the original Jewish audience would have included the pervasive memory of manna, associating divine provision with God's miraculous care and a hope for a new Exodus-like sustenance under the Messiah. The orderliness of sitting the crowds down, a detail not missed, contrasts with any notion of chaos, signaling a divine and authoritative arrangement, reminiscent of a royal banquet, an implicit polemic against the often haphazard feeding efforts or selfish leadership prevalent at the time.

Matthew 14 19 Word analysis

• And commanding (καὶ κελεύσας - kai keleusas): A strong verb indicating Jesus' authority. It shows He takes charge of the situation, organizing the immense crowd. His command creates order from potential chaos.
• the crowds (τοὺς ὄχλους - tous ochlous): Refers to the thousands present, emphasizing the sheer scale of the need and the multitude Jesus compassionately engages with.
• to sit down (ἀνακλιθῆναι - anaklithēnai): Implies reclining, the common posture for banquets or communal meals. This action introduces a sense of expectation and a ceremonial quality, rather than a mere hurried stop. It speaks of rest and preparation for receiving.
• on the grass (ἐπὶ τοῦ χόρτου - epi tou chortou): A specific, descriptive detail. It highlights the abundance of natural provision, even in a "desolate place" (v. 13), echoing imagery of the Good Shepherd leading to green pastures (Ps 23:2). It also helps confirm the timing, likely spring, when fresh grass would be plentiful.
• He took (λαβὼν - labōn): A deliberate and intentional act by Jesus. He uses what is available, however meager. It underscores His agency in the miracle.
• the five loaves (τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους - tous pente artous): Represents the initial, limited human resource. Often simple barley loaves, they highlight the smallness of the starting point compared to the miraculous outcome.
• and the two fish (καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας - kai tous duo ichthyas): Adds to the humble nature of the original provisions. The extreme scarcity underscores the divine magnitude of the subsequent multiplication.
• and looking up to heaven (ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν - anablepsas eis ton ouranon): A traditional Jewish posture for prayer or blessing, demonstrating Jesus' humble dependence on the Father. It signifies the source of all blessing and power is divine. It is an act of acknowledging God's sovereignty over provision.
• He blessed (εὐλόγησεν - eulogēsen): This is not merely a blessing of the food itself, but rather giving thanks and praise to God for the food, or asking for God's favor upon it. In Jewish context, the prayer acknowledges God as the source of sustenance. This blessing transforms the meager offering.
• and broke (ἔκλασεν - eklasen): A customary action in distributing bread. It also carries profound symbolic weight, particularly in foreshadowing Jesus' body being broken for the multitude at the Last Supper and on the cross. The miracle of multiplication occurs as He breaks.
• and gave the loaves (καὶ ἔδωκεν τοὺς ἄρτους - kai edōken tous artous): Jesus is the active giver, the conduit of divine supply.
• to the disciples (τοῖς μαθηταῖς - tois mathētais): The disciples act as intermediaries. They are empowered and trained by Jesus to participate in His ministry. They are the initial recipients of the multiplied provision.
• and the disciples gave (οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἔδωκαν - hoi de mathētai edōkan): Completes the chain of distribution. The disciples, once limited, now become instruments of abundance, faithfully fulfilling their assigned task. This validates their role in God's kingdom and anticipates their future ministry.
• to the crowds (τοῖς ὄχλοις - tois ochlois): The final recipients. The process ensures that the vast multitude receives the miraculous provision through the service of Jesus' chosen ones.

• "commanding the crowds to sit down on the grass": This phrase emphasizes Jesus' control, the vastness of the recipients, and the order He institutes for their reception. It signifies divine orderliness even amidst chaos.
• "He took the five loaves and the two fish": This highlights the humble beginnings of the miracle and the smallness of the available resources, which serve to magnify the divine power that follows.
• "looking up to heaven, He blessed": This combined action reveals Jesus' deep spiritual connection and reliance on His Heavenly Father, making it clear that the source of power and blessing is entirely divine. It sets a powerful example of prayer before provision.
• "He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the crowds": This sequence meticulously details the flow of divine grace through human channels. Jesus' initial action of blessing and breaking leads to the empowering of the disciples, who then minister to the needs of the multitude. It portrays a pattern of leadership and ministry—receiving from God and distributing to others.

Matthew 14 19 Bonus section

The miracle described in Matthew 14:19 carries profound theological significance beyond a simple act of charity. It serves as a Messianic sign, fulfilling the expectation of a new Moses who would feed God's people in the wilderness, thereby connecting Jesus' ministry directly to Israel's foundational narrative of divine provision. This structured, ordered feeding contrasts sharply with contemporary understandings of rabbinic teaching which might prioritize the law over practical need, or Herod's self-indulgent banquets which prioritized pleasure over compassion. Furthermore, the actions of "taking, blessing, breaking, and giving" found here are nearly identical to the language Jesus later uses to institute the Lord's Supper (e.g., Mt 26:26), solidifying the eucharistic echoes and implying that this physical feeding is a type and shadow of the spiritual sustenance Jesus provides through Himself. The miracle also functioned as a significant faith test for the disciples, moving them from a mindset of limitation to one of divine abundance through obedience.

Matthew 14 19 Commentary

Matthew 14:19 unveils Jesus' sovereign power and profound compassion in action. Faced with a vast, hungry multitude and His disciples' inability to provide, Jesus responds with a direct command for orderly arrangement, illustrating His capacity to manage and bless on a grand scale. His act of taking the meager food, looking heavenward, and blessing acknowledges God as the ultimate source of all provision, a pivotal demonstration of His divine identity and filial dependence. The subsequent breaking of the loaves not only facilitated distribution but also symbolically foreshadowed the breaking of His own body for humanity. By entrusting the distribution to His disciples, Jesus both trains them in ministry and establishes a pattern for His church: receiving abundantly from Him and faithfully dispensing to the world. This moment transcends a mere physical feeding; it prefigures the spiritual sustenance He offers and the eschatological banquet of the Kingdom of God, while simultaneously showing that God works through humble means and obedient service to accomplish extraordinary ends.