Matthew 15 38

Matthew 15 38 Cross References

h2Cross ReferencestableVerse | Text | Reference--- | --- | ---Mk 8:9 | "And there were about four thousand; and he sent them away." | Direct parallel, confirming the count for the 4,000 feeding.Mk 8:8 | "They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over." | Context of 4,000 feeding, highlighting sufficiency and leftovers.Matt 15:32 | "Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd..." | Shows Jesus' compassion leading to the miracle.Matt 15:37 | "And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of what was left over..." | Outcome of the feeding, abundance, and specific leftovers (7 baskets).Matt 14:21 | "And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children." | Parallel but distinct miracle (5,000 men), also counts men only.Mk 6:44 | "And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men." | Parallel (5,000 men) highlighting different scales and events.Lk 9:14 | "For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups..." | Parallel (5,000 men) emphasizing disciples' role.Jn 6:10 | "The men sat down, about five thousand in number." | Parallel (5,000 men) indicating order and magnitude.Matt 16:9 | "Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves for the five thousand..." | Jesus reminds disciples of both feedings, noting numbers of men.Mk 8:19 | "When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you take up?" | Jesus tests disciples' memory on the two distinct miracles.Exod 16:35 | "The people of Israel ate the manna forty years..." | God's provision in the wilderness, showing divine sustainment.Deut 8:3 | "He humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna... that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone..." | God's comprehensive provision, physical and spiritual.1 Kgs 17:16 | "The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty..." | Elijah's miracle of unending provision, foreshadowing divine supply.2 Kgs 4:44 | "He set it before them. And they ate and had some left..." | Elisha feeding one hundred with few loaves, divine multiplication.Ps 78:19 | "They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?”" | Israel's doubt despite God's power to provide even in impossible places.Ps 145:15 | "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season." | God's general providence and timely provision for all creation.Phil 4:19 | "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." | New Testament affirmation of God's abundant supply through Christ.Heb 13:5 | "He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”" | Assurance of God's steadfast presence and care, including provision.Isa 49:6 | "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." | Prophecy of Messiah's universal ministry, relevant to feeding Gentiles.Matt 4:25 | "And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan." | Indicates diverse regions (including Gentile areas like Decapolis) where Jesus gained followers.Acts 10:34 | "God shows no partiality..." | God's inclusive nature, extending salvation and provision beyond specific groups.Rom 15:8 | "For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy." | Highlights Christ's ministry reaching both Jews and Gentiles.Rev 7:9 | "a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages..." | Ultimate vision of God's redeemed people from all nations, reflective of universal scope.

h2ContextThis verse provides the specific demographic count following Jesus' second miracle of feeding a large crowd, documented immediately prior in Matthew 15:32-37. This event occurs after Jesus has engaged with a Canaanite woman and healed many in the region of the Decapolis, which was predominantly Gentile. The crowd had been with Jesus for three days, indicating their significant commitment and Jesus' prolonged ministry in that area. The disciples, despite witnessing many healings, still expressed concern over the lack of food. Jesus took seven loaves of bread and a few small fish, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples to distribute. This detail of the numbers fed signifies the conclusion of that extraordinary act of compassion and provision, emphasizing its immense scope. The separation of "men" from "women and children" also helps distinguish this feeding of the 4,000 from the earlier feeding of the 5,000 (Matt 14:13-21).

h2Word analysisul

• And there were (Καὶ ἦσαν - Kai ēsan): The Greek phrase acts as a simple statement of fact, introducing the count. "Kai" serves as a connective, linking this specific numerical observation directly to the miraculous event that just occurred, confirming the observed outcome.
• four thousand (τετρακισχίλιοι - tetrakischilioi): This is a precise numerical figure, signifying a distinctly large assembly. Its exactness helps to differentiate this specific feeding miracle from the earlier, distinct one where five thousand were fed, emphasizing two unique instances of Christ's large-scale provision.
• men (ἄνδρες - andres): This term specifically denotes adult males. In the cultural context of the time, large crowds or public gatherings were frequently counted by the number of men present, with women and children implicitly understood to be part of the wider gathering but not typically enumerated in official counts.
• beside (ἐκτὸς - ektos): A critical Greek preposition meaning "outside of," "apart from," or "in addition to." This word explicitly clarifies that the figure of "four thousand" does not include the women and children. It fundamentally means "beyond" or "exclusive of," thereby vastly increasing the implied total number of people fed.
• women (γυναικῶν - gynaikōn): Refers to adult females. Their explicit mention, alongside children, confirms that they were present in the crowd and were also fed, despite not being part of the primary numerical count of men. This underscores the broad demographic scope of the miracle.
• and children (καὶ παιδίων - kai paidiōn): The term "paidion" (plural here) refers to young children, often emphasizing their vulnerable or dependent status. Their inclusion indicates that entire families were present, received the miraculous food, and benefited from Christ's compassion and power.ul
• "And there were four thousand men": This phrase precisely establishes the numerical count for the adult male population benefiting from the miracle. It functions as a definite statistic that anchors the account, serving to confirm the astounding scale of Jesus' divine provision to a specific, enumerated group within the larger multitude.
• "beside women and children": This crucial qualifying phrase dramatically expands the true scope of the miracle. It means that the overall number of people present and nourished was substantially greater than the stated four thousand. This paints a picture of comprehensive provision for families and communities, highlighting Jesus' all-encompassing compassion and capacity to meet the needs of every demographic present, not just the easily enumerated heads of households.

h2CommentaryMatthew 15:38 concisely reinforces the immense reality and scope of Jesus' compassion and power. By explicitly stating "four thousand men, beside women and children," it solidifies that the miracle was not merely for a small group but for a truly vast multitude, easily numbering many thousands more. This detail highlights Christ's abundant provision, showcasing His divine capability to meet the deepest human needs for sustenance without limitation. The distinction from the previous feeding of 5,000 emphasizes two separate, equally astounding instances of Jesus' power, demonstrating His reach and care extends to all people, likely including Gentiles in this particular instance, prefiguring the universal nature of the Gospel's message and provision. It assures believers of God's comprehensive and ever-present care.

h2Bonus sectionThe number "four thousand" and the "seven baskets" of leftovers in this feeding (as opposed to "five thousand" and "twelve baskets" in the earlier one) are often seen by scholars as symbolically significant. The number seven is frequently associated with completion or perfection in the Bible, and for the Gentiles, this miracle suggests that Jesus' ministry of provision extends universally, being 'complete' for all peoples (the four cardinal points or "all the nations"). The smaller number of leftovers (seven baskets versus twelve) might also imply that the provisions were for a less specific, but nonetheless abundant, outpouring for the Gentile world, compared to the twelve baskets linking to the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve apostles ministering to Israel. Despite these two clear displays of miraculous provision, the disciples still struggle to comprehend Jesus' divine power to provide, setting the stage for Jesus to later gently rebuke them for their lack of faith regarding "bread" in Matthew 16:5-12, highlighting a persistent theme of spiritual dullness even among His closest followers.