Matthew 16:5 kjv
And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
Matthew 16:5 nkjv
Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
Matthew 16:5 niv
When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.
Matthew 16:5 esv
When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.
Matthew 16:5 nlt
Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread.
Matthew 16 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mat 16:6 | Then Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” | Immediately followed by Jesus' warning about doctrine. |
| Mat 16:7 | And they began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “It is because we brought no bread.” | Disciples misinterpret Jesus' words literally. |
| Mat 16:8 | But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you have no bread?" | Jesus rebukes their lack of faith/understanding. |
| Mat 16:9 | "Do you not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves... how many baskets you took up?" | Recalls the first feeding miracle as evidence of provision. |
| Mat 16:10 | "Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many large baskets you took up?" | Recalls the second feeding miracle as evidence of provision. |
| Mat 16:11 | "How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?" | Jesus clarifies His spiritual meaning. |
| Mat 16:12 | Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. | Disciples' eventual understanding of spiritual meaning. |
| Mk 8:14 | And they had forgotten to take bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. | Parallel passage in Mark emphasizing their lack. |
| Mk 8:15 | And He gave them orders, saying, “Watch out, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” | Mark's parallel warning about "leaven." |
| Mk 8:16 | And they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. | Mark's parallel on disciples' literal interpretation. |
| Mk 8:17-21 | And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand?...” | Mark's extended rebuke of their spiritual dullness. |
| Mat 14:15-21 | When it was evening, the disciples came to Him... “Do you give them something to eat.” ...He gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. | The first feeding miracle (5,000), context for bread/provision. |
| Mat 15:32-38 | And Jesus called His disciples to Him... "And He ordered the crowds to sit down... and gave thanks; and He broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” | The second feeding miracle (4,000), context for bread/provision. |
| Jn 6:17 | And getting into a boat, they started across the sea to Capernaum. And it had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. | Disciples crossing the sea in another context; familiar setting. |
| Lk 12:22-31 | "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat... For all these things the nations eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you." | Jesus' teaching on divine provision and not worrying about food. |
| Php 4:19 | And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. | Divine provision for believers, counteracting concern about physical needs. |
| Deut 8:3 | "He humbled you and let you go hungry and fed you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord." | Man does not live by physical bread alone, setting the stage for spiritual understanding. |
| Heb 13:5 | Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” | God's unfailing presence and provision. |
| 2 Cor 3:14-16 | But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. | Describes spiritual dullness/hardening that can prevent understanding (parallel to disciples). |
| Jer 2:32 | "Can a virgin forget her ornaments or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number." | The spiritual implication of "forgetting" God's acts and character. |
| Psa 78:41-42 | Again and again they tested God, and they provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power, The day when He redeemed them from the adversary. | Israel's history of forgetting God's past powerful acts, mirroring disciples' forgetting of feeding miracles. |
| Mat 8:23-27 | When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea... And they came to Him and woke Him... "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” | Another instance of disciples in a boat with Jesus, displaying "little faith." |
Matthew 16 verses
Matthew 16 5 Meaning
Matthew 16:5 records a simple logistical detail as Jesus' disciples cross the Sea of Galilee: they neglected to bring physical bread with them for the journey. This seemingly minor oversight immediately precedes and sets the stage for Jesus' crucial teaching concerning the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees, highlighting the disciples' limited spiritual perception and preoccupation with worldly matters in contrast to the spiritual realities Jesus sought to impart.
Matthew 16 5 Context
Matthew 16:5 occurs immediately after Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees and Sadducees (Mat 16:1-4) who demand a sign from heaven. Jesus sternly refuses, calling them an "evil and adulterous generation" and referring them only to the "sign of Jonah"—His death and resurrection. Following this encounter, Jesus and His disciples withdraw by boat to "the other side" of the Sea of Galilee. The forgetfulness of the bread by the disciples serves as a natural transition and immediate setup for Jesus' subsequent warning in verses 6-12 about the "leaven" of these religious leaders, revealing a critical misinterpretation by the disciples which Jesus must then correct, exposing their lack of spiritual insight despite witnessing numerous miracles.
Matthew 16 5 Word analysis
- And (Καὶ / Kai): A common conjunction, but here it marks a direct continuation from the previous passage (16:1-4). It implies a logical progression of events, from Jesus' departure from the demanding religious leaders to the journey with His disciples.
- when His disciples (ἐλθόντων τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ / elthontōn tōn mathētōn autou): "His disciples" refers to the twelve whom Jesus chose to follow Him closely and learn from Him. The use of "disciples" (μαθηταί / mathētai) emphasizes their role as learners and apprentices. The grammatical construction highlights their act of coming/arriving, setting the scene.
- had come (ἐλθόντων / elthontōn): A participial form from ἔρχομαι (erchomai), meaning "to come, go, arrive." It signifies the completion of a journey, marking their arrival at a specific point on their path, usually across the water.
- to the other side (εἰς τὸ πέραν / eis to peran): "The other side" of the Sea of Galilee often denotes a region predominantly Gentile (like the Decapolis, previously visited in 15:21-39), in contrast to the Jewish region they left. Spiritually, "crossing over" can signify moving into new territory, a different sphere of operation or understanding, setting them apart from the spiritual dullness they just encountered.
- they had forgotten (ἐπελάθοντο / epelathonto): This key verb, from ἐπιλανθάνομαι (epilanthanomai), means "to forget," "to neglect," or "to overlook." It highlights their human fallibility and preoccupation. The aorist tense implies a simple, completed act of forgetting. The nature of their forgetting (basic provision) contrasts sharply with the abundance of the recent feeding miracles they witnessed and participated in.
- to take (λαβεῖν / labein): From λαμβάνω (lambanō), meaning "to take," "to receive." This highlights the practical action they neglected.
- bread (ἄρτους / artous): Plural of ἄρτος (artos), meaning "bread" or "loaves." In the immediate context, it refers to physical provision. However, in the broader context of Jesus' teaching on "leaven," it foreshadows a metaphorical discussion, drawing attention to both physical sustenance and spiritual truth. Its appearance just after Jesus fed thousands (twice) highlights the disciples' apparent oversight of Jesus' power to provide.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "And when His disciples had come to the other side": This phrase details the movement of Jesus and His close followers. The "other side" serves as both a geographical relocation (likely away from the Galilee region where the contentious encounter with the Pharisees just occurred) and a symbolic setting for Jesus' teaching that follows, perhaps moving to a less hostile, more private environment for instruction.
- "they had forgotten to take bread": This entire phrase reveals a striking human failure given their recent experiences. It exposes a lack of foresight or a mind still rooted in immediate physical concerns. The significance of forgetting "bread" is amplified by the fact that they had just witnessed and participated in two miraculous feedings involving thousands of people, where Jesus provided abundance from a few loaves. This lapse implicitly questions their reliance on Jesus' provision or their retention of the lesson of His divine power over material scarcity. This forgetfulness sets up Jesus' test of their understanding in the following verses.
Matthew 16 5 Bonus section
- Echoes of Israel's forgetfulness: The disciples' lapse in forgetting bread resonates with a recurring theme in the Old Testament, where Israel repeatedly "forgot" God's mighty acts of provision and deliverance, succumbing to fear and grumbling despite abundant evidence of His faithfulness (e.g., in the wilderness journeys after manna). This forgetfulness in Mat 16:5 highlights a persistent human spiritual flaw.
- Preparing for the next lesson: The specific detail of "bread" being forgotten is not arbitrary. It forms the immediate connection to Jesus' upcoming discourse on the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees," creating a logical link for a teachable moment that moves from a mundane concern to a vital spiritual truth concerning doctrine and hypocrisy.
- A "small" detail with big implications: This verse exemplifies how the Gospel writers often include seemingly insignificant details that, upon deeper examination, carry profound theological and contextual weight, setting the stage for major lessons about faith, perception, and discipleship.
Matthew 16 5 Commentary
Matthew 16:5, though seemingly a simple statement of fact, acts as a crucial setup for Jesus' profound teaching. The disciples' forgetfulness of physical bread serves as a tangible illustration of their broader spiritual dullness and failure to grasp the true implications of Jesus' identity and power. Having recently witnessed Jesus miraculously feed thousands with minimal bread (Mat 14:15-21, 15:32-39), their immediate concern about food in the boat underscores their short memory or limited faith. Their literalistic preoccupation with physical bread, despite the demonstrated abundance provided by Jesus, prepares the scene for Jesus to expose their spiritual shortsightedness when He later speaks of the "leaven" of the Pharisees—a teaching which they, predictably, first misinterpret in physical terms (Mat 16:6-7). This moment subtly emphasizes the ongoing need for the disciples, and indeed all believers, to transition from focusing on the temporal and material to comprehending the spiritual realities and abundant provisions, both physical and spiritual, offered by Christ.