rwp - Matthew:15:29-39

rwp@Matthew:15:29 @{And sat there} (\ekathto ekei\). "Was sitting there" on the mountain side near the sea of Galilee, possibly to rest and to enjoy the view or more likely to teach.

rwp@Matthew:15:30 @{And they cast them down at his feet} (\kai eripsan autous para tous podas autou\). A very strong word, flung them down, "not carelessly, but in haste, because so many were coming on the same errand" (Vincent). It was a great day for "they glorified the God of Israel."

rwp@Matthew:15:32 @{Three days} (\hmerai treis\). A parenthetic nominative (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 460). {What to eat} (\ti phagsin\). Indirect question with the deliberative subjunctive retained. In the feeding of the five thousand Jesus took compassion on the people and healed their sick (14:14|). Here the hunger of the multitude moves him to compassion (\splagchnizomai\, in both instances). Songs:he is unwilling (\ou thel\) to send them away hungry. {Faint} (\ekluthsin\). Unloosed, (\eklu\) exhausted.

rwp@Matthew:15:33 @{And the disciples say to him} (\kai legousin auti hoi mathtai\). It seems strange that they should so soon have forgotten the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew:14:13-21|), but they did. Soon Jesus will remind them of both these demonstrations of his power (16:9,10|). They forgot both of them, not just one. Some scholars scout the idea of two miracles so similar as the feeding of the five thousand and the four thousand, though both are narrated in detail by both Mark and Matthew and both are later mentioned by Jesus. Jesus repeated his sayings and wrought multitudes of healings. There is no reason in itself why Jesus should not on occasion repeat a nature miracle like this elsewhere. He is in the region of Decapolis, not in the country of Philip (\Trachonitis\).

rwp@Matthew:15:34 @{A few small fishes} (\oliga ichthudia\, diminutive again).

rwp@Matthew:15:35 @{On the ground} (\epi tn gn\). No mention of "grass" as in strkjv@14:19| for this time, midsummer, the grass would be parched and gone.

rwp@Matthew:15:36 @{Gave thanks} (\eucharistsas\). In strkjv@14:19| the word used for "grace" or "blessing" is \eulogsen\. Vincent notes that the Jewish custom was for the head of the house to say the blessing only if he shared the meal unless the guests were his own household. But we need not think of Jesus as bound by the peccadilloes of Jewish customs.

rwp@Matthew:15:39 @{The borders of Magadan} (\eis ta horia Magadan\). On the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee and so in Galilee again. Mark terms it Dalmanutha (Mark:8:10|). Perhaps after all the same place as Magdala, as most manuscripts have it.