Bread for us - Thoughts from Matthew

Have you ever wondered why there are two accounts recorded of Jesus feeding multitudes of people with small amounts of bread and fish in this book of Matthew? While I was reading through Matthew this past week I had some insight into this from the way Matthew orders these events in his book. Follow me.

First, in chapter 15 of this book he begins to tell a story about a Canaanite woman with great faith (at this point he has already told the feeding of 5000). She comes to Jesus and asks him to cast out a demon from her daughter. He replies, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." This seems very strange from the lips of Jesus but we must read on.

She begged on her knees, "Lord, help me!"

He said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

She said humbly, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from the children's table."

Jesus was amazed at her faith and instantly the woman's daughter was healed because of her faith.

Now interestingly in chapter 13 the people from his own town do not have any faith and then in chapter 14 he feeds the 5000. Here in chapter 15 after this Gentile woman has shown incredible faith we move to another feeding miracle.

Now listen. This is incredible! WHY IS THERE SO MUCH BREAD LEFT OVER FROM THE MIRACLE? WHY? Is not Matthew telling us? Is not the Canaanite woman's response to our Messiah informing how we should reading this miracle?

Jesus has fed the children of Israel and there are 7, yes 7, large baskets FULL of bread! There is so much bread remaining for the Gentiles. Our Messiah did come to his own, but he has other sheep! We are part of these sheep! How merciful and gracious has God been to us!

As we continue to read these amazing passages let us see our God and Messiah and may his Spirit help us respond in awe and amazement over his love to and for us.

The Heart: Generous, stirred, willing

It is very interesting that in the context of law there is so much said about the heart. Moreover, there is a repeated theme in 35:4-36:7 of the people's free will offerings. The stipulation for these offerings is simple, "Whoever is of a generous heart..." (35:5). 

Then 35:21, "And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him..."

And v. 22, "All who were of a willing heart..."

Then v. 29, "All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything..."

Then 36:2, "every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work."

God is not after His people's rigid conformity to laws devoid of affectionate devotion to Him. Wooden obedience is not worship. Going-through-the-motions-obedience is not worship. How big a problem did the prophets have with that! (cf. Micah 6:1-8). He has given laws concerning idolatry and Sabbath in order to guide the people to worship that is proper and true. In that same wind there is a constant repeat of this willing heart. The will is being stirred up and the LORD delights in their worship (and by His gracious initiative, 36:1-2). It strikes me that in the context of law this theme of heart emerges again and again.

And I cannot end the post but by praising Jesus Christ for being our reference of true worship. Because of Him we are given a new heart and a new spirit within us (Ezek. 38:25-28)... and it is more than willing, it is resolute and jealous for the glory of God. May His Spirit fill us anew today, so that we have all joy and peace in believing and power to abound in hope.

Can Man’s Prayers Change a Sovereign God?

Exodus 32:11 But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 …Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people…14 And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

One of the intriguing mysteries of Scripture is the marriage of the providence of the Sovereign Lord and the effectual prayers of a righteous man. How are these two truths united? Or are they? Can a righteous man’s prayers change the mind or the plans of the Sovereign Lord? In the narrative of the golden calf did not God tell Moses that He would destroy the people due to their stiff-necks? Moses, then made a plea to God on behalf of the people, His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and His testimony before the Egyptians. Scripture then teaches, “and then the Lord relented.” Did Moses’ prayer change God or did it change Moses? Again, within this passage we find two powerful truths which appear to clash: God’s sovereignty verses the power of prayer. From my limited point of view I am unable to justify the two, but God’s glorious Word teaches both and in both can I find the greatest of peace and pleasure.

A Theme to Dwell On

Why did God command Moses to build a tabernacle?
"Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst" [Exodus 25:8].

Why did God bless Solomon to build a temple?
"Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel" [1 Kings 6:12-13].

Why did God send Jesus?
"'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)" [Matthew 1:23].

Why did God elect and effect a Jewish and Gentile church?
"Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?" [1 Corinthians 3:16].
"In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit" [Ephesians 2:22].

Why will the new Jerusalem come down from heaven?
"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God'" [Revelation 21:2-3].

Big Idea behind all these verses, I propose:
God's intention throughout all of redemptive history has been to win and be with his people.

(Update: Add to this list Exodus 29:45-46 where God tells why he drew his people up out of Egypt:
"I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.")