Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Matthew Chapter 14
Metaphysically Interpreting Matthew 14:13-21
14:13Now when Jesus heard it, he withdrew from thence in a boat, to a desert place apart: and when the multitudes heard thereof, they followed him on foot from the cities. 14:14And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 14:15And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert, and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food. 14:16But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat. 14:17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 14:18And he said, Bring them hither to me. 14:19And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 14:20And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 14:21And they that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
NOVEMBER 13, 1970: Matt. 14:15-21
WEEKLY UNITY - THINK BIG FOR BIG MIRACLES
UNITY INTERPRETS A LIVING BIBLE LESSON
Prepared by MARY MAE OESCH
One of the spectacular miracles recorded in the Gospel is Jesus' feeding of five thousand persons.
Jesus had been teaching and healing, and the crowd had given eager attention. The day was drawing to a close, and everyone was hungry; but there was no place to buy food. The apostles suggested that the people be sent to the nearest village to obtain food. But Jesus surprised the apostles by replying that they should give the people something to eat.
The apostles, thinking strictly from a material standpoint, answered that only five small loaves of bread and two fish could be found. How could they know that this was a nucleus for abundance far beyond their present power to imagine?
Jesus, however, thought not in terms of only five loaves and two fish. He knew that God's supply of perfect good is without limit and is always available. After the food had been brought to Him, He arranged for the people to sit down on the grass in an orderly fashion. Then, taking the food, He “looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.”
The more the food was divided and shared, the more it was multiplied; so that “they all ate and were satisfied.” Through His consciousness of spiritual substance, Jesus had provided food for “about five thousand men, besides women and children.” Furthermore, there were “twelve baskets full of broken pieces left over.”
Many attempts have been made to explain Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand in terms of human possibility. Yet miracles cannot be analyzed on a purely intellectual basis; their nature must be spiritually discerned. We remember that a miracle in the [----ti--?] of a universal law is a way that the average person does not understand. Jesus understood and used the law of increase, so that formless substance was given form. He knew the all-sufficiency and ever-availability of infinite spiritual substance. He used the dynamic power of thought to break the bonds of atoms composing the few loaves and fish, and fed five thousand people.
There are many practical ways in which we may apply Jesus' methods of demonstrating supply. We can benefit by a series of do's and don'ts gleaned for our own use.
Do not be discouraged by an appearance of lack. Never limit your prosperity by saying, “We have only so much and no more.”
Do accept the Truth of unlimited spiritual substance as the source of all blessings. Affirm that you have plenty for all your needs. Jesus “looked up to heaven”; His uplifted consciousness praised God as the generous Giver of all good.
Do teach your thoughts to expect and prepare for the best. Jesus instructed the people to sit down (to relax and expect to be fed).
Do not belittle present blessings.
Do bless and give thanks for the supply of good that is already evident, as well as that which you expect.
Do multiply your supply by giving and sharing. Give because you are grateful for God's generosity. Jesus “broke and gave the loaves” to be shared with the people.
Do not let your faculties function on a sense level, as when the apostles doubted at first that food could be provided for the crowd. Do not judge by appearance, lose faith in spiritual power, or imagine the worst.
Do keep all your faculties working together toward your goal. Visualize your good, have faith in it, let spiritual power work through you. Jesus put all the apostles (faculties) to work distributing food.
Do think big for big miracles!
Should we accept literally the miracle of feeding the five thousand? In Your Hope of Glory, Elizabeth Sand Turner says: “Unity accepts the miracle literally, for it is clear evidence of the ability of spiritual man (Jesus Christ) to mold the ever-present substance and bring it into manifestation.”
How can we get practical help from the account of Jesus' miracle? By applying it within our own consciousness. What do loaves and fish represent? The “loaves” symbolize substance, and “fish” are ideas of increase.
What is the significance of eating? Eating symbolizes mental appropriation. The multitude to be fed is our thoughts. Man partakes of the word of God by affirmation, and so eats of the sustaining substance of Spirit.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 10-19-2013
