Mark vi. 39.

And he commanded them to make all sit down by com- On the way panies on the green grass.

John vi. 10. Now there was much grass in the place.

Luke ix. 15.

And they did so, and made them all sit down.
John vi. 10. So the men sate down, in number about five thousand.
Mark vi. 40. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by
fifties.

41.

And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake

John vi. 10. and when he had given thanks, he distributed

Mark vi.41. the loaves, and gave them to his disciples, to set before them,

Mat.xiv.19. and the disciples to the multitude,

John vi. 10. and the disciples to them that were set down; and like

wise

Mark vi. 41. the two fishes,

John vi. 11. of the fishes, as much as they would.

Mark vi.41. divided he among them all.

42. John vi. 12.

13.

Mark vi. 43.

And they did all eat, and were filled.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Ga-
ther up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
Therefore they gathered them together,

And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments,
9 Twelve baskets full==δώδεκα κοφίνες πλήρεις.
The well known expressions in Juvenal, Sat. 3. v. 14.
Judeis quorum cophinus fænumque supellex :

and in Sat. 6. v. 542.

Cum dedit ille locum, cophino fænoque: relicto
Arcanum Judæa tremens mendicat in aurem :
have made the word kopivovç in this passage a subject of greater
curiosity than would at first sight appear reasonable. The first
and general opinion is, that the cophinus here alluded to, was a
small basket constantly carried about by the Jews, in remem-
brance of their slavery in Egypt, Psa. lxxxi. 6. 'mn'on nilayn
7179 1*92, 103W baon, which is translated in our version, "I re-
moved his shoulder from the burthen; and his hands were deli-
vered from making the pots;" is rendered by Jerome and Sym-
machus αι χεῖρες ἀυτε κοφίνε ἀπηλλάγησαν. The Septuagint,
instead of yn (transibunt, or transierunt, ap. Arias Mon-
tanus) read, which is followed by the Vulgate-di xɛipes
ἀυτῶν ἐν τῷ κοφίνω ἐδέλευσαν LXX. Manus ejus in cophino
servierunt. Dr. Gill quotes Nicholas de Lyra on this verse, to
prove that the Jews carried baskets with some hay, in comme-
moration of their Egyptian servitude, and Schoetgen quotes
Sidonius Apollinaris, Epist. 7. 6. and Alcimus Avitus, lib. 5.
v. 30. to the same effect.

Another interpretation of the word ropivog is that of Farna-
bius, who supposes that the Jews made that use of the hay and
the cophinus, which Juvenal and Martial, (lib. v. Ep. 17.) have
alluded to, as an emblem of their poverty and sufferings during
the last siege of Jerusalem, when they were reduced to the
necessity of eating hay, in the terrible scarcity of provisions.
But this explanation is evidently erroneous: the cophinus, as
may be shewn in numerous instances, being in general use be-
fore the siege of Jerusalem,

to Jerusa

lem.

John vi. 13. of the five barley loaves,

Mark v. 43. and of the fishes,
John vi. 13. which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
And they that had eaten were about five thousand men,
beside women and children.

Mat.xiv.21.

John vi. 14.

Then those men which had seen the miracle that Jesus
did, said, This is, of a truth, that prophet that should
come into the world.

MATT. xiv. ver. 15. part of ver. 16. ver. 17. part of ver 19. and
ver. 20.

15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, say-
ing, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the
multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy
themselves victuals.

16 But Jesus said unto them-give ye them to eat.

17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass; and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and, looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake; and gave the loaves to his disciples

20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

LUKE ix. part of ver. 12. ver. 13. part of ver. 14. and ver. 16, 17.

12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the-and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.

13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

14 (For they were about five thousand men.) And he said— Make them sit down

16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes; and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

Crenius imagines that the Jews made use of the cophinus at Rome, and elsewhere, for the sale of various small articles of pedlary; and Buxtorf, that the basket, from the earliest period, was a part of their household stuff; whence the expression, Deut. xxviii. 5. 2, blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. The basket was used, he supposes, to bring the first-fruits to the priest, and the hay was provided to prevent the various offerings from touching each other. Schoetgen replies to these suggestions, that it was not possible all the Jews could be employed in selling; neither would they have carried their baskets of first fruits so uniformly to Rome, as to have excited the satire of Juvenal; neither were those who were now following Christ going up to Jerusalem to offer their first fruits. He concludes, therefore, with adopting the opinion of Reland, which is followed also by Schleusner (in voc kopivos) that the cophinus was used by the Jews for carrying about with them the articles of provision, &c. permitted by their law, and that the hay served to spread under them, when they were compelled to sleep abroad in places inhabited by Gentiles.-Sce the whole dissertation in Schoetgen. Horæ Hebraicæ, vol. i. p. 133.

John vi. 15.

17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken On the way up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

JOHN vi. part of ver. 13.

13 and filled twelve baskets with the fragments

SECTION V.

Christ sends the multitude away, and prays alone".
MATT. xiv. 22, 23. MARK VI. 45, 46. JOHN VI. 15.

to Jerusalem.

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come, Probably and take him by force, to make him a king,

Mark vi. 45. straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before, unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

Mat.xiv.22.

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up John vi. 15. he departed again into a mountain, himself alone. Mat.xiv.23. apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

MATT. xiv. ver. 22. and part of ver. 23.

22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 into a mountain

MARK Vi. ver. 46.

46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

near Jerusalem.

SECTION VI.

Christ walks on the Sea to his Disciples, who are overtaken
with a storm

MATT. xiv. 24-33.

John vi. 16.

MARK VI. 47-53. JOHN Vi. 16-21. And when the even was now come, his disciples went Galilee. down unto the sea,

10 It is a good remark of Dr. Gill, that those who desired a temporal Redeemer, were unworthy of his presence. All who follow Christ for power-shew-popularity-wealth or honour, or for any other purpose than to receive a spiritual Messiah, are unworthy of him. Christ retired to a mountain, and declined all worldly honours. To have the power of praying, to be admitted as Christ was admitted, into communion with God the Father, is higher and more inestimable than all earthly distinctions and treasures.

"Christ here demonstrated his power as the Lord of Nature. He walked upon the sea, and when he entered into the ship the waves and the wind acknowledged him, and the ship was instantly at the place of its destination. Nonnus has given a beautiful description of this miracle: Christ, he tells us, walked upon the water with unwetted feet; and when he came into the ship it moved as by a divine impulse, like a winged thought of the mind, without winds, without oars, self-moving to the distant haven.

Χρισὸν ἐθηήσαντο διατείχοντα θαλάσσης

John vi. 17.

And entered into a ship, and went over the sea, to- Galilee. wards Capernaum:

Mark vi. 47. and the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on

the land:

John vi. 17. and it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

18.

Mat.xiv.24.

Mark vi. 48.

Mat. xiv.25.

And the sea arose, by reason of a great wind that blew. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with the waves; for the wind was contrary.

And he saw them toiling in rowing:

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

Mark vi. 48. and would have passed by them.

John vi. 19.

Mat.xiv.26.

Mark vi.50. Mat, xiv.27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

Mark vi. 51.

John vi. 21.
Mat.xiv.32.

So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus, walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

For they all saw him, and were troubled.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

And Peter answered and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee, on the water.

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid : and beginning to sink, he cried, Lord, save me.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?

And he went up unto them into the ship;

Then they willingly received him

And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

John vi. 21. and immediately the ship was at the land whither they

went.

Mark vi. 51. and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

52.

For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their hearts were hardened.

"Αβροχον ἴχνος ἔχοντα, βατῆς ἀλὸς ὀξὺν ὁδίτην---
-ἐπεὶ θεοδίνεϊ παλμῶ

Οια νέος πτερόεις, ἀνέμων δίχα, νόσφιν έρετμων
Τηλεπόροις λιμένεσσιν ὁμίλειν ἀυτομάτη ναῦς.

Nonnus Paraphrase, p. 69. (The copy of Nonnus' para-
phrase of St. John's Gospel here referred to, is imperfect, I
cannot therefore refer to the edition and year of its publica-
tion.)

Mat.xiv.33.

Mark vi. 53.

54.

Mat.xiv.35.

Mark vi. 55.

Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Galilee. him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God 12.

MARK vi. part of ver. 47, 48. ver. 49. and part of ver. 50, 51.

47-when even was come

48-for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon

the sea

49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they sup-
posed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

50 And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto
them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
51-and the wind ceased-

JOHN VI. ver. 20. and part of ver. 21.

20 But he saith unto them, it is I, be not afraid.
21 into the ship.

SECTION VII.

Christ heals many People.

MATT. xiv. 34, 35, 36. MARK vi. 53-56.

And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesareth, and drew to the shore.

And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him.

And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about,

And ran through that whole region round about, and
began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where
they heard he was.

Mat.xiv.35. and brought unto him all that were diseased;
Mark vi. 56.

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him, that they might touch if it were but the border Mat.xiv.36. the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

MATT. xiv. ver. 34. and part of ver. 36.

34-And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

36 And besought him that they might only touch-

MARK vi. part of ver. 56.

56 of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

12 Markland (ap Bowyer's Crit. Conjec. p. 95.) has justly remarked the difference between this confession (ἀληθῶς θεῷ ὑἱὸς ε) which is no higher acknowledgment than the heathen centurion, and the soldiers, made at the crucifixion; and that of St. Peter contained in Matt. xvi. 16. Σὺ εἶ ὁ χρισὸς, ὁ υἱὸς ΤΟΥ DεoŨ TOY LOVтog, thou art THE Christ, THE Son of THE one God, THE living God.