Matthew 15:32-33

[32] Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not them away fasting, they faint in the way. [33] And his disciples say unto him, Whence have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

What is the context of Matthew 15:32-33?

Four Thousand Fed (Matthew 15:32-39 true)
Jesus Feeds Four Thousand (Matthew 15:32-39 true)
Feeding 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39 true)
Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand (Matthew 15:32-39 true)
The Feeding of Four Thousand (Matthew 15:32-39 true)
Feeding the Four Thousand (Matthew 15:32-39 true)
Jesus Feeds More than Four Thousand People (Matthew 15:32-39 true)
Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand .( X .) .( Y .) .( Z .) (Matthew 15:29-39 true)

What does Matthew 15:32-33 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Matthew again called attention to Jesus" compassion ( Matthew 15:32; cf. Matthew 9:36). Evidently the crowds had not gone home at nightfall but had slept on the hillsides to be close to Jesus. This presents a picture of huge crowds standing in line for days at a time to obtain Jesus" help. Some of them were becoming physically weak from lack of food.

The disciples" question amazes the reader since Jesus had recently fed5 ,000 men plus women and children. Probably the fact that the crowd was predominantly Gentile led the disciples to conclude that Jesus would not do the same for them that He had done for the Jews. This may have been especially true in view of what He had said to the Canaanite woman about Jewish priority in God"s kingdom program. If they thought of the feeding of the5 ,000 as a foretaste of the kingdom banquet, they probably would have thought that it was a uniquely Jewish experience. Perhaps since Jesus rebuked the crowd for just wanting food after the feeding of the5 ,000 , the disciples did not think He would duplicate the miracle (cf. John 6:26). Undoubtedly the disciples" limited faith was also a factor (cf. Matthew 16:5-12).