Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 14:19

"And 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." — Matthew 14:19 (ASV)

And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass,

It must have been a beautiful sight to see those thousands of men, women, and children at once obeying his command. There were five loaves and two fishes—probably five small barley cakes and a couple of sardines; so the people might have said, "What is the use of such a multitude sitting down on the grass to partake of such scanty fare as that?" But they did not say so; there was a divine power about the very simplest command of Christ which compelled instant obedience: He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass.

He had prepared both carpet and seats for His guests by making grass grow in His open-air banquet hall. At the command of their great Host, all the crowds sat down. “He commanded,” and they obeyed. This is a proof of the singular power of our Lord's personality to produce obedience even in simple matters. One would have thought that they might have answered, “What is the use of sitting down? How can a table be furnished in this wilderness?” But our Lord’s presence awed unbelief into silence and obedience. The King of men is immediately obeyed when He commands in the fullness of His majesty. Where the word of a king is, there is power.

Now that all is in order, the divine Lord takes the slender provision into His blessed hands. By a simple sign He teaches the people from where to expect gracious supplies: Looking up to heaven. Not without a blessing does the al fresco meal begin: He blessed. God’s blessing must be sought even when Jesus is there; He will not act without the Father. Our Lord Jesus did everything in providing the feast: He blessed, He broke, He gave to His disciples. All is with Him.

The disciples come to take their subordinate position after He has displayed His divine creatorship. They are the waiters. They serve and distribute. They can do no more. They are glad to do that. In haste, yet in order, they divide the food among the crowd, wondering and adoring greatly as they did so.

It was bread and a relish with it—good and agreeable food, sufficient but not luxurious. Some would give the poor only the barest necessities, bread only. Our Lord adds fish.

What a feast this was! Christ for Master of the feast, apostles for butlers, thousands for numbers, and miracles for supplies! What a far more glorious feast is that which the Gospel spreads for hungry souls! What a privilege to be fed by the Son of God!

And took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed.

This was that the blessing of the Lord of which Solomon says that it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it (Proverbs 10:22). If you get this blessing on your five loaves and two fishes, you may feed five thousand men with them, besides the women and the children.