Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 15:32

"And Jesus called unto him his disciples, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat: and I would not send them away fasting, lest haply they faint on the way." — Matthew 15:32 (ASV)

Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

Ah, dear friends, they were willing to put up with inconvenience to hear the gospel in those days! Three days of sermon-hearing!

People want sermons wonderfully short now, and the sermons must be marvelously interesting, too, or else the people grow dreadfully tired. If dinner-time came around, the dinner-bell, at any time, in these days, would drown out all the attraction of the pulpit.

But here were people who attended Christ's ministry for three days, and they had nothing to eat. He had compassion upon them, and said to his disciples, I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

History repeats itself. We will be wise to note the variations. What Jesus has done once, He can and will do again and again, should the need arise. In fact, one mercy is the promise of another. Our Lord is here the first to speak about the way of dealing with the vast, famishing crowd. The disciples do not come to Him about the matter, but He begins the conversation. In every case, His heart is first, and in this case, His speech is also. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him. They are to be co-workers, and so He consults them, making them members of His privy council. He has all tenderness and can truly say, I have compassion on the multitude.

Whether He moves in a matter of distress or not, His heart is always compassionate, and He thinks of the people’s present fasting and possible fainting. His compassion is the spring that sets His power in motion. The crowds had continued following Him, and He could not help but pity the need that arose from their perseverance in listening to His teaching. These people had endured a three-day fast, or at least a scarcity of food, to hear Him preach. What preaching it must have been! But the great Teacher cares for their bodies as well as for their souls and will not feel content to feed their minds only. From the usual point of view, their lack of provision was their own concern. They had gathered of their own accord, and they could not reasonably look to Him to give them both food and instruction for nothing, but His great heart could not consent to let them faint.

He would not even innocently be the cause of injury to one of them. He solemnly declares, I will not send them away fasting. He would not have His servants indifferent to the sufferings of the poor, even concerning the bread that perishes. We may be doubly sure that He will not long allow any earnest hearer to faint from spiritual hunger. He may make us wait to awaken appetite, but He will not in the end dismiss us unfed. He does not love to let the hungry famish. He fears, lest they faint in the way. If any of us are coming near to that state, He perceives it and will intervene. Let us cultivate an appetite for heavenly food, and Jesus will supply its cravings.