Chapter 40—A Night on the Lake
This chapter is based on
Matthew 14:22-33
;
Mark 6:45-52
;
John
6:14-21
.
Seated upon the grassy plain, in the twilight of the spring evening,
the people ate of the food that Christ had provided. The words they
had heard that day had come to them as the voice of God. The works
of healing they had witnessed were such as only divine power could
perform. But the miracle of the loaves appealed to everyone in that
vast multitude. All were sharers in its benefit. In the days of Moses,
God had fed Israel with manna in the desert; and who was this that
had fed them that day but He whom Moses had foretold? No human
power could create from five barley loaves and two small fishes food
sufficient to feed thousands of hungry people. And they said one to
another, “This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the
world.”
All day the conviction has strengthened. That crowning act is
assurance that the long-looked-for Deliverer is among them. The
hopes of the people rise higher and higher. This is He who will make
Judea an earthly paradise, a land flowing with milk and honey. He can
satisfy every desire. He can break the power of the hated Romans. He
can deliver Judah and Jerusalem. He can heal the soldiers who are
wounded in battle. He can supply whole armies with food. He can
conquer the nations, and give to Israel the long-sought dominion.
[378]
In their enthusiasm the people are ready at once to crown Him
king. They see that He makes no effort to attract attention or secure
honor to Himself. In this He is essentially different from the priests
and rulers, and they fear that He will never urge His claim to David’s
throne. Consulting together, they agree to take Him by force, and
proclaim Him the king of Israel. The disciples unite with the multitude
in declaring the throne of David the rightful inheritance of their Master.
It is the modesty of Christ, they say, that causes Him to refuse such
honor. Let the people exalt their Deliverer. Let the arrogant priests and
315