Matthew 14:15

KJV

And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, 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.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G1161} when it was {G1096} evening {G3798}, his {G846} disciples {G3101} came {G4334} to him {G846}, saying {G3004}, This is {G2076} a desert {G2048} place {G5117}, and {G2532} the time {G5610} is now {G2235} past {G3928}; send {G630} the multitude {G3793} away {G630}, that {G2443} they may go {G565} into {G1519} the villages {G2968}, and buy {G59} themselves {G1438} victuals {G1033}.

Complete Jewish Bible

As evening approached, the talmidim came to him and said, "This is a remote place and it's getting late. Send the crowds away, so that they can go and buy food for themselves in the villages."

Berean Standard Bible

When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

American Standard Version

And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert, and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 14:15 captures the disciples' pragmatic assessment of an overwhelming logistical challenge: a vast multitude in a remote, desolate area as evening approaches, with no immediate source of food. Their logical, human-centric suggestion to send the crowds away to procure their own provisions sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent miraculous demonstration of divine compassion and boundless provision, pivoting the narrative from human limitation to God's omnipotent grace.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse immediately follows a somber period for Jesus, as He has just received the devastating news of John the Baptist's execution by Herod Antipas ([Matthew 14:1-12](/matthew/14-1-12 "Matthew 14:1-12 - John the Baptist's Death")). Seeking a moment of solitude and withdrawal, Jesus departed by boat to a "desert place" ([Matthew 14:13](/matthew/14-13 "Matthew 14:13 - Jesus Withdraws After John's Death")), likely an uninhabited area on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. However, His attempt at seclusion was interrupted by vast crowds who, recognizing Him, followed Him on foot from the surrounding towns. Moved by profound compassion for their spiritual and physical needs, Jesus spent the day healing their sick ([Matthew 14:14](/matthew/14-14 "Matthew 14:14 - Jesus Heals the Sick")). As the day drew to a close, the disciples, acutely aware of the practical difficulties of feeding such a large gathering in a remote location, voiced their concerns and proposed a seemingly sensible solution, which directly precedes Jesus' surprising command to feed the multitude themselves ([Matthew 14:16](/matthew/14-16 "Matthew 14:16 - Jesus Commands Disciples to Feed the Crowd")).

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The "desert place" (Greek: _erēmos topos_) mentioned in the text does not imply a sandy, arid desert but rather an uninhabited, uncultivated, or wilderness area, often used for pasture. Such locations lacked any form of infrastructure—no markets, inns, or homes where food could be purchased or prepared for thousands of people. In ancient Israel, hospitality was a deeply ingrained cultural value, but the sheer size of the crowd made conventional hospitality impossible for the disciples. The phrase "the time is now past" indicates that it was late in the day, likely late afternoon or early evening. This timing was critical; traveling long distances to villages to buy food and find lodging would become increasingly difficult and dangerous as night fell. The disciples' suggestion was therefore a practical, culturally understandable response to an overwhelming logistical problem, reflecting the limitations of their human resources and foresight in a pre-modern setting.

* **Key Themes:** Matthew 14:15 powerfully introduces several recurring themes in the Gospels. Foremost is the **Contrast Between Human Limitation and Divine Provision**. The disciples' pragmatic assessment ("This is a desert place, and the time is now past") underscores human inability to solve the problem, setting the stage for Jesus to demonstrate His supernatural power to provide beyond all human capacity. This episode highlights the **Developing Faith of the Disciples**, who, despite witnessing numerous miracles, still tend to operate from a worldly, logical perspective, contrasting sharply with Jesus' kingdom-oriented approach. Their concern for the crowd's physical needs was genuine, yet their proposed solution lacked the foresight into Jesus' miraculous potential, echoing Jesus' earlier teaching on not worrying about material provisions ([Matthew 6:25](/matthew/6-25 "Matthew 6:25 - Do Not Worry About Your Life")). Finally, the verse subtly emphasizes the profound **Compassion of Christ**. While the disciples sought to dismiss the crowd, Jesus' heart was moved with deep empathy, leading Him to take responsibility for their well-being and meet their hunger in an extraordinary way, demonstrating His holistic concern for humanity.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **evening (Greek, _ópsios'_):** From ὀψέ, meaning "late." This term specifically refers to the period of late afternoon or early evening, often extending to nightfall. Its use here emphasizes the urgency of the situation, as the day was far spent, making travel and the procurement of food increasingly impractical for the large multitude. It sets a temporal constraint that highlights the disciples' perceived impossibility.
* **desert (Greek, _érēmos'_):** This word describes a place that is lonesome, waste, desolate, or a wilderness. In this context, it signifies an uninhabited or uncultivated area, devoid of towns, markets, or readily available resources. It underscores the isolation and the lack of human infrastructure, making the disciples' logistical concerns about feeding thousands of people highly valid from a human perspective.
* **victuals (Greek, _brōma'_):** Derived from the base of βιβρώσκω (to eat), this term broadly refers to "food" or "provisions." While it can sometimes carry ceremonial connotations in Jewish law, here it simply denotes the necessary sustenance for the hungry crowd. The disciples' suggestion for the people to "buy themselves victuals" highlights their assumption that food could only be obtained through conventional means and personal expense.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And when it was evening":** This opening clause establishes the critical temporal setting. The approach of evening signaled the end of the day's activities and the impending need for rest and sustenance, intensifying the logistical challenge for the large crowd in a remote location.
* **"his disciples came to him, saying":** The disciples, acting as concerned and responsible stewards, took the initiative to approach Jesus. This indicates their recognition of a significant problem and their desire to find a solution, albeit one limited by their human understanding.
* **"This is a desert place, and the time is now past":** This is the disciples' concise and accurate assessment of the dire circumstances. "Desert place" emphasizes the lack of resources and infrastructure, while "the time is now past" highlights the lateness of the hour, making it impractical for the crowd to remain or for food to be easily acquired. These two observations form the logical basis for their subsequent suggestion.
* **"send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals":** This is the disciples' proposed solution. It is a pragmatic, human-centered response: disperse the crowd so individuals can independently seek food in nearby populated areas. This reveals their reliance on conventional means and their inability to envision a supernatural alternative, underscoring the contrast with Jesus' impending miraculous provision.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several key literary devices. **Setting** is crucial, as the "desert place" (ἔρημος τόπος) symbolizes a place of human barrenness and insufficiency, emphasizing the acute need for divine intervention. This remote, resource-scarce environment serves as a stark backdrop against which Jesus' forthcoming miracle will shine even brighter. There is a clear **Contrast** between the disciples' human logic and limited perspective ("send the multitude away") and Jesus' divine, compassionate, and ultimately miraculous solution (implied by the setup for the next verse). This contrast highlights the chasm between human capability and divine omnipotence. Furthermore, the disciples' statement serves as **Foreshadowing**, setting the stage for one of Jesus' most significant miracles, the feeding of the five thousand. Their expressed problem directly anticipates Jesus' demonstration of His power to provide abundantly, turning a seemingly insurmountable human dilemma into an opportunity for divine glory.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 14:15 serves as a powerful theological pivot, illustrating the stark contrast between human limitation and divine omnipotence. The disciples' pragmatic, yet ultimately insufficient, solution highlights humanity's inherent inability to meet its deepest needs, whether physical or spiritual, through its own resources. This scenario echoes numerous Old Testament narratives where God's people faced insurmountable challenges in the wilderness, only for God to intervene miraculously with provision, such as the manna and quail in the Exodus ([Exodus 16](/exodus/16 "Exodus 16 - Manna and Quail in the Wilderness")) or water from the rock ([Exodus 17:1-7](/exodus/17-1-7 "Exodus 17:1-7 - Water from the Rock at Rephidim")). The disciples' plea to dismiss the hungry crowd underscores a recurring theme in Scripture: God's people often fail to grasp the boundless nature of His provision, even when it is directly before them. This verse thus sets the stage for Jesus to reveal Himself not merely as a healer or teacher, but as the ultimate Provider, fulfilling ancient prophecies and demonstrating His divine authority over creation and sustenance.

* [Mark 6:35](/mark/6-35 "Mark 6:35 - Disciples' Suggestion to Jesus")
* [Luke 9:12](/luke/9-12 "Luke 9:12 - Disciples' Plea to Dismiss the Crowds")
* [John 6:5](/john/6-5 "John 6:5 - Jesus Tests Philip Regarding Food")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 14:15 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. When we encounter "desert places" in our own lives—situations of scarcity, overwhelming challenges, or seemingly impossible circumstances—our initial, human response often mirrors that of the disciples: to find a logical, pragmatic solution, or even to try and "send the problem away." We might rely solely on our limited resources, our intellect, or our own efforts, failing to consider the boundless capacity of God. This verse challenges us to bring our perceived impossibilities, our anxieties, and the needs of those around us directly to Jesus. It teaches us that true solutions often lie beyond human logic and conventional means. Instead of dismissing the problem or relying on our own strength, we are called to trust in Christ's infinite ability to provide, to transform scarcity into abundance, and to reveal His glory in ways that defy our understanding. It encourages us to cultivate a faith that looks beyond immediate circumstances to the supernatural power of our Savior, recognizing that our limitations are merely opportunities for His divine provision to be displayed.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "desert places" are you currently facing in your life—situations where resources seem scarce, or solutions appear elusive?**
* **How often do you, like the disciples, default to human logic and pragmatic solutions before seeking divine intervention in your challenges?**
* **In what areas of your life do you need to trust Jesus more deeply for His miraculous provision, rather than trying to "send the problem away" or solve it solely on your own terms?**

### FAQ

**Why did the disciples suggest sending the people away instead of asking Jesus to perform a miracle?**

Answer: The disciples, despite having witnessed numerous miracles performed by Jesus, often operated from a practical, human perspective. Their primary concern in [Matthew 14:15](/matthew/14-15 "Matthew 14:15 - Disciples' Suggestion to Jesus") was the logistical impossibility of feeding such a massive crowd (later specified as 5,000 men, plus women and children) in a remote, "desert place" as evening approached. They were thinking in terms of conventional resources—money, markets, and travel time to villages. While they knew Jesus could heal, the idea of Him miraculously providing food for thousands in a wilderness setting may have been beyond their immediate comprehension or expectation at this point in their spiritual development. Their suggestion was a logical, albeit limited, human response to an overwhelming problem, which serves to highlight their developing faith and sets the stage for Jesus to reveal more of His divine nature as the ultimate Provider.

**What does "the time is now past" imply about the situation?**

Answer: The phrase "the time is now past" (Greek: ὥρα ἤδη παρῆλθεν, _hōra ēdē parēlthen_) signifies that it was late in the day, likely late afternoon or early evening, approaching sunset. This temporal detail is crucial because it created a significant logistical problem for the multitude. As darkness would soon fall, it would become increasingly difficult and dangerous for thousands of people to travel to distant villages to find food and lodging. The lateness of the hour emphasized the urgency of the situation and the impracticality of the disciples' proposed solution from a human standpoint, thereby underscoring the necessity and miraculous nature of Jesus' immediate and supernatural intervention.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 14:15, though seemingly a mundane logistical observation, profoundly points to Christ as the ultimate Provider and the "Bread of Life." The disciples' plea to dismiss the hungry multitude in a "desert place" highlights humanity's inherent spiritual bankruptcy and its inability to satisfy its deepest longings through its own efforts or worldly resources. Jesus' response, not to send the people away but to miraculously feed them, foreshadows His greater work as the one who satisfies spiritual hunger. He is the true manna from heaven ([John 6:35](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life")), who offers Himself as the living bread, ensuring that those who come to Him will never hunger and those who believe in Him will never thirst ([John 6:51](/john/6-51 "John 6:51 - Jesus Gives His Flesh for the Life of the World")). Just as He supernaturally provided physical sustenance in a desolate place, He provides eternal life and spiritual nourishment in the "wilderness" of sin and despair. His compassion for the physically hungry in this passage mirrors His ultimate act of compassion on the cross, where He gave His body and shed His blood to satisfy humanity's greatest need for reconciliation with God and eternal life ([Matthew 26:26-28](/matthew/26-26-28 "Matthew 26:26-28 - Institution of the Lord's Supper")). This miracle is a tangible demonstration of His divine authority and His ongoing mission to sustain His people, both physically and spiritually, until His glorious return, when all hunger and thirst will be forever satisfied in His presence ([Revelation 7:16-17](/revelation/7-16-17 "Revelation 7:16-17 - God Will Shepherd His People")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 15:23

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

Mark 8:3

And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

Mark 6:35

And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time [is] far passed:

Mark 6:36

Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.

Luke 9:12

And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, 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.