The miracle of the loaves teaches a lesson of dependence upon God. When Christ fed the five thousand, the food was not nigh at hand. Apparently He had no means at His command. Here He was, with five thousand men, besides women and children, in the wilderness. He had not invited the large multitude to follow Him; they came without invitation or command; but He knew that after they had listened so long to His instruction, they would feel hungry and faint; for He was one with them in their need of food. They were far from home, and the night was close at hand. Many of them were without means to purchase food. He who for their sake had fasted forty days in the wilderness would not suffer them to return fasting to their homes. The providence of God had placed Jesus where He was; and He depended on His heavenly Father for the means to relieve the necessity. DA 368.2 And when we are brought into strait places, we are to depend on God. We are to exercise wisdom and judgment in every action of …
"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. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children."
EGW's passage directly discusses the miracle of the loaves and its lesson of dependence on God, which is the central theme of Matthew 14:15-21. EGW provides commentary and application of the event.
"When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world."
EGW's passage directly discusses the miracle of the loaves and its lesson of dependence on God, which is the central theme of John 6:5-14. EGW provides commentary and application of the event.
"Christ has bidden us, through the prophet, “Deal thy bread to the hungry,” and “satisfy the afflicted soul;” “when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him,” and “bring the poor that are cast out to thy house.” Isaiah 58:7-10 . He has bidden us, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15 . But how often our hearts sink, and faith fails us, as we see how great is the need, and how small the means in our hands. Like Andrew looking upon the five barley loaves and the two little fishes, we exclaim, “What are they among so many?” Often we hesitate, unwilling to give all that we have, fearing to spend and to be spent for others. But Jesus has bidden us, “Give ye them to eat.” His command is a promise; and behind it is the same power that fed the multitude beside the sea. DA 369.2"
"Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:"
Ellen White directly references Isaiah 58:7-10 in this passage.
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
Ellen White directly references Mark 16:15 in this passage.
"In Christ's act of supplying the temporal necessities of a hungry multitude is wrapped up a deep spiritual lesson for all His workers. Christ received from the Father; He imparted to the disciples; they imparted to the multitude; and the people to one another. So all who are united to Christ will receive from Him the bread of life, the heavenly food, and impart it to others. DA 369.3"
"And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude."
The EGW passage directly references and interprets the feeding of the 5000, drawing a spiritual lesson from the physical act described in Matthew 14:19. The connection is clear and intentional.
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
The EGW passage speaks of receiving the 'bread of life' from Christ and imparting it to others. John 6:35 identifies Jesus as the 'bread of life.' While not a direct quote, the thematic connection is strong and supports EGW's interpretation of Christ's ministry.
"Himself the Bread of Life, were never empty. The little store was sufficient for all. After the wants of the people had been supplied, the fragments were gathered up, and Christ and His disciples ate together of the precious, Heaven-supplied food. DA 369.4"
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
The EGW passage directly references the concept of Christ as the 'Bread of Life' and connects it to a miraculous feeding, echoing the imagery and themes present in John 6:35. The connection is clear and relevant.
"And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full."
The EGW passage alludes to a miraculous feeding where fragments were gathered, directly mirroring the event described in Matthew 14:20. The reference to gathering fragments is a key detail that strengthens the connection.