Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matt 14:13-21)

Once He received the loaves and fish, the Lord looked up to heaven, blessed and broke them, giving thanks to the Father that He was changed into the food of the Gospel following the era of the Law and the prophets. Then He told the people to sit down on the grass. These people are supported not only by lying on the ground but by the Law; each one is borne up by the fruit of his works no less than by the grass of the ground. Bread is also given to the apostles because through them the gifts of divine grace were to be offered.

After the people were fed and filled by the five loaves and the two fish, and were satisfied, there was so much bread and fish left over that it filled twelve baskets. So the multitude was satisfied by the Word of God coming from the teaching of the Law and the prophets, while an overabundance of divine power through the serving of eternal food (which abounded in the twelve apostles) was preserved for the Gentiles. The same number of those who ate is found among those who would be future believers. It is contained in the book of Acts how out of the countless number of people in Israel, five thousand men believed.

The wonder produced at these miraculous events stands in relation to the proportion of its underlying purpose. From the broken bread and fish gathered after the people were satisfied, the amount collected corresponds to the destined number of the people who believe, those who would be filled by the heavenly grace of the apostles. The measures taken comply with the number, and the number complies with the measures taken. An underlying principle closely adheres to and continues within the means of divine power for the fulfillment of what follows.

Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 14.11