Week 3

Matthew 14:14–21; 15:32–38. The Feeding of the Multitudes

1.    The Savior provided two similar miracles. As a summary of what took place, complete the following chart:

	Matthew 14:14-21	Matthew 15:32-38
How many people were present?	Over 5,000	Over 4,000
What did they need?	Food	Food
What were they able to offer in an effort to meet that need?	Five loaves and two fish	Seven loaves and a few fish
What words or phrases describe the Savior's feeling toward the multitudes in their time of need?	Compassion, Concern	Compassion, Concern
What words or phrases describe what the Savior was able to provide for the multitudes?	He provided sustenance. He filled their need both physically and spiritually.	He provided sustenance. He filled their need both physically and spiritually.

Daily Bread: Change

2. In each story, the available food was insufficient to feed the multitude, yet with the help of the Lord the insufficiency was overcome. Read Romans 3:23 and explain in writing another way human effort is insufficient in receiving the glory of God. According to Ether12:27, how does the Lord help us overcome this insufficiency? None of us can save ourselves.  We cannot overcome sin and death.  Because of our weakness and sin we fall short of what God asks of us. Dependence on the Savior and His Atonement is absolutely necessary.   Through repentance and the grace of God we can continue to overcome our weakness and sin. Just as the Lord was compassionate with the multitudes, giving them what they needed, both in body and spirit, He will give us what we need, if we come to Him.

Choice 5: How to Know the Truth of the Savior’s Doctrine

1. Review John 7:10–17. Then answer the following questions in writing:
• What were the different reactions of the people about the Savior? Many were bewildered at Christ’s teachings, some of the people thought He was a good man, while others thought He was a deceiver.
• How do these reactions compare to the way people think of Jesus Christ today? Many people today feel the same way.  Some feel He was a good man, some believe He was the Messiah, while others feel He was a deceiver.
• What questions did the Jews ask about the Lord? How was Christ able to teach, since He had no formal education? 
• How do the following verses help explain the difference between where the Jews’ wisdom came from and where Jesus’s wisdom came from: Jacob 4:14; Colossians 2:8; Doctrine and Covenants 93:11–17? Jesus Christ taught as one having authority.  He not only taught the law, but he was the lawgiver. The wisdom of the Jews came from the teachings and philosophies of man. The Jews had fallen into apostasy by altering and changing the law. They added rules as hedges around the laws and therefore lost focus of the law and did not recognize the truth when it was presented.
• What did the Savior instruct the people to do to gain a personal knowledge of the truthfulness of His teachings? Obey the commandments, follow the teachings of Christ and you will know it’s true.
2. Read the institute student manual commentary for John 7:16–17, “What Test Did Jesus Prescribe to Know the Truthfulness of His Doctrine?” (p. 108). Write a paragraph about a time in your life when you came to know the truth of a gospel principle by living it. Obedience brings blessings. It takes work and effort to follow the Savior, but he will support you as you do. One example I can think of is the power that comes to me from daily scripture study. Spending adequate time pondering upon the scriptures everyday makes a difference I can feel in my life. I am more receptive to the spirit and I am blessed with better understanding of the scriptures, meaning the more I study them the easier it is for me to understand what I am studying.