Matthew relates that Jesus departed hence (from Capernaum, Matt.
XIII:54) "by ship into a desert place apart" (Matt. XIV:13). This was
just after the beheading of John the Baptist by Herod (Matt. XIV:10, 11,
12). A "great multitude" followed Jesus, "and He healed their sick"
(Matt. XIV:14). At evening the disciples wished Jesus "to send the
multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves
victuals" (Matt. XIV:15). But Jesus said, "Give ye them to eat." They
had but five loaves and two fishes, and Jesus took these and broke them
and the disciples distributed them to the multitude (Matt. XIV:16-19).
"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, besides women and children" (Matt. XIV:20, 21).
Mark, Luke and John follow very closely the narrative of Matthew, Luke
adding the detail that the "desert place" belonged to the city of
Bethsaida[26] (Mark VI:30-45; Luke IX:10-17; John VI:1-13).
A similar miracle is related by Matthew and Mark (Matt. XV:29-39; Mark
VIII:1-9) as occurring shortly after the first, on a mountain near the
sea (Galilee) in "the midst of the coasts of Decapolis" (Mark VII:31).
There were seven loaves and a "few small fishes," seven baskets full of
the broken food were left, and they that did eat "were four thousand
men, besides women and children" (Matthew), or "about four thousand"
(Mark).
Luke and John do not give this miracle.