Matthew 15:39Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What occurs next resembles the earlier events. Just as Christ departed from the crowd to board the vessel, He does so again now. John also records (John 6:17) that no other miracle attracted as many followers as the one involving the loaves, where the people not only desired to follow Him but sought to crown Him as their king. To evade any semblance of earthly authority, Christ withdrew following this miracle, opting to board the ship rather than depart on foot, ensuring the people could not pursue Him.

Jesus retreats since no sign has attracted more disciples than the miracle of the loaves, leading to the intention of making Him king, as noted by John. Therefore, He chooses to withdraw in order to sidestep any assumptions of aspiring to earthly authority.

Matthew proceeds with these events: After sending away the crowd, He entered the boat and arrived in the region of Magdala. He then spoke these words: "The evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." The Lord had already expressed this sentiment in another context. This instance highlights how the Lord reiterated His own teachings at various times, so that in the face of any irrefutable contradictions, we may interpret them as having been articulated on two occasions. Following the miraculous feeding with the seven loaves, Mark maintains the same order as Matthew, yet Matthew’s references do not pertain to Dalmanutha, despite some manuscripts indicating otherwise; they align with Magdala. There is no doubt that both Evangelists are indicating the same location, albeit with different names. The boundaries of Magdala are present in numerous manuscripts and in the Gospel of Mark.

We have previously addressed this sign, and it would be unnecessary to reiterate that discussion; instead, we will focus on the discrepancies between these two events. Earlier, we read that when evening came, His disciples approached Him, saying, "This place is deserted" (Mt 14:15). In contrast, the Lord, having called His disciples, expressed His compassion for the crowd: "I am sorry for the people, because for three days they have been with Me" (The New Synodal Russian Translation). In the first event, there were five loaves and two fish; in the second, seven loaves and some fish; in the former situation, they reclined on the grass, while in the latter, they sat on the ground. In the first instance, the number of those who partook was five thousand; in the second, it was four thousand.

He did not approach in a lifeless manner, so that those who accompanied Him might not elevate Him. The Gospel of Mark indicates that He promptly boarded the boat with His disciples and arrived at the region of Dalmanutha. This area was known by both of these designations.

All were nourished and satisfied. Without any specific instruction, the apostles collected the leftover fragments into seven full baskets, having fed four thousand men not counting women and children. Then, with a sense of calm and tranquility, and absent the fervor that characterized the previous miracle of multiplying the loaves, the Savior embarked on a boat. He chose not to travel by land to avoid inciting the admiration of the crowds who followed Him, but rather crossed the lake by boat, arriving at the districts of Magdala, or as noted by St. Mark, ‘of Dalmanutha’ (Mark 8:10). These two towns were positioned on the southwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee near Tiberias.

Following this miracle, the Lord swiftly departed and made His way across the lake to the region of Magdala. There, He was confronted by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who sought to test Him with a request. He remained for only a brief period, as evidenced in Mark 8:10, 13, before returning to the sea. After a short time in the wilderness, indicated by the disciples’ belief that they had not taken the loaves, He arrived at Bethsaida. The Pharisees demanded a sign from heaven to prove His divine mission, dismissing the miracles He had already performed on earth as inadequate.

Following the miraculous feeding of 4,000 men on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus Christ makes His way to the western side of the sea. The specific area where Jesus and His disciples arrive is identified in the Gospel of Matthew as the region of Magdala (15:39), while the Gospel of Mark refers to it as Dalmanufa (10). Both Magdala and Dalmanufa are identified as towns or villages, with limited information about their proximity. It is believed that Magdala corresponds to a small village located approximately 1.25 hours north of Tiberias, known as et Medschel. Likely, Dalmanufa was situated nearby as well.

Jesus was reluctant to send the hungry crowds away from Him. After providing them with sustenance, He allowed them to depart. He then, accompanied by the Apostles, entered a boat and traveled to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, specifically to the region of Magdala or as noted by the Evangelist Mark, to Dalmanutha. This small village lies close to the city of Magdala on the western bank of the sea, meaning that the boundaries of Magdala can also be referred to as those of Dalmanutha.

"Situated in the region of Magdala": located near the city of Magdala, along the western shore of Lake Gennesaret, slightly south of Tiberias. Magdala is known as the hometown of Mary Magdalene.

After the multitude had been nourished, Jesus Christ dismissed them, and he along with his disciples boarded a boat, setting sail for the western shores of the Sea of Galilee, reaching the regions of Magdala and Dalmanutha.