which they carried full ; in the second, the number of spyrides corresponds to that of the loaves. If they had had more cophini in the one instance, or spyrides in the other, the loaves would without doubt have been increased in quantity (cf. 2 Kings iv. 6), that the baskets might be all filled ; see Mark viii. 20. But the spyris, rendered in Latin sporta, was larger than the cophinus ; an ancient gloss renders xopivos, corbis, corbula, i.e., a twig basket or pannier. Juvenal1 speaks of needy Jews, whose household stuff consisted of a cophinus and some hay ; from which it is evident that the cophinus was xovportpov, lighter ; so that it might be carried about by any one for daily use. The spyris seems to have held the proper burden for a porter ; cf. Acts ix. 25.2
10. Tuv rsrpaxiffxiMcav, of the four thousand) That which any one enjoys and uses may be said to be his. — Safari, ye took) sc. for future food, as a compensation for the five and seven loaves which ye spent.
11. Hug, how) A particle expressing astonishment. — Cf. Gnomon on ch. viii. 10. — ou <xtpi ciprov, not concerning bread) The literal meaning is frequently more true and more sublime than the meaning of the letter ; and where the latter treats of things natural, the former leads to things spiritual. In things spiritual, heavenly words ought to be taken more closely.
12. "Suvqxav, they understood) Our Lord still left something to be understood by His disciples. He shows them what leaven did not mean in this passage ; it was their part, when they heard what it was not, to gather what it must be. Thus also in ch. xvii. 13. — dvb r^g dida^g, from that of the doctrine)3 sc.
delicate mark of truth. Accordingly, our translators, who were not wit nesses, have lost the point, their attention not being turned to the dis tinction, by rendering both alike baskets. — See Blunt Script. Coinc., p. 285.— ED.
1 See preceding footnote. — (I. B.)
" Quorum cophinus fenumque supellex." — Juv. iii. 14.
2 Where we read, " Then the disciples took him [Paul] by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket (iv awpfoi). — (I. B.)
3 In E. V. the verse is rendered, " Then understood they how that He bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." — (I. B.)