We learn this important lesson from this occurrence: That we should love God and diligently hear and believe His Word, as these people in our text did; that then God will provide us with our daily bread. It may be that not all of the people then fed were truly pious; but since there were those among them who feared God with all their heart, and cared more about hearing His Gospel than about eating, the Lord provided also for their bodily wants and gave them food before they expected it. By this deed He intended to tell them that man should first seek the kingdom of God, hear His Word and believe in Him; but also that each one should do with diligence what His calling bids him do, and that, as to the rest, He would provide. Though we are not rich and cannot count our dollars by the thousand, we shall have what we need. We cannot eat money, nor gold and silver, neither stones and the like; we must have bread, the produce of the ground. If we are so situated that we cannot thus gather the food from the fields; if we have neither house nor garner, neither farm nor garden, we will nevertheless obtain enough bread, if we have but faith and trust in God. Such providential care is witnessed every day. Of a penniless scholar, who is diligent and pious, God often makes a great doctor; to a poor maidservant, who fears God and is faithful in the performance of her duties, He gives a good husband and home. Similar examples, of daily occurrence, teach us how God assists the poor, while they who do not fear Him nor love His Word, or are otherwise dishonest and indolent, remain miserable beggars and thriftless all the days of their life. (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for Laetare, Volume 1, p. 285-286)