<p>15:38&nbsp;<em>And besides women and children- </em>Gk. 'at a space from'. This was literally true, in that women and children would have sat separately from the men. At least 10,000 people would've been present in total.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>They that had eaten were four thousand men</em>- Eating is a consciously presented theme in this chapter. The disciples are condemned for eating in an unclean manner (15:2), the Gentile woman eats the crumbs rejected by the Jews (15:27), and now a huge crowd of Gentiles (see on :31) including women and children (the socially and religiously marginalized) also &ldquo;eat&rdquo;. The incident is surely placed next to that of the Gentile woman eating the &lsquo;crumbs&rsquo; in :27 in order to show the eagerness of the Gentiles for the bread of Israel. The amazing example of going three days without food in order to receive spiritual food (:31) demonstrated beyond doubt the legitimacy of Gentile interest in the Messianic bread / manna of the Kingdom.</p>
<p>The way the number of eaters is presented at the end of the meal might suggest that this is the equivalent of a bill being presented at the conclusion of a meal. If this is the case, then the hint would be towards Is. 55:1,2, where again we have the theme of free provision of food, and being utterly filled / satisfied: &quot;Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which doesn&rsquo;t satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness&quot;.&nbsp;</p>