1 Kings and 2 Kings were traditionally clustered in the Hebrew Bible with Joshua, Judges and Samuel and collectively were known as "The Early Prophets." These "Early Prophets" were to be distinguished from those who followed after them, "The Later Prophets" identified as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the 12 Minor Prophets. Biblical scholars contend that Jeremiah is actually responsible for the composition of Kings, the first and second books. Traditionally, Kings has been characterized as part of the bible's "historical books." The exegesis of 2 Kings 4: 42-44 will reveal a passage which bridges the Old and New Testaments and indicates that out of poverty God is able to create wealth for His believers.
The passage 2 Kings 4: 42-44 is usually given the subheading of "The Multiplication of the Loaves." Its central significance for New Testament scholars is that this passage so precisely prefigures and parallels Christ's multiplication of the loaves and fishes at Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. Christ's miracle of multiplication is recorded in Matthew 14: 13-21, Matthew 15: 32-39 and John 6: 14. In 2 Kings Elisha is shown multiplying 20 loaves with some fresh grain into food sufficient to feed 100 people. When Christ performs his miracle at Tiberias both John and Matthew record that he multiplied 5 loaves with some fish into food sufficient to feed 5,000 with 12 baskets of scraps remaindered. A major distinction between this Old Testament passage and Christ's repetition of these miracles in the New Testament is that both Matthew and John depict Christ as ceremonially "breaking" the bread and ritualistically passing it among his disciples and those gathered. The inclusion of this detail suggests that although Elisha was blessed by God to perform miracles he did not name his mission as that of the Messiah who has come to form a new convenant with His people.
2 Kings 2: begins the "Elisha Cycle" where Elisha is se...