Matthew · chapter 14 of 28
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Matthew 14 tells of the death of John the Baptist at the hands of Herod Antipas, the feeding of more than five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, and how Jesus walks on the Sea of Galilee toward his disciples. Peter tries to walk to him, sinks in fear and Jesus rescues him, and the disciples worship him as the Son of God.
After the rejection in Nazareth, Matthew 14 shows how the world hardens against God's messengers in the death of John, and how Jesus, moved by compassion for the crowd, reveals his power over bread and over the sea. The disciples begin to discover who it really is that leads them.
Herod Antipas hears about Jesus and thinks he is John the Baptist raised from the dead. Matthew then tells how Herod had imprisoned John at the request of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because John kept telling him it was not lawful to have her. On his birthday, Herodias's daughter dances and pleases Herod so much that he promises to give her whatever she asks. Prompted by her mother, she asks for the head of John on a platter. Herod, grieved, orders it because of his oaths, and John's disciples take the body, bury it and tell Jesus.
Jesus withdraws by boat to a solitary place, but the crowds follow on foot. Seeing them, he has compassion and heals their sick. In the evening the disciples ask him to send the people away to buy food, but he tells them to give them something to eat. They have only five loaves and two fish. Jesus has the people sit on the grass, looks up to heaven, blesses, breaks the loaves and gives them to the disciples to distribute. Everyone eats and is satisfied, and twelve baskets of leftovers are gathered. There were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus makes his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him, dismisses the crowd and goes up the mountain to pray alone. In the fourth watch of the night the boat is far from land, battered by the wind, and Jesus comes toward them walking on the sea. The disciples, terrified, think it is a ghost, but he says to take heart, it is I, do not be afraid. Peter asks to be commanded to come to him on the water; Jesus calls him, and Peter walks, but seeing the strong wind he becomes afraid, begins to sink and cries out to be saved. Jesus reaches out, catches him and says he has little faith. When they get into the boat the wind ceases, and the disciples worship him, saying he is truly the Son of God. At Gennesaret the sick who touch the fringe of his cloak are healed.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Going ashore and seeing the crowd, Jesus has compassion and heals their sick. Although he had sought a solitary place, his compassion moves him to attend to those who need him.
Jesus blesses the five loaves and two fish and distributes them through his disciples; everyone eats and twelve baskets are left over. The miracle reminds us that God provides and uses the little that is put in his hands.
Jesus tells his frightened disciples to take heart, it is I, do not be afraid. His presence is the answer to fear, and the phrase echoes what God says of himself in Scripture.
Peter, seeing the wind, sinks and cries out for help, and Jesus reaches out immediately. Fear makes us doubt, but the Lord rescues the one who cries out to him.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: Because John kept telling him it was not lawful to have Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. — Matthew 14:3-4
Answer: The head of John the Baptist on a platter. — Matthew 14:8
Answer: Five loaves and two fish. — Matthew 14:17
Answer: Twelve baskets full. — Matthew 14:20
Answer: To take heart, that it was he, and not to be afraid. — Matthew 14:26-27
Answer: They worshiped him and said he was truly the Son of God. — Matthew 14:33
The disciples had only five loaves and two fish, but they placed them in the hands of Jesus. In a small group you can ask what resources, time or talents that seem small we can offer to him, without waiting to have enough first.
The scene with Peter shows that faith is like walking while looking at Jesus. When we look at the waves we sink, but Jesus takes us by the hand. Ask what your strong wind is today and what it means to fix your eyes on Jesus and not only on the storm.
Matthew 14 shows Jesus compassionate and powerful before the death of a prophet, the hunger of a crowd and the fear of his disciples. In chapter 15 the Pharisees attack him again over the traditions of the elders, and Jesus teaches what truly defiles a person.
He is Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great and ruler of Galilee. He had John killed to keep an oath made before his guests and because of Herodias's hatred. Matthew stresses that Herod feared the people and that his weakness led him to order the death of a prophet he knew to be righteous.
Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed about five thousand men, besides women and children, and twelve baskets were left over. It is the only miracle of Jesus told in all four Gospels, and it recalls the manna in the wilderness and God's provision for his people.
Matthew says that seeing the strong wind he became afraid. When he took his eyes off Jesus, faith gave way to fear. Jesus rescues him immediately and says he has little faith, but does not abandon him. The passage encourages us to keep trusting even when we fail.