Matthew 14

S - Matthew 14
O - Herod the tetrarch - ruler of a fourth part of a region. Herod Antipas was one of the several sons of Herod the Great. When H the G died, his kingdom was divided among four of his sons. H A ruled over Galilee and Perea. Matthew correctly refers to him as tetrarch here, as Luke regularly does. But in v9 Matthew calls him "king" - as Mark also does - because that was his popular title among the Galileans, as well as in Rome. (SB)

H the t. refers to Jesus as "John the Baptist" risen from the dead, with miraculous powers. SB - Herod was responsible for John's death (v3-11) and had an uneasy conscience.

I actually think the Herodias part is pretty scary. Maybe because I just watched all these murder mystery shows.

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them¹⁰ and healed their sick.¹¹ 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 


Contrasts Jesus from his disciples. compassion...versus lack of compassion
and the thing is we do this to people in our lives all the time. We think about all these other little reasons that stop us acting out of love to others and living for ourselves.


16 Jesus replied,"They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." 17 "We have here only five loaves¹² of bread and two fish," they answered. 18 "Bring them here to me," he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.¹³ Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.


v20 - God had promised that when the true Shepherd came the desert would become rich pasture where the sheep would be gathered and fed (Eze 34:23-31), and here the Messiah feats with followers in the desert. Jesus is the Shepherd who provides for all our needs so that we lack nothing.
v21 - Matthew notes "besides women and children". He was writing to the Jews, who did not permit women and children to eat with men in public. So they were in a place by themselves.


25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost,"¹⁵ they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage!¹⁶ It is I. Don't be afraid."

SB: walking on the lake - a special display of the majestic presence and power of the transcendent Lord who rules over the sea


"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." 29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith,"¹⁸ he said, "why did you doubt?" 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."


v31 - something we should ask ourselves when we question God's abilities.


A/P - verse 31 for me, is the take home message from this chapter. Pray that from going to church, youth, fellowship with christian brothers and sisters, reading God's word, prayer and worship my faith will be strong in the rock that is Jesus Christ. Because of him we have nothing to be afraid of.