Today in chapter 14 we will cover several things. So, let’s get started. And it reads.
Matthew 14
[1] At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
[2] And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
Now this Herod, and there were several, was terrified thinking Jesus was John the Baptist. Notice that he claimed he was risen from the dead? What will he think when Jesus does rise from the dead? A tetrarch is a ruler or governor of a fourth part of a kingdom.
Mat.14:3] For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.
[4] For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
It was not legal for a man to have his brothers wife, while he was still alive. We find that it was a commandment from God in Leviticus 18:16 and again in 20:21. And they read.
Lev.18:16] Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.
Lev.20:21] And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.
Back to Matthew
Mat.14:5] And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
[6] But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
This was a sexual dance that her daughter performed.
[7] Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
[8] And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.
[9] And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
[10] And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
[11] And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
What a lovely mother and daughter they were. May God reward them for their works.
Mat.14:12] And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
Jesus loved John they were cousins. And he knew, chose, him as a prophet.
Mat.14:13] When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
[14] And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
Compassion is a trade mark of an Elect.
Mat.14:15] And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
[16] But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
As disciples we are to feed them the word of God. He said feed my sheep. A pastor represents the pasture. And we as disciples do this freely. Freely given, freely we give.
Mat.14:17] And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
[18] He said, Bring them hither to me.
[19] And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
Notice that Jesus did not feed the multitude, but that his disciples fed them. Also, this bread, for his body, and this fish, for Christianity. Also, there was discipline and not chaos. Everything done orderly.
Mat.14:20] And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
These twelve baskets represent the twelve tribes, and the fragments represents false teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Why we should check our teachers out in Gods word to make sure they are teaching the word of God and not out of their own hearts. Traditions of men make void the word of God.
Mat.14:21] And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
5,000 men and their families, maybe 20,000 people are here.
Mat.14:22] And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
[23] And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
[24] But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
[25] And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
The fourth watch would be between 3-6am.
Mat.14:26] And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
It seems whenever Gods children are alone, they fear everything. But we are never alone, we always have the Lord, he will never leave us nor forsake us.
Mat.14:27] But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
[28] And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
[29] And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
What a great feeling that would be. To walk on the water with Jesus.
Mat.14:30] But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
[31] And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
[32] And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
[33] Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Peter took his eyes off Jesus. The sea represents this world, and while in this world, we with faith, never take our eyes off Jesus. For all we do is for Him. Also in James we read.
James 1:6] But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
And in Proverbs also reads.
Prov.3:5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Back to Matthew and it reads.
Mat.14:34] And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
[35] And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
[36] And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
Much faith found here. but what of this “hem of his garment”? For that we go to Numbers 15:37 and it reads
Num.15:37] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[38] Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
[39] And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
These people knew the word of God. They knew and had great faith that Jesus was the Son of God. No doubt this pleased the Lord.
Let’s go to His throne.
Father, we thank you for your word. Bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible