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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Matthew Chapter 14

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Matthew (Levi)
Date Penned: (60-65 AD)
Overview: Jesus Christ the King (c 1-28)
Theme: Message and Ministry of Jesus, The King (c 4-25)
Message: Jesus Encounters Differing Reactions to His Ministry (v 1-36)

Matthew 14 Commentary
   
(14:1-12) Herod Kills John the Baptist - Matthew continued to record various responses to Jesus. The Pharisees had accused him of being under Satan’s power (12:22-37). Other religious leaders had expressed their rejection (12:38-45). Jesus’ own family thought he had gone crazy (12:46-50). Finally, the people of Jesus’ hometown had rejected him (13:53-58). This chapter gives the story of a government leader’s misunderstanding of Jesus’ identity. Herod thought that Jesus was the resurrected John the Baptist, who had been arrested just prior to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Because John had ministered in Perea (“east of the Jordan River,” John 1:28), he was under Herod’s jurisdiction. The arrest marked the end of John’s public ministry. He was imprisoned for some time prior to his death (see 11:2-6).

(14:13-21) Jesus Feeds Five Thousand - 
Apart from Jesus’ resurrection, this is the only miracle that appears in all four Gospels, showing its importance to Jesus’ ministry and to the early church. While many people have tried to explain away the incident, it is clear that all the Gospel writers saw this as a wonderful miracle. In Matthew and Mark, this miracle follows the account of Herod’s tragic feast where John the Baptist was killed. The placement of the event creates a stark contrast between Herod’s grisly party and the miraculous feast that Jesus provided for the multitude. Like each of Jesus’ miracles, the feeding of the five thousand demonstrated his control over creation and showed that God will provide when we are in need.


(14:22-33) Jesus Walks on Water -  The miracles of Jesus walking on the water and calming the storm (8:23-27) were a double demonstration of Jesus’ power over nature. Matthew and Mark highlighted the effects of these miracles on those who witnessed them.


(14:34-36) Jesus Heals All who touch Him - The storm had blown the disciples off course, so they did not land at Bethsaida as planned (14:22; see also Mark 6:45). They landed at Gennesaret, a small fertile plain located on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. The small town there had the same name. Capernaum sat at the northern edge of this plain.

 

 


Dave Burnette's Life Application

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the book of Matthew with Chapter 14. In our text today we see John the Baptist's life coming to an end, Jesus feeding the Five Thousand, Jesus walking on the water, and Jesus healing the one who touched the hem of His garment. In making application we see the theme of keeping your eyes on Jesus for He is our Everything. Our lives are just a vapor as our days here are numbered so to make the best of our lives we need to have our eyes on Jesus. How about you? Are you focused on Jesus? Let us learn from our text today and its theme of keeping our Eyes on Jesus for He is the way, the truth, the life, and He is our Everything.  

 

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Matthew 14

Matthew 14

 1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

 2And 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.

 3For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

 4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

 5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

 6But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

 7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

 8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

 9And 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.

 10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

 11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

 12And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

 13When 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.

 14And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

 15And 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.

 16But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

 17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

 18He said, Bring them hither to me.

 19And 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.

 20And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

 21And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

 22And 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.

 23And 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.

 24But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

 25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

 26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

 27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

 28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

 29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

 30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

 31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

 32And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

 33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

 34And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

 35And 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;

 36And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.