# Matthew 14 📖: Feeding Thousands and Walking on Water [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Matthew Overview]] | [[Matthew 13]] | [[Matthew 15]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) #### The Death of John the Baptist **Principle**: Stand For Truth without fear no matter what. [[#Verse 01]] At that time Herod the tetrarch heard reports about Jesus,  [[#Verse 02]] and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead! And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.”  [[#Verse 03]] For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,  [[#Verse 04]] because John had repeatedly told him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”  [[#Verse 05]] Although Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.  [[#Verse 06]] But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,  [[#Verse 07]] so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.  [[#Verse 08]] Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”  [[#Verse 09]] Although it grieved the king, because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given.  [[#Verse 10]] So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison.  [[#Verse 11]] His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  [[#Verse 12]] Then John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus. #### The Feeding of the Five Thousand **Principle**: Jesus can do a whole lot with a little bit. [^1] [[#Verse 13]] Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, they followed him on foot from the towns.  [[#Verse 14]] As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  [[#Verse 15]] When evening arrived, his disciples came to him saying, “This is an isolated place and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”  [[#Verse 16]] But he replied, “They don’t need to go. You give them something to eat.”  [[#Verse 17]] They said to him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”  [[#Verse 18]] “Bring them here to me,” he replied.  [[#Verse 19]] Then he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.  [[#Verse 20]] They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full.  [[#Verse 21]] Not counting women and children, there were about 5,000 men who ate. #### Walking on Water **Principle**: Nothing Can Stop Jesus from Getting to You [[#Verse 22]] Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds.  [[#Verse 23]] And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.  [[#Verse 24]] Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it.  [[#Verse 25]] As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea.  [[#Verse 26]] When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear.  [[#Verse 27]] But immediately Jesus spoke to them: “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”  [[#Verse 28]] Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.”  [[#Verse 29]] So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.  [[#Verse 30]] But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  [[#Verse 31]] Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”  [[#Verse 32]] When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased.  [[#Verse 33]] Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” [[#Verse 34]] After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.  [[#Verse 35]] When the people there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him.  [[#Verse 36]] They begged him if they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. # ==📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary== ##### Verse 01 Herod the Tetrarch. - A “Tetrarch” means 4th ruler. By this, it means he ruled over 1/4 of the kingdom. - When Herod the Great died, the kingdom was divided into fourths. - Archelaus- was an Ethnarch (ruler of half) - He ruled Judea, Samaria, and Idumea. - Herod Antipas was a Tetrarch. - He ruled Galilee and Perea. - Philip was a Tetrarch. - He ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Miracles at the Sea of Galilee Jesus Calms the Storm- [[Matthew 08|Matthew 08:23-27]], [[Mark 04|Mark 04:35-41]], [[Luke 08|Luke 08:22-25]] Jesus Walks on Water- [[Matthew 14|Matthew 14:22-33]], [[Mark 06|Mark 06:45-52]], [[John 06|John 06:16-21]] The Miraculous Catch of Fish- [[Luke 05|Luke 05:4-11]] A Second Miraculous Catch- [[John 21|John 21:1-14]] ##### Verse 02 ##### Verse 03 ##### Verse 04 ##### Verse 05 ##### Verse 06 ##### Verse 07 ##### Verse 08 ##### Verse 09 ##### Verse 10 ##### Verse 11 ##### Verse 12 ##### Verse 13 ##### Verse 14 ##### Verse 15 ##### Verse 16 ##### Verse 17 ##### Verse 18 ##### Verse 19 ##### Verse 20 ##### Verse 21 ##### Verse 22 ##### Verse 23 ##### Verse 24 ##### Verse 25 ##### Verse 26 ##### Verse 27 ##### Verse 28 ##### Verse 29 ##### Verse 30 ##### Verse 31 ##### Verse 32 ##### Verse 33 ##### Verse 34 ##### Verse 35 ##### Verse 36 ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great, ruled Galilee and Perea as tetrarch from 4 BC to AD 39. 2. Herodias had been married to Antipas' brother (14:3), so their marriage violated the Law (Leviticus 18:16). 3. Josephus writes that Herod Antipas feared John's influence over the people. 4. Josephus names Herodias' daughter as Salome, though the Gospels do not give her name. 5. The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle besides the resurrection recorded in all four Gospels. 6. The count of five thousand men (14:21) did not include women and children, so the crowd may have been much larger. 7. Many see the twelve baskets of leftovers (14:20) as a picture of provision for the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve apostles. 8. The fourth watch of the night (14:25) was roughly between 3 and 6 a.m. 9. Jesus' words "It is I" (14:27) are *ego eimi* in Greek, the same phrase the Greek Old Testament uses for God's name "I am" (Exodus 3:14). 10. Gennesaret (14:34) was a fertile plain on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the Bread of Life who feeds the multitudes (14:19-20; John 6:35) and the Lord who walks on the sea and tells His frightened disciples, "It is I" (14:27). They rightly worship Him as the Son of God (14:33). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. John the Baptist lost his life for speaking the truth to Herod (14:3-10). What does it cost to stand for truth today? 2. The disciples saw five loaves and two fish, but Jesus saw a meal for thousands (14:17-21). What small thing can you place in Jesus' hands? 3. Peter walked on the water until he focused on the wind (14:29-31). What pulls your eyes off Jesus? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 14: Jesus sees the crowd, has compassion on them, and heals their sick. - 📖 verse 23: Jesus goes up the mountain by Himself to pray. - 📖 verse 27: Jesus tells the frightened disciples to take courage, because it is He. - 📖 verses 30-31: Peter begins to sink and cries out, and Jesus immediately reaches out and catches him. - 📖 verse 33: The disciples worship Jesus as the Son of God. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Leviticus 18#Verse 16.|Leviticus 18:16]] - The law against marrying a brother's wife. - 🔗 [[John 06#Verse 01.|John 6:1-14]] - The feeding of the five thousand. - 🔗 [[2 Kings 04#Verse 42.|2 Kings 4:42-44]] - Elisha feeds a hundred men with leftovers. - 🔗 [[Exodus 16#Verse 04.|Exodus 16:4]] - God provides bread from heaven in the wilderness. - 🔗 [[Mark 01#Verse 35.|Mark 1:35]] and [[Luke 05#Verse 16.|Luke 5:16]] - Jesus withdraws to pray alone. - 🔗 [[Job 09#Verse 08.|Job 9:8]] - God alone treads on the waves of the sea. - 🔗 [[Exodus 03#Verse 14.|Exodus 3:14]] - "I AM." - 🔗 [[Isaiah 43#Verse 01.|Isaiah 43:1-2]] - When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. - 🔗 [[Matthew 16#Verse 16.|Matthew 16:16]] - You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Matthew 14 - SOAP|I Am Here]] ## 📂 Internal Notes [^1]: [[Series_TheWay_Part5-Live.To.Give]] (inserted this story at the last minute)