The Gospels · Chapter 14 of 28

Matthew 14

Herod, haunted by the death of John the Baptist, mistakes Jesus for John risen. Matthew recounts how Herodias's daughter secured John's beheading. Hearing this, Jesus withdraws, yet compassion moves him to heal the crowd and feed over five thousand from five loaves and two fish. Later he walks on the sea to his storm tossed disciples, rescues sinking Peter, calms the wind, and is worshipped as the Son of God.

What happens in Matthew 14

Herod the tetrarch hears of Jesus and fears John the Baptist has risen, for he had imprisoned John over his rebuke of Herod's marriage to Herodias. At Herod's birthday, Herodias's daughter dances, and prompted by her mother she asks for John's head on a platter; the grieved but oath bound king has John beheaded. Hearing this, Jesus withdraws by boat, but crowds follow on foot. Moved with compassion, Jesus heals their sick, then feeds them from five loaves and two fish, so all are filled, with twelve baskets left over and five thousand men fed besides women and children.

He sends the disciples ahead and goes up alone to pray. In the night the boat is battered by contrary wind, and Jesus comes walking on the sea. The terrified disciples think him a spirit until he speaks; Peter walks toward him, then sinks in fear until Jesus catches him. The wind ceases, and those in the boat worship him.

Matthew 14 in context

The murder of John marks the shadow of the cross falling across the narrative; the fate of the forerunner foreshadows the fate of the One he announced. Against that darkness Matthew sets two great signs, the feeding and the sea walk, that reveal Jesus's divine power and provoke the disciples' first explicit confession of him as the Son of God.

Main themes of Matthew 14

Matthew 14 (KJV)

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.

Verses to carry from Matthew 14

“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.”Matthew 14:19

“But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”Matthew 14:27

“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”Matthew 14:31

Reflection

Jesus meets us in grief and in storms, moved with compassion when we least expect it. He can take our small and insufficient supply and make it enough. And when fear pulls us under, his hand reaches faster than we sink. The right response is Peter's boat companions': to worship the Son of God.

A prayer from Matthew 14