A Deeper Look at Matthew:  An End-Times Bible Study
 
 
Matthew 14
 
            Matthew 14:1-12 is the story about how and why John the Baptist died.  14:1-2 says Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus and so he says to his servants that John must be risen from the dead because of the mighty works Jesus was doing.
            The story goes on to say that John was put in prison because he spoke against Herod taking his brother Philip's wife for his own.  It goes on to say Herod would have killed John but didn't because Herod feared the people, as they believed John was a prophet (and he was).
            But, one day Herod has a birthday and Herodias' daughter dances before them and she pleases Herod so much that Herod promises her whatever she may ask of him.  So, she then goes to her mother and the mother says she wants the head of John the Baptist on a platter (14:8).  The king feels bad about this but because he has made a promise, he commands John to be beheaded.  And, John's head is brought to the woman.  (Let me tell you, I would not want to be her right now!  You kill John the Baptist, YOU PAY DEARLY IN HELL IF YOU DON'T REPENT OF IT!)
            So John's disciples come and take his body away and bury it.  Then, they tell Jesus.  Jesus departs in 14:13 and goes to a desert place but when the people hear of it they go and follow Him.  Jesus goes forth, sees the great multitude and has compassion on them.  He heals their sick (14:14).
            Evening comes and Jesus' disciples come to Him and tell Him to send the people away to buy provisions, because it is late in the day.  Jesus tells them in 14:16 to not send them away but He says "give ye them to eat."  They reply to Jesus that they only have five loaves of bread and two fishes.  Jesus commands them to be brought to Him.  He then gives the order for the people to sit down and here we have another of Jesus' great miracles.  Jesus looks to heaven, blesses the food, breaks it and gives it to the disciples to give to the people.  All the people eat and there are twelve baskets of fragments left over.
            The total number of people that ate was five thousand, not including women and children.  Praises to God for this awesome miracle!
            Jesus, in 14:22, tells His disciples to get into a ship and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  After He does this, He goes up on a mountain to pray and He was there alone in the evening.
            Meanwhile, the disciples are in the ship being "tossed with waves" because of a contrary wind.  Remember, ship locomotion back then was done by either sail or oar, not fancy diesel engines!  It sounds like the disciples were having a hard time.  And, in the fourth watch (the last watch before sunrise) of the night Jesus heads out to them, walking on the sea.  The disciples see Him and become disturbed because they think they are seeing a ghost; they cry out for fear (14:26).  Jesus tells them to be of good cheer and not be afraid because it is Him.  Peter says to Him, "If it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water."  So Peter gets out of the ship and begins walking on the water.  However, he sees the boisterous wind, becomes afraid, and begins to sink.  He cries out, "Lord, save me."  Jesus immediately stretches out His hand and catches Peter, saying to him, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
            This is exactly what we should do when we are in a tough or difficult situation - cry out to Jesus to save us!  He wants us to do this - and He will help us when we cry out to Him.  We just have to have faith that He is and He will help us.  Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."  Above, Peter may have doubted his ability to walk on water but he did not doubt that Jesus could save him when he began to sink.  We must cry out to God and have faith in Him, and He will help us.
            So, after Peter and Jesus enter the ship, the wind ceased.  And, in 14:33, those in the ship come and worship Jesus, saying, "Of a truth thou art the Son of God."  Finally, they land at the land of Gennesaret.
            When the people of the land find Jesus is in town, they go around and bring all the diseased people to Him.  They request that they may just touch the hem of His garment, and as many that do this are perfectly healed (14:36).