MATTHEW 14 Three significant incidents are recorded in this chapter that show how unique our Lord Jesus Christ is as a perfect real Man, and also how authoritative He is as the Almighty God. The first twelve verses contain the recounting of the death of John the Baptist and how it affected different persons. The feeding of the five thousand men plus women and children reminds us of the compassion of the Lord Jesus. The storm on the Sea of Galilee gives the response of the disciples as Jesus walked on the water.
In a practical way, the reading of this passage in the new assemblies of the early church would have awakened in them a sense of the importance of the One to whom they were gathered, and the importance of their work for God in the place where He called them to represent Him. We will be wise if we take this same attitude toward the reading of this chapter and ask ourselves: what is the appropriate attitude to take toward the death of a beloved brother or sister? How can I best serve the Lord in what seems like an impossible situation without an answer that I can see to the big problem? Do I really believe the Lord still does things that are beyond anything that we could ask or think?
The burden of a guilty conscience, v.1-12 When God begins to do spiritual work in an area, there are many “principalities and powers” that take notice and will seek to hinder and/or stop completely the work of God. The miracles of the Lord Jesus, awakened in the conscience of Herod Antipas a sense of guilt as he went back over the recent past and his dealings with John the Baptist. It may have been fear that gripped his soul as he thought of John coming back from the dead to confront him. The writing of Josephus, a secular historian in the time of Christ, in “Jewish Antiquities;” writes quite a commentary regarding John the Baptist. He gives an agnostic’s opinion of the events surrounding John’s arrest that is of interest in understanding the time of Herod Antipas’ reign.
John rebuked Herod for his immoral sins by marrying his sister-in-law. Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great. She married her uncle Philip who lived in Rome. When Herod Antipas went to Rome, he persuaded Herodias to leave his half-brother, Herod Philip, and marry him. Marriage to a brother’s wife, while he was living, was forbidden by law. Herodias was an implacable woman who was not below putting her own daughter in a debased performance for the lascivious entertainment of wicked people.
When Herod made a stupid offer from his perverted mind, he likely never thought that such a gory request would come from a woman’s mind. Deep-seated hatred has no limits to the depth to which it can go. When the request for John the Baptist’s head to be placed before him on a platter was made by Salome, Herod did not want to be embarrassed in front of his guests. Consequently, he was pressured to do what he knew was wrong, but did it anyway. That display of the evil of human pride in contrast to what is righteous, has been told all over the world as an example of peer pressure. Strangely, similar actions take place often in the lives of people who are more concerned about what people think of them than what God thinks of them. When John the Baptist’s followers had buried his body, perhaps Herod thought he was done with John, but he had a guilty conscience that wouldn’t go away.
At a later time, when the Lord Jesus was sent to him from Pilate; he wanted Jesus to do a miracle for him at his command. The Lord Jesus Christ didn’t speak a word to him. “No John, no Jesus.” To reject the messenger is to reject the Master. I imagine the piercing eyes of the Lord looking into his dark soul, must have made his guilty conscience burn even more. Even at that, he still never learned the need of facing guilt and repent of his awful sins. Four years later Herod was eaten of worms as he spoke to fawning people, and he dropped down dead in front of them.
The functions of the human conscience can be good or bad. It is the inner judge of moral issues that every human being has been given by God. The conscience can be good and pure; or evil, defiled and seared. Our conscience serves us as a witness, an accuser, and an upholder. It can be a server of good for us, and a source of joy. One’s conscience be dead, as in the case of an adulterous woman according to Proverbs 30:20. There are limitations to the conscience that may need purging. It may be subject to others’ opinions or differ from them. We do know that the conscience is fallible and cannot be counted on in every action, especially if we have allowed it to be seared.
The Compassion of the Benevolent Savior, v.13-21 There are times when we need to be alone to deal with a loss due to grief or for some other emotional reason. It is not always wise to let grief be observed by other people. When grief has been dealt with; then we need to return to the work God gives us, rather than prolong feelings of loss over which we have no control. The work we do is important, and it may be our losses make us more qualified to be a help to other people. People need someone who has compassion, instead of a hard-hearted person who has a tendency to be “cut and dried.”
Matthew’s account of the feeding of the five thousand would emphasize to the new believers in those early assemblies; who the Lord Jesus was. When they heard this event being read, they would realize the One who fed the children of Israel in the wilderness with manna from heaven; was the same One who created bread and fish in an act of compassion and love for His people today. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
This event happened a year before the crucifixion of the Lord in the season of the Passover feast. It happened in the evening when the need of the people would have been the greatest. The Lord didn’t make a suggestion to His disciples when He said, “Give ye them to eat.” Tests of faith come from the Lord at unexpected times and in unexpected ways. It would have given the disciples as well as the readers of Matthew’s Gospel, an awakening awareness of what it means to be associated with Christ. Andrew was the one disciple who had an awareness of the Lord’s compassion and interest, as well as His power. To have brought a boy with five small loaves of bread and two fish was in itself an act of confidence in the Lord; even though he didn’t know what could really be done by himself if he acted in faith.
Both divine power and love are demonstrated in this remarkable act of compassion toward hungry people. There may be times when we tell the Lord what little we have to offer Him, but it is then we need to listen to what He says to us and act on what He commands no matter what it is. In times like that, we find great joy in what He is willing to do through us. What we have to offer Him may seem very simple and commonplace, but when it is given gladly to our Lord, we can trust Him to use it for His own glory. Our contribution to the work of the Lord or a specific need, may not be able to be very big, but God can use what we give Him from a full heart. Time, treasure, and talent all can be used in the service of the Lord. He can multiply what we give.
How touching and how significant it is, that the Lord gave God thanks for the bread and fish. He blessed it to the use of thousands of hungry people, and its impact has been felt by those of little faith down through the centuries when we tell others of the power and authority of our Lord. What He was then, He still is now.
The authority of the Supreme Master, v.22-36 There seemed to be an urgency on the part of the Lord Jesus to get His disciples to go toward the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Most likely it was because the people would attempt to make Him their king; which wasn’t why He came the first time. He came to seek and save the lost, and to open the door to the doctrine and principles of the kingdom. People want the results of kingdom blessing without being born again into the kingdom of God.
Time alone with God is never wasted time. A secluded place to pray like on a mountain alone is very significant to any person who loves the Lord and wants to spend time in prayer and fellowship with the Father in heaven. Evenings can be as important a time to pray as the morning. Preparation times are always more important than presentation times. From that mountain, the Lord could see the sea before Him and the storm that was slowing the journey across the water that was making the rowing time long and hard for the disciples. The distance from the shore when the Lord walked on the water near the boat, was three miles from shore or more. Between three and six o’clock in the morning when He drew near them, meant they would have been hard at work rowing into the headwind, for nearly twelve hours.
Doing the will of God from the heart is not always an easy work in which we are involved. If we get our focus on the circumstances around us, we may give in to despair and discouragement. It was the sight of the Savior walking on the water that caused their fear, far more than the storm. The appearance of the Lord in times of stress can create both fear and faith. Fear, because often the way the Lord brings answers is so astounding that we realize we are on holy ground, and the fear of the Lord leaves us no room for self-satisfaction when the result of a matter is obviously by God’s grace alone.
Our focus needs to be on the Object of our faith and His will, at all times. He knows the end from the beginning. His power over gravity, wind, and waves was fearful to the disciples. The
Lord’s voice and words were more reassuring than the sight of Him. The need for faith to be in Christ alone is fundamental to our security. Supernatural power from our Lord is what we need for every work in which He wants us to be engaged.
As time goes by and life is lived in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, faith becomes a greater reality to us and there is an ever-increasing realization that it is God who is working in us to will and do His good pleasure. The power of Jesus in contrast to the failing faith of the disciples; made them declare for the first time, “Thou art the Son of God,” giving Him His full title when they worshipped Him. Their confession came from assurance, not from fear and the same is true with us. We know our Lord Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God. He is God. He is God our Savior.
Gennesaret was a fertile farming area a few miles distant from Capernaum. There had been opportunities for healing before, and now another time of blessing came. When God comes near in a time of visitation, that may be the time of final opportunity. He heals and forgives. He saves and blesses. He has compassion and authority. He has power and grace. He has authority over nature and men. He is the One in whom we place our faith and whom we worship and serve. Weak faith in a strong Savior is far more valuable than a strong faith in a weak man.