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Chapter 141. Recap of John the Baptist's Death 1 - 13.
14. 1 - 2. At that time Herod the tetrarch heard reports about Jesus, 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."
This Herod Antipas the son of Herod the Great who was king at the time of the Birth of Jesus. When he heard about all the miracles that Jesus was doing his reasoning could only bring him to the conclusion that John the Baptist whom he had beheaded was risen from the dead.
14.3. For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,
Herod had divorced his first wife and married his brother Phillip's wife, Herodias who was a daughter of Aristobulus a son of Herod the Great and was therefore a niece of them both.
14.4. because John had repeatedly told him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
John the Baptist had repeatedly told Herod that it was against the Law of God for him to marry her (Leviticus 18:16) and for this reason he imprisoned him.
14.5. Although Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.
Heroes would not have hesitated to kill John but he had a great fear of the people because they believed John to be a prophet of God.
14.6 - 7. But on Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.
However, the daughter of Herodias danced before Herod at his birthday party and this greatly pleased him. This was to such an intoxicating extend that he promised on oath to give her whatever she asked of him.
14.8. Instructed by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."
Mark tells us that she immediately went to her mother to ask her what she should ask for. This would suggest that the whole thing was planned by Herodias before the party began. Herodias hated John and was determined that he should die so told her
14.9. Although it grieved the king, because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given.
Although he had wanted John killed in the first place he now regretted his promise but because he had made it before all his guests and did not want to loose face he commanded it to be done.
14.10 - 11. So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
This was immediately done in the prison and John's head was brought and given to the girl who gave it to her mother.
14.12. Then John's disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.
John's disciples would have sought permission from Herod to come and take his body away and bury it.
14.13. 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.
In hearing about the death of His cousin John Jesus went by boat across the Sea of Galilee to a remote area, not through fear, but to be have time to himself. But the crowd heard where he had gone and followed him by foot around the shore of the sea.
2. Feeding more than 5000 14 - 21.
14.14. As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
As he got out of the boat he met with the large crowd and moved with compassion towards them He healed those who who sick among them.
14.15. 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."
When evening arrived His disciples came to Him pointing that that they were in an isolated place and it was already late. As they had come without food they ask Jesus to send away so that they could go to the nearby villages to food for themselves.
14.16 - 17. But he replied, "They don't need to go. You give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."
Jesus astounded His disciples by telling them there was no need for the people to go away for they could give them something to eat. This was all the more amazing when they tell Him that they only have five loaves and two fish between them.
14.18 - 19. "Bring them here to me," he replied. 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.
He asks them to give Him the loaves and fish and tells the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus takes them in His hands and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and blessed the food. He then gave them back to His disciples who began to distribute it to the people.
14.20. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full.
They all ate as much as they wanted to and the disciples gathered the fragments left over and fill twelve baskets full with the.
14.21. Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.
Without counting the women and children about five thousand men had been fed from five loaves and two fish and there was plenty left over for the disciples.
3. Peter's Faith Tested 22 - 33.
14.22. Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds.
As soon as the fragments were gathered up Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side while He sent the crowds away.
14.23. And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.
You remember that in verse 13 Jesus had intended to go to a quiet place by himself but the crowds followed Him. Having now sent them away and His disciples He goes up to the mountain to pray by himself. While He was there darkness had fallen.
14.24. Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it.
While Jesus was up on the mountain the disciples in the boat had gone a long way from land and were in difficulties because the wind had become very strong and the waves were very high.
14.25. As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea.
Somewhere between the hours of three and six in the morning, the fourth watch as it was called, Jesus came to the disciples walking on the water. Remember that this was not a calm sea.
14.26. When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, "It's a ghost!" and cried out with fear.
When the disciples saw Him coming towards them walking on the water they were terrified. They believed it to be a ghost and so cried out with fear.
14.27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them: "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."
When Jesus heard their cry He called out to them not to be afraid but to be of good courage for it was Him.
14.28. Peter said to him, "Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water."
Peter, always the impetuous one (acting without thinking with boldness and haste) calls out to Jesus "Lord if it is really you command me to come to you walking on the water".
14.29. So he said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.
Jesus bids Peter to come to Him. So he gets out of the boat and walks on the water just as Jesus Christ was doing and begins to walk towards Jesus.
14.30. But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
The wind was still blowing strong and the waves were still high and Peter taking his eyes off his goal, Jesus Christ, and looking upon his surroundings begin to sink with his faith. He immediately calls upon the Lord to save him (Hebrews 12:2 and Titus 2:13).
14.31. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
At the same time Jesus reached out His hand and caught hold of Peter telling him that he had so little faith and asking why did he doubt (James 1:6).
14.32. When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased.
The moment that Jesus and Peter got into the boat the wind ceased.
14.33. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
When the disciples saw that the wind immediately ceased the moment Jesus entered the boat they worshiped Him acknowledging that He was in truth the Son of God.
4. A Touch from Jesus 34 - 36.
14.34. After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.
Having crossed the Sea of Galilee safely thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ they came to the region of Gennesaret.
14.35. When the people there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him.
When the people there recognized that it was Jesus they sent word of His arrival right throughtout the area and all the people brought their sick to him.
14.36. They begged him if they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
There faith in Him was so great that they appealed to Him to let them just touch the edge of His cloak and as many of them who reached out and touch the edge of His garment were healed.
