33 Then G1161 they that were in G1722 the ship G4143 came G2064 and worshipped G4352 him, G846 saying, G3004 Of a truth G230 thou art G1488 the Son G5207 of God. G2316
I will declare H5608 the decree: H2706 the LORD H3068 hath said H559 unto me, Thou art my Son; H1121 this day H3117 have I begotten H3205 thee.
And G1161 devils G1140 also G2532 came G1831 out of G575 many, G4183 crying out, G2896 and G2532 saying, G3004 G3754 Thou G4771 art G1488 Christ G5547 the Son G5207 of God. G2316 And G2532 he rebuking G2008 them suffered G1439 them G846 not G3756 to speak: G2980 for G3754 they knew G1492 that he G846 was G1511 Christ. G5547
And G1161 as G5613 they went G4198 to tell G518 his G846 disciples, G3101 G2532 behold, G2400 Jesus G2424 met G528 them, G846 saying, G3004 All hail. G5463 And G1161 they came G4334 and held G2902 him G846 by the feet, G4228 and G2532 worshipped G4352 him. G846
But G1161 Jesus G2424 held his peace. G4623 And G2532 the high priest G749 answered G611 and said G2036 unto him, G846 I adjure G1844 thee G4571 by G2596 the living G2198 God, G2316 that G2443 thou tell G2036 us G2254 whether G1487 thou G4771 be G1488 the Christ, G5547 the Son G5207 of God. G2316
Then G1161 came she G2064 and worshipped G4352 him, G846 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 help G997 me. G3427
And G1161 as G5613 they went G4198 on G2596 their way, G3598 they came G2064 unto G1909 a certain G5100 water: G5204 and G2532 the eunuch G2135 said, G5346 See, G2400 here is water; G5204 what G5101 doth hinder G2967 me G3165 to be baptized? G907
He answered H6032 and said, H560 Lo, H1888 I H576 see H2370 four H703 men H1400 loose, H8271 walking H1981 in the midst H1459 of the fire, H5135 and they have H383 no H3809 hurt; H2257 and the form H7299 of the fourth H7244 is like H1821 the Son H1247 of God. H426
These words G5023 spake G2980 Jesus, G2424 and G2532 lifted up G1869 his G846 eyes G3788 to G1519 heaven, G3772 and G2532 said, G2036 Father, G3962 the hour G5610 is come; G2064 glorify G1392 thy G4675 Son, G5207 that G2443 thy G4675 Son G5207 also G2532 may glorify G1392 thee: G4571
Jesus G2424 heard G191 that G3754 they had cast G1544 him G846 out; G1854 and G2532 when he had found G2147 him, G846 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Dost G4100 thou G4771 believe G4100 on G1519 the Son G5207 of God? G2316 He G1565 answered G611 and G2532 said, G2036 Who G5101 is he, G2076 Lord, G2962 that G2443 I might believe G4100 on G1519 him? G846 And G1161 Jesus G2424 said G2036 unto him, G846 Thou hast G3708 both G2532 seen G3708 him, G846 and G2532 it is G2076 he G1565 that talketh G2980 with G3326 thee. G4675 And G1161 he said, G5346 Lord, G2962 I believe. G4100 And G2532 he worshipped G4352 him. G846
When G1161 he saw G1492 Jesus, G2424 he cried out, G349 and G2532 fell down before G4363 him, G846 and G2532 with a loud G3173 voice G5456 said, G2036 What G5101 have I G1698 to do with G2532 thee, G4671 Jesus, G2424 thou Son G5207 of God G2316 most high? G5310 I beseech G1189 thee, G4675 torment G928 me G3165 not. G3361
Now G1161 when the centurion, G1543 and G2532 they that were with G3326 him, G846 watching G5083 Jesus, G2424 saw G1492 the earthquake, G4578 and G2532 those things that were done, G1096 they feared G5399 greatly, G4970 saying, G3004 Truly G230 this G3778 was G2258 the Son G5207 of God. G2316
He trusted G3982 in G1909 God; G2316 let him deliver G4506 him G846 now, G3568 if G1487 he will have G2309 him: G846 for G1063 he said, G2036 G3754 I am G1510 the Son G5207 of God. G2316
While he G846 yet G2089 spake, G2980 behold, G2400 a bright G5460 cloud G3507 overshadowed G1982 them: G846 and G2532 behold G2400 a voice G5456 out of G1537 the cloud, G3507 which said, G3004 This G3778 is G2076 my G3450 beloved G27 Son, G5207 in G1722 whom G3739 I am well pleased; G2106 hear ye G191 him. G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 14
Commentary on Matthew 14 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 14
John the Baptist had said concerning Christ, He must increase, but I must decrease, Jn. 3:30. The morning-star is here disappearing, and the Sun of righteousness rising to its meridian lustre. Here is,
Thus he went forth, thus he went on, conquering and to conquer, or rather, curing and to cure.
Mat 14:1-12
We have here the story of John's martyrdom. Observe,
The particular sin he reproved him for was, marrying his brother Philip's wife, not his widow (that had not been so criminal), but his wife. Philip was now living, and Herod inveigled his wife from him, and kept here for his own. Here was a complication of wickedness, adultery, incest, besides the wrong done to Philip, who had had a child by this woman; and it was an aggravation of the wrong, that he was his brother, his half-brother, by the father, but not by the mother. See Ps. 50:20. For this sin John reproved him; not by tacit and oblique allusions, but in plain terms, It is not lawful for thee to have her. He charges it upon him as a sin; not, It is not honourable, or, It is not safe, but, It is not lawful; the sinfulness of sin, as it is the transgression of the law, is the worst thing in it. This was Herod's own iniquity, his beloved sin, and therefore John Baptist tells him of this particularly. Note,
Herodias laid the plot; her implacable revenge thirsted after John's blood, and would be satisfied with nothing less. Cross the carnal appetites, and they turn into the most barbarous passions; it was a woman, a whore, and the mother of harlots, that was drunk with the blood of the saints, Rev. 17:5, 6. Herodias contrived how to bring about the murder of John so artificially as to save Herod's credit, and so to pacify the people. A sorry excuse is better than none. But I am apt to think, that if the truth were known, Herod was himself in the plot; and with all his pretences of surprise and sorrow, was privy to the contrivance, and knew before what would be asked. And his pretending his oath, and respect to his guests, was all but sham and grimace. But if he were trepanned into it ere he was aware, yet because it was the thing he might have prevented, and would not, he is justly found guilty of the whole contrivance. Though Jezebel bring Naboth to his end, yet if Ahab take possession, he hath killed. So, though Herodias contrive the beheading of John, yet if Herod consent to it, and take pleasure in it, he is not only an accessary, but a principal murderer. Well, the scene being laid behind the curtain, let us see how it was acted upon the stage, and in what method. Here we have,
Herod having given her her commission, and Herodias her instructions, she requires John the Baptist's head in a charger. Perhaps Herodias feared lest Herod should grow weary of her (as lust useth to nauseate and be cloyed), and then would make John Baptist's reproof a pretence to dismiss her; to prevent which she contrives to harden Herod in it by engaging him in the murder of John. John must be beheaded then; that is the death by which he must glorify God; and because it was his who died first after the beginning of the gospel, though the martyrs died various kinds of deaths, and not so easy and honourable as this, yet this is put for all the rest, Rev. 20:4, where we read of the souls of those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus. Yet this is not enough, the thing must be humoured too, and not only a revenge, but a fancy must be gratified; it must be given her here in a charger, served up in blood, as a dish of meat at the feast, or sauce to all the other dishes; it is reserved for the third course, to come up with the rarities. He must have no trial, no public hearing, no forms of law or justice must add solemnity to his death; but he is tried, condemned, and executed, in a breath. It was well for him he was so mortified to the world that death could be no surprise to him, though ever so sudden. It must be given her, and she will reckon it a recompence for her dancing, and desire no more.
Thus was that voice silenced, that burning and shining light extinguished; thus did that prophet, that Elias, of the new Testament, fall a sacrifice to the resentments of an imperious, whorish woman. Thus did he, who was great in the sight of the Lord, die as a fool dieth, his hands were bound, and his feet put into fetters; and as a man falleth before wicked men, so he fell, a true martyr to all intents and purposes: dying, though not for the professions of his faith, yet for the performance of his duty. However, though his work was soon done, it was done and his testimony finished, for till then none of God's witnesses are slain. And God brought this good out of it, that hereby his disciples, who while he lived, though in prison, kept close to him, now after his death heartily closed with Jesus Christ.
Josephus mentions this story of the death of John the Baptist (Antiq. 18.116-119), and adds, that a fatal destruction of Herod's army in his war with Aretas, king of Petrea (whose daughter was Herod's wife, whom he put away to make room for Herodias), was generally considered by the Jews to be a just judgment upon him, for putting John the Baptist to death. Herod having, at the instigation of Herodias, disobliged the emperor, was deprived of his government, and they were both banished to Lyons in France; which, says Josephus, was his just punishment for hearkening to her solicitations. And, lastly, it is storied of this daughter of Herodias, that going over the ice in winter, the ice broke, and she slipt in up to her neck, which was cut through by the sharpness of the ice. God requiring her head (says Dr. Whitby) for that of the Baptist; which, if true, was a remarkable providence.
Mat 14:13-21
This passage of story, concerning Christ's feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, is recorded by all the four Evangelists, which very few, if any, of Christ's miracles are: this intimates that there is something in it worthy of special remark. Observe,
But if they be hungry, they have need to depart, for that is a necessity which has no law, therefore, give you them to eat. Note, The Lord is for the body; it is the work of his hands, it is part of his purchase; he was himself clothed with a body, that he might encourage us to depend upon him for the supply of our bodily wants. But he takes a particular care of the body, when it is employed to serve the soul in his more immediate service. If we seek first the kingdom of God, and make that our chief care, we may depend upon God to add other things to us, as far as he sees fit, and may cast all care of them upon him. These followed Christ but for a trial, in a present fit of zeal, and yet Christ took this care of them; much more will he provide for those who follow him fully.
Now at this miraculous meal we may observe,
It is the same divine power, though exerted in an ordinary way, which multiplies the seed sown in the ground every year, and makes the earth yield her increase; so that what was brought out by handfuls, is brought home in sheaves. This is the Lord's doing; it is by Christ that all natural things consist, and by the word of his power that they are upheld.
Mat 14:22-33
We have here the story of another miracle which Christ wrought for the relief of his friends and followers, his walking upon the water to his disciples. In the foregoing miracle he acted as the Lord of nature, improving its powers for the supply of those who were in want; in this, he acted as the Lord of nature, correcting and controlling its powers for the succour of those who were in danger and distress. Observe,
When they had sat down to eat and drink, they did not rise up to play, but each went to his business.
He walked upon the water, not for diversion or ostentation, but to go to Jesus; and in that he was thus wonderfully borne up. Note, When our souls are following hard after God, then it is that his right hand upholds us; it was David's experience, Ps. 63:8. Special supports are promised, and are to be expected, only in spiritual pursuits. When God bears his Israel upon eagles' wings, it is to bring them to himself (Ex. 19:4); nor can we ever come to Jesus, unless we be upheld by his power; it is in his own strength that we wrestle with him, that we reach after him, that we press forward toward the mark, being kept by the power of God, which power we must depend upon, as Peter when he walked upon the water: and there is no danger of sinking while underneath are the everlasting arms.
Here is,
When they were come into the ship, immediately the storm ceased, for it had done its work, its trying work. He that has gathered the winds into his fists, and bound the waters in a garment, is the same that ascended and descended; and his word even stormy winds fulfil, Ps. 148:8. When Christ comes into a soul, he makes winds and storms to cease there, and commands peace. Welcome Christ, and the noise of her waves will soon be quelled. The way to be still is, to know that he is God, that he is the Lord with us.
Mat 14:34-36
We have here an account of miracles by wholesale, which Christ wrought on the other side of the water, in the land of Gennesaret. Whithersoever Christ went, he was doing good. Gennesaret was a tract of land that lay between Bethsaida and Capernaum, and either gave the name to, or took the name from, this sea, which is called (Lu. 5:1) The Lake of Gennesaret; it signifies the valley of branches. Observe here,
They had knowledge of him, that is, of his being among them, and that he would be put awhile among them. Note, The discerning of the day of our opportunities is a good step toward the improvement of it. This was the condemnation of the world, that Christ was in the world, and the world knew him not (Jn. 1:10); Jerusalem knew him not (Lu. 19:42), but there were some who, when he was among them, had knowledge of him. It is better to know that there is a prophet among us than that there has been one, Eze. 2:5.