1 At that time did Herod the tetrarch hear the fame of Jesus,
2 and said to his servants, `This is John the Baptist, he did rise from the dead, and because of this the mighty energies are working in him.'
3 For Herod having laid hold on John, did bind him, and did put him in prison, because of Herodias his brother Philip's wife,
4 for John was saying to him, `It is not lawful to thee to have her,'
5 and, willing to kill him, he feared the multitude, because as a prophet they were holding him.
6 But the birthday of Herod being kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and did please Herod,
7 whereupon with an oath he professed to give her whatever she might ask.
8 And she having been instigated by her mother -- `Give me (says she) here upon a plate the head of John the Baptist;
9 and the king was grieved, but because of the oaths and of those reclining with him, he commanded `it' to be given;
10 and having sent, he beheaded John in the prison,
11 and his head was brought upon a plate, and was given to the damsel, and she brought `it' nigh to her mother.
12 And his disciples having come, took up the body, and buried it, and having come, they told Jesus,
13 and Jesus having heard, withdrew thence in a boat to a desolate place by himself, and the multitudes having heard did follow him on land from the cities.
14 And Jesus having come forth, saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion upon them, and did heal their infirm;
15 and evening having come, his disciples came to him, saying, `The place is desolate, and the hour hath now past, let away the multitudes that, having gone to the villages, they may buy to themselves food.'
16 And Jesus said to them, `They have no need to go away -- give ye them to eat.'
17 And they say to him, `We have not here except five loaves, and two fishes.'
18 And he said, `Bring ye them to me hither.'
19 And having commanded the multitudes to recline upon the grass, and having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he did bless, and having broken, he gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes,
20 and they did all eat, and were filled, and they took up what was over of the broken pieces twelve hand-baskets full;
21 and those eating were about five thousand men, apart from women and children.
22 And immediately Jesus constrained his disciples to go into the boat, and to go before him to the other side, till he might let away the multitudes;
23 and having let away the multitudes, he went up to the mountain by himself to pray, and evening having come, he was there alone,
24 and the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went away to them, walking upon the sea,
26 and the disciples having seen him walking upon the sea, were troubled saying -- `It is an apparition,' and from the fear they cried out;
27 and immediately Jesus spake to them, saying, `Be of good courage, I am `he', be not afraid.'
28 And Peter answering him said, `Sir, if it is thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters;'
29 and he said, `Come;' and having gone down from the boat, Peter walked upon the waters to come unto Jesus,
30 but seeing the wind vehement, he was afraid, and having begun to sink, he cried out, saying, `Sir, save me.'
31 And immediately Jesus, having stretched forth the hand, laid hold of him, and saith to him, `Little faith! for what didst thou waver?'
32 and they having gone to the boat the wind lulled,
33 and those in the boat having come, did bow to him, saying, `Truly -- God's Son art thou.'
34 And having passed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret,
35 and having recognized him, the men of that place sent forth to all that region round about, and they brought to him all who were ill,
36 and were calling on him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment, and as many as did touch were saved.
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.