N T 1,2. Herod hearing of John.
U 3-11. John's death.
U 12-. John's burial.
T -12. Jesus hearing of Herod.
28 A.D.
Matthew 14)
1 In that season Herod (= Herod Antipas. Son of Herod the Great by Malthace. See 2:1) the tetrarch (The Greek word translated = a governor of the fourth part of any region: but the word subsequently lost its strict etymological meaning, and came to denote any petty prince not ruling over an entire country. So called from tetartos = fourth) heard of the report concerning Jesus,
2 And said to his coutiers, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and on this account mighty works do shew forth themselves in him."
U V e 3. Herod's imprisonment of John (from enmity).
f 4. Reason. John's reproof.
e 5-. Herod's imprisonment of John (from fear).
f Reason. People's opinion.
W 6. Opportunity given.
V g 7. Herod's promise to Herodias. Made.
h 8. John's head asked.
g 9,10. Herod's promise to Herodias. Kept.
h 11. John's head given.
3 For Herod (one of 11 rulers offended with God's reprovers. See Ex. 10:28. 11 in Biblical numerics = disorder, disorganization) had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him (had him put) in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. (Philip I, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne II. Wife, i.e. widow)
4 For John use to say to him, "It is not lawful for thee to have her."
5 And wishing to kill him, he feared the multitude,
because they held him as a prophet. (Cp. 21:26,46)
6 But when Herod's birthday was being celebrated, the daughter (Salome) of Herodias danced in the midst of them (i.e. in public), and pleased Herod.
7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
8 And she, being before promoted (or instigated) by her mother, said, "Give me here John Baptist's head upon a dish." (Or a wooden trencher. A charger is from the French charger = to load. Fig. put for what is laden; hence, used of a horse, as well as a dish.)
9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for his solemn oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meal, he commanded it to be given her.
10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
11 And his head was brought in a dish, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it,
and went and told Jesus.
R3 X 13-. Departure from the people.
Y Z i -13. Concourse.
k 14. Many Miracles.
A 15-21. One Miracle. Feeding the 5,000.
X 22,23. Departure from the people.
Y A 24-33. One Miracle. Walking on the Sea.
Z i 34,35-. Concourse.
k -35-36. Many Miracles.
13 When Jesus heard of it, He withdrew from there in a ship into a desert place alone:
28 A.D.
and when the multitude had heard thereof, they followed Him on foot from the cities.
14 And Jesus went forth (from His solitude, v.13), and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
A l 15. Multitudes. Hungry.
m 16. "Give you them".
n 17. Supply. Insufficient.
n 18,19-. Supply. Sufficient.
m -19. "He gave:.
l 20,21. Multitudes. Filled.
15 And when it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a desert place, and the hour is already past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food."
16 But Jesus said to them, "They need not depart; you give them to eat.
17 But they say to Him, "We have not here anything except five loaves, and two fishes."
18 He said, "Bring them here to me."
19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up into heaven, he blessed, and after breaking, (The bread was made in thin cakes, which had to be broken [not cut] before they could be eaten. Hence the idiom "to break bread" means to eat bread, as in Luke 24:25; Acts 27:35)
and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitude. (Jesus broke the bread, but it was the disciple who performed the miracle of feeding the multitude. The power to perform this miracle was through the Holy Spirit.)
20 And they did all eat, and were satisfied: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. (Small wicker hand-baskets)
21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand males, beside women and children.
22 And immediately Jesus constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. (this was a miracle in itself.)
23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone.
A B 24-. The Ship.
C -24. The wind. Contrary.
D 25-31. The Miracle. Wrought.
B 32. The ship.
C -32. The wind. Ceased.
D 33. The Miracle. Effect.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed by the waves:
for the wind was contrary.
D o 25. The Lord walking on the sea.
p 26. Disciples troubled.
q 27. Be not afraid.
o 28,29. Peter essaying to walk, &c.
p 30. Peter afraid.
q 31. Why did you doubt?
25 And in the fourth watch (from 3 a.m. til 6 a.m.) of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a phantom;" and they cried out from fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer; I am He; be not afraid."
28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if haply it be You, bid me come to You on the water." (Assuming it as a fact)
29 And He said, "Come." And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous (he looked at the circumstances instead of the Lord. This was the secret of his [and of our] failure), he was afraid; and beginning to be overwhelmed in the sea, he cried, saying, "Lord, save me."
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you waiver?"
32 And when they were come into the ship,
the wind ceased.
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped Him, saying, "Of a truth You are the Son of God."
34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. (It was at the northern end of the lake and to the west of the Jordan. It is Chinnereth of the O.T. Josephus says it was about 4 miles long by 2 1/2 wide. See 2:23.)
35 And when the males of that place having recognized Him, they sent out into all that country round about,
and brought to Him all that were diseased;
36 And besought Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment: and as many as touched were completely healed. (Or saved. Gr. diasozo = to save throughout. Occ. 8 times [here; Luke 7:5. Acts 23:24; 27:43,44; 28:1,4. 1 Pet. 3:20]. All are interesting and used of bodily savings.)