2. The withdrawal to Bethsaida 14:13-33Having experienced strong rejection from the common people and from the nation’s political leaders, Jesus withdrew to train His disciples further. In view of the coming conflict, they needed stronger faith in Him. Jesus cultivated their faith with two miracles. read more
Jesus’ walking on the water 14:22-33 (cf. Mark 6:45-52; John 6:14-21)Jesus proceeded to do a second miracle to deepen His disciples’ faith in Him even more. read more
With remarkable trust Peter climbed over the side of the boat and began walking on the water. He, too, in obedience to Jesus’ command, was able to fulfill man’s destiny by subduing the sea. He was doing well until he became more concerned about the waves than about Jesus. "Seeing the wind" is a figure of speech (synecdoche) for seeing the storm. His distressing circumstances distracted his attention and weakened his faith in Jesus. Jesus rebuked him for his weak faith even though it was... read more
Death of the Baptist. Feeding the Five Thousand. Walking on the Sea1, 2. Herod’s opinion of Jesus (Mark 6:14; Luke 9:7).1. Herod the tetrarch] son of Herod the Great, received by his father’s will the government (tetrarchy) of Galilee and Peræa. His first wife was the daughter of the Arabian prince Aretas, called in 2 Corinthians 11:32 king of Damascus. During a visit to his half-brother, Herod Philip (not the tetrarch), who lived as a private citizen in Rome, he became enamoured of his wife,... read more
Matthew 14:4 It is an hard condition that the necessity of our calling casts upon us, in some cases, to run upon the pikes of displeasure Prophecies were no burdens, if they did not expose us to these dangers. We must connive at no evil; every sin unreproved becomes ours. Bishop Hall. Reference. XIV. 4-8. W. Lefroy, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxv. 1904, p. 118. Matthew 14:6-8 No sign of a nation perishing is so sure as the corruption of woman Messalina was more ominous than Nero, Herodias... read more
Chapter 12The Crisis in Galilee Matthew 14:1-36 - Matthew 15:1-39 - Matthew 16:1-12.THE lives of John and of Jesus, lived so far apart, and with so little intercommunication, have yet been interwoven in a remarkable way, the connection only appearing at the most critical times in the life of our Lord. This interweaving, strikingly anticipated in the incidents of the nativity as recorded by St. Luke, appears, not only at the time of our Saviour’s baptism and first introduction to His Messianic... read more
2. John's Martyrdom. The Fourfold Attitude of the Rejected King. CHAPTER 14 1. John's Martyrdom. (Matthew 14:1-11 .) 2. The Disciples of John with the Lord Jesus. (Matthew 14:12 .) 3. Feeding the Five Thousand. (Matthew 14:13-21 .) 4. Praying on the Mountain-top. (Matthew 14:22-23 .) 5. Walking on the Sea; Coming to His Disciples. (Matthew 14:24-36 .) The fourteenth chapter contains the record of events put together so as to harmonize with the purpose of this Gospel. The Lord had... read more
Now authority in high places is seen to reject Him too, by the deliberate rejection of His forerunner and servant John the Baptist. When King Herod hears of His fame, his conscience is troubled, fearing that Christ is John risen from the dead. Yet John had done no miracle. His moral and spiritual power had however left a solemn impression on Herod. Again, it was common knowledge that John and the Lord Jesus had been contemporaries, the Lord having been baptized by John (Matthew 3:13-17); but... read more
FIRST MINISTRY TO THE GENTILES Jesus has come. He has proclaimed the nearness of the Kingdom, revealed its code or principles, presented His credentials, and sent forth His heralds. But He has been antagonized and practically rejected by the nation. Then comes the turning point, when He ceases to proclaim the nearness of the Kingdom, and discourses of it in mystery. In seven parables he outlines how it will fare among the nations in the absence of the King. One might suppose that the... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 14:31
31. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said to him, O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?—(Also see on :-.) read more