The Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Matthew 14
Chapter XIV · Vol. IV, pp. 76–79
1 Herod's opinion of Christ. 3 Wherefore John Baptist was beheaded. 13 Jesus departeth into a desert place: 15 where he feedeth five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes: 22 he walketh on the sea to his disciples: 34 and landing at Gennesaret, healeth the sick who touched but the hem of his garment.
1 At that time aHerod1 the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
a Mar.6.14-30. Lu.9.7-9. Ac.4.27. Is.52.15.
1 This was not Herod called the Great, ch.2.19, but Herod Antipas, his son, who was tetrarch, that is, literally, though not always practically, ruler over a 'fourth part' of a kingdom. The government of Herod extended over Perea and Galilee.—C.
2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.2
2 Or, are wrought by him.
3 Forb Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias'3 sake, his brother Philip's wife.
b Lu.3.19,20. Mar.6.17,18, &c. ch.4.12.
3 This infamous woman was niece, as well as wife, to both Philip and Herod, being daughter of Aristobulus, another son of Herod the Great. One bright spot appears in her dark history—she would not forsake Herod, but accompanied him into exile.—C.
5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, dbecause they counted him as a prophet.
d ch.21.26. Lu.20.6.
6 But when eHerod's birthday was kept,4 the daughter of Herodias danced before them,5 and pleased Herod.
8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, hGive me here John Baptist's head in a charger.Cited in WLC 130
h Pr.10.12,13;1.16;4.5;29.10.
9 And the king was isorry: jnevertheless, for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
i ver.5. Mar.6.20. Lu.13.31. Ju.11.31,35. Da.6.14-16.
j Ju.21.1. 1 Sa.14.28;15.22. Ec.5.2. Ro.1.32. 1 Ti.1.16. Ja.1.14.
10 And he sent, and kbeheaded John in the prison.
k 2 Ch.36.16. ch.21.35,36;22.6.
11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.6
6 Jerome relates that the infamous and cruel woman, after gloating over her victim, drew out that faithful tongue by which her incestuous adultery had been reproved, and pierced it through with a needle.—C.
12 Andl his disciples came and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
l 1 Ki.13.29. ch.27.58. Ac.8.2. ch.10.17.
13 Whenn Jesus heard of it, he departed7 thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.8
n Mar.6.32,33. Lu.9.10,11. Jn.6.1,2. ch.12.15. Ja.1.19. ch.10.16,17.
7 John was a great favourite with the people, who all held him to be a prophet. A popular commotion was to be apprehended; our Lord, therefore, withdrew, that it might not be charged upon him or his disciples. Besides, his hour was not yet come; and, on that account also, he avoided exposing himself to the hands of his enemies.—C.
8 Our Lord went away in a ship, and the people followed him on foot. How is this explained? Christ appears to have been at or near Capernaum when he heard of the murder of John. Capernaum was situated on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Christ took a boat there and crossed the lake to the north-eastern shore. The northern shore of the lake sweeps round in the form of a semicircle. The people could see the course of the boat; by running along the beach they could keep pace with it; and they would arrive at the point of debarkation almost as soon as our Lord himself. The scene of the miracle was the steep grassy slopes on the western declivity of the great plateau of Bashan.—P.
14 Ando Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
15 Andp when it was evening,9 his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
p Mar.6.35-46. Jn.6.5-21. Lu.9.12-16.
9 The Jews had two evenings:—the one commencing at three (the time of the evening sacrifice); the other at six (or near sunset). This (see ver. 23) must have been the first.—C.
16 But Jesus said unto them, qThey need not depart; give ye them to eat.
q 2 Ki.4.42,43. ch.6.33. Lu.9.13. Jn.6.6-10.
17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18 He said, Bring them hither to me.
19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to 1heaven, he blessed,2 and brake; and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
1 This was to bless the provision; for Christ never wrought his miracles by means of prayer, ch.15.36;26.26. 1 Sa.9.13. De.8.10. 1 Ti.4.4,5. Lu.9.16,17. Mar.6.41-44. Jn.6.11-14. ch.16.9.
2 The word blessed is interchanged with 'having given thanks,' Mat.15.36. Mar.8.6. Lu.1.64;2.28;24.53. Jn.6.11,23. Ac.27.35. Ja.1.17. Wherefore the meaning is, not that he blessed the food, but blessed, or gave thanks to, his Father who had provided it.—C.
20 And they rdid all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets3 full.
r Pr.13.25. Ps.145.15. Ps.23.1. 2 Ki.4.1-7.
3 Perhaps no other nation on earth could have produced twelve baskets upon such an occasion. But 'the basket-carrying Jews'—literally pedlars, as they were called by Juvenal (Sat. 6, 542), could readily furnish one for each apostle—one for each tribe. The incidental mention of so many baskets forms a curious and not unimportant evidence of the truth of the narrative.—C.
21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
22 Ands straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up tinto a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening4 was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they vwere troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
v Lu.24.37. Job 4.14,15. Ps.88.15. Re.1.17.
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 zwhen he saw the wind 7boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me!Cited in WLC 56
31 And aimmediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, Ob thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
b ch.6.30;8.26. Ja.1.6. Is.7.9, with Ro.4.19,20.
32 And cwhen they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
c Ps.107.29,30. ch.8.26,27.
33 Thend they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.8
d ch.8.27;16.14,16;27.54;26.63,65. Ps.2.7. Da.3.25. Lu.4.41. Jn.1.49;6.69;11.27. Ac.8.37. Ro.1.4.
8 Campbell thinks the Greek should be translated 'a son,' and not 'the Son of God.' But a reference to Mat.27.43. Lu.1.35. Ro.1.4, will prove the correctness of the Authorized Version.—See Middleton on the Greek article.—C.
34 Ande when they were gone over, they came into the land of gGennesaret.1
e Mar.6.53-56.
g A city on the west of Jordan.
1 'The land of Gennesaret' was a little plain of extraordinary fertility, lying along the north-western shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Magdala & Capernaum. It is about three miles long by two wide, and it produces the fruits and flowers alike of temperate and tropical climes.—P.
Notes
Ver. 1. How Herod did not sooner hear of 'the fame of Jesus' will not seem strange to those who consider his principles, as a Sadducee, which would lead him to despise religious men, and his constant engagements as an intriguing and ambitious politician, or as a general, either preparing for or actually at war, in which his army was totally overthrown. By the Roman emperor Caius he was finally deprived of his government—first banished to Lyons, and then to Spain, where he died. C.
Ver. 22. Constrained. This translation has led some to conclude the disciples were unwilling to go, ambitiously hoping to see Jesus made a king; or, what is more natural, affectionately unwilling to part from their Lord, or timorously shrinking from going to sea without him. Bloomfield, however, has shown that the original may well be translated 'caused,' which would intimate no reluctance in the disciples, but merely a direction on the part of Jesus, the more readily to induce the multitude to disperse, by the sight of the previous departure of the disciples. C.
Ver. 26. A spirit. Rather, 'an apparition.' The idea of the spirits of the dead, or rather unembodied spirits, appearing by night, seems to have been, and to be, common to all nations. The idea of such apparitions is said to be exceedingly prevalent among sailors, who look upon them as ominous of shipwreck, which feeling may have produced such terror in the disciples. And though such dread may be largely the effect of misdirected education and superstition, the prevalence of the opinion proves, either that the belief of a spiritual world and immortality is natural to man, or that it proceeds from some original fact or doctrine communicated at the very fountain-head of human life. C.
Reflections.—God's faithful ministers are great tormentors to them who, like devils, continue impenitent under awful convictions. Faithful reproofs, especially of great men, often procure the most inveterate resentment; in the prosecution of which, all bonds of humanity, honour, justice, or gratitude are trampled under foot; and profane swearing, cruelty, and murder are combined to resent the distinguished kindness. Never are the lusts of sinners more ready to rage than when intoxicated with carnal mirth; and none are more cruel and bloody monsters than abandoned women. But if friends die, and enemies rage, let us go to Jesus, and pour out our complaints to him; and if he withdraw, let us follow him the more eagerly. In so doing we may be reduced to straits, but never to ruin. His compassion is as unbounded as his power. And none need ever depart from him to seek happiness or subsistence from the creature. It is his to feed the hungry, to save the drowning, and to heal the diseased, when brought to the utmost extremity. Let me, then, cast all my care upon him, rest contented with my lot, and readily distribute to others. None ever lost, but gained, by prudently giving to the Lord and the poor. His blessing multiplies provision, but never allows to make waste. Yea, the truly liberal will be the best economists. After sermons and miracles, as well as before, let me give myself to solemn prayer. Let me never be stumbled if I meet with terrible storms in the way of my duty; never dread Christ's hatred of or unconcern about me; nor ever start back from my mercy, as if I took my Saviour for Satan. If he comfort me, cheerfully should I trust in and cry to him; but never tempt his providence, even through desire to be with him. My staggering though unfailing faith will quickly bewray my rashness, and draw out his sharp but kind rebuke. Thrice happy are they who live near to Jesus, and employ him in every distress. No storm, no disease, can defy his power or kindness.