Matthew 14

vv. 1-12

Herod the Tetrarch, also known as Antipas, is the third Herod mentioned in the Gospel.

As a ruler of Galilee and Perea under Rome, Herod first marries a Nabatean princess but later becomes infatuated with his niece, Herodias—his half-brother Philip’s wife.

Herodias leaves Philip for Herod, breaking Mosaic law in an adulterous and improper family relationship.

When Herod hears about Jesus, believes that this is John the Baptist has risen from the dead.

We’re not told why he thought this, but many Jews, such as the Pharisees, believed in resurrection.

According to Josephus, some of the ruling class believed in ghosts.

Herod’s conscience bothered him enough to frighten him, but not enough to change him.

Mark 6 gives us more information about this event.

Herodias held a grudge against John for his criticism, but the responsibility for John’s death ultimately fell on Herod.

Mark tells us that Herod gave a banquet for his great men, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee and this happens on his birthday.

The birthday wasn't the problem; the celebrations reflected Hellenistic and Roman customs that conflicted with Jewish values.

This would involve pagan practices, lavish feasts, and immoral entertainment and that's what's probably happening here.

We do know that her mother, Herodias, is the one who orchestrated this whole thing.

Because it says, “Now having been prompted by her mother,” the word “prompted” means “to lead or bring forward” but is used metaphorically to indicate urging, inciting, or instigating someone to act.

So her daughter acted on her mother’s prompting, but the whole instigation came from the mother and this was her plan.

But Herod kept his oath, and beheaded John, because he felt pressure and he had guests and he didn't want to look foolish.

Then, John is buried and Jesus hears about this situation.

Now, the next part is Matthew will bring speak on 2 miracles that Jesus has done.

vv. 13-21,

Matthew doesn’t specify the exact location of the deserted place where Jesus went, but we know He and His disciples traveled by boat across the Sea of Galilee to get there.

This moment is significant because it shows us a glimpse of Jesus’ humanity—He had just heard about John the Baptist’s death, and likely needed time to reflect, grieve, and perhaps seek solitude.

But what happens when Jesus reaches the shore? His personal need for space doesn’t stop Him from responding to the crowd.

Instead of withdrawing, He sees the multitude of people waiting for Him, and His heart is moved with compassion.

Is true compassion always sacrificial, or can it exist without personal cost?

Here, Jesus showed compassion by putting their needs first.

He helped the crowd by teaching and healing.

Now, we come to feeding the five-thousand.

Feeding the five-thousand is the only miracle out of 35 miracles that is recorded in all 4 Gospels.

Now, it says “evening” which typically began around 6 PM, as their day was divided differently from ours.

So, "late" in this passage might mean the time just before nightfall, when people would normally prepare for rest or meals.

Now the disciples want the crowd to go home, but Jesus challenges them, saying, "You give them food"—as if they had access to a marketplace.

Jesus uses this moment to test their understanding and faith, but the disciples are completely unsure what to do.

The irony is that the solution is right in front of them.

Jesus takes charge, asking the crowd to sit on the grass, much like a shepherd guiding His sheep.

He prays, gives thanks to God, and blesses the food.

Then, the five loaves of bread and two fish miraculously multiply, feeding over 5,000 men—not counting the women and children.

What started as barely an appetizer turns into an overflowing feast, with twelve baskets needed to collect the leftovers.

This miracle not only meets physical hunger but also reveals the abundant power of faith and divine provision.

This same miracle we see in the Old Testament with the Father providing for His people in the wilderness and Elijah with the widow in 1 Kings 17 and many more passages that we can see.

vv. 22-36

Matthew presents us with another incredible miracle. Jesus goes away to pray by Himself—something Matthew rarely highlights. In fact, this is only one of two times in this Gospel where we see Jesus praying privately. This moment is personal and reflective, but the focus soon shifts to the disciples.

The disciples are now out on a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, facing a storm that isn’t ordinary. The text says the boat was “tossed,” and the original Greek suggests something stronger—it means "tortured" or “tormented.” So, imagine the chaos as the storm raged on for hours.

Then, somewhere during the fourth watch of the night—between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m.—Jesus appears, walking on water. Think about that timing for a moment. This might have been the same time He later rose from the grave, adding another layer to its significance. By walking on water, Jesus is demonstrating divine power over creation, stepping into a moment of intense fear to meet His disciples.

But how do the disciples react? They’re terrified and assume He’s a ghost! This feels almost humorous—like watching a trapped animal recoil when a kind human approaches to free it. They couldn’t process what they were seeing, but they recognized it was supernatural.

Here’s where the story takes a profound turn. Jesus speaks to them above the roaring wind and says, “Be of good cheer,” the same comforting words He spoke to the paralyzed man earlier in Matthew’s Gospel. And then He says, “It is I.” In Greek, this is "ego eimi," which translates literally as “I AM.” It’s not bad grammar—it’s a deliberate echo of God's divine name from Exodus 3:14 when YHWH revealed Himself to Moses. Jesus is identifying Himself with God, demonstrating His oneness with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

After Jesus walks on water during the storm, we see Peter boldly stepping out of the boat to join Him—but it doesn’t go as planned. Peter starts sinking, and Jesus reaches out to save him, saying his faith is “little.” Despite Peter’s confidence to step onto the water, his doubt causes him to falter when he notices the wind and waves.

Then Jesus calms the sea, and the storm is over. At this moment, the disciples respond in awe. They worship Him, acknowledging Him as the Son of God. But what sparked their worship? Was it the calming of the storm, the miraculous rescue of Peter, or Jesus’s clear demonstration of divine power—showing He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit?

But they came Gennersaret, which is a beautiful place to be and it’s between Magdala and Capernuam.

Word was sent out about Him and people were coming and being healed just by touching His garment.