Moving Through Matthew-Chapter 14
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I have said from the very beginning of our study through Matthew, that Matthew purpose was to show his people, the Jewish people, that this Jesus of Nazareth was not just a good teacher, not just a man with good moral lessons, but that he was God. He was the Messiah that the Law and the prophets had pointed to for thousands of years.
Now as Matthew is moved along by the Holy Spirit he continues to take us down the road that will show not only his death on the cross, but his resurrection three days later. That is what is coming later in chapters 26, 27, and 28. But for now, he is still giving those Jews of his day, and us today, evidence of who he is. He is like a barrister who stands up in court, defending his client with the evidence that shows what he is saying is true.
And as we move into Chapter 14, Matthew has more evidence. In this chapter there are three miracles AND a reminder of the one who came and prepared the way for Jesus to give life for those who would receive him.
Matthew 14
The death of John the Baptist
Miracle #1 - Feeding of the 5000
Miracle #2 - Jesus walks on the water
Miracle #3 - Jesus at Gennesaret
Open your Bibles to Matthew 14.
As you see here in the first part we see how John the Baptist died. He dies at the hands of Herod.
First, there is more than one Herod in the Bible. This Herod is not the same Herod who asked the wise men where the star was when Jesus was born. That name Herod is not the name of one ruler, it is a family name. So different people from the family of Herod would rule during the time of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament.
The first Herod was Herod the great. He came to power in BC 37, so that is about 40 years before John the Baptist and Jesus were born. This Herod, Herod the Great would be the one who asked the Wise Men about the star and would be the one who killed all of the boys two and under because he was looking to kill the Baby Jesus. He died when he was about 70, and Jesus and the Baptist were still small children.
There were 4. I will skip the 2nd one for now. The 3rd Herod was Herod Agrippa. This Herod did not rule during Jesus’ life, but was the one who put James the apostle and son of Zebedee to death and he three Peter in prison.
The fourth and last Herod was Herod Agrippa II. The son of Herod Agrippa and became king at the age of 17. This Herod ruled until he was 73 years old. In Acts 28 as Paul is wanting to stand before Caesar, the highest man in the Roman government, he appeals to King Agrippa for the chance to stand before Caesar.
So there are 4 Herod’s mentioned in the Bible, all of them rulers, but not all Kings. The Herod that we see here in Chapter 14 was not a King. Look at what it says here… Matthew 14:1
Matthew 14:1 (ESV)
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,
This is Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, his father was king, but when he died the area of Palestine was divided into four areas, and he ruled over one of those areas. So if we could understand his position today, we would think of him like a mayor or local chairman.
In his mind, he was a king, but his power was not over the entire land like his father before him.
So Herod is ruling in his small area, and he hears some things about this man named Jesus. And he begins to worry. Why is he worrying about this miracle man? Because in his mind, Herod believes that this miracle man was John the Baptist … resurrected from the dead.
Hw did John die? Herod, this Herod had him imprisoned, the beheaded. Why.
Herod had divorced his wife and took his brothers wife as his own. John the Baptist knew this and spoke out. Look what he said in Matt 14:4
Matthew 14:4 (ESV)
4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Did he say it is not right? Did he say it is not moral? No, he said it is not lawful. In the Jewish Law, going back to Leviticus 20:21
21 If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.
God’s law was in place that a man could not be with or marry his brothers wife while he was still alive. And John wasn’t afraid to tell Herod of his sin. This angered Herod, after all he was a ruler, why should this man who eats locust tell me how to live. So he had him arrested, thrown in jail down by the Dead Sea. But he didn’t want to kill him, because the crowds would be angry, because they looked at John as a prophet (vs. 5)
But just as much as Herod was not happy, his new wife, Herodias, who was his brothers wife, was not happy that the Baptist was still alive. She wanted him dead.
So there came an occasion where there was a Birthday party for Herod. Let’s look at how Matthew explains the story.
6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
Herod had the Baptist killed. He didn’t want to, but he had no choice because of the oath that he had made.
By the way, here is another Jewish law that Herod broke, he killed the Baptist without a trial. There was no court that found him guilty of crime, but only people in power who were caught in their wrongs ways, covered things up the only way they could.
And as we come to the end of John the Baptist’s life, there are some things we can look back on and remember the part he played in God’s redemptive plan. A plan that involved God, coming to earth in human flesh to provide a way to bring us back to him. To pay for our sins. To make us pure in his sight.
Matthew does not think it is important for his readers to understand the beginnings of John. How his mother and father were told of his birth and purpose. But lets move out of Matthew for a moment and see all of this through the eyes of another gospel writer.
Luke was the writer of the third gospel in our New Testament, and Luke’s writing is different than Matthew’s. Both are still considered inspired Scripture, but as we have explained before Luke writes to a different audience than Matthew does. Luke to Gentile, Matthew to Jews. Each of them including the same information, but delivered in a different way for a different audience.
Where Matthew introduces the Baptist and show his first in the wilderness baptizing people for the repentance of their sins, Luke introduces the Baptist even before he comes out of the womb.
Turn to Luke 1
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
The story goes on, but this is what I want you to see this morning.... The Baptist had a purpose. God created him for a reason. Jesus just didn’t walk out of Caperneum one day and start teaching and preaching and healing. He could have, but God had a plan. And his plan included a man that wasn’t much to look at, who did not eat very well, but the words that he spoke pointed to life. They pointed to God. God in the flesh who had come down to walk among us and give us hope that is found in no one else.
Back in Matthew, he records the words of the Baptist when he says… Matthew 3:2
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Those words spoken by the Baptist before Jesus began to teach. Before Jesus performed miracles. Before Jesus was nailed on a cross. Before he bled and died for the sins of the world. Before he rose from the grave three days later showing that he was God. And before he said
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
When he said those words, Repent for the Kingdom is God is at hand, it was before all of that.
But now, if the Baptist were alive to today, he would not say --Repent the kingdom of heaven is at hand, or has come near, he would say REPENT, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS HERE. Why? Because the of redemption has happened. The price for sin has been paid. Jesus was lifted up on a cross with arms open and made payment for yours sins. Because of that, today he would say REPENT!
1. Repent. Turn from living your for yourself. Turn from wasting your time, turn from the pursuit of money, fame, your thoughts on things that don’t matter. He would say, don’t waste your time on things that will crumble and fade. Because all of this, and all you ever hope for in the world, is garbage, trash, and it will be be gone in a moment. Turn from that thinking and turn to a thinking that last forever. Turn to a hope that will never fade. You need to turn.
Because you can’t have both. You can’t live the way YOU want now, expecting to live with God forever. You can’t have both. Joshua in the Old Testament said it this way Joshua 24:15
Joshua 24:15 (ESV)
15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
You can’t have both. You can’t tell God to wait, I’m coming, because every day you say wait, the next day it is easier and easier to put it off.
I look at the life of the Baptist and I see two things
A warning to follow his words. The time is now, turn to Jesus. Don’t wait.
An example of faithfulness. The baptist wasn’t a popular guy. He probably didn’t have many friends. But he was true to his calling, He was true to his purpose “prepare the way of the Lord.”
That was what his life was all about. In the wilderness, in the prison, and as he laid his head down to be cut by the knife, he never turned away from his purpose.
His own words: John 3:30
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
What is yoru attitude this morning towards Jesus? Are you making your own way, trying to get all that you can, whatever it takes? Focused on self. Is your thinking… I must increase, so HE must decrease? That is not why you were made. You were made to glorify him in every area of yoru life. Are you doing that?
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