Mateus 14
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 14
Wiersbe says the reasons for the withdrawal include a growing hostility, a need for rest and the need to prepare the 12 disciples for ministry after His crucifixion. Of course Jesus still ministered to the crowds who continued to follow Him. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) C. I. Scofield referred to Matthew 14–23 as “ The Ministry of the Rejected King. ” Brian Bell - Jesus now withdraws from the multitudes & spends time alone w/His disciples, preparing them for the coming crisis in Jerusalem (the cross). 2. Remember even the disciples thought in terms of an earthly kingdom. 3. It was necessary that He prepare them for this faith-testing experience. The 2 events in this 1/2 a chapter illustrate the characteristics of our present age, when the King is rejected: a) Christ’s servants will suffer and die for Him. Persecution b) Christ’s servants will minister the bread of life to man. Provision. (Sermon) At that time - Time is kairos which means a season "when Jesus was facing increasing hostility and rejection. He had been ministering for about a year, teaching, preaching, and pd performing many signs and wonders—healing every kind of disease, raising the dead, and casting out demons. The exact chronology is difficult to determine, but that time likely covered the year and a half to two years directly after Jesus’ baptism." (MacArthur-MNTC-Mt) R C H Lenski agrees writing that "The “season” referred to is the one marked by the growing hostility indicated in the two preceding chapters." HERODIAN LINE Source: Glenn Gilpin, pastorglenn.wordpress.com Published May 8, 2012 Wiersbe has a good summary of the Herodian family - The Herod family looms large in the four Gospels and the Book of Acts, and it is easy to confuse the various rulers. Herod the Great founded the dynasty and ruled from 37 b.c. to 4 b.c. He was not a true Jew by birth, but was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau. “He was … a heathen in practice, and a monster in character” (Unger’s Bible Dictionary). He had nine wives (some say ten), and he thought nothing of slaying his own sons or wives if they got in the way of his plans. It was he who had the infants slain in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:13–18). Herod Antipas, the Herod of this chapter, was a son of Herod the Great. His title was “tetrarch,” which means “ruler over the fourth part of the kingdom.” He ruled from 4 b.c. to a.d. 39, and his rule was deceptive and selfish. He loved luxury and was very ambitious to become a great ruler. Herod Agrippa is the Herod who imprisoned Peter and killed James (Acts 12). He was a grandson of Herod the Great. Herod Agrippa II was the Herod who tried Paul (Acts 25:13ff). He was a son of Agrippa I. All of the Herods had Edomite blood in them, and, like their ancestor Esau, they were hostile to the Jews (Gen. 25:19ff). They practiced the Jewish religion when it helped fulfill their plans for gaining more power and wealth. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus - Herod the tetrarch (see Lk 3:1+) was over Galilee and Perea which were geographically separated by Decapolis (See map above). A tetrarch was a governor of one of four divisions of a province in the ancient Roman Empire. Notice Mark 6:14 refers to Herod as a king. Herod was not really a king but was Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, and he ruled over Galilee from 4 BC to AD 39, overlapping with Jesus’ entire ministry. When his father Herod died in 4 b.c., the kingdom was divided among three of the sons, Archelaus, Antipas, and Philip, and a man named Lysanias. (See more discussion below). Tetrarch - Properly governor of the fourth part of a larger province and kingdom, i.e. a tetrarchy A political position in the early Roman Empire. It designated the size of the territory ruled (literally the “fourth part”) and the amount of dependence on Roman authority. Lk 3:1+ names one of the tetrarchs (Herod Antipas) who served in the year of Jesus' birth. As Archelaus was "ethnarch" over half of Herod the Great's whole kingdom, so Philip and Antipus had divided between them the remaining half, and were each "tetrarch" over the fourth; Herod over Galilee; Philip over Ituraea and Trachonitis; Lysanias over Abilene.
Mateus 14
Wiersbe - Jesus sent the 12 Apostles out to minister because He had compassion on the needy multitudes (Matt. 9:36–38). This time, the needy multitudes came to them—and the disciples wanted to send them away! As yet, they had not learned to look at life through the eyes of their Master. To them, the crowds were a problem, perhaps even a nuisance, but to Jesus, they were as sheep without a shepherd. When D.L. Moody was building his great Sunday School in Chicago, children came to him from everywhere. They often passed by other churches and Sunday Schools to be with Mr. Moody. When asked why he walked so far to attend Moody’s Sunday School, one boy replied, “Because they love a fella over there!” The children could tell the difference. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Desolate (secluded) (2048)(eremos) when used as an adjective, normally describes places which are abandoned, desolate, or unpopulated. Broadus says eremos in this case was "a thinly inhabited region (Mt 3:1), without large towns, but containing villages. (v. 15.) Luke 9:10 shows that the region visited pertained to a city called Bethsaida, which must be distinct from the Bethsaida of Mt 11:21" Eremos is used several times in the description of the Feeding of the 5000 - Mt 14:13, 15, Mark 6:31, 32, 33, Lk 9:12, Jn 6:31. Send away (630)(apoluo from apó = marker of dissociation, implying a rupture from a former association, separation + luo = loose) is used often of sending a person or a group away from someone. Uses in Matthew (note 3 in chapter 14) - Matt. 1:19; Matt. 5:31; Matt. 5:32; Matt. 14:15; Matt. 14:22; Matt. 14:23; Matt. 15:23; Matt. 15:32; Matt. 15:39; Matt. 18:27; Matt. 19:3; Matt. 19:7; Matt. 19:8; Matt. 19:9; Matt. 27:15; Matt. 27:17; Matt. 27:21; Matt. 27:26 THE MIRACLES OF THE LOAVES AND FISHES JABEZ BURNS “And when it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away” (Matt. 14:15–21). Christ performed such mighty works as no other man did. His miracles were numerous, public, full of mercy and compassion, and were all performed by His own power and in His own name. Let us at present consider the miracle of the loaves and fishes; and in doing so, I. Explain and Illustrate the Various Circumstances Connected with It, and notice II. The Spiritual Lessons Which It Teaches. I. Explain and Illustrate the Various Circumstances Connected with the Miracle. Notice, A. The occasion of the miracle. Christ had been healing and teaching the people; the multitude had been so deeply interested as to forget the necessary wants of the body; were ready to faint for want of food. B. The place where the miracles were wrought. It was “a desert place.” Had they been in a city or village where provision could have been obtained, a miracle would have been unnecessary. Christ never wrought one superfluous miracle. Here it was necessary that He should convince the people that He could spread a table for them in the wilderness. C. The laudable anxiety of the disciples. They desired that the people might be dismissed, that they might retire and buy food in the villages. This was considerate and humane. We ought never to forget that our fellow-creatures have bodies as well as souls; and if we see a brother or a sister hungering and feel not for them, how dwells the love of God in us? Notice, D. The surprising reply of the Redeemer. “They need not go away.” Not only was the Messiah in the midst of them, but that Messiah was the God of nature and providence; His hands were daily opened for the supplying of every living thing with good. He then directed them to see what provision they possessed. This was necessary, that it might appear, first, that a miracle was really indispensable; and secondly, that the miracle might appear in its true and real character. It was found that five loaves or biscuits, and two small fishes, were all the provisions they could collect. How totally inadequate to the demands of the many thousands, the hungry multitude! Observe, E. The commands Christ gave to His disciples. 1. That the provisions should be brought to Him. He did not despise and cast away the loaves and fishes; but made them, as it were, the seed-corn of that abundant supply which He was about to provide. The loaves and fishes were quite unavailing in the hands of the disciples; therefore, Christ received them that His almighty power might be employed upon them. 2. He commanded the multitude to sit down. That all might be done in order; that the number might be accurately ascertained; and that all might be easily and fully supplied. Then notice, F. Christ’s conduct with respect to the provisions. He took it, lifted up His eyes to heaven, gave thanks, blessed it, and broke it. What an example of piety and devotion! How anxious to acknowledge and glorify His Father! What majesty and glory would be seen in the face and actions of Jesus on this occasion! Then notice, G. The mode of distribution adopted. “He gave it to His disciples, and they gave it to the people.” Thus did He exhibit His leadership and authority, and thus did He recommend His disciples to the people, as the distributors of His bounty, and the officers of His kingdom. Then observe, H. The creation and multiplication of the food which took place. The disciples went forth, supplying each with an abundance; and as they distributed, it increased in their baskets, so that 5,000 men, besides, no doubt, as many more women and children, ate and were filled. Notice, I. The lesson of frugality which Jesus taught. He then said: “Gather up the fragments, that nothing be lost.” And behold, twelve baskets of fragments remained! Many thousand times more than the stock with which the meal was commenced! God is the source of abundance; but He will not sanction extravagance or waste. Let us consider, II. The Spiritual Lessons Which the Miracle Affords. A. In the people we see a striking representation of the moral condition of the human family. In a desert world—starving for want of food—no human means of supply. B. In the provision we see a true exhibition of the blessings of the gospel. Its source, Jesus; its apparent insufficiency, yet its abundance, yea, inexhaustibleness. Its freeness and cheapness; without money and without price. Its satisfying nature; all ate and were filled. C. In its distribution we see the nature of the office of the Christian ministry. It is—to receive from Christ’s hands the bread of life, and to give it to a dying world. It is Christ’s provision only they are to distribute. D. In the abundance remaining we see the boundlessness of gospel supplies. Myriads have eaten, and yet the bread is undiminished. We learn, E. That personal participation of gospel blessings is necessary to our happiness and satisfaction. We must not only be of the multitude, and hear, and see, and sit down with them; but we must, also, eat, receive Christ into our hearts by faith; and thus only can we enjoy the blessings of God’s great, and full, and abundant salvation. The invitation is: “Come ye, buy and eat; … and milk, without money, and without price.” P G Matthew —Matthew 14:15 There are two ways people try to solve problems. First is the way of the natural man. We begin by sizing up the problem. In Matthew 14, we read that there were five thousand men plus women and children, so we would take that fact into our accounting. Next, we notice it is a desolate, solitary place and there are no shops. Third, we look at our purses and determine that we have no money. Next, we look at the time—it is gone. So our conclusion, if we are Jesus’s disciples, is that we cannot feed the crowd. We will say, “Jesus, you need to send these people away hungry. Let them go while there is still some daylight left. You gave us this problem to solve, we looked at everything, and this is our conclusion: There is no solution here.” This is the way people most often try to address their issues: they calculate and reason and take everything into account except God, who is with them in the person of Jesus Christ. This represents the height of unbelief. Yet this problem-solving method is common even among Christians who believe in the Bible and go to church. Remember the ten spies who came to Moses after spying the Promised Land? They reported, “It is a good land; it flows with milk and honey. But we cannot go in and defeat the people because they are stronger than we are. Compared to them, we are grasshoppers.” These spies surveyed and calculated and came to a seemingly logical conclusion. But unbelieving human reason always fails because it leaves out the infinite, almighty, omniscient Creator and Sustainer of the universe. This is our failing too. That is why we are often anxious, fearful, angry, and frustrated. And so the disciples counseled Jesus, “With our resources we cannot feed them—no one can. And we want to point out that it is late. So, please, send them away.” People are supposed to come to Jesus for solutions, but here the disciples wanted the crowd to go away. They failed because of unbelief. It is only when we have faith that we see Christ the Lord ruling and reigning. Let us bring our five loaves and two fish to him. Then we can watch him feed the five thousand with them. Only the resurrection and the feeding of the 5000 are found in all 4 Gospels. Clearly feeding of the 5000 is very significant and one of the main points is that this miracle (largest number of people affected by one miracle) was clear demonstration that Jesus was God and Creator! John Broadus adds that "This is the first time in the course of Matthew’s Gospel that John has appeared as parallel. The earlier chapters of John, as indeed the greater part of his Gospel, treat of events and discourses which the other Evangelists have not described. In the present case, John wishes to record the great discourse on the bread of life (John 6:22–71), and he therefore describes the miracle which occasioned it" (Commentary) John
Mateus 14
Wiersbe - He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. MATTHEW 14:13 From the beginning of our Lord’s public ministry, great crowds of people followed him, and there were times when he had to get away from the crowd. I have identified at least eight occasions on which Jesus left the crowds and went off alone or with his disciples: After his baptism (Matt. 3:13–4:11), After a busy day of ministry (Mark 1:32–35), After healing a leper (Mark 1:40–45), After the death of John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1–13), After feeding the five thousand (John 6:1–15), Before calling the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12–16), After the apostles’ report on their ministry (Mark 6:30–32), Before his suffering and death (Matt. 26:36–45). Our Lord’s baptism was the signal that his ministry had begun. The Father spoke words of approval and encouragement and the Spirit endowed him with power. But then the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness where he fasted for forty days and encountered and defeated the devil. Our high and holy hours of spiritual enrichment must be balanced with dark days of sacrifice and conflict. After a busy evening of healing in Capernaum, Jesus had a short night of sleep and then arose very early to pray and prepare for another busy day. We must begin each day spending time alone with God (Isa. 40:31; 50:4–7). Jesus healed a leper and told him not to tell others, but the man told everybody about Jesus. (Jesus instructs us to tell everybody and we say nothing!) Jesus had to go to a deserted place, but the crowds found him anyway. Jesus was a servant, not a celebrity; he knew the motives in the hearts of the people mobbing him. When we feel successful, it’s time to get alone with God. The death of John the Baptist must have moved Jesus deeply, and he went away alone to mourn. After all, his own death was also on the schedule. God’s people are human and need to work their way through sorrow and pain. Jesus prayed alone all night before choosing his twelve apostles (Luke 6:12–16), and at crisis experiences in our lives we need to spend extra time seeking the Father’s will. When the apostles returned to report on their itinerant ministry, Jesus took them to a deserted place so they could rest and be spiritually refreshed. Vance Havner used to remind us, “If we don’t come apart and rest, we will just come apart.” There are times when taking a day off or a vacation, or even a brief nap, might be the most spiritual thing we can do. Our Lord’s experience in Gethsemane before his arrest prepared him for the agonies of the trials—the mockery, the whippings, and then the crucifixion. We can never fully experience the suffering he endured, but we can follow the example of his surrender in the garden. Jesus took the cup of sacrifice and drank it, saying, “Not my will but your will be done.” Every dedicated child of God has Gethsemane experiences and can find victory in prayer and submission. In the difficult challenges of the Christian life, we must not try to escape, as did David (Ps. 55:6) and Jeremiah (Jer. 9:2). We leave the crowd that we may return to the crowd with new strength for ministry. The most important part of the Christian life is the part that only God sees: our times alone with him. But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Streams in the Desert - “Into a desert place apart.” (Matt. 14:13.) THERE is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in it.” In our whole life-melody the music is broken off here and there by “rests,” and we foolishly think we have come to the end of the tune. God sends a time of forced leisure, sickness, disappointed plans, frustrated efforts, and makes a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives; and we lament that our voices must be silent, and our part missing in the music which ever goes up to the ear of the Creator. How does the musician read the “rest”? See him beat the time with unvarying count, and catch up the next note true and steady, as if no breaking place had come between. Not without design does God write the music of our lives. Be it ours to learn the tune, and not be dismayed at the “rests.” They are not to be slurred over, not to be omitted, not to destroy the melody, not to change the keynote. If we look up, God Himself will beat the time for us. With the eye on Him, we shall strike the next note full and clear. If we sadly say to ourselves, “There is no music in a ‘rest,’ ” let us not forget “there is the making of music in it.” The making of music is often a slow and painful process in this life. How patiently God works to teach us! How long He waits for us to learn the lesson! —Ruskin. “Called aside— From the glad working of thy busy life, From the world’s ceaseless stir of care and strife, Into the shade and stillness by thy Heavenly Guide For a brief space thou hast been called aside. “Called aside— Perhaps into a desert garden dim; And yet not alone, when thou hast been with Him, And heard His voice in sweetest accents say: ‘Child, wilt thou not with Me this still hour stay?’ “Called aside— In hidden paths with Christ thy Lord to tread, Deeper to drink at the sweet Fountainhead, Closer in fellowship with Him to roam, Nearer, perchance, to feel thy Heavenly Home. “Called aside— Oh, knowledge deeper grows with Him alone; In secret oft His deeper love is shown, And learnt in many an hour of dark distress Some rare, sweet lesson of His tenderness. “Called aside— We thank thee for the stillness and the shade; We thank Thee for the hidden paths Thy love hath made, And, so that we have wept and watched with Thee, We thank Thee for our dark Gethsemane. “Called aside— Oh, restful thought—He doeth all things well; Oh, blessed sense, with Christ alone to dwell; So in the shadow of Thy cross to hide, We thank Thee, Lord, to have been called aside” Matthew 14:14 When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. NET Matthew 14:14 As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. NLT Matthew 14:14 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. ESV Matthew 14:14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. NIV Matthew 14:14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. GNT Matthew 14:14 καὶ ἐξελθὼν εἶδεν πολὺν ὄχλον καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν τοὺς ἀρρώστους αὐτῶν. KJV Matthew 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. YLT Matthew 14:14 And Jesus having come forth, saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion upon them, and did heal their infirm; ASV Matthew 14:14 And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. CSB Matthew 14:14 As He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd, felt compassion for them, and healed their sick. NKJ Matthew 14:14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. NRS Matthew 14:14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. Mt 9:36 Mt 15:32-39 Mk 6:34 8:1,2 Mk 9:22 Lu 7:13 Lk 19:41 Joh 11:33-35 Heb 2:17 4:15 5:2 Related Passage: Matthew 9:36+ Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. JESUS' HEART OF COMPASSION John's account suggests that Jesus and His disciples were able to go to the mountain where He was able to spend some time with the Twelve - Jn 6:3-5+ Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” R C H
Mateus 14
Wiersbe says "The first step is not to measure our resources, but to determine God’s will and trust Him to meet the need." (Bible Exposition Commentary )
Mateus 14
Wiersbe - The disciples had two suggestions for solving the problem: either send the people away to find their own food, or raise enough money to buy a bit of bread for everybody. As far as the disciples were concerned, they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and nothing could be done! With that kind of approach, they would have made ideal committee members! Someone has defined a committee as a group of people who individually can do nothing and collectively decide that nothing can be done. (Bible Exposition Commentary )
Mateus 14
Wiersbe - He said, “Bring them here to Me.” MATTHEW 14:18 The word “them” in our text refers to the five loaves and two fish in the hands of the lad that Andrew found in that huge crowd. (Andrew was gifted at connecting people with Jesus. See John 1:40–42; 12:20–26.) But how could the disciples feed over five thousand people with such a small supply of food? Even Andrew asked, “But what are they among so many?” (John 6:9). They didn’t have sufficient funds in the treasury to purchase food, so the disciples had concluded that the best solution to the problem was to send everybody away. But our Lord’s compassion for people put an end to that suggestion. In my own Christian life and ministry, when the resources were very low and the demands very high, the Lord has frequently said to me, “You give them something to eat” (Matt. 14:16). But Jesus always “knew what He would do” (John 6:6) and the resources were always provided. What must we do to receive his provision? Be sure your heart is right. The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart. Jesus had compassion for the hungry crowd and refused to dismiss them. I used to tell my ministerial students that the easiest way to solve church problems is to get rid of all the people. It’s easy to care for an empty building! But true ministry involves people, and we must learn to love them. The Lord never allows his obedient servants to get into circumstances they cannot handle with his divine help. Survey the resources. When Andrew found the lad with the lunch, he made the mistake of measuring the demands by the lunch instead of measuring the lunch by the Lord. The lunch was small but their God was great! No matter how little we may think we have, we must remember that the Lord delights in taking the little things, the weak things, yes, and “the things which are not” (1 Cor. 1:27–28) to accomplish great things for his glory. Give all you have to Jesus. The loaves and fish in the boy’s hands were only a lunch, and in Andrew’s hands only a contribution—but in the hands of Jesus they became a miracle. “Bring them here to Me” is one of the most gracious invitations anywhere in Scripture. Whatever battles you are fighting or problems or burdens you are carrying, put them into the hands of the Lord and then do what he commands. The miracle didn’t occur in the hands of the disciples but in the hands of Jesus. Divine power multiplied the food and human hands distributed it. Work together in serving. There was plenty to eat and the disciples did their job well. They also filled twelve baskets full of the leftovers. (Never waste a miracle! I’m sure they gave the boy a supply to take home.) The crowd was so impressed they wanted to make Jesus king, but he went off on a mountain to pray (John 6:15). When we find ourselves troubled about things that are beyond us, let’s obey the voice of Jesus: “Bring them here to Me.” We are not manufacturers; we are distributors. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. Streams in the Desert - “Bring them hither to me.” (Matt. 14:18.) ARE you encompassed with needs at this very moment, and almost overwhelmed with difficulties, trials, and emergencies? These are all divinely provided vessels for the Holy Spirit to fill, and if you but rightly understood their meaning, they would become opportunities for receiving new blessings and deliverances which you can get in no other way. Bring these vessels to God. Hold them steadily before Him in faith and prayer. Keep still, and stop your own restless working until He begins to work. Do nothing that He does not Himself command you to do. Give Him a chance to work, and He will surely do so; and the very trials that threatened to overcome you with discouragement and disaster, will become God’s opportunity for the revelation of His grace and glory in your life, as you have never known Him before. “Bring them (all needs) to me.”—A. B. Simpson. “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19.) What a source—“God!” What a supply—“His riches in glory!” What a channel—“Christ Jesus!” It is your sweet privilege to place all your need over against His riches, and lose sight of the former in the presence of the latter. His exhaustless treasury is thrown open to you, in all the love of His heart; go and draw upon it, in the artless simplicity of faith, and you will never have occasion to look to a creature-stream, or lean on a creature-prop.—C. H. M. “MY CUP RUNNETH OVER” There is always something over, When we trust our gracious Lord; Every cup He fills o’erfloweth, His great rivers all are broad. Nothing narrow, nothing stinted, Ever issues from His store; To His own He gives full measure, Running over, evermore. There is always something over, When we, from the Father’s hand, Take our portion with thanksgiving, Praising for the path He planned. Satisfaction, full and deepening, Fills the soul, and lights the eye, When the heart has trusted Jesus All its need to satisfy. There is always something over, When we tell of all His love; Unplumbed depths still lie beneath us, Unscaled heights rise far above: Human lips can never utter All His wondrous tenderness, We can only praise and wonder, And His name forever bless. —Margaret E. Barber. “How can He but, in giving Him, lavish on us all things.” (Rom. 8:32.) Matthew 14:19 Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, NET Matthew 14:19 Then he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. NLT Matthew 14:19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. ESV Matthew 14:19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. NIV Matthew 14:19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. GNT Matthew 14:19 καὶ κελεύσας τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνακλιθῆναι ἐπὶ τοῦ χόρτου, λαβὼν τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας, ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εὐλόγησεν καὶ κλάσας ἔδωκεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς τοὺς ἄρτους, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις. KJV Matthew 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. YLT Matthew 14:19 And having commanded the multitudes to recline upon the grass, and having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he did bless, and having broken, he gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes, ASV Matthew 14:19 And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. CSB Matthew 14:19 Then He commanded the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. NKJ Matthew 14:19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. NRS Matthew 14:19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. Ordering the people: Mt 15:35 Mk 6:39 8:6 Lu 9:14 Joh 6:10 looking: Mk 6:41 7:34 Lu 9:16 Joh 11:41 blessed: Mt 15:36 26:26,27 1Sa 9:13 Mk 8:6 14:22,23 Lu 22:19 24:30 Joh 6:11,23 Ac 27:35 Ro 14:6 1Co 10:16,31 11:24 Col 3:17 1Ti 4:4,5 JESUS HOSTS A MESSIANIC BANQUET What a contrast is this beautiful banquet with the malicious banquet of Herod which resulted in the loss of John's head which "satisfied" wicked Herodias anger. One banquet resulted in a abominable beheading and the other in an astonishing bounty! Ordering (keleuo) the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish - Luke says "They did so, and had them all sit down." (Luke 9:15+) Mark 6:40+ says "They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. "What a feast this was! Christ for the Master of the feast; apostles for butlers; thousands for numbers; and miracles for supplies!” (Spurgeon) Jesus is the Good Shepherd and His command reminds us of Psalm 23:2-3+ - The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Broadus - The other Evangelists show that he gave this command through the disciples; what he did through them he did himself (comp. on Mt 8:5) (Commentary) And looking up toward heaven - Jesus was doing what every Jewish father did at a meal. And what is Jesus showing His disciples (and us)? He is showing that even He as the Son of Man looked to His Father to meet needs, and we should follow His example. Lord, I look up with the hope that You will look down
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Wiersbe - The miracle took place in His hands, not in theirs; for whatever we give to Him, He can bless and multiply. We are not manufacturers; we are only distributors. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Gotquestions - It is noteworthy that Jesus fed the people through the agency of His disciples. He could have simply snapped His fingers and caused everyone present to have a meal, but He didn’t. Instead, He “gave . . . to his disciples to distribute to the people” (Mark 6:41). In this way, the disciples had to trust the Lord for everything they distributed. They could only give as they received. Philip, Andrew, and the rest were put in a position of total dependence upon the Lord for the supply. God still uses people the same way today. Spurgeon "They had bread and fish. Jesus seems to have made that His standing bill of fare whenever He spread a banquet—bread and fish. They once gave Him a piece of honeycomb, but He seems always to have given them bread and fish. Bread was enough, was it not? Yes, enough, but not enough for Him to give, for He loves to supply a little more than enough. He would give a delicacy as well as a staple—there was bread and fish. When Jesus Christ makes feasts for souls He gives them staple— bread, all that they can need, all the necessities for their souls’ life. Giving a sufficiency, He also gives excellence—He gives fish, there shall be savor and delight and peace with God" (The Miracle of the Loaves)
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Wiersbe points out that "John tells us that Jesus used this miracle as the basis for a sermon on “the bread of life” (John 6:22-66). After all, He did not perform miracles just to meet human needs, though that was important. He wanted each miracle to be a revelation of Himself, a sermon in action. For the most part, the people were amazed at the miracles, appreciated the help He gave them, but failed to get the spiritual message (John 12:37). They wanted the gift but not the Giver, the enjoyment of physical blessings but not the enrichment of spiritual blessings. (Bible Exposition Commentary )
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Wiersbe - John recorded the reason why Jesus was in such a hurry to dismiss the crowd and send the disciples back in the boat: The crowd wanted to make Jesus King (John 6:14–15). The Lord knew that their motives were not spiritual and that their purposes were out of God’s will. If the disciples had stayed, they would certainly have fallen in with the plans of the crowd; for as yet, the disciples did not fully understand Christ’s plans. They were guilty of arguing over “who was the greatest,” and a popular uprising would have suited them perfectly. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) After He had sent the crowds away (apoluo) - Sent away is again apoluo the same verb the disciples had used in Mt 14:15 when they requested Jesus to send the crowds away. The difference of course is that the disciples wanted the people to go away empty, but the Lord sent them away full! Note that while He sent them away we learn from John 6:22+ that the people remained in the vicinity. Broadus says "This he probably did by going about among them, saying that he should do nothing more that day, and requesting them to disperse. They noticed, however, that he did not go with the disciples, and having now no occasion for anxiety about food, they spent the night in that vicinity. (John 6:22+)" (Commentary) He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray - Mk 6:45 says "After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray."
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Wiersbe - This experience of the disciples in the storm can be an encouragement to us when we go through the storms of life. When we find ourselves in the storm, we can rest on several assurances. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Adrian Rogers - No doubt He knew a storm was brewing. They would learn a great lesson that day. Jesus is an unusual teacher. He gives the test first and the lesson afterward. But the boat (ploion) was already a long distance from the land - Literally, already many stadia. John 6:19+ says "when they had rowed about three or four miles." Mark 6:47+ adds that "When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land." The point is that the disciples are as far from land as they can possibly be. They were in the area of maximum danger. God was setting the stage for another "command performance" by Christ and another test of the faith of the disciples. In short the Master Teacher was preparing His "learners" (disciples) for a "divine pop test." They have been in Jesus' "classroom" all day, first His teaching didactically and then teaching by demonstration (loaves and fishes). What had they learned on this incredible day of instruction? 🙏 THOUGHT - Adrian Rogers applies this picture to our lives - They were in the middle of the sea, the middle of the "problem" and the wind was contrary. Does it seem not only are you in the middle of a problem, but that the winds of life are in your face? And then not only the distance from the shore, and the direction of the wind, but the darkness of night. Maybe could hardly see their hand before their face. Have you ever been then? Not only are you in the middle of a problem, not only are the winds against you, but you're in darkness. You don't know what's what. Know where is where. Who is Who. It doesn't seem to make sense. If so you are in a good position for the performance of the Savior, the One Who still says " "Be of good cheer... I Am." (Go to Mt 14:27) Distance (4712)(stadion from hístēmi = to stand) means a stadium, an established measure of distance, in length around 600 feet, 200 yards, 190 meters, or one-eighth Roman mile, almost a furlong. The plural occurs in both the masc. (stádioi) and neut. (stádia) forms.) Stadion - 7x - distance (1), miles (5), race (1). Matt. 14:24; Lk. 24:13; Jn. 6:19; Jn. 11:18; 1 Co. 9:24; Rev. 14:20; Rev. 21:16. Not found in the Septuagint. battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary - Battered is in the present tense describing the boat being (passive voice) continually tossed about by the waves which were breaking against the side and likely forcing water into the boat. They were going head on into the wind from the west which was contrary. They were heading directly into the blowing, contrary wind sovereignly sent by the loving God! John 6:18+ says "The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing." The Sea of Galilee is almost 700 feet below sea level and when cooler air comes from the northern mountains rushing down into the lake and displacing the warm moist air, ther result is a violent churning of the water. Do you find yourself in a storm today? Ask God for the strength and courage to weather it and for the wisdom to understand it, not waste it. -- Warren Wiersbe
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Wiersbe - The storm came because they were in the will of God and not (like Jonah) out of the will of God. Did Jesus know that the storm was coming? Certainly! Did He deliberately direct them into the storm? Yes! They were safer in the storm in God’s will than on land with the crowds out of God’s will. We must never judge our security on the basis of circumstances alone. As we read our Bibles, we discover that there are two kinds of storms: storms of correction, when God disciplines us; and storms of perfection, when God helps us to grow. Jonah was in a storm because he disobeyed God and had to be corrected. The disciples were in a storm because they obeyed Christ and had to be perfected. Jesus had tested them in a storm before, when He was in the boat with them (Matt. 8:23–27). But now He tested them by being out of the boat. Many Christians have the mistaken idea that obedience to God’s will produces “smooth sailing.” But this is not true. “In the world you shall have tribulation,” Jesus promised (John 16:33). When we find ourselves in the storm because we have obeyed the Lord, we must remember that He brought us here and He can care for us. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Streams in the Desert - “ ‘The wind was contrary.” (Matt. 14:24) RUDE and blustering the winds of March often are. Do they not typify the tempestuous seasons of my life? But, indeed, I ought to be glad that I make acquaintance with these seasons. Better it is that the rains descend and the floods come than that I should stay perpetually in the Lotus Land where it seems always afternoon, or in that deep meadowed Valley of Avilion where never wind blows loudly. Storms of temptation appear cruel, but do they not give intenser earnestness to prayer? Do they not compel me to seize the promises with a tighter hand grip? Do they not leave me with a character refined? Storms of bereavement are keen; but, then, they are one of the Father’s ways of driving me to Himself, that in the secret of His presence His voice may speak to my heart, soft and low. There is a glory of the Master which can be seen only when the wind is contrary and the ship tossed with waves. “Jesus Christ is no security against storms, but He is perfect security in storms. He has never promised you an easy passage, only a safe landing.” Oh, set your sail to the heavenly gale, And then, no matter what winds prevail, No reef can wreck you, no calm delay; No mist shall hinder, no storm shall stay; Though far you wander and long you roam Through salt sea sprays and o’er white sea foam, No wind that can blow but shall speed you Home. —Annie Johnson Flint. Streams in the Desert - September 3 “And he saw them toiling in rowing.” (Mark 6:48.) STRAINING, driving effort does not accomplish the work God gives man to do. Only God Himself, who always works without strain, and who never overworks, can do the work that He assigns to His children. When they restfully trust Him to do it, it will be well done and completely done. The way to let Him do His work through us is to partake of Christ so fully, by faith, that He more than fills our life. A man who had learned this secret once said: “I came to Jesus and I drank, and I do not think that I shall ever be thirsty again. I have taken for my motto, ‘Not overwork, but overflow’; and already it has made all the difference in my life.” There is no effort in overflow. It is quietly irresistible. It is the normal life of omnipotent and ceaseless accomplishment into which Christ invites us today and always.—Sunday School Times. Be all at rest, my soul, O blessed secret, Of the true life that glorifies thy Lord: Not always doth the busiest soul best serve Him, But he that resteth on His faithful Word. Be all at rest, let not your heart be rippled, For tiny wavelets mar the image fair, Which the still pool reflects of heaven’s glory— And thus the image He would have thee bear. Be all at rest, my soul, for rest is service, To the still heart God doth His secrets tell; Thus shalt thou learn to wait, and watch, and. Labor, Strengthened to bear, since Christ in thee doth dwell. For what is service but the life of Jesus, Lived through a vessel of earth’s fragile clay, Loving and giving and poured forth for others, A living sacrifice from day to day. Be all at rest, so shalt thou be an answer To those who question, “Who is God and where?” For God is rest, and where He dwells is stillness, And they who dwell in Him, His rest shall share. And what shall meet the deep unrest around thee, But the calm peace of God that filled His breast? For still a living Voice calls to the weary, From Him who said, “Come unto Me and rest.” —Freda Hanbury Allen. “In resurrection stillness there is resurrection power.” Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. Berkley 14:25 In the fourth watch of the night He approached them, walking on the sea. NET Matthew 14:25 As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea. NLT Matthew 14:25 About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. ESV Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. NIV Matthew 14:25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. GNT Matthew 14:25 τετάρτῃ δὲ φυλακῇ τῆς νυκτὸς ἦλθεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν. KJV Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. YLT Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went away to them, walking upon the sea, ASV Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came unto them, walking upon the sea. CSB Matthew 14:25 Around three in the morning, He came toward them walking on the sea. NKJ Matthew 14:25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. NRS Matthew 14:25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. the fourth watch: . Mt 24:43 Lu 12:38 Related Passages: Mark 6:48+ Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. COMMENT - Jesus saw their difficulty. He still sees the difficulties which His disciples experience. Straining in in the present tense indicating the rowing was continually difficult!
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Wiersbe - NT Words - Everybody has faith in someone or something, no matter how much they may deny it. If you endorse a check or even deposit money in the bank, you have faith. If you give a prescription to a pharmacist and later take the medicine, you are exercising faith. To drive on the highway or even to step into an elevator and push a button requires faith. The most important factor is the object of our faith, which for the Christian is Almighty God. Christian faith is living with confidence that God will keep his promises, and this leads us to obedience and endurance, no matter what the circumstances and consequences might be. We walk and work and war by faith. Every true believer has some measure of faith (Rom. 12:3), and that measure can increase as we walk with the Lord, even to the level of “great faith” (Matt. 8:10; 15:28). In our text, Jesus rebukes his disciples for their “little faith,” a phrase he often used. If you examine those texts, you will learn some of the characteristics of “little-faith” believers. Little-faith people are prone to worry, which is the message of our text. If our faith does not operate in the affairs of daily life, it will never operate in the great challenges of ministry or spiritual warfare. Faith in God is the secret of a worry-free heart (6:25–34). Everything must be brought to the Lord in prayer if we expect to enjoy his peace (Phil. 4:6–7). The early church emphasized prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4), and both demand faith and help to build faith. Little-faith people are easily frightened. A sudden storm broke out on the Sea of Galilee and the disciples were terribly frightened, but Jesus was asleep! (Matt. 8:23–27) The men woke the Lord and cried, “Save us! We are perishing!” Jesus stilled the storm on the sea but he could not still the fear in their hearts. Their problem was their little faith, and that may be your problem. Charles Spurgeon said, “Little faith will take your soul to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your soul.” Little-faith people are indecisive. According to Matthew 14:22–33, Jesus deliberately sent his disciples into a storm one night on the Sea of Galilee, while he remained behind. In the middle of the night, he came to them walking on the water. “Lord, if it is You,” cried Peter, “command me to come to You on the water” (v. 28). Jesus said one word: “Come!” And Peter walked on the water to meet Jesus. But then Peter took his eyes off Jesus and began to look at the huge waves and to feel the strong wind. What happened? He began to sink! “Lord, save me!” he cried, and Jesus rescued him (vv. 30–31). Remember, Peter knew that body of water like you know your backyard, yet he became afraid and “halted between two opinions.” Beware of being “double-minded” (James 1:8), but this is the plight of the little-faith person. Jesus compared faith to a mustard seed, one of the smallest seeds known (Matt. 17:20). But the size of the seed is immaterial; it’s the life within the seed that counts. Plant the seed and eventually you will have a large plant (13:31–32). Faith is like that tiny seed: if the seed is planted in the heart and nurtured, it will produce the plant. The Bible is “the words of faith” (1 Tim. 4:6), and the more we feed on God’s truth, the stronger our faith will become. As we claim God’s promises in prayer, our faith will mature. According to your faith let it be done to you.Matthew 9:29 (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Ray Pritchard - Before we leave this familiar story, let me make two observations about Peter. “Peter, if you had just kept your eyes on me, you could have walked across the Atlantic Ocean." 1. Give Peter credit because he was willing to do what no one else was willing to do. Before you come down too hard on Peter for taking his eyes off Jesus, just remember that there were 11 other guys back in the boat watching this whole affair. Before you sink, you’ve got to be out on the water. As long as you stay in the boat, you’ll never sink; but you’ll never walk on water either. This is not the story of Bartholomew walking on the water . . . because Bartholomew stayed in the boat. This is not the story of Matthew walking on the water . . . because Matthew stayed in the boat. This is not the story of James walking on the water . . . because James stayed in the boat. This is about Peter walking on the water . . . because he was the only one with the courage to get out of the boat. Maybe some of the others wanted to, maybe they would have if Peter had stayed out there longer. But give the man credit. He did it, and they didn’t. That’s why this story is about him and the other 11 aren’t even mentioned. Before you criticize Peter for having “little faith,” you’d better remember that “little faith” is better than “no faith,” because that’s what those others guys had who stayed behind. 2. When Jesus called Peter “Little-Faith,” he was not rebuking Peter for attempting too much, but for trusting too little.Do you see the difference? Jesus is not saying, “Peter, you should have stayed in the boat.” Jesus did not rebuke Peter for getting out of the boat. To the contrary, Jesus is really saying, “Peter, if you had just kept your eyes on me, you could have walked across the Atlantic Ocean." That brings me to my final argument for getting out of the boat. If what I’ve said hasn’t quite convinced you, here is my last word to everyone who reads this sermon: We’re all going to die some day. We’re either going to die in the boat or out on the water. Some of us will die sooner, some later, but no one gets off planet earth alive. We’re either going to die in the boat or out on the water. As I write these words, I am 56 years old, and frankly, I feel it every day. Not that I feel old-I don’t-but I know I’m not 25 years old. I look at my three sons, all of them in their late 20s, and I see in them not only potential but also enormous energy. They can run circles around me without breaking a sweat. Such is the course of life for all of us. Live long enough and you’ll see a younger generation rising beneath you. Two Little Boys at the Cemetery So I must tell you about a picture I found the other day. In a closet in the hallway next to our guest bedroom, we’ve got a box stuffed with hundreds of unsorted pictures that cover family events going back several decades. Because the box is a jumbled mess, I rarely take it down from the shelf because I can never find what I’m looking for. That was true this time. The picture I wanted I couldn’t find. But while thumbing through the photos I found one that must have been taken almost 25 years ago, when our two oldest sons were very young. On a vacation trip to the town in Alabama where I grew up, we visited the cemetery where my father is buried. (At the time my mom was still living. She would be buried beside my father many years later.) I snapped a photo of Josh (about 5 years old at the time) and Mark (about 3 years old) standing on either side of a large gravestone with the word PRITCHARD engraved in the middle. Josh is standing up straight while Mark is leaning on the top of the gravestone. They are wearing shorts so it must have been a warm summer day. I can’t remember ever seeing the picture before. As I studied it, I was struck with the thought of the solemn march of time. A full quarter century has passed since that picture was taken. The little boys in that photo are both grown up and married. That picture reminds me that the generations come and the generations go. My father. Me. My sons. No one lives here forever. Fathers grow old and die. Little boys don’t stay little forever. Sooner or later we all have a date with death. Lest that seem depressing, I simply use it to remind myself that how I spend my life really matters because I won’t be here forever. An older generation taught us the truth this way: Only one life, ‘Twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last. Christ calls us to find out what he is doing in the world, and then to fling ourselves wholeheartedly into his cause. I want to live until the very last moment, fully invested for Christ and his Kingdom, doing everything I can to advance his cause in the world, taking risks on the basis of Kingdom principles. Staying in the boat may be comfortable and safe, but that’s not what the life of faith is all about. Christ calls us to find out what he is doing in the world, and then to fling ourselves wholeheartedly into his cause. In the end, who looks better? Peter who tried and sank or the other 11 who didn’t even try? There’s a reason we don’t preach about the other 11. They played it safe. Only Peter took the risk. That’s why we’re still talking about him after 2,000 years. I realize that it’s risky to walk on water. It’s possible that you might sink. But you’ll never know until you get out of the boat. Heavenly Father, grant that we might be great risk-takers for the kingdom of God. Shake us loose from the security of staying in the boat. Help us to walk on the waters of faith because we believe that Jesus will hold us up. Amen. Confident Hindu - You may remember Rao, the Hindu holy man who flirted with fame in 1966. The old mystic believed he could walk on water. He was so confident in his own spiritual power that he announced he would perform the feat before a live audience. He sold tickets at $100 apiece. Bombay’s elite turned out en masse to behold the spectacle. The event was held in a large garden with a deep pool. A crowd of more than 600 had assembled. The white-bearded yogi appeared in flowing robes and stepped confidently to the edge of the pool. He paused to pray silently. A reverent hush fell on the crowd. Rao opened his eyes, looked heavenward, and boldly stepped forward. With an awkward splash he disappeared beneath the water. Sputtering and red-faced, the holy man struggled to pull himself out of the water. Trembling with rage, he shook his finger at the silent, embarrassed crowd. “One of you,” Rao bellowed indignantly, “is an unbeliever!” - John MacArthur, in Tabletalk, April, 1990, p. 10