Matthew 14: Today’s Chapter

January 22, 2023 in Today's Reading by TGV

40-BSG-14H: TEACHING OUTLINE.

Bible Study Guide/ Teaching Outline/ Matthew 14, (40-BSG-14H)/ Theme: Jesus displays Authority over Nature.

 


Before and After: Matthew 13 (Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven); Matthew 15 (Rejection by Scribes and Pharisees).

In a Nutshell: The first section of this chapter recounts the death of John the Baptist. Since Herod mistakenly identifies Jesus with John, Matthew first provides the background to the story (1-12); The Five thousand people miraculously fed by Jesus (13–21); Jesus walks on water (22–33); Jesus heals many sick people on the eastern side of the lake (34–36).

Characters: Jesus, John the Baptist, Herod, Herodias (and her daughter), Disciples; a Great Multitude (Mt 14:14, 19); “All who were sick” (Mt 14:36).

Key Text: “Now in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:25–27, NKJV)

Division of Main Points — John the Baptist Beheaded (14:1-12); Feeding the Five Thousand (14:13–21); Walking on Water (14:22–33); Healings in Gennesaret (14:34–36)

Biblical Events: [Events Occurring]—

  1. Jesus’ Galilean ministry (Mt 12:46–15:20)
  2. Herod wonders if Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead (Mt 14:1–2)
  3. Beginning of Jesus’ public ministry (Mt 14:3–5)
  4. John the Baptist is arrested (Mt 14:3–5)
  5. Herodias’s daughter dances for Herod (Mt 14:6–8)
  6. Herod Antipas beheads John the Baptist (Mt 14:9–12)
  7. Jesus feeds the 5000 (Mt 14:13–21)
  8. Jesus crosses from Bethsaida to Gennesaret (Mt 14:13–36)
  9. Jesus dismisses the crowd and prays alone (Mt 14:22–23)
  10. Jesus walks on water (Mt 14:24–33)
  11. Jesus heals at the Plain of Gennesaret (Mt 14:34–36)

Key Words: Lord of Nature – (Mt 14:18,19, 25, 31, 32).

Issues for Further Study – Death penalty (martyrdom); Believers’ responses to evil; Commands in NT; Confession of Jesus Christ; Courage as strength from God; Miracles of Jesus Christ; Faith and God’s intervention; God’s will; Faith and obedience to God amid persecution (and death); The power of Jesus Christ.

Key Thought: After a busy day of ministry: healing the sick, feeding the five thousand, and perhaps teaching (Mt 14:14), Jesus was exhausted. He longed to be alone! The Scriptures say, “After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.” (Matthew 14:23, NLT). There is much to be said about the prayer life of Jesus, but that’s for another section. What I want us to see here is this: while Christ was praying alone, a violent tempest was underway, and the disciple’s life was in danger. Christ, in His omniscience, was cognizant of the situation by the Sea. He had not forgotten the disciples. “The Watcher on the shore saw those fear-stricken men battling with the tempest. Not for a moment did He lose sight of His disciples. With deepest solicitude, His eyes followed the storm-tossed boat with its precious burden; for these men were to be the light of the world. As a mother in tender love watches her child, so the compassionate Master watched His disciples. When their hearts were subdued, their unholy ambition quelled, and in humility they prayed for help, it was given them.” – (Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 381). When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. Beloved, in moments of despair and peril, we ought to “cry out” to the omnipotent God! And when we do so with unwavering faith, He will come to our aid at once, for we are His obedient children.

“Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25, NKJV) Jesus Christ can save the most hopeless to the uttermost. Christ can pick a man up out of the gutter and stand him on his feet again! He is able to save us entirely, completely from all sin –(in this case, the disciples’ unbelief). Beloved, He is able to save us forever! Amen?

Today’s Promise: “But in my distress, I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.” (Psalm 18:6, NLT)

 

40-BSG-14G: TODAY’S CHAPTER.

Bible Reading Plan/ The Book of Matthew 14/ Theme: Jesus displays Authority over Nature.


Matthew 14 (NKJV)

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus

2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

3 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

4 Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

6 But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.

7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

8 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.

10 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.

11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

13 When Jesus heard it, 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.

14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

15 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

18 He said, “Bring them here to Me.”

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.

20 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.

21 Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.

35 And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick,

36 and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

 

 

 

 

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