Introduction (1–12)
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 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. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.
This world is exhausting
Dried worms on the sidewalk. The ground looked fine until the sun came out.
- Phones and digital feeds: the leech whose daughters cry, “Give, give,” never satisfied and never saying, “Enough” (Prov. 30:15–16). They pull, call, and beckon for our attention.
- Politicians and leaders misspend the hope we’ve deposited in their accounts—for every problem they solve, they create ten more.
- Even our pleasures and passions, blessed distractions, become slave masters. Many sit in the chains of a pleasure that has engulfed them.
- Injustices and abuses abound—many are treading water in the deluge of pain life has brought them.
- Every human is under the thumb of some power—a person, thought grid, belief system, addiction, misplaced hope, shame, or sense of identity. Little kings who dominate and torture their subjects.
Herod, the little king
- Matthew’s proxy for all the little kings: Herod Antipas. Liked to be called king (9), but only a tetrarch (1)—”ruler of a fourth.” No real throne, yet he brutalized his world.
- John kept saying, “It is not lawful for you to have her” (4; Lev. 18:16). At the birthday banquet, a rash oath; he could not bear to lose face—John’s head on a platter (6–11).
- Haunted by the ghost of John (2), but not enough to repent.
What the little kings are like
- This, Matthew is saying, is what the little kings of our world are like. People, phones, passions, thought grids, trauma, shame—terrible masters, just like Herod.
- They are quick to promise a party, but the main course is our head on a platter.
- Elijah, whose role John fulfilled (11:14), suffered under Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 16:30–33)—a weak king steered by a scheming wife who wanted the prophet dead (1 Kings 19:2).
- Elijah escaped in a whirlwind with chariots of fire (2 Kings 2:11). John enjoyed no such exit. That’s what the little kings of this world deal out.
- Then Jesus’ banquet in the wilderness. When the kingdoms of this world say “off with your head,” Jesus has compassion on you (14)—a sheep without a shepherd (9:36).
- We are heading into a new section: What kind of King is Jesus?
1. The Shepherd-King who feeds us in our wilderness (13–21)
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 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. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
What happened?
- Hearing of his forerunner’s death, Jesus withdrew to a desolate place (13). Instead of space to grieve, a crowd on the shore. However strong his grief, it could not outpace his compassion (14).
- Evening, a huge crowd, a remote setting—the disciples raise the alarm: “Send the crowds away” (15).
- An impossible command: “You give them something to eat” (16)—to feel their limitation.
- Their inventory: five loaves and two fish jerkies (17). Jesus took them, sat the crowds on the green grass, looked up to heaven, blessed and broke—all were satisfied, twelve baskets left over (19–20).
Two feasts
- Place. A royal fortress / desolation.
- Guests. The court elite / ordinary Galileans.
- Host. An impostor / the King of kings.
- Menu. A prophet’s head / bread blessed from heaven.
- Ruled by. Lust and the fear of man / compassion.
- Outcome. Death / “they all ate and were satisfied.”
The Shepherd-King
- Manna (Exod. 16); greater than Elisha (2 Kings 4:42–44).
- On the green grass: “He makes me lie down in green pastures” (Ps. 23:2).
- Took, blessed, broke, gave (26:26)—he would become the broken bread of life.
Holy Moment #1: When Jesus sends you off with a basket of bread, and you realize he is the Lord who has always fed his people in the wilderness.
- Twelve baskets—one for each disciple.
- The budget falls short. The diagnosis is unwelcome. The marriage strains. The volunteers are few.
- Bring your small supplies to the Lord, not to the little kings.
2. The Storm-Walker King who comes to us in our storms (22–27)
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
What happened?
- Jesus made his men get into the boat and dismissed the crowds alone (22). The crowds wanted to make him king by force (John 6:14–15). He would not be king without the cross (4:8–10).
- Up the mountain alone (23)—a refuge in his Father, a night in prayer.
- Far out on the lake, tormented by a fierce headwind (24), they struggled until the fourth watch (25): 3–6 a.m., the darkest, coldest hours.
- The kid who swam the event in between the best swimmer’s events to give him a rest. The slow swimmer indicated the champion was coming!
- Don’t listen to your 3 a.m. thoughts—they magnify terror.
- With no boat at his disposal, Jesus walked to them on the open sea.
- A second ghost story: Herod’s (2), now the disciples’ sea ghost (26). Sometimes we misread that it is the Lord at work.
- Andy and the helicopter. In the dark, he misread who was out there and armed himself against a threat that wasn’t one. The disciples: “It is a ghost!”
Theological summit
- “Take courage. It is I. Stop being afraid” (27). “It is I”—I am (Exod. 3:14; Isa. 43:10).
- Walking on the sea (Job 9:8): Jesus is the great I AM—the Lord of the sea.
Holy Moment #2: When Jesus tells you he’s not a ghost, and you realize he’s the great I AM walking in your storm.
- The storm is still raging. He provides; now, he is present.
- In the storm because you listened to Jesus?
- A hard marriage, a more ethical job, volunteering, adopting—and hardship.
- There are facets of our Lord we cannot know without the storm.
- Endure to the fourth watch, expecting him.
3. The Saving King who reaches out when we become desperate (28–33)
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
What happened?
- Faith welling up: “Lord, if it is you, command me” (28). At “Come,” Peter thrust himself from the boat and did the impossible (29).
- Jesus’ commands have enabling power within them. Each step proved the trustworthiness of his word.
- His vision shifted to the wind; fear rose, faith subsided. With his eyes on the wind, Peter began to sink (30).
- All hope was not lost—Peter knew what to do and cried out. Jesus immediately reached out his hand, then: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (31).
Faith and doubt
- Doubt (31): rooted in “twice”—standing two ways, a divided mind.
- He would sink again (26:72), but not forever. The mature Peter: “Though you have not seen him, you love him” (1 Pet. 1:8); cast all your anxieties on him, “because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).
Holy Moment #3: When Jesus hears your desperation and delivers you, and you realize he’s the Son of God, worthy of worship.
- He provides. He is present. He is praiseworthy. The right response is not merely relief, but worship.
- First response, faith. Then calamity lingers, and we sink into Bunyan’s Slough of Despond: “Lord, save me.”
- Jesus does not despise the small prayer or little faith.
Conclusion: Worship and reach for him (34–36)
34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. (Matthew 14, ESV)
What happened?
- At Gennesaret he was immediately recognized; word went throughout the region, and they brought all who were sick (34–35).
- Like the woman with the flow of blood (9:20–22), they begged to touch only the fringe of his garment—all who did were made well (36).
- Jesus is the reverse contagion. Unlike the Pharisees, who avoided crowds for fear of uncleanness, he could not become unclean—his wholeness flowed outward.
- Fourth soil (13:8): nameless crowds who simply reach.
- Herod saved himself by removing John’s head. Jesus went under the waters of judgment with no hand reaching for him, so that his hand could always reach for us.
- The little kings serve your head on a platter. This King serves himself on the table. Behold your King.
Study Questions
Head (Knowledge, Facts, Understanding)
- Matthew sets Herod’s birthday banquet (14:6–11) beside Jesus’ meal in the wilderness (14:13–21). Compare the place, guests, host, menu, and outcome. What is Matthew teaching about the kind of King Jesus is?
- Read Job 9:8 and Exodus 3:14 alongside Matthew 14:25–27. What does it mean that Jesus walked on the sea and said, “Take heart; it is I”?
Heart (Feelings, Impressions, Desires)
- The disciples were sent into the storm because they obeyed Jesus (14:22–24). Where have you felt that obedience led you into hardship, and how does it feel to know he comes to you there?
- Peter’s prayer was three words: “Lord, save me” (14:30), and Jesus reached out immediately (14:31). How does it make you feel that Jesus does not despise the small prayer or little faith (12:20)?
Hands (Actions, Commitments, Decisions, Beliefs)
- The disciples counted five loaves and two fish but did not count Jesus (14:17). What “we have only…” situation are you facing, and what would it look like to bring it to him this week?
- Which “little king” have you turned to in your distress? How will you instead worship and reach for Jesus, like the disciples and the people of Gennesaret (14:33–36)?
Sources Used
- The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV)
- Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary, Volume 2—The Churchbook, Matthew 13–28
- D. A. Carson, Matthew
- R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew
- Craig L. Blomberg, Matthew
- Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew
- Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew
- John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress
