The Gospel According to Matthew Chapter 14

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The Gospel According to Matthew Chapter 14

The Bible Text from https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.14.NIV

Death of John the Baptist, Feeding 5000, Walking on the Water

John the Baptist Beheaded

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch (Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great) heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Herod was in fear of Jesus since he thought Jesus (or His power) was representing John the Baptist whom he killed as the following report.)

3 Now (at the time) Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” (John the Baptist condemned Herod for his inappropriate relationship with his brother's wife.)

5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet. (Herod was hesitating killing John the Baptist because he thought John the Baptist was God-sent prophet.)

6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.

8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison.

11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.

12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. (But eventually Herod ordered to behead John the Baptist to respond to the request of the wicked woman Herodias and her daughter. The evil trio will be punished, John the Baptist lost his life worthlessly but his mission as the forerunner of Jesus had been completed.)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. (Jesus might be distressed to hear the news of John the Baptist but God's Kingdom ministry must continue.)

14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” (Jesus ordered His disciples to feed the hungry crowd.)

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

18 “Bring them here to me,”he said.

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.

20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (The boy's lunch box was not ABLE to feed twenty thousand people but was the only AVAILABLE. Jesus used the available for MIGHTY feeding because everything is possible in God's Physics. This feeding teaches us many truth; we are dependent, in need, and God supply. Jesus is the Bread of Life. God uses not "able" but "available committed people" for His Kingdom in such a mighty way. You may read the same account in John 6:5-14 and Ex. 16:1-35 for manna. Nothing too big and Nothing too small in His Kingdom.)

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.

23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. (Jesus was walking on the water.)

26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. (Disciples was terrified because walking on the water was the thing of the other world, actually it happened within the realm of God's Physics which they didn't have any idea of.)

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” (Even an ordinary man such as Peter can walk on the water in God's Physics.)

29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (Yes, Peter was walking on the water.)

30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Due to his own knowledge and experience as a fisher man, fear came and Peter sank down. He came back to his own physics.)

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. (Jesus saved Peter from drowning.)

33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Jesus is the Master of the Father's Kingdom.)

34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.

35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. (He continued His powerful ministry. He Himself is the power of God.)

Gravity and Anti-Gravity (Caution: Useless Addition?)

We can't float on the water or in the air due to the gravity (pulling power) of the earth.

But within the larger space, gravity might works as anti-gravity, depending on the strength of one gravity to the other.

Also, we have to admit that what we know as a physics is very limited part of the Whole of God's Physics in His World.

We see, however, that some occasions in which Flotation against known-gravity are reported in the Bible; such as Enoch, Elijah, Jesus and Peter on the water, Ascension of Jesus, and foretold Rapture.

That doesn't mean we must be able to float freely from gravity.

But obviously we all will experience something special in the Rapture.

There are plenty missions given to us for this very present moment without walking on the water.

I am not a scientist so don't be serious of my thoughts on this issue.

But I am pretty sure that Jesus and Peter walking on the water is what really happened and can happen again anytime if God wants and allows. (Jesus did it on His own will.)

Yes, miraculous healing of Jesus is the same. Within God's Power, within God's Physics, it happens on His sovereignty.

And we OBEY.