Matthew 14:1-2 – Herod was one of three rulers in the province under the Roman Emperor, hence the title tetrarch. This Herod was Herod Antipas a son of Herod the great. Following the death of Herod the Roman government split his kingdom in three ways the other two sections that had been ruled by Herod were given to Archelaus (Matthew 2:22) and Philip (Matthew 14:3).
Herod Antipas spent most of his time in Tiberius on the Southwest portion of the Sea of Galilee. His rule was over the Galilee and Perea (The east bank area of the Jordan). Herod Antipas received his portion at his death from Rome. Archelaus was given the southern provinces of Judea and Samaria, Philip was given the northern provinces of Trachonitis and Iturea.
We have no record of Jesus ever entering Tiberius, perhaps because it was a Roman city, and he wanted to avoid the attention of Rome. When Herod Antipas learned about Jesus, he thought immediately that it was John the Baptist risen from the dead Luke 9:7-8. Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on and was perplexed. Likely because of his guilt for murdering John the immerser. He probably was afraid he had come back from the dead to seek revenge as some were saying John had been raised from the dead. Others were saying that it was Elijah who had appeared, while others speculated that it was one of the prophets of long ago who had come back to life. (Malachi 3:1, 4:5).
Matthew 14:3-13 are a flashback of Herod’s dealings with John. From this portion we learn that Herod Antipas was a man easily manipulated and while he had a better conscience than his father, he was unable to stand up for his convictions. We see here the consequences of both being drunk and making vows. One thing interesting about John the Baptist was his willingness to confront a secular ruler concerning his sins. The Essenes were a community of believers that would not mix in with worldly politics and politicians which is why some speculate that John might have been one of them. The Essenes in their leadership were composed of men who were Sadducees but rejected their warped theology and corruption.
Jesus declared that John was the greatest of all the prophets (Matt. 11:11). His humility is a model for all disciples as John told his disciples that his fame must decrease while Yeshua’s must increase. He understood that all that came to him was the work of the Lord and not his own doing or righteousness “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven” (John 3:30). John prepared the way by calling Israel to repentance because the kingdom of heaven was at hand” (Matt. 3:2). Many in Israel came confessing their sins and submitted to baptism (mikvah) as an indication of their confession and repentance.
Herod Antipas wanted to execute John but instead had him arrested and bound in a prison. He likely was imprisoned in Herod’s palace at Machaerus. The palace was located North and East of the Dead Sea on mountain higher in elevation than Jerusalem. According to archaeologists who have excavated at the site there were many places where prisoners were chained to the walls with no natural light and foul air to breathe. Some have speculated that John was jailed for about a year until his execution.
Herod’s wife Herodias, who was the wife of his brother Philip demanded his arrest. John without fear called their relationship unlawful and ungodly. He had an affair with her while on a visit to Rome. For him to marry her he had to divorce his wife, the daughter of king Aretas. Their marriage was arranged for political and military reasons. Aretas ruled the Nabateans, which was in the territory of Jordan today and whose capital was the fortress city of Petra. Aretas in response came against Herod’s army but the Roman army held him back. Herodias because of John’s confrontation regarding their sin, wanted John executed but Herod held back because he feared the multitude who saw him as a prophet of God.
It is not known exactly where and how John the Baptist first confronted Herod about his unlawful marriage. It is possible the tetrarch had summoned John to his palace, hoping to have some miracle performed on his behalf, just as He later expected of Jesus (Luke 23:8). But regardless of who initiated the meeting, John presented the king with a scathing rebuke rather than a miraculous sign. From the wording here and in Mark 6:18, it seems that John rebuked the king and his wife on more than one occasion.
Both Herod and Herodias were incensed at the prophet’s indictment, and she, more than he, wanted to put him to death. Had it not been that Herod feared the multitude, because they regarded him as a prophet, John would have been executed immediately. Like most prophets John was neither a compromiser nor a diplomat. His only fear was of the Lord, and he was willing to confront Herod and Herodias as he confronted unrepentant Pharisees and Sadducees whom he called them a brood of vipers (Matt. 3:7).
Such godly boldness, which does not consider the consequences, is the hallmark of God’s prophets . The faithful man of God confronts sin wherever it is and by whomever it is committed, regardless of the power they might have over him—including power over his life. We see that boldness in Stephen, Paul, and Peter, to the saints today who have given up their lives rather than their message.
Just as John was fearful of nothing and no one except God, Herod feared almost everything and everyone but God. He not only feared the multitude, but also John the Baptist, his wife, and his peers (v. 9). He feared another attack by Aretas, and, as Josephus reported, he feared a rebellion by his own people—inspired by, and perhaps even led by, John the Baptist. Herod also feared the emperor might replace him with someone more in favor with Rome.
Herod’s feelings about John were ambivalent; he was both fearful and fascinated. Mark reports that “Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him” (Mark 6:20). These meetings before Herod no doubt was John’s only respite from the torments of prison; but to John they were not an escape but opportunities to witness for his Lord and to try to bring his persecutor to repentance and salvation.
From the passage in Mark 6, as well as from the fact that Herod was grieved at Herodias’ request for the head of John (Matt. 14:9), it seems that the king had developed a certain fondness for John, or at least a more respectful fear. But his feelings for John were no match for his fear of his wife and his friends.
Herodias had few equals in immorality, cunning, or vindictiveness. From the time of John’s first rebuke, she had been scheming to rid herself of this meddlesome prophet who rankled her and fueled the hate her Jewish subjects already had for her. She was biding her time, waiting for the right opportunity—which presented itself when Herod’s birthday came, and her daughter danced before them and pleased Herod.
From Josephus we learn that the name of this daughter was Salome, whose father was Philip, her mother’s first husband and Herod’s half-brother. Herodias was so hate-filled, and immoral that she had no compunction about involving her daughter both in a lewd dance before her stepfather and his guests and in the plot to have John murdered.
The drunken king was so aroused by his stepdaughter that he rashly promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked, even up to half his kingdom (Mark 6:23). This was the chance Herodias had been waiting for, and prompted by her mother, Salome asked Herod, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” It is obvious that the provocative dance was planned by Herodias for the purpose of evoking just such a promise from her drunken husband. And lest Herod change his mind after sobering up, Herodias told her daughter to ask for John’s head here on a platter “right away” (Mark 6:25). He had lost all dignity, and sensibility, and what little desire for what was right. And though grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests. In the ancient Near East a promise made with an oath was considered sacred and inviolable (Matt. 5:33), especially when made by a ruler. And although Herod had no concern for principle, he had great concern for appearance. By breaking his word so soon after giving it, he would have been embarrassed in front of his dinner guests, who doubtlessly included many political and military dignitaries.
Herod was grieved, but his grief had nothing to do with remorse for sin or genuine repentance. Even drunk, he knew he had been tricked; but his pride would not let him do what was right. Instead of admitting his foolish promise, the king allowed himself to be used to commit an enormous crime—all to save a reputation he did not have.
Immediately John was decapitated in his cell and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl; and she brought it to her mother. It was not uncommon to bring the head of one who had been slain to the person who ordered it, as a sure proof that the command had been obeyed.
Herod’s fascination with John was the religious curiosity of unbelief that usually disregards God’s truth, love, and grace.
The death of John is reported to Jesus, who then retreats to a lonely place on the Sea of Galilee. John was a relative and more importantly, the first to die for the Messiah. Jesus knew that many of His disciples would soon be following John and Him in a martyr’s death.
Matthew 14:14-21 The great multitude that are listed were 5,000 men. From that we believe there were likely more than 10,000 people. He felt compassion, for them for He was the Good Shepherd caring for His sheep. In response Jesus healed the sick. Now all this ministry was occurring far from any village or town and as the first evening came the period from three to six pm, the disciples began to worry about how the people would be able to get dinner.
In the account in Matthew, they approach Jesus to tell Him to send them away so that they will be able to have enough time for the journey to go and buy dinner. This significance of what is about to happen is so important that it is recorded in all four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In the account in John 6:5-7 Jesus actually began setting the stage for their faith to grow by asking Philip where bread could be bought to feed these people. Andrew then brings word that a young boy has offered his food to the ministry of Jesus.
Matthew 14:22-23 In the next portion of Scripture we come to the place where the twelve declare Yeshua to be Lord. Initially Yeshua tells the disciples to go on ahead of him by getting into the boat and crossing the Sea of Galilee. You’ll remember that they were in a remote part of the Galilee when they fed the multitude. Yeshua told the disciples to leave while he dismissed the multitudes. The multitudes wanted to make him King because of the miracle of the feeding of the multitudes. To avoid that Yeshua goes up on the mountain to pray. The disciples were reluctant to leave Him, probably because they were now building momentum with the crowd calling for Him to be King. But Yeshua made them leave. He wanted them away from the crowds clamoring for Him to be King.
Matthew 14:24-25 – Not long after the disciples took off in their boat the wind came up and the sea became tempest tossed. A stadia was about 1/8 of a mile. Many stadia in John 6:19 is said to be three to four miles. The storm probably carried the boat so far from shore. The disciples were already upset that Yeshua was not with them, and now this terrible storm. In Matthew 8:26 they were in another storm but Yeshua was in the boat with them. But now Yeshua was not with them. He now came to them in the fourth watch. The night was divided into four watches. The first from 6-9, the second from 9-12, the third from 12-3, and the fourth from 3-6. The disciples were probably battling this storm for possibly as much as eight hours. Yeshua knew that they were in trouble, but He didn’t hurry. He wanted them to be at the end of their own resources before he came to their rescue.
Think of Lazarus, and the delay that Yeshua purposefully made. The disciples had just seen the feeding of the 5,000 men, they had witnessed His healing of the sick and the raising of the dead, but when it came to the reality of dealing with a raging storm, their faith in God and His Messiah were not very strong. Now whwn they are in their greatest need He comes to them walking on the water.
Matthew 14:26-27 – Instead of rejoicing at the sight of Yeshua coming to them they became more frightened. They thought it was the ghost of Yeshua, or worse a mocking phantom. Not only were they exhausted from fighting the storm, now they had to deal with a shared hallucination. Yeshua told them to take courage. When they heard his voice, they probably did take courage.
Matthew 14:28-30 – Peter’s actions here are not to test the Lord but rather to be with Him. Notice he asks permission to come believing that Jesus had the power to enable him to walk on the water. In the mind of Peter, it was safer to be with Jesus on the water than in the boat without Jesus. This is confirmed by Jesus saying to Peter “come”. Peter was the leader of the twelve because of his overriding desire to be with Jesus.
And the love of the Messiah for those who will come to Him is always manifested with the words “come”. When Peter began walking on the water the reality of his actions came to him, probably with the first splash of water on his face. Then the Scriptures say that he saw the wind. When he realized that what he was doing defied natural laws, his eyes were on the problem rather than on the Lord andmthe result was he began sinking. His faith was enough to get him out of the boat but not all the way across the water. With all his clothes on he began sinking very quickly. Peter cried to the Lord to save him, and the response of Jesus is immediate. But Peter was admonished for his lack of faith. I’m not sure if any of us would have had the chutzpah to get out of the boat. But the lesson here is that no matter how much faith you have, God will try to stretch your faith so that you can accomplish more than would be humanly possible.
The greatest miracle occurred without Jesus saying a word. As soon as Jesus got into the boat the wind stopped. In the companion account in John 6:21, not only did the wind stop but immediately they were on land at the location they intended to be at all along. With this comes a wonderful confession of faith.
The disciples worshiped Him and confessed “you certainly are the Son of God.” It seems apparent that at this point they did not know what was involved in making that statement. Their confession however is such that they realize that Jesus and God are intimately related. Their knowledge and understanding of who He was would continue to grow and matured when they received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
Matthew 14:34-36 The boat arrived at Gennesaret, which is located at the Northern edge of the Sea of Galilee between Capernaum and Magdala. The plains of Gennesaret were well watered and very fertile so that the land was completely devoted to raising crops. It was a very rural area and perhaps Jesus landed there because He was weary and so too that the disciples might have some rest. But when the people there recognized Jesus the word got out quickly, and they brought to Him all who were sick.
Assurance of Yeshua’s ability to heal was so certain that this woman believed that merel touching the fringe of his cloak would heal her. This fringe was known as Tsitsis which are fringes at the corner of the prayer shawl (called a tallit) or the short undergarment (called the tallit ratan) worn by Orthodox men under the coat or vest. The command to wear tzitzit comes from Numbers 15:37-39. There the children of Israel were commanded to put fringes on the borders of their garments. Tzitzit are symbols of the 613 commandments contained in the Torah. These people were only interested in His ability to heal and quickly left His presence once they received what they came for. The sad part of this kind of reaction, is that the healing would only be temporary. When a person truly comes to Messiah and surrenders their life to Him, the healing has both a temporal and eternal effect.
