I am going to look at this chapter backward. In the
last two sections, we see God/Jesus showing great power. He is walking on water
and multiplying the fish and the bread. These demonstrate the power of Jesus as
the Messiah and over the powers of this world. The truths seen in both are
wonderful, but the first section of this chapter shows a defeat and humiliation
for one of God’s greatest servants, John the Baptist.
In the walking on water, we are taught that keeping
our eyes on Jesus in the middle of the storm can keep us safe. This is a lesson
taught throughout scripture. Psalms 91 is a great reference for how keeping our
eyes on God will keep us safe. Yet, we come back to the first of the chapter and
are reminded that God doesn’t always keep us safe from all harm in this world.
In the feeding of the five thousand, we see Jesus'
power over the natural world. It was like there was a replicator from Star Trek
there in the baskets. Once the bread and fish were put in the empty baskets it
replicated the rest. It is an amazing story. The truth is the miracle happened
in the hands of the apostles while they were handing out the bread and fish. It
also gave 12 doubting men a basket each left over for their own needs. God
provides, yet what about John?
At the beginning of this chapter, we are hit by an
injustice. John was just a preacher without any power. Yet the truth of his
words landed him in prison. Herod could have ignored John and it wouldn’t have
changed his life at all. Yet he could not stand anyone telling him that what he
wanted to do was wrong. So, Herod threw John into prison.
Did God deliver John the Baptist? No, and yes, I
realize there were reasons John needed to leave the stage (He/Jesus must
increase and I/John must decrease John 3:30), but it still feels wrong. It
doesn’t feel like justice took place. John Wesley on his notes on the New
Testament wrote, “How mysterious is the providence (God), which left the life of
so holy a man in such infamous hands! which permitted it to be sacrificed to
the malice of an abandoned harlot, the petulance of a vain girl, and the
rashness of a foolish, perhaps drunken prince, who made a prophet's head the
reward of a dance!” It makes one want to ask, God what are you doing? This
isn’t fair? However, what was fair about Jesus, God in the flesh, being taken
by sinful men and crucified on a cross? There was nothing fair about it. God, though,
walked in the world as we walked. He suffered as we do, but this is not the end
of the story.
John Wesley didn’t
end his commentary on John’s murder with the statement I just quoted. He ends
in words that remind him and us this world is not all there is. John Wesley
wrote, “But we are sure the Almighty will repay his servants in another world
for whatever they suffer in this.” Yes, it may end badly here, but this world is
not all there is. As radio commentator
Paul Harvey said, God will someday say, this is “the rest of the story.”
Mat 14:1-36
(1) At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
(2) And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
(3) For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
(4) For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
(5) And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
(6) But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
(7) Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
(8) And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
(9) And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
(10) And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
(11) And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
(12) And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
(13) When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
(14) And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
(15) 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, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
(16) But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
(17) And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
(18) He said, Bring them hither to me.
(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.
(20) And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
(21) And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
(22) And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
(23) And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
(24) But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
(25) And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
(26) And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
(27) But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
(28) And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
(29) And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
(30) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
(31) And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
(32) And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
(33) Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
(34) And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
(35) And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
(36) And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
No comments:
Post a Comment