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The Gospels · New Testament

Matthew 14

Matthew 14: John beheaded, a crowd fed, and a walk on the sea

General context

Herod the tetrarch hears of Jesus and tells his servants that this is John the Baptist risen from the dead. The narrator explains that Herod had arrested and imprisoned John for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because John told him it was not lawful for him to have her, and that he wanted to kill John but feared the crowd, who counted John a prophet. At Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias dances and pleases him, and he promises with an oath to give whatever she asks. Instructed by her mother, she asks for John's head in a charger. The king is sorry but keeps the oath before his guests, John is beheaded in the prison, the head is given to the girl, and she brings it to her mother. John's disciples take the body, bury it, and tell Jesus. Jesus withdraws by ship to a desert place, the people follow on foot, and he heals their sick. At evening the disciples ask him to send the crowd away, and with five loaves and two fishes the whole multitude eats and twelve baskets of fragments remain. He sends the disciples ahead, prays alone on a mountain, and comes to them walking on the sea in the fourth watch. Peter asks to come, walks, fears the wind, sinks, and is caught. The wind ceases, those in the ship worship, and at Gennesaret the sick touch the hem of his garment.

Cited passages: Matthew 14:1, Matthew 14:2, Matthew 14:3, Matthew 14:4, Matthew 14:5, Matthew 14:6, Matthew 14:8, Matthew 14:9, Matthew 14:10, Matthew 14:12, Matthew 14:13, Matthew 14:14, Matthew 14:16, Matthew 14:17, Matthew 14:20, Matthew 14:21, Matthew 14:23, Matthew 14:25, Matthew 14:28, Matthew 14:30, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 14:36

Matthew 14 (KJV)

1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

2And 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.

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

4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

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

7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.

9And 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.

10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

12And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

13When 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.

14And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

15And 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.

16But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

18He said, Bring them hither to me.

19And 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.

20And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

21And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

22And 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.

23And 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.

24But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

32And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

34And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

35And 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;

36And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

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Historical context

This Herod is called Herod the tetrarch in the opening verse and the king in verse 9, so the chapter uses both words for the same man. He is not the Herod the king of Matthew 2, who dies in that chapter and is succeeded in Judea by Archelaus. Herodias is identified only by relation, as his brother Philip's wife. Her daughter is not named here; the text calls her the daughter of Herodias and the damsel. The earlier notice that John was cast into prison gave no cause, and this chapter supplies one: John told Herod it was not lawful for him to have her. The narrator states two reasons for the delay in killing John, fear of the multitude and their reckoning of him as a prophet, and two reasons for finally ordering it, the oath and the guests. Herod's remark about John risen from the dead is reported as speech to his servants and is not confirmed by the narrator. The crowd that eats is counted as about five thousand men, beside women and children, so the text gives no total.

Cited passages: Matthew 14:1, Matthew 14:9, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 14:3, Matthew 14:4, Matthew 4:12, Matthew 14:5, Matthew 14:11, Matthew 14:21

Literary context

The chapter opens with a death and then keeps returning to water, food and fear. The execution scene is told through other people's decisions: a promise made with an oath, a request prompted by a mother, guests at the table, and a king described as sorry who gives the order anyway. Once the report reaches Jesus, he withdraws, and the withdrawal is immediately undone by the crowds who follow on foot. A ship crossing opens the withdrawal and a longer sea scene closes the chapter, and that scene answers the question left open in chapter 8 with a statement rather than another question. Fear is named twice in it, when the disciples cry out at a shape on the water and when Peter sees the wind, and it is answered twice, first with be not afraid and then with a question put to Peter. The closing verses return to touch, with the sick reaching only for the hem of his garment, as a woman did in chapter 9.

Cited passages: Matthew 14:7, Matthew 14:8, Matthew 14:9, Matthew 14:13, Matthew 14:19, Matthew 14:26, Matthew 14:27, Matthew 14:31, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 8:27, Matthew 14:36, Matthew 9:20

Key moments

  1. Herod's guess (Matthew 14:2). Herod the tetrarch tells his servants that Jesus is John risen from the dead.
  2. Why John was held (Matthew 14:4). John had told Herod it was not lawful for him to have Herodias.
  3. The oath at the birthday (Matthew 14:7). Herod promises the dancing daughter of Herodias whatever she asks.
  4. John beheaded (Matthew 14:10). Herod sends and has John beheaded in the prison.
  5. Five loaves and two fishes (Matthew 14:19). Jesus blesses and breaks the loaves and fishes and has them distributed.
  6. Walking on the sea (Matthew 14:25). Jesus comes to the ship in the fourth watch, walking on the sea.
  7. Peter sinks and is caught (Matthew 14:31). Jesus stretches out his hand to catch Peter and asks why he doubted.

For reflection

The narrator says the king was sorry and then records that he gave the order for the oath's sake and for the guests. What does the reader do with regret that changes nothing in the account?

People in this chapter

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