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Matthew 14

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

He said, Bring them hither to me.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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;

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

What does Matthew 14:18 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 14:18 [He said, "Bring them hither to me."] This verse is part of the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand.

In this moment, Jesus responds to the disciples' concern about the lack of food to feed the multitude that had gathered to hear him teach.

The disciples had found a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, but they questioned how such a small amount of food could feed so many people.

Jesus asks the disciples to bring the food to him, setting the stage for a miracle.

The literal meaning here is that Jesus is instructing the disciples to bring the available food to him. On a deeper level, it reflects the theme of Jesus' divine authority and compassion, as well as his ability to provide abundantly even from scant resources.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew was written sometime between 70 and 100 AD.

It was a time when the early Christian community was distinguishing itself from Judaism and facing persecution. Feeding the multitude was a significant miracle that revealed the power and compassion of Jesus to early Christians.

In the first-century Jewish context, sharing a meal was more than just eating together; it was an act of community and unity. The action took place in a remote area, emphasizing reliance on Jesus' provision instead of the organized structures of society.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse symbolizes Jesus as the provider and sustainer, echoing Old Testament accounts of God providing for the Israelites, such as manna from heaven.

Some Christians view it as a prefiguration of the Eucharist, the bread representing Christ's body, offered for the spiritual nourishment of his followers.

Some theologians see this as a demonstration of Jesus' power over creation and an invitation to trust in God's provision. Others interpret it in terms of Jesus' message of sharing and selflessness, where a small offering, given in faith, can be multiplied to meet the needs of many.

Practical Applications

The verse can inspire believers to trust in divine provision, encouraging them to bring their resources, no matter how insignificant they may seem, to Jesus in faith, anticipating that He can use them in ways that go beyond human understanding.

It also serves to remind individuals of the importance of generosity and the impact that even small acts of giving can have when they are blessed and multiplied by God.

Cross-References

John 6:9: "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?"
Matthew 14:16: "But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat."
Matthew 15:36: "And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude."
2 Kings 4:42-44: The account of Elisha multiplying barley loaves to feed a hundred men.

Language Study

The key phrase in the original Greek text is "φέρετέ μοι αὐτούς ὧδε" (ferete moi autous hode).

The imperative "φέρετέ" (ferete) translates to "bring" or "carry," which is a command.

The pronoun "μοι" (moi) is the first-person singular dative case, meaning "to me." "αὐτούς" (autous) is the direct object, meaning "them," referring to the loaves and fish. "ὧδε" (hode) is an adverb indicating the place, meaning "here" or "hither." The command is direct and conveys a sense of immediacy and authority.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The miracle of multiplying food can be found in various cultural and religious traditions, suggesting a common human hope for divine benevolence and abundance.

For example, in Hinduism, there are accounts of sages miraculously providing food.

In other cultures, miracle workers, shamans, or deities might multiply food or supplies, reflecting a universal theme of the miraculous providing during times of need.

Scientific Perspectives

The act of multiplying food as described in Matthew 14:18 defies the natural laws of conservation of mass and energy as understood by modern science.

Therefore, from a purely scientific perspective, such an event would be classified as a supernatural phenomenon. It's a point where faith and empirical science intersect, asking believers to accept the miracle on the basis of spiritual conviction rather than scientific evidence.

Commentaries

Bible scholars and theologians have offered various interpretations of this verse.

Some emphasize Jesus' role as a teacher, highlighting that he instructs his disciples rather than directly involving himself, potentially as a lesson in faith and obedience.

Other commentaries may focus on the miracle itself, seeing it as a sign of Jesus' divine nature.

Still, others interpret the disciples' role as being integral to the miracle, suggesting that the divine often works through human hands.

The consensus among most Christian commentaries is that this verse demonstrates Jesus' compassion for the physical needs of the crowd as well as his power to meet those needs in an extraordinary way.

Matthew 14

Matthew 14

What does Matthew 14:18 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 14:18 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?