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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 14:24 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 14:24 describes a situation where the disciples of Jesus are alone on a boat in the midst of the Sea of Galilee, facing a storm with contrary winds.

Literally, this verse sets the scene for what will become a manifestation of Jesus' power over nature.

The 'tossed with waves' phrase indicates that the boat is being rocked severely by the waves.

The 'contrary wind' suggests that the disciples are facing opposition from the natural elements, making it difficult for them to control or navigate the boat.

On a deeper level, the verse can represent the struggles and adversities that believers might face in life and how, in the midst of such challenges, they may feel alone or overwhelmed.

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Historical Context

The Sea of Galilee is known for its sudden and violent storms which are caused by the topography of the surrounding region. Given that many of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen, they would have been familiar with such storms.

However, the severity of this storm as described in Matthew 14:24 made it notable. The incident takes place shortly after the feeding of the five thousand, which indicates a period in Jesus' ministry where His teachings and miracles were becoming increasingly public.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological standpoint, this verse is often understood as illustrative of Jesus' sovereignty over creation.

It also serves as an allegory for how Christ is aware of and capable of aiding His followers through trials even when He is not physically present with them.

The story anticipates the resurrection, in that Jesus comes to His disciples in a way that is unexpected and supernatural.

Practical Applications

The practical application of this verse can be multifaceted.

It can serve as an encouragement to individuals to maintain faith during turbulent times in their lives, reminding them that they are not abandoned.

It reminds believers that, much like the disciples, they may encounter storms but are not forgotten by God.

It encourages perseverance and faithfulness in the face of adversity.

Cross-References

Matthew 8:23-27; Jesus calms another storm on the Sea of Galilee.
Mark 6:47-52; Mark's account of Jesus walking on the water and calming the storm.
John 6:16-21; John's version of the same event.

Language Study

The use of "tossed" (Greek: βασανιζομενον, basanizomenon) can mean to be tested, as by torture or affliction. This conveys the severity of the storm.

"Contrary" (Greek: εναντιος, enantios) means opposed or opposing in direction. This highlights the sense of opposition the disciples faced.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures, the sea was seen as a place of chaos and danger, often inhabited by malevolent beings. Stories of gods or heroes conquering the sea or sea-monsters are common, such as the Ancient Near Eastern god Baal or the Greek hero Hercules.

This verse could be seen as aligning with that archetype, presenting Jesus as a figure of divine authority over chaos.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern meteorology would explain such storms on the Sea of Galilee as the result of temperature and pressure differences caused by the lake's geographical setting.

The fact that the disciples, experienced fishermen, were troubled suggests the storm was exceptionally severe.

Commentaries

Commentators on this verse often focus on the miraculous nature of the subsequent verses, where Jesus walks on water.

However, many also discuss the trials and tribulations depicted here as part of the Christian journey.

Matthew Henry's commentary, for example, notes that even though the disciples were following Jesus' directions, they still encountered a storm, signifying that obedience does not guarantee a trouble-free life.

Matthew 14

Matthew 14

What does Matthew 14:24 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 14:24 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?