Matthew 14

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 36 verses.

This chapter can be grouped (with cross references to parallel passages in the other gospels):

• Matthew 14:1–12 = Death of John the Baptist (Mark 6:14–29}; Luke 9:7–9)
• Matthew 14:13–21 = Feeding the 5000 (Mark 6:30–44}; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–13)
• Matthew 14:22–33 = Jesus' walk on water (Mark 6:45–52; John 6:16–21)
• Matthew 14:34–36 = Jesus healing in the land of Gennesaret (Mark 6:53–56)

Herod Antipas (Herod the tetrarch) was the son of Herod who was king when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:1) and reigned over Galilee when Jesus performed his ministry in the area (cf. Mark 6:14–29; Luke 9:7–9; 3:19–20).[1] His 'tender conscience over the reluctant execution of John the Baptist made him treating the report of Jesus' miracles with a 'bizarre idea' that Jesus was John who was risen from the dead.[1]

Allison notes the multiple parallels between the Passion of Jesus and the account of John the Baptist in this section.[2]

• Both are captured (14:3; 21:46), bound (14:3; 27:2) and 'suffer the shameful deaths of criminals'.
• Both are executed at the command of a government official (Herod the tetrarch; Pontius Pilate) who 'acts reluctantly at the request of others' (14:6-11; 27:11-26).
• Both are buried by their disciples (14:12; 27:57-61), and in each case opponents fear what the crowds might do because they hold John and Jesus to be prophets (14:5; 21:46).
• Both ends are foreshadowed, as in 2:1–23 (against Herod the Great, the father of Herod the tetrarch); 5:38-42; and 10:17-23, so John's martyrdom (as the forerunner) is a Christological martyrdom prophecy of the coming one (cf. 17:12).
• John has been identified with Elijah (11:14), who in 1 Kings 17–19 accuses King Ahab of misdeeds while the evil Queen Jezebel tries to have him killed (likely applicable to Herod as Ahab and Herodias as Jezebel). In the very next pericope, Jesus suggestively acts like Elisha, Elijah's successor (2 Kings 4:42–44).[2]

Matthew 14:13 and 14:15 refer to a 'deserted' (NKJV) or 'secluded' (Amplified Bible) place, clarified as 'a place where no one lived' in the Easy-to-Read Version. In Luke's gospel, he goes at this point in the narrative to 'a town called Bethsaida', i.e. an inhabited place, but nevertheless one where 'he and his apostles could be alone together.[5]

Eating together was a symbol of unity and Jesus was acting as the host of a large family gathering, welcoming the crowd into a new community.[6]

After the public miracle of loaves, the disciples witnessed in private one miracle that showed Jesus' authority over material things.[6]

When they were back in Herod's territory, Jesus' popularity was shown again in his healing ministry, which was more extensive than so far recorded.[6]

• Gennesaret
• Herod Antipas
• Herodias
• John the Baptist
• Miracles of Jesus
• Philip the brother of Herod Antipas
• Sea of Galilee
• Tzitzit
• Related Bible parts: Numbers 15, Matthew 15, Mark 6, Mark 8, Luke 9, John 6

• Coogan, Michael David (2007). Coogan, Michael David; Brettler, Marc Zvi; Newsom, Carol Ann; Perkins, Pheme (eds.). The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 (Augmented 3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195288810.
• France, R. T. (1994). "Matthew". In Carson, D. A.; France, R. T.; Motyer, J. A.; Wenham, G. J. (eds.). New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition (4, illustrated, reprint, revised ed.). Inter-Varsity Press. pp. 904–945. ISBN 9780851106489.

• Media related to Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 14 at Wikimedia Commons
• Matthew 14 King James Bible - Wikisource
• English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate
• Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• Multiple bible versions at Bible Gateway (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)