The Promised King: The King Provides and Rules the Waves
Matthew 14 holds two of the most famous miracles in the Gospels — and one of the most chilling murders.
Herod beheads John the Baptist at a birthday party because of a foolish oath. Jesus withdraws in grief. But the crowds follow Him. He has compassion on them and heals their sick. As evening comes, He feeds five thousand men, plus women and children, from five loaves and two fish.
That same night, while the disciples are crossing the sea, He comes to them walking on the water. Peter walks too — for a moment — and then sinks. Jesus stretches out His hand and catches him.
The Promised King grieves for the herald. He feeds the hungry. He walks on the storm. He saves the sinking disciple. And the disciples, finally, worship Him: Truly you are the Son of God.
The death of John the Baptist
At that time Herod the tetrarch hears about the fame of Jesus, and he says to his servants:
"This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."
Matthew flashes back to explain. Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife — because John had been saying to him, It is not lawful for you to have her.
Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held John to be a prophet.
But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod. He promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
Prompted by her mother, she said: Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.
The king was sorry. But because of his oaths and his guests, he commanded it to be given. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
His disciples came and took the body and buried it. They went and told Jesus.
The way of the prophet is the way of confrontation. The way of the powerful is the way of silencing the prophet. Herod murders to preserve his pride. And the same world will soon do the same to the King John announced.
The five thousand fed
When Jesus heard this, He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself. But the crowds heard it and followed Him on foot from the towns.
When He went ashore, He saw a great crowd. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
This is the King's heart. He is grieving. He has just heard of John's murder. He withdraws to a desolate place. But when the crowds find Him, He does not turn them away. His compassion overrides His grief.
When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said: This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.
Jesus said:
"They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
They said: We have only five loaves here and two fish.
He said: Bring them here to me.
He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied. They took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces left over. Those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
The Promised King provides for the crowd through the hands of His disciples. He could have created bread from nothing. He chose instead to multiply what little they had. He blesses, breaks, and distributes — the pattern of the Lord's Supper, the pattern of all true ministry.
Walking on the sea
Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. After He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.
When evening came, He was there alone. The boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
In the fourth watch of the night — between three and six in the morning — He came to them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified:
"It is a ghost!"
They cried out in fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them:
"Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."
The Greek behind it is I is I AM — the name of God spoken to Moses at the burning bush. The Promised King walks on the sea and identifies Himself with the divine name. No prophet ever did this. Only God walks on the sea.
Peter walks too
Peter answered: Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.
He said: Come.
So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out:
"Lord, save me!"
Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him:
"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped Him:
"Truly you are the Son of God."
The Promised King reaches out His hand to the sinking disciple. Peter's faith was real — he stepped out of the boat. Peter's faith was small — he sank when he saw the wind. But the Lord's hand is bigger than the disciple's wavering.
The disciples worship. This is the first time in Matthew the disciples explicitly call Him the Son of God.
Healings at Gennesaret
When they crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized Him, they sent around to all that region and brought to Him all who were sick. They implored Him that they might only touch the fringe of His garment.
"And as many as touched it were made well."
The Promised King moves from feeding to walking on water to a region-wide healing campaign. He gives. He rescues. He heals. And those who only touch the edge of His garment are made well, because the power flows from Him, not from how grand the touch is.
Closing prayer
Father, thank You that the Promised King had compassion on the crowd even in His grief. Thank You that He provides for the hungry through the hands of His disciples. Thank You that He walks on every storm with the words take heart; it is I. When we sink like Peter, stretch out Your hand and catch us. And let us, like the disciples in the boat, worship Him with the confession: Truly you are the Son of God. In Jesus' name, amen.
