Matthew 14

Herods opinion of Christ, 1. A relation of the imprisonment, and beheading of John Baptist at the requist of Herodias daughter,3. Christ satisfies above five thousand men in the wilderness withh five loaves and two fishes,13. Comes to his Disciples who were in distress on the sea, and wlaketh upon the wear, 22. and at his command Peter also, who being afraid of the wind beginneth to sink, but is saved by Christ, 28. who stilleth the Temple, whereby he is acknowledged to be the Son of God, 32. Christ cometh again into the land of Gennesareth, and healeth many sick persons,34.

1. At the same time Herod [This was a son of Herod the great, and was sirnamed Antipas] the Tetrarch [Gr. Tetrarches; that is, a Governour over the fourth part of Kingdome, For after the death of Herod the great, his Kingdome, was by the Emperour Augustus divided amongst his sons; whereof well near the half, namely Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, Archelaus the eldest son had: one fourth part, namely, Galilee, and the land beyond Jordan, this Herod; and the last past, namely, Iturea, and Trachonitis, Philip the youngest son had See Matth 2.22 Luke 3 verse 1.19. and in Josephh. Antiq. lib 17. cap 15. Thse Tetrarchs are also called Kings, because they ruled as Kings: See here verse.9. Mark 6:14. Acts 25. verse 24.] heard the same of Jesus.

2. And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist: he raised up from the dead, and therefore those mighty (deeds) do work in him.

3. For Herod apprehended John, [This Hisotory is hhere occassionally related, although it came to pass before. Se Matth 4.12.] and bound him, and put himin prision, for Hherodias sake, [This Hherodias was the wife of Philip the brother of Herod, by whom she being seduced, forsook her husband, and his life time was taken to wise by Herod. See Joseph. Antiq.lib.18. cap. 7,9.] the wife of his brother Philip.

4. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thhee to have her. [namely, to wife]

5. And intending to kill him, he feared the people, because they held him for a Prophet.

6. But when the day of Herods birth was kept, [of such keeping the birth – day we have one example more, Ggen 40. verse 20.] the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst (of them) and she pleased Herod.

7. Wherefore h epromised her with an oat, to give even what she should ask.

8. And being before instructed of her Mother, [or, being stirred up, or, set on, afetr that she asked her mother advice about it, Mark 6:24.] said; Give me here in dish the head of John the Baptist.

9. And the King was sorrowful, [Not so much for Johns sake, as for the displeasure of the people which he feared] but for the oath [namely, which he had unlawfully made to this immodest dancer, verse 7.] and those that sate down (with him) he commanded that it should be given (her)

10. And he sent [Namely, a Serjeant, or Executioner, as may be seen, Mark 6:27.] and behealed John in the prison.

11. And his head was brought in a dish, and given to the damosel, and shhe carried it to her mother.

12. And his disciples come and took away the body, and buried the smae: and went and told it to Jesus.

13. And (when) Jesus heard (this)he departed from thence by ship [Not only to avoid the dnager, seeing his houre was not yet come; but also because his disciples had need of rest, Mark 6. verse 30,31.] towards a depart place alone: [or out of the way on the one side] and the multitudes hearing (that), followed him on foot out of the Cities.] For Christ was not passed unto the other side of the Sea, but over a bay, abiding on the same side, where they could follow him on foot.]

14. And Jesus going forth saw a great multitude, [That is to say, that there was much people] and was inwardly moved with compassion towards them, and healed their sick.

15. And when it was now Evining, his disciples came to him, saying; This place is desert, and the time [Gr. the houre, namely, to take meat or food, or the time of the day; not to hold the people any longer] is now past, let go the multitude from thee, thhey may go away in the Villages, and buy themselves meat.

16. But Jesus said unto them; they have no need to go hence: give you them to eat.

17. But they said unto him; We have nothing here but five leavesn and two fibres.

18. And he said; bring me the same the same hither.

19. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five leaves, and the two fshes, and looking upwards yowards Heaven blessed the same [The Greek word indeed sometimes signifies, to give thanks, but must here be taken for bless, which is joined with thanksgiving, as is to be seen, Luke 9:16. which blessing was done a special prayer, that these loaves might suffice for the satisfying of all, 1 Tim 4.4,5] and when he had broken them, he gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

20. And thhey did all eat and were satisfied, and they took up [Namely, the disciples of Christ, as appears out of John 6 verse 12.] the remainder of the fragments, twelve full baskets.

21. Now they which had eaten, were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

22. And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples [Namley, with earnest words, because they were loth to part from him] to go into the ship; and to put off before him the other side, while he should dismisse the multitudes from him.

23. And now when he had dismissed the multitudes from him, he ascended into the mountain alone [See the 13. verse before – going] for to pray. And when it was now become Evening, hhe was there alone.

24. And the ship was now in the midst of the Sea, being in distrers by the waves, [Gr. tormented; i.e very much tossed or beaten by the waves] for the wind was against (them).

25. But at the fourth watch of the night [The night was then divided into four watches, each of three hours whereof thhe forth ened with the day. Therefore the same was also called the morning – watch, Exod 14. verse 24. 1 Sam 11.11. See Luke 12:38.] Jesus came unto them, walking on the sea.

26. And the disciples seeing him walk on the Sea, were troubled, saying; It is an apparition, [Thhat is to say, a spirit appearing in bodily shape] and they shrieked out for fear.

27. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying; Be of good chear; It is i , [Namley, in truth , and it is no apparition, or ghost] fear not.

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

29. And he said, come : And Peter descended from the ship, and walked on the water, to come to Jesus.

30. But seeing the strong wind, he was afraid, and he begunto sink down, he cryed, saying; Lord, save me.

31. And Jesus presently, streching out the hand laid hold on him, and said unto him; O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou waver, [or, doubt]

32. And when they were got into the ship, the wind becaome still.

33. Now they that (were) in the ship, came and worshipped him, saying; Truly, thou art the Sonne of God.

34. And being gone over, they came into the land Gennesareth.

35. And whhen the men of that place knew him, they sent into that whole country lying round about, and brought unto him all that were indisposed.

36. And prayed him that they might touchh only the hem of his garment, [For a sign that they would be holpen by him,; not that they ascribed such vertue to the hem. See the like, Matth 9.20,21.] and as many as touchhed (him), [or, it; namely, the hem] became whole.