Year 9, Day 188: Matthew 14

Theological Commentary: Click Here

At first glance, this chapter seems like a fairly positive one.  Yes, John the Baptizer dies.  But it is followed with two great stories.  We get the feeding of the 5,000 and its familiarity.  We also get to see Jesus walking on water.  These are not only familiar stories, but favorites.

Personally, though, I think that this chapter is a bit of a dark horse.  Of course, we see John the Baptizer ruthlessly killed.  He is killed because he is speaking the truth.  He is killed because he is taking a stand on sexuality.  I’m not sure if there is any other topic among human beings that will cut as deeply as a person speaking about another person’s sexual habits.  It’s never easy, but it is often necessary.  I give John credit for speaking the truth and willing to put his life on the line.  It’s sad that human leadership would rather dispose of the dissenting voice rather than listen to truth.

The second major story in this chapter is the feeding of the 5,000.  What an incredible miracle!  Jesus takes a simple meal for a single person and distributes it to a mass of humanity.  This is the power of God on display like we see in no other place in the Gospels.

Look at this story through a different lens though.  Jesus hears about John’s death and intends to go into the wilderness for some time to mourn and think.  He wanted to be by Himself.  However, the crowds find Him and bring out their sick to Him.  In spite of His desire to be alone, He heals.  He then does the miraculous feeding.  If we turn to John’s account of this story in John 6, we can see that the result of this event is much arguing and doubt – even among those who were following Jesus.  Jesus loses many disciples this day.  It was an event Jesus didn’t intend, and the world turned what should have been a great miracle into a dark day for Jesus’ disciples.

Then we have the story about Jesus walking on water.  Once more we can see Jesus doing something miraculous.  However, instead of being focused on Jesus, Peter asks Jesus to join Him.  I can’t really fault Peter; I’d think it cool to walk on water, too.  The result, however, is that Peter ends up diminishing the experience.  He sinks.  He shows his humanity.  He demonstrates why it is that Jesus has to rescue him.  Like the miraculous feeding, Jesus’ miraculous walk should have been an incredible display of God’s power.  Instead, it is an opportunity for human beings to come in and muck up what God is doing.

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