1.
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
Herod the tetrarch - See also Mark 6:14-16; Luke 9:7-9. This was a son of Herod the Great. Herod the Great died probably in the first year after the birth of Christ, and left his kingdom to his three sons, of whom this “Herod Antipas” was one. He ruled over Galilee and Perea. See the notes at Matthew 2:15. The title “tetrarch” literally denotes one who rules over a “fourth” part of any country. It came, however, to signify the governor or ruler of any province subject to the Roman emperor - Robinson, Lexicon.
Heard of the fame of Jesus - Jesus had been a considerable time engaged in the work of the ministry, and it may seem remarkable that he had not before heard of him. Herod might, however, have been absent on some expedition to a remote part of the country. It is to be remembered, also, that he was a man of much dissoluteness of morals, and that he paid little attention to the affairs of the people. He might have heard of Jesus before, but it had not arrested his attention. He did not think it a matter worthy of much regard.
2.
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.
This is John the Baptist - Herod feared John. His conscience smote him for his crimes. He remembered that he had wickedly put him to death. He knew him to be a distinguished prophet; and he concluded that no other one was capable of working such miracles but he who had been so eminent a servant of God in his life, and who, he supposed, had again risen from the dead and entered the dominions of his murderer. The alarm in his court, it seems, was general. Herod’s conscience told him that this was John. Others thought that it might be the expected Elijah or one of the old prophets, Mark 6:15.
3.
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
4.
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
5.
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
6.
But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
7.
Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
8.
And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
9.
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.
10.
And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
11.
And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
12.
And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
13.
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.
14.
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
15.
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.
16.
But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
17.
And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18.
He said, Bring them hither to me.
19.
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.
20.
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
21.
And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
22.
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.
23.
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.
24.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea - John says they had sailed about 25 or 30 furlongs. About 7 1/2 Jewish furlongs made a mile; so that the distance they had salted was not more than about 4 miles. At no place is the Sea of Tiberias much more than 10 miles in breadth, so that they were literally in the midst of the sea.
25.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And in the fourth watch of the night - The Jews anciently divided the night into three parts of four hours each, usually called watches. The first of these watches is mentioned in Lamentations 2:19, the middle watch in Judges 7:19, and the morning watch in Exodus 14:24. In the time of our Saviour they divided the night into four watches, the fourth having been introduced by the Romans. These watches consisted of three hours each. The first commenced at six and continued until nine; the second from nine to twelve; the third from twelve to three; and the fourth from three to six. The first was called evening; the second midnight; the third cock-crowing; the fourth morning, Mark 13:35. It is probable that the term watch was given to each of these divisions from the practice of placing sentinels around the camp in time of war, or in cities, to watch or guard the camp or city; and that they were at first relieved three times in the night, but under the Romans four times. It was in the last of these watches, or between three and six in the morning, that Jesus appeared to the disciples, so that he had spent most of the night alone on the mountain in prayer.
Walking on the sea - A manifest and wonderful miracle. It was a boisterous sea. It was in a dark night. The little boat was 4 or 5 miles from the shore, tossed by the billows.
26.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
They were troubled - They were afraid. The sight was remarkable. It was sufficient to awe them. In the dark night, amid the tumultuous billows appeared the form of a man. They thought it was a spirit an apparition. It was a common belief among the ancients that the spirits of people after death frequently appeared to the living.
27.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
32.
And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
And when they were come into the ship the wind ceased - Here was a new proof of the power of Jesus. He that has power over winds and waves has all power. John adds John 6:21 that the ship was immediately at the land whither they went; another proof, amid this collection of wonders, that the Son of God was with them. They came, therefore, and worshipped him, acknowledging him to be the Son of God. That is, they gave him homage, or honored him as the Son of God.
33.
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
34.
And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
35.
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;
36.
And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.