1.
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
At = In. Greek. en.
time = season.
Herod = Herod Antipas. Son of Herod the Great by Malthace. See App-109 .
tetrarch. The Greek word transliterated = a governor over the fourth part of any region; but the word subsequently lost its strict etymological meaning, and came to denote any petty prince not ruling over an entire country. So called from tetartos = fourth.
heard of the fame. Figure of speech Polyptoton. Greek. ekousen. . akoen.
fame = hearing, or report.
of = concerning. Genitive (of Relation). App-17 .
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.
servants = young men or courtiers. Greek. pais. App-108 .
the dead. With Art. See App-139 .
therefore = on this account. Greek. dia touto.
mighty works. See note on Matthew 13:54 , above.
in. Greek. en.
3.
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
Herod. One of eleven rulers offended with God's reprovers. See note on Exodus 10:28 .
put: i.e. had him put.
for . . . sake = on account of. Greek. dia .
Philip's = Philip I, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne II. See App-109 .
wife: i.e. widow.
4.
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
said = used to say.
5.
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
when he would have put him to death. = wishing ( App-102 .) to kill him.
counted = held. Compare Matthew 21:26 , Matthew 21:46
6.
But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
kept = being celebrated.
the daughter. Salome (Josephus, Antiquities xviii. 5. 4).
Herodias. See App-109 .
before them = in the midst of them: i.e. in public.
7.
Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
with. Greek. meta. App-104 .
8.
And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
before instructed = prompted, or instigated.
of = by. Greek. hupo.
in = upon. Greek. epi .
charger = a wooden trencher, or dish. Greek. pinax ;. Occ only here, Matthew 14:11 .Mark 6:25 , Mark 6:28 and Luke 11:39 ("platter"). The Eng. is from the French chargrer = to load. Then by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Subject) App-6 , put for wh at is laden; hence, used of a horse, as well as a dish.
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.
the oath's = his great or solemn oath.
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.
damsel. Greek. korasion. App-108 .
12.
And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
body. Mark 6:29 reads ptoma = corpse.
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.
departed = withdrew. by = in. Greek. en .
people = multitude.
out of = from. Greek. apo . App-104 .
14.
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
went forth. From His solitude, Matthew 14:13 .
toward. Greek. epi .
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.
time = hour.
now = already.
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.
And = But.
have here but = have not (Greek. ou , as in Matthew 14:4 ) here [anything] except.
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.
on = upon. Greek. epi .
to = into. Greek. eis .
heaven = the heaven (sing). See note on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 . brake = after breaking. The bread was made in thin cakes, which had to be broken (not cut) before they could be eaten. Hence the idiom "to break bread" means to eat bread, as in Luke 24:35 ; Acts 27:35 . See notes on Numbers 18:19 , and Isaiah 58:7 . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Adjunct). App-6 .
to = [gave] to. The Ellipsis must be thus supplied from the preceding clause.
20.
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
filled = satisfied.
baskets. Greek. kophinos. A small wicker hand-basket.
21.
And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
men = males. Greek plural of aner . See App-123 .
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.
straightway = immediately, as in Matthew 14:31 .
a = the.
He sent, &c. This was a miracle in itself.
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.
with = by. Greek. hupo. App-104 .
waves = the waves.
25.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
the fourth watch. See App-51 .
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.
a spirit = a phantom. Greek. phantasma. Occurs only here and Mark 6:49 .
for = from. Greek. apo. App-104 .
27.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
it is I = I am [He].
28.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Lord. Greek. Kurios. App-98 .
if, &c. Assuming it as a fact.
29.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
to. Greek. pros. App-104 .
30.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
he saw the wind boisterous. He looked at the circumstances instead of the Lord. This was the secret of his (and of our) failure.
sink = be overwhelmed in the sea. Greek. katapontizomai. Occurs only here and Matthew 18:6 .
31.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
O thou of little faith. See note on Matthew 6:30 .
wherefore = why, or for what. Greek. eis.
doubt = waver, or hesitate. Greek. distazo. Occurs only here and Matthew 28:17 .
32.
And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33.
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
the Son of God = God's Son (no Art.) App-98 .
34.
And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
Gennesaret. It was at the northern end of the lake and to the west of the Jordan ( App-169 ). The Talmud identifies it with Chinnereth of the O.T. Josephus says it was about four miles long by two and a half broad.
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;
had knowledge of = having recognized.
36.
And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
hem = border, or fringes. Compare Matthew 9:20 .
made perfectly whole = completely saved or healed. Greek. diasozo = to save throughout. Occurs eight times (Luke 7:3 .Acts 23:24 ; Acts 27:43 , Acts 27:44 ; Acts 28:1 , Acts 28:4 ; 1 Peter 3:20 ). All are interesting and used of bodily saving.