Day 290 – Reading – Matthew 14, Mark 6, and Luke 9

Read and believe in Jesus!

In yesterday’s account in Matthew 10, Jesus called, prepared, and then sent out his twelve “apostles” to the cities of “the lost sheep of Israel” to preach the kingdom. (Later, Jesus will send out 72 others with similar instructions.)

Today, we see the Twelve doing that and then returning.

Mark 6:12-13: “So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.”

And Mark 6:30-31: “The apostles returned to Jesus and told Him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.'”

 

Matthew 14:1-12, Mark 6:14-20 and Luke 14:7-9 all tell the horrible story of how King Herod killed John the Baptist, and then was uneasy, perplexed and not a little afraid afterwards. When he heard that Jesus was going around healing people, his guilty conscience made him fear that this was John the Baptist come back to life!  Herod tried unsuccessfully to “see” Jesus (but didn’t until Jesus was on trial).

Herod Antipas, son of the mega-evil Herod the Great, was ruler (Tetrarch) of Galilee.  Another son of that wicked king was Herod Philip, who ruled the far northern parts of Galilee.  Herodias was the daughter of another son of the evil Herod the Great. When she married Philip, she was marrying her uncle. Then, our Herod Antipas convinced her to leave Philip and marry him, another of her uncles. 

This compounding of incest and having a brother’s wife was gross sin in John the Baptist’s eyes.  He openly and severely rebuked Herod.  Prompted by Herodias, Herod arrested and imprisoned (and later killed) John.

It happened one day when Herod, Herodias, and her daughter were celebrating Herod’s birthday with a grand, and debauched party.  The young and beautiful Salome seductively danced before her step-father. He was entranced, aroused, and probably drunk.  He promised her anything she wanted.         

Herodias told her to ask the king for “John the Baptist’s head … on a platter.”

Yikes!!

Of course, to “save face” in front of all his guests, Herod gave the order.  He was “exceedingly sorry,” because he had enjoyed verbally sparring with John now and then. AND, he knew John was a holy man and was actually afraid of him for God’s word of condemnation he spoke

But a king’s vow cannot be rescinded.  Soon the prison guard carried in John’s bloody head on a silver platter.  

Salome turned her head away, Herodias, smiled wickedly, and Herod probably wretched.  Surely regret and guilt began to eat away his heart. When he heard of the miracles of Jesus, his nightmares seemed to be coming true! “It’s John whom I beheaded, raised from the dead!“

John’s disciples buried his body, and then went to Jesus with the horrible news.

…..

It was about then that the twelve disciples returned from their missionary trip. Their need of rest, and Jesus’ own sorrow for John’s death, led Him to take them across Galilee in a boat to a deserted place. There, he quietly grieved, and taught His men. 

• At one point, Jesus asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
• “John the Baptist!” someone said, no doubt hearing the rumors about King Herod.
• “Or Elijah.”
• “Or one of the prophets of old that has risen.”
• “But who do YOU say I am?” asked Jesus.
• Peter spoke up. “The Christ of God.“
• Jesus nodded, but answered Peter sternly, “Don’t spread this around just yet, Peter. Tell no one.  Because…. FIRST I must suffer many things…. be rejected by the religious leaders….. be killed, and on the third day rise.”

…..

They didn’t get much quietness, for when the crowds noticed that Jesus was gone from them, and heard He’d gone across the lake, the rushed as one (gathering more as they went) the 2-3 miles around the shore to Bethsaida. 

When Jesus saw the great crowd coming, He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He welcomed them, taught them, and healed them.  The day wore on, and soon everybody was hungry.

What to do? 

NOTE:  In tomorrow’s reading of John 6, we will study Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000, and His strong teaching that follows.  For now, we’ll skip it in the synoptic Gospels.

…..

After the collection of the small baskets of leftovers, the people began talking among themselves and looking at Jesus, 

Knowing their hearts, he immediately told the disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side while He dismissed the crowd.  He gently but firmly dismissed them, then slipped away by Himself.  He climbed up into the hills, and began to pray to His Father long into the night.

About three in the morning, way after the boat should have landed on the other side, Jesus saw that they were struggling in a wild and windy sea.  The waves were pushing against the men and the disciples were exhausted from rowing.

Jesus came to them walking on the water. WALKING ON THE WATER!  On TOP of the water!

When the disciples saw Him, their exhausted minds immediately turned to terror. 

“It’s a GHOST!” they screamed.

“Take heart. It’s I. Don’t be afraid,” called Jesus.

“If it’s You, Lord, command me to come to You on the water,” shouted Peter, climbing onto the boat’s rail.

“Come.”

Peter got out of the boat and… walked on the water towards Jesus.  But, when he realized what he was doing, he looked down at the water, and around at the wind… and he began to sink. 

“Lord! Save me!”

Jesus immediately reached out His had and took hold of Peter, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

When they climbed into the boat, the wind ceased.  And the tired but amazed men worshiped him. “Truly You are the Son of God.”

And immediately they were on the other side. As soon as they moored the boat, the people immediately recognized Jesus and began to bring their sick to Him.  And as many as He touched were made well.