Catholic Commentary on Matthew 14

"Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30)

The Death of John the Baptist

Herod Antipas has imprisoned John the Baptist because John rebuked him for marrying Herodias, his brother's wife. On Herod's birthday, Herodias' daughter dances before the guests and pleases him so much that he swears to give her whatever she asks. Prompted by her mother, she asks for John's head on a platter. Herod is distressed but will not refuse in front of his guests. John is executed. His disciples come and bury him, then go and tell Jesus. Matthew places this story before the feeding of the five thousand deliberately. Jesus withdraws to a solitary place when he hears the news. He is grieving his cousin and forerunner. But the crowds follow him on foot from the towns. When he sees them, even in his grief, he has compassion on them and heals the sick. The compassion of Christ is not subject to his emotional state. He is grieving and he heals. This is what divine love looks like: giving from a wounded heart.

Five Loaves and Five Thousand

As evening approaches, the disciples ask Jesus to send the crowds away to buy food. He says: They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat. They have only five loaves and two fish. Jesus takes them, looks up to heaven, gives thanks, breaks them, and gives them to the disciples to distribute. Five thousand men, plus women and children, eat and are satisfied, with twelve baskets of fragments left over. The structure, take, give thanks, break, give, is the structure of the Eucharist. Matthew is pointing his readers toward the Mass: the same Lord who fed the multitude with broken bread feeds the Church with his own broken Body. The twelve baskets for the twelve apostles: they are learning that what they give to Jesus, multiplied by his blessing, will always be more than enough.

Walking on Water

Jesus sends the disciples ahead by boat while he goes up the mountain to pray alone. In the early morning hours he comes to them walking on the water. Peter calls out: Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water. Jesus says: Come. Peter gets out of the boat and walks toward Jesus on the water. When he sees the wind he is afraid, begins to sink, and cries out: Lord, save me! Jesus reaches out his hand and catches him: You of little faith, why did you doubt? The shortest prayer in the Bible is also one of the most powerful: Lord, save me. Three words. All that is necessary.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Peter's prayer in the moment of sinking is the prayer of every Christian who has stepped out in faith and felt the water rising. You do not need a more articulate prayer. You need only the cry of the drowning toward the one who is already reaching out his hand. He catches you before the prayer is finished.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you fed the multitude from five loaves and you caught Peter as he sank. Feed us with your body and blood in the Eucharist, and when we sink in our fear and our little faith, reach out your hand. Lord, save us. Three words are enough. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

14
The Beheading of John
(Mark 6:14–29; Luke 9:7–9)
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus 2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
 
3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
 
6 On Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod 7 so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked.
 
8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
 
9 The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted 10 and sent to have John beheaded in the prison.
 
11 John’s head was brought in on a platter and presented to the girl, who carried it to her mother.
 
12 Then John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. And they went and informed Jesus.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
(Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15)
 
13 When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns. 14 When He stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
 
15 When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
 
16 “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”
 
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
 
18 “Bring them here to Me,” Jesus said. 19 And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
 
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 About five thousand men were fed, in addition to women and children.
Jesus Walks on Water
(Mark 6:45–52; John 6:16–21)
 
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. 23 After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, 24 but the boat was already far * 14:24 Greek many stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
 
25 During the fourth watch of the night,† 14:25 That is, between three and six in the morning Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear.
 
27 But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
 
28 “Lord, if it is You,” Peter replied, “command me to come to You on the water.”
 
29 “Come,” said Jesus.
 
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind,‡ 14:30 Literally when he saw the strong wind; NE and WH do not include strong. he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
 
31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
 
32 And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!”
Jesus Heals at Gennesaret
(Mark 6:53–56)
 
34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding region. People brought all the sick to Him 36 and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.

*14:24 14:24 Greek many stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters

†14:25 14:25 That is, between three and six in the morning

‡14:30 14:30 Literally when he saw the strong wind; NE and WH do not include strong.

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