Rooted and Grounded

Read Matthew Chapter 14
1. Which Herod is being referred to in Matthew 14:1-12?

Going deeper: What do you know about the Herod being referred to in this chapter from Biblical, secular or Jewish history? How did he come to be married to his brother’s wife? What prohibition to such conduct was found in the Torah. Give the scripture if you can.

2. What did Herod do to John the Baptist according to Matthew 14:1-12? Why?

3. What does He think about Jesus according to Matthew 14:1-2?

4. Where does Jesus go when He learns of John’s death according to Matthew 14:13? Who goes with Him?

5. What does Jesus feel when He sees the multitude according to Matthew 14:14? How does He react?

6. In the evening, Jesus disciples come to him. What do they ask Him to do? How does He respond in Matthew 14:16?

7. How do they respond in Matthew 14:17? What is Jesus’ response to them in Matthew 14:18?

8. Summarize what Jesus does next according to Matthew 14:19-20?

9. Copy Matthew 14:20 -21. Meditate on this. Try to imagine you are one of the disciples participating in this. Try to imagine you are a person in the multitude. Record your thoughts and impressions.

Going deeper: The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle reported in all four gospels. You can find the story in Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:12-17 and John 6:1-15.

Going deeper: The phrase “blessed and broke the loaves” is a phrase we will see later in Matthew 26:26 during the last supper when Jesus spoke a similar blessing and other places as well. It seems reasonable that the blessing Jesus gave on these occasions was the traditional blessing Jews recite and have recited for more than 2000 years prior to meals, “Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melekh-ha’olam, haMotzi lechem min ha’aretz (Blessed are you, Adonai our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth).

10. What do you learn from Matthew 14:22?

11. According to Matthew 14:23 where does Jesus go? What does he do?

12. What do you learn about prayer from the following verses?
Psalm 55:17

Matthew 6:6

Philippians 4:6

13. Where was the boat with the disciples at this time according to Matthew 14:24?

14. What does Jesus do according to Matthew 14:25?

Going deeper: What time is the fourth watch of the night?

15. What is the response of the disciples?

16. What does Jesus say to them according to Matthew 14:27?

17. How does Peter respond according to Matthew 14:28? What is Jesus’ response?

18. What happens to Peter according to 14:29-30? What does Jesus do?

19. What happens when Jesus and Peter got into the boat?

20. What was the response of those in the boat?

21. Where does the boat end up according to Matthew 14:34? What happens when they get there?

22. What do you learn from the following verses?
Genesis 1:6-10

Exodus 14:21-22

Isaiah 43:16

Isaiah 51:9-10

23. What do you learn from the following verses about faith?
Habakkuk 2:1-4

Romans 10:17

Hebrews 11:1

24. What application can you make from Matthew chapter 14 to your life with God?