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February 5, 2021

Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.

Reading along with us in some selections from Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:

Matthew 14 (NIV)

John the Baptist Beheaded
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”........Continue Reading

Next: Matthew 15

Back: Matthew 13

This Post Has 11 Comments
  1. So sad to see the life of John the Baptist taken in such a horrible way under such unfair circumstances, however, it is a reminder that no matter how faithful God never promised us a cake walk and that nothing bad would ever happen. I was so touched to see Jesus take that moment of mourning for John even though He was confident of His eternity in Heaven.

    It is funny that after Jesus does this amazing thing by feeding 5,000 there is this situation with Peter and walking on the water. So many times we have seen God do amazing things in our lives the same way Peter saw Him heal sick, feed 5,000, and walk on the water Himself but little things take our eye off God and our faith waivers and sends us under water much like Peter.

      1. It really was something to see Jesus’s emotions at hearing about John and yet still carried on with taking care of the crowd. He was sad but was resolute with his purpose.

  2. I was thinking how common knowledge these miracles have become. Then I thought, about how amazing that these things actually happened and what it would be like to have been there. To be fed from such a small quantity and to walk on water!
    Then I thought, do people know these stories? Maybe most people don’t even know.

  3. “And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.”
    ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14:35-36‬ ‭NIV‬‬
    https://www.bible.com/111/mat.14.35-36.niv
    Jesus was so kind to the faithful, healing the sick and performing so many miracles.

  4. 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,”he said, “why did you doubt?”
    32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

  5. What a sad and tragic way for such a great man to die. Such dysfunction and corruption in Herod’s family and John gets caught up in it. Kudos to him for standing up to the authority of that region and telling him the truth.

    And what an amazing miracle the feeding of the more than 5,000 is. There is no way to fake this or explain it away and so many people observed it and received from it. It might be considered Jesus’s greatest. And isn’t it curious the way Jesus engages with His disciples in it? He doesn’t hesitate to challenge their faith and their thinking and see how they will respond.

    I was stuck by Jesus taking time alone to pray. He did it often, and if He the Son of God would, how much greater is our need to pray? It would be great to hear His prayers and see first hand the closeness of His relationship with His Father. And how amazing that He would go to the disciples walking on water. It is easy for the one who made the laws of nature to defy them and use them for His purposes. And even more amazing that He would share that ability with Peter. And what an appropriate microcosm for the Christian life: if you keep your eyes on Jesus you will have power over your circumstances and will rise above them, but if you take your eyes off, you will be overwhelmed. And how gracious as we falter, that Jesus always provides an extended hand….

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