BIBLE IN TEN

Matthew 14:26

Saturday, 29 November 2025
 
And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. Matthew 14:26
 
“And the disciples, having seen Him walking upon the sea, they were agitated, saying that it is a phantasm. And from fear, they croaked” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it was noted that Jesus walked on the sea to get to the disciples who were in the boat. Continuing that thought, Matthew next records, “And the disciples, having seen Him walking upon the sea, they were agitated.”
 
The words here clearly indicate that the words in the previous verse, which said that Jesus was “walking upon the sea,” were not a way of saying that He was walking along the shore. It meant that He was walking on the water across the sea.
 
The disciples are in the boat being hurled about by wind and waves. Even if they could see a person walking on the shore, their reaction would have been that there was a person simply walking upon the shore. Instead, their reaction is stated by Matthew. He notes that they were “saying that it is a phantasm.”
 
This is a new word, phantasma, a phantasm, specter, etc. The word is derived from phantazó, to make apparent or to appear. As such, it is specifically an appearing or a showing. It had been universally understood since the creation of the world that a human could not walk on water. Rather, when a person encounters water, he sinks into it.
 
Therefore, the logic is that whatever was walking towards them could not be a human. Of this, Bengel says, “We often take Christ for another rather than for Christ.” That is an unsound analogy for what is happening here. Being something absolutely unheard of, anyone at that point would miss what was happening.
 
Only in looking back on the event could we dare to think we would consider what occurred any differently. A natural assumption would be that whatever they were seeing was anything but Jesus. As such, it says, “And from fear, they croaked.”
 
People try to explain things that they cannot mentally process in various ways. They may claim they saw an angel, a vision of Mary, a UFO, or the boogeyman. If the unknown is close enough to us or heading in our direction, the natural reaction is one of fear and even crying out in fear.
 
Because of their own Scriptures, a story from their past that would have been remembered by any child would have been the account of the raising of the spirit of Samuel in 1 Samuel 28. When that occurred, it said –
 
“Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’And he said, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.’”12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, ‘Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!’13 And the king said to her, ‘Do not be afraid. What did you see?’And the woman said to Saul, ‘I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.’” 1 Samuel 28:11-13
 
Knowing from their own Scriptures that such things were possible, there is no reason to look down on their reaction here. However, the difference between what they think they are seeing and what they are actually seeing will be made evident to them.
 
Life application: Just because the Bible acknowledges that there are things such as the raising of Samuel’s spirit recorded there, it doesn’t mean that it is something we should be focusing on. That account describes what occurred, but it prescribes nothing.
 
We are admonished to keep our eyes on Jesus, not get involved in the world of the supernatural. There is nothing in the epistles that instructs us, for example, on casting out demons. Even if Jesus and the disciples did this, no further instruction is given to us concerning the matter.
 
And yet, some ministries focus a great deal of their attention on the realm of the supernatural. Others, like the Roman Catholic church, have set up rites and rituals to supposedly cast out evil spirits.
 
Such approaches to these things are unbiblical and have no bearing on reality. If someone is demon-possessed, tell that person about Jesus. A demon cannot possess what belongs to Jesus. If that person receives Christ, the demon must depart. This is why the epistles don’t address such things. The gospel is our tool for converting lives. Anything else is a waste of time, energy, and spiritual direction.
 
Lord God, help us to have the desire to tell others about the saving message of Jesus. Without it, all is futile in the human soul. But when it is received by faith, it can and will change even the greatest sinner and heal the greatest spiritual wounds. May we remember this and be willing to share this good news. Amen.

Matthew 14:25

Friday, 28 November 2025
 
Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. Matthew 14:25
 
“And the night’s fourth guarding, Jesus, He departed unto them, walking upon the sea” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it was noted that the boat the disciples were in was in the middle of the sea, being tossed by the waves. Next, Matthew records some of the most incredible words imaginable, beginning with, “And the night’s fourth guarding.”
 
It is the same word, phulaké, found in Matthew 5:25, translated there as prison. It signifies a guarding. As someone is in prison, he is obviously being guarded. In this case, it refers to the divisions of the night. Ellicott explains the term –
 
“The Jews, since their conquest by Pompeius, had adopted the Roman division of the night into four watches, and this was accordingly between 3 A.M. and 6 A.M., in the dimness of the early dawn.”
 
Jesus had remained on the mountain praying for hours while the disciples struggled to stay afloat in the tempest that had arisen. Despite their efforts, they had only gone about halfway across the sea. It was during this time that “Jesus, He departed unto them.”
 
There is immediately a sense of curiosity in the words. It is very early in the morning hours, the narrative has already said that the disciples were straining in the sea to get to the other side, and yet, Matthew notes Jesus departing to them.
 
If the words finished there, one might think Jesus would walk on a path near the shore to meet them in the spot where they were headed. However, Matthew dismisses that option, saying, “walking upon the sea.”
 
The words here, combined with the words to come, along with the other gospel accounts, leave no option except that “walking on (upon) the water of the sea” is intended. It cannot mean “walking on the shore of the sea,” something seemingly possible from the immediate wording, as if the shore were being used as a way of explaining a walk on the sea.
 
However, they are in the midst of the sea (25 or 30 stadia) from shore. In a tempest, they would not see Jesus walking on the shore, nor could they have a conversation with Him, as will be the case. It cannot mean Jesus swam. The Greek word kolumbaó, to plunge into the water (and thus to swim), would have been used.
 
But more directly, only a lunatic would start swimming across a cold, 7-mile-wide lake in the middle of a raging tempest, particularly in fresh water, which is not as buoyant as salt water. Even the hardiest swimmer would likely perish from such an attempt. And, again, the surrounding narrative makes such suggestions impossible.
 
Rather, Jesus was giving a hint concerning His nature by doing what He is doing. The words of Job explain the matter –
 
“He stretching – heavens, to His separation,And walking upon elevations – sea.” Job 9:8 (CG)
 
To paraphrase Job’s words, “Yehovah stretches out the heavens all by Himself, and He walks upon the waves of the sea.” Matthew, Mark, and John each testify to the accuracy of the account. The Lord God, Yehovah, walked upon the wavy Sea of Galilee in the early morning hours to attend to His disciples.
 
Life application: Over the millennia, there have been many skeptics who have tried to conjure up reasons why the text doesn’t really say what it says concerning the account of Jesus walking upon the sea.
 
A few years ago, the ridiculous explanation was that the meeting of the winds as they rushed through the Arbel Pass with the waters of the Sea of Galilee formed blocks of ice that allowed Jesus to walk on the sea. Even a mentally challenged farm boy could find a dozen reasons why such a thought is ridiculous.
 
And yet, when it was proposed, it made the news around the world, as if someone had finally found a reason why the Bible should not be trusted concerning this miracle. Actually, however, for Jesus to surf on a block of ice, or to walk on various blocks of ice until He reached the disciples, would be more of a miracle than anything any person had ever seen in human history.
 
It would just be another form of a miracle. But the wording in the gospels doesn’t allow for such idiocy. Rather, the disciples truly believed what they saw. They jointly testified to the matter, and their testimony stands. As the judicial apologist Simon Greenleaf says –
 
“Every document, apparently ancient, coming from the proper repository or custody, and bearing on its face no evident marks of forgery, the law presumes to be genuine, and devolves on the opposing party the burden of proving it to be otherwise.”
 
The burden of the proof is up to those who dismiss the words of Scripture. To this date, after two thousand years of trying, no such proof has come forward.
 
Have faith in the word. Have faith in Jesus, who is Yehovah incarnate. The word of God testifies to this fact.
 
O God, You can do all things. The fact that You walked upon the waters of the Sea of Galilee should come as no surprise because of this. We know Your word is truth. What it proclaims is sound and reasonable when we consider who Jesus is. May we have faith in what it says, holding fast to the record as it has been given. Amen.
 

Matthew 14:24

Thursday, 27 November 2025
 
But the boat was now [b]in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Matthew 14:24
 
“And the boat: already it was amidst the sea being tormented by the waves, for the wind, it was contrary” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus dismissed the multitudes and then went up on the mountain alone and prayed alone. Matthew next says, “And the boat, already it was amidst the sea.”
 
In John’s gospel, he records that the boat was about 25 or 30 stadia. This equates to 3 or 4 miles. The width of the sea varies, but it is about 7 miles across. Therefore, they were literally in the sea’s midst. While they were in this spot, it says they were “being tormented by the waves.”
 
This wasn’t the case as they left. Rather, John also records, “The sea arose because a great wind was blowing.” This is a phenomenon seen in the Sea of Galilee. The winds off the Mediterranean coast blow inland.
 
As they reach the mountains, there is a pass, the Arbel pass (aka the Valley of the Doves or Wadi Hamam), where they are compressed. This pass is a particular geographical feature located to the west of the Sea of Galilee, bordered by Mount Arbel to the south and Mount Nitai to the north. This east-west-oriented valley funnels air from the Mediterranean Sea towards the lower-lying Sea of Galilee.
 
The cold wind rushes at an increased speed and blows toward the sea. This meets the warmer air rising from the lake. This then causes the waves to suddenly jump in size. The storms can come on with almost no notice and change the face of the sea in mere minutes. This is what occurred as these men took their boat across. As it says, “for the wind, it was contrary.”
 
With such a sea having arisen, there would be very little the men could do. The chaotic waves and winds would leave even the hardiest of men terrified.
 
Life application: It is with all certainty that Jesus knew the men would face this contrary wind as they crossed. The narrative is purposeful in this regard. But such things serve a greater purpose in helping us to understand who Jesus is and what His intent for His people is. Therefore, the men were allowed to undergo this arduous trial to learn and to pass the event on in their writings.
 
When we encounter life’s storms, we should take time to evaluate the circumstances and attempt to discover what God would have us learn from them. This doesn’t mean only literal storms, such as tornados and hurricanes, although those too can affect us. Rather, we may face storms of trials such as financial woes, interpersonal conflicts, etc.
 
We may also be the target of a robbery or some other situation that causes us to question our lives. When such times arise, taking time to reevaluate our lives and priorities can change our direction. This is what wise people will do. They will consciously evaluate the circumstances and see how their lives might be better directed toward the Lord.
 
From what may seem a terrible ordeal, good things can arise. As long as we look for the guiding hand of the Lord through them, we will normally find that what occurred had a purpose we never expected. The apostles certainly had time in their lives to evaluate that terrifying night on the Sea of Galilee.
 
Some of them wrote about it. One of them ultimately seems to have not learned a thing from it. What a vast difference between the outcomes of their lives as they took in the ministry of Jesus and evaluated their lives and the events that happened in relation to it.
 
Glorious God, even though we may not enjoy the troubles and trials that arise in our lives, we may find that good came out of them in ways we never expected. Help us to have a positive attitude that seeks out the knowledge that Your gracious hand rested upon us, even as we endured such times. Amen.

Matthew 14:23

Wednesday, 26 November 2025
 
And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. Matthew 14:23
 
“And having dismissed the crowds, He ascended to the mountain, off alone, to pray. And evening, having arrived, He was there solo” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus compelled the disciples to get in the boat and cross to the other side while He dismissed the crowds. Next, Matthew records, “And having dismissed the crowds.”
 
It isn’t known how Jesus did this, meaning with a word of encouragement and then prayer, but that is likely. John 6 notes that some wanted to make Him king by force. His redirecting them back to the Lord God as their true King, and through prayer, demonstrating that He was on a spiritual mission, may have quelled that among them.
 
Mark 6 notes that He sent them away. The day was long, and the walk to return would add to it. Therefore, some may even have slept under the stars, waiting till the next day to return home. Having an evening outside with a bonfire would be a nice cap to the wonderful day spent in the open with Jesus. If so, this would be an added reason for the next words, “He ascended to the mountain, off alone to pray.”
 
Whether He was removing Himself from all of the crowds as they departed, or if some were laying out mats to sleep on, there were still people there. This necessitated Him to ascend the mountain. Or it may be that ascending the mountain was keeping in accord with the traditions of meeting God on the high places that were instilled in the people’s thinking, and a point which permeates the Hebrew Scriptures.
 
This would be in line with the transfiguration, which occurred on a mountain as well. Whatever other reason may be involved, Jesus went up in order to find solace and to pray. Matthew next records, “And evening, having arrived.”
 
This would be the second evening of what is known as “between the evenings,” explained in Matthew 14:15. This would be the evening of the light when the day transitions into night. At this time, it says, “He was there solo.”
 
Nobody had followed Him up the mountain, disturbing His time of prayer alone. These words of Matthew had to come from somewhere, so either an eyewitness saw that Jesus went up alone, or that Jesus had specifically told him this was the case.
 
Life application: Things were obviously done differently when Jesus walked among the people of Israel. There were no cars, cellphones, or TVs. People’s lives would have been run at a completely different pace than what we are used to.
 
However, the days for Jesus were long and certainly tiring. What did He do at the end of His long day? He spent more energy ascending the nearby mountain, and He engaged with His Father in prayer. Although there is nothing prescriptive in this, it is an ideal that we can strive to attain.
 
Taking some time alone, away from the innumerable distractions we face, and spending time with the Lord will never be wasted time. Your mind can relax from the nag of calls, messages, text reminders, etc. Well, that is if you leave your phone behind when you decide to spend time with the Lord and pray.
 
If you are not used to this, it can be difficult to adjust. Being connected to the world through digital devices has become a standard part of our existence. And more, it has become an addiction for many. Take time to actively consider what value it is in your life. Is answering another text as important as spending time with the Lord through prayer or through His word?
 
Do your best to set your priorities straight and be willing to put everything else aside from time to time. At set times, try to refocus on filling the spiritual chasm in your life, replacing it with the goodness of God. You will find your time doing so a blessing you could not have imagined.
 
Glorious God, there are so many things that constantly distract us, pulling our attention away from what is truly important. If we stop and evaluate the time we spend doing things that are wholly unproductive, and then compare it to the time we spend with You, what would the balances reveal? Help us, Lord, to have our spiritual priorities right, focusing on You and fellowshipping with You each day. Amen.

Matthew 14:22

Tuesday, 25 November 2025
 
Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. Matthew 14:22
 
“And immediately, Jesus, He compelled His disciples to in-step into the boat and precede Him to the beyond until which He dismissed the crowds” (CG).
 
The previous verse noted that those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Now that the meal was over, it next says, “And immediately, Jesus, He compelled His disciples to in-step into the boat.”
 
A new word, anagkazó, to necessitate, compel, or constrain, is seen here. It is derived from the noun anagké, constraint, distress, etc. There is a sense of urgency in the word, as if the disciples were hesitant to enter the boat without Him. Matthew doesn’t give the reason for the constraint they were placed under. However, the same narrative in John 6 says –
 
“Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:14, 15
 
If this was the impetus in the mind of Matthew as he penned his gospel, one can see how the matter may have continued if the disciples had stayed. The people came to make Jesus king by force. How would things have turned out if the disciples had stayed?
 
Would they have sided with the masses and caused Jesus additional stress in shunning their advances? Would they have defended the Lord when He declined the advances, thus causing a brawl to break out? Whatever the reason, it appears that Matthew was remembering the day while not explaining the circumstances and noting the event with this new word. Because of Jesus’ instructions, it next says, “and precede Him to the beyond.”
 
In other words, they were to cross the Sea of Galilee, returning to the side they had left that morning. Thus, they would be leaving Him without a means of crossing. Despite this, He constrained them to go. He would stay behind, “until which He dismissed the crowds.”
 
Whatever the state of the crowds or the mindset of the disciples, it is evident that Jesus wanted to dismiss them personally and to also be alone in prayer. Hence, they were instructed to leave alone and head across.
 
Life application: It is certain that the disciples could have refused to get into the boat and do as instructed, but they were obedient to Jesus as their Master. The word of God, the Bible, is a word from the Lord that also constrains us. It tells us to do things that we may not want to do. Maybe that is why so many people stop reading it or never read it.
 
They hear what the word expects, maybe in a sermon or from a friend, and don’t want to have to face its demands. So they live life without engaging with the word. But if we want to be obedient to our Master, we need to do what He expects of us. That is what the word is for.
 
It isn’t easy to stand up in a church and head for the door when something inappropriate is taught, but no one should sit under a preacher who is instructing contrary to the word. It is better to leave such a church than to accommodate the bad doctrine. Such an attitude places the church above the Lord. That cannot stand.
 
Let us remember this point. What the Lord says is like our government’s constitution. We get upset at politicians who ignore the law as if it doesn’t apply to them. How much more should we be upset at pastors, preachers, and teachers who ignore the highest authority of all?
 
This doesn’t mean we should get up and walk out every time we hear something amiss. People are prone to mistakes. However, when something is obviously purposeful that fails to align with the word, it is time to depart. Just recently, the Anglican Church split because those in the UK selected a woman as the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is the highest position in the church.
 
The African Anglicans noted that this was unacceptable. Further, her stance on abortion and gay rights made her selection a slap in the face of all who desire to hold to the word. The problem, however, rests as much with the African Anglicans. They failed to say anything years ago when unacceptable people began to be ordained.
 
The selection of this woman to be the Archbishop was merely an obvious step in the rush to total apostasy. The Africans, for years, failed to uphold the word by dividing from the UK, only taking action when it became intolerable to them, not to God, whose word had already been violated numerous times. Let us not let things get to such a point. Instead, let us exalt the word and thus honor the Lord at all times.
 
Lord God, give us the desire to be obedient to Your word as well as have the intestinal fortitude to stand firmly on it. It can be difficult for us to stand against the masses, but with You on our side, it really is no problem. Help us to remember this and adhere to what You have stated. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Matthew 14:21

Monday, 24 November 2025
 
Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:21
 
“And those eating, they were about five thousand men, besides women and children” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it was noted that all the people present ate, were gorged, and they collected twelve baskets of pieces that were left over. Matthew next records, “And those eating, they were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
 
Each gospel narrative notes the number of men. Matthew, however, adds in the “besides women and children” to ensure that the number is understood to be men, plus others. The addition of this note concerning women and children could potentially bring the number up to as many as fifteen to twenty thousand people.
 
There is no need to assume, as many scholars do, that there would not be as many women and children as normal because of the long trek or some other reason. People moved about on their feet. It was common and the expected norm that all would keep up on such treks.
 
During the three annual pilgrim feasts, the entire family would walk from wherever they were to Jerusalem. Such a walk around the Sea of Galilee would be a snap for such hardy annual travelers. The numbers would have been great who received the miraculously provided food from Jesus.
 
Life application: It is not uncommon for people to say that only the men were required to travel to Jerusalem on the pilgrim feasts. This is because it says in Exodus 23:17, “Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.”
 
With that, they stop their analysis and conclude that only the men went. However, later it says –
 
“You shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. 12 And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.” Deuteronomy 16:11, 12
 
This is repeated in Deuteronomy 16:13-15. Then the matter is summed up, saying –
 
“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.” Deuteronomy 16:16, 17
 
In other words, the “all your males” is stated in the same manner that the gospels speak of the males in relation to the feeding of the five thousand. It is an all-inclusive statement concerning the family that is represented by the males.
 
When reading the Bible, be sure to be familiar with it by methodically checking on things. There is a lot of information that has to be learned, and it is a lifetime challenge, but the more you read and remember, the less likely you are to have errors in your understanding. Even scholars of the Bible make blunders by assuming things from a single verse that are later qualified. So be methodical and contemplative. If you are, you will be rewarded for your diligent efforts, for sure.
 
Lord God Almighty, how wonderful is Your word! You have filled it with wisdom, wonder, and treasure. May we be responsible and read it slowly, contemplatively, and prayerfully. May we carefully tend to this wondrous and sacred gift You have given to us. Amen.

Psalm 56 Trusting God for Help

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Dove in the Distant Oak.” A miktam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
 
1  God, be merciful to me because people are chasing me.
The battle has pressed me all day long.
 
2  My enemies have chased me all day.
There are many of them fighting me.
 
3  When I am afraid,
I will trust you.
 
4  I praise God for his word.
I trust God. So I am not afraid.
What can human beings do to me?
 
5  All day long they twist my words.
All their evil plans are against me.
 
6  They wait. They hide.
They watch my steps.
They hope to kill me.
 
7  God, do not let them escape.
Punish the foreign nations in your anger.
 
8  You have recorded my troubles.
You have kept a list of my tears.
Aren’t they in your records?
 
9  On the day I call for help, my enemies will be defeated.
I know that God is on my side.
 
10  I praise God for his word to me.
I praise the Lord for his word.
 
11  I trust in God. I will not be afraid.
What can people do to me?
 
12  God, I must keep my promises to you.
I will give you my offerings to thank you.
 
13  You have saved me from death.
You have kept me from being defeated.
So I will walk with God
in light among the living.
 
 

Matthew 14:20

Sunday, 23 November 2025
 
So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Matthew 14:20
 
“And they ate all, and they gorged, and they lifted the superabounding pieces – twelve handbaskets full” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus prayed over the bread and fish and gave them to the disciples. They, in turn, gave to the multitudes. Now, after the people were satisfied, it says, “And they ate all, and they gorged.”
 
It is an amazing sentiment. From five small loaves and two small fish, the entire multitude ate to the point of being gorged! The word, chortazó, to gorge, has only been seen one time so far –
 
“Blessed – those famishing and thirsting righteousness,For they – they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6
 
These multitudes had rushed around the Sea of Galilee while Jesus took the boat across, anxious to hear more from Him. This was in the morning, and they had stayed until later in the day, not focusing on food, but on the powerful words of Jesus.
 
Certainly, they were famishing and thirsting for righteousness. And by the time they were done, they had received His miracles, His healings, His words of righteousness, and a feast on which they gorged themselves to satisfaction! With the feeding complete, Matthew next records, “and they lifted the superabounding fragments.”
 
John 6:12 adds, “So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.’” The disciples were told to go around and gather up anything left over from the meal. The word klasma, a piece or fragment, is introduced here. It is derived from the verb klaó of the previous verse, which referred to Jesus breaking the bread after having blessed it.
 
Jesus had broken these small loaves and fishes. From there, they were handed out to the people, as much as they could eat. After that, there were broken leftovers scattered throughout the multitudes, which the disciples then went and collected. Having done this, it next says the result was “twelve handbaskets full.”
 
Another new word is seen, kophinos, a small basket. The derivation of the word is unknown, but Ellicott, citing Juvenal, “describes the Jews of Italy as travelling with ‘their cophinus and a wisp of hay,’ by way of pillow, as their only luggage.” Thus, it was certainly a small basket used for carrying things as one traveled.
 
There were enough bread fragments lying around to fill twelve of these.
 
Life application: The account concerning the feeding of the multitudes is plain, clear, and sufficiently detailed to leave little room for speculation on what occurred. How it occurred, meaning how the bread was multiplied, is something we don’t know. It happened, and it was miraculous.
 
Having said that, here are a couple of the ways people have tried to dismiss the miracle, as cited from Myers’ New Testament Commentary –
 
“To explain away the miracle, as Paulus has done (who thinks that the hospitable example of Jesus may have induced the people to place at His disposal the provisions they had brought along with them; ... is inconsistent with the accounts of all the evangelists, and especially with that of the eye-witness John.”
 
“Schenkel thinks he sees his way to an explanation by supposing what is scarcely possible, viz. that Jesus fed the multitude with a rich supply of the bread of life from heaven, which caused them to forget their ordinary food, though at the same time He devoutly consecrated for their use the provisions which they had brought with them, or had managed to procure for the present emergency.”
 
These and other excuses they reference for how the miracle can be dismissed have no basis in any reality. There is nothing in the biblical account to justify a word of what they claim. In other words, simply to dismiss the miraculous nature of what it clearly and precisely recorded, these false scholars insert nonsense into what the Bible presents, making things up out of their own demented heads.
 
Be careful when reading commentaries. The intent of many of them is to attempt to sound smart and educated while tearing apart what Scripture clearly presents. There are times when translations miss the mark on properly presenting what is detailed in the manuscripts, but outside of translations by several cults, these are not usually intentional perversions of reality.
 
Hold fast to what the Bible says. Accept that God can do the miraculous and that when He does, it is to make a point for us to understand what He is doing in the stream of time to reveal His caring affection for His people as displayed in the sending of Jesus to bring us back to Himself.
 
Lord God, help us to be people of faith, not attempting to outsmart You and what is recorded in Your word. Give us wisdom to accept what it says about creation, the fall of man, the process of redemption, the presentation of miracles, and all other things recorded there, taking them at face value. You are God. Your word is truth. May we accept this, reveling in what is recorded there. Amen.
 

Matthew 14:19

Saturday, 22 November 2025
 
Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. Matthew 14:19
 
“And having commanded the crowds to recline upon the grass, having taken the five loaves and the two fish, having up-looked to the heaven, He blessed, and having broken, He gave to the disciples the loaves, and the disciples to the crowds” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus instructed the disciples to bring the loaves and fish to Him. The narrative continues, saying, “And having commanded the crowds to recline upon the grass.”
 
The people were probably walking around, standing in groups, some deciding it was time to leave and preparing for that, etc. In order to bring a sense of order to the event, the masses were instructed to sit. Mark adds –
 
“Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.” Mark 6:39, 40
 
Luke says, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty” (Luke 9:14). This would allow for an easier counting of the people and a more harmonious time among the groups. One large group would lead to a state of chaos as people shouted back and forth about whatever was on their minds. With the people arranged, Matthew continues, “having taken the five loaves and the two fish.”
 
The contents of the verse are given in rapid succession. Several clauses begin with participles and have no conjunction to join them. In the previous verse, Jesus had said in response to the disciples’ statement concerning the desolate nature of the place, “You carry to Me here – them.” He was preparing to reveal that, despite the desolateness of the area, there is an abundance to be found in Him. He prepares to reveal this by taking the loaves and fish, and “having up-looked to the heaven, He blessed.”
 
The standard prayer over bread is, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth.” This is probably at least a part of what was said by Jesus as He blessed the food. Once that was done, “and having broken, He gave to the disciples the loaves.”
 
This final clause of Jesus’ actions includes a conjunction at the beginning of it as a means of summing up the narrative. A new word is seen here, klaó, to break. In the New Testament, it is always used in connection with the breaking of bread. The bread would have been without yeast, making it harder cakes instead of loaves. Thus, the bread would be broken instead of torn or cut.
 
With this accomplished, the words finish with, “and the disciples to the crowds.” This would have been a moment none of them would ever forget, even if they failed to understand the matter fully (see Matthew 16:8-12). They presented Jesus with the paltry bit of food available among them, and now they were passing out pieces of that food to thousands of people hungrily sitting along the slopes, waiting to be fed.
 
Life application: It may be hard to get our minds around the event being described by Matthew, but it is not unprecedented for so much food to appear as it did. In the wanderings of Israel, enough manna was provided each day to feed several million people. This continued on for forty years.
 
One may dismiss that as some type of allegory or hyperbole, but Jesus spoke of the matter as a fact in John 6. The people of Israel spoke to Jesus as if the account was reliable. Jesus’ words confirmed that.
 
It is as common as raindrops in a thunderstorm for people to dismiss the early creation account and the miracles found throughout Scripture, as if they didn’t happen as stated. However, that is what faith is about. It is believing what we do not see, accepting such things as true and reliable despite the standard way things work in the world around us.
 
If there is a God, He is capable of doing things in a certain way, and then He is reliable to give us an accurate rendering of what He has done.
 
Our salvation may not be conditioned upon accepting whether God actually created in six days or not, but our rewards will be. If we dismiss the word, it is a demonstration of a lack of faith in the credibility of God, who gave us the word. Hearing and believing the gospel is what saves.
 
So ask yourself, which is more incredible, that God could create all things in six days as well as feed Israel with manna in the wilderness for forty years, or that a man being executed on a cross, was then interred, and then He came out of the tomb on the third day, alive forevermore?
 
If you believed the gospel, as incredible as it sounds, why should you struggle over the lesser things that God proclaims as fact? Have faith and be reckoned not just as God’s redeemed, but of those who fully trust God in everything associated with His word.
 
Lord God, Your word makes many claims that we cannot verify. However, we can accept them by faith, believing that even the incredible and miraculous are possible when it comes from You. May our faith be strong and sure in what Your word states until the day we are brought into Your presence to revel in who You are forever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 14:18

Friday, 21 November 2025
 
He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Matthew 14:18
 
“And He said, ‘You carry to Me here – them.’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the disciples said to Jesus that they only had five loaves and two fish. Matthew next records, “And He said, ‘You carry to Me here – them.’” These words are only found in Matthew. Elsewhere, it notes that these were carried by a young boy and were comprised of five loaves of barley along with the two small fish.
 
Notice how Jesus rephrases their words –
 
17 And they, they say to Him, “Not we have here [hóde], if not five loaves and two fish.”
 
18 And He said, “You carry to Me here [hóde] – them.”
 
Their stress is on the word here. The rest of their sentence fills in details that they consider to be diminutive and unsatisfactory for any grand purpose. Jesus, on the other hand, indicates they are of prime importance. In essence, “You say you have nothing here capable of tending to these people. In contrast, I say, ‘Bring that insufficiency here to Me. I will show you how sufficient it really is.’”
 
Life application: In the previous commentary, it was noted that “there is nothing to prohibit God from producing abundance out of that which appears to be lacking. We may not understand the mechanics of how He caused a bit of bread and a couple of fish to reproduce in such an astonishing manner, but that does not mean He violated the principles of logic or nature in order to accomplish this feat.”
 
Someone may balk at this thought and say that such is not the case, citing Lomonosov’s law of conservation of mass, which states that for any system that is closed to all incoming and outgoing transfers of matter, the mass of the system must remain constant over time.
 
The thought might be, “If there were only the seven little bite-sized pieces of food, how could so much come from it?” It had to come from somewhere, and if it didn’t exist before, God must have created it right then and there. But that would then supposedly contradict the idea of the six days of creation, where all mass was formed at the beginning.
 
But how limited is that thinking! Who would expect that a small amount of material could produce a nuclear explosion? If the rules of the universe allowed scientists to mentally develop such an idea even before testing it, there may be some process that Jesus used to produce His miracle that we do not yet understand.
 
At the time of the feeding of the multitude, Jesus was asking His disciples to have faith that He was capable of bringing food, in abundance, out of a seemingly insignificant amount. That faith is requested of us even to this day. We hear of the miracle and are asked to believe it, accepting that what is recorded there (in all four gospels, by the way), actually took place.
 
Are such things possible? Jesus is said to have made wine from water. Doesn’t that happen all the time at vineyards? If Jesus was able to speed up the process through some mechanism that we don’t understand, does that mean that the process is not true?
 
Jesus spoke of such things openly. Let us have faith that even in our own lack of faith, we can still believe the Lord of creation can do the things we are not capable of –
 
“And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’6 So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.’” Luke 17:5, 6
 
Lord God, even if we don’t have faith to speak to a mulberry tree, commanding it to uproot itself and move, we can have enough faith to believe that You can do it. Help us to consider that You are the Creator and nothing is impossible for You. May we accept this as an axiom and trust that what Your word says is true and reliable. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.
 

Matthew 14:17

Thursday, 20 November 2025
 
And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” Matthew 14:17
 
“And they, they say to Him, ‘Not we have here, if not five loaves and two fish’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus told the disciples that the great crowd did not need to go away. Instead, He instructed the disciples to give them something to eat. In response to that, we read, “And they, they say to Him, ‘Not we have here.’”
 
The way they began their statement tells us the disciples’ words indicate a complete lack, thus highlighting the nonstarter idea of feeding such a vast multitude. With that stated, they qualify their lack, saying, “if not five loaves and two fish.”
 
In other words, “We don’t have anything, well... except these five loaves and two fish.” It is a way of diminishing the very thought that they possessed enough to feed the multitudes. They have highlighted the impossibility of meeting Jesus’ demand. But they had overlooked the truth later stated by Jesus in Luke 18:27, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
 
As for the numbers, five is the number of grace. Two is the number of division and difference. When there are two, there will be a contrast and yet a confirmation of a whole. For example, there are two testaments, they contrast between law and grace, and yet they confirm the whole counsel of the word of God. There is day and night. They contrast, and yet they confirm the totality of a day. Etc.
 
Bread in Scripture signifies that which physically sustains man. In fact, the word bread is used synonymously with food in general. There is also the connection to manna, which sustained Israel in the wilderness for forty years, it being the “bread from heaven” (Exodus 16:4, etc.).
 
Fish signify multiplication and increase, and thus abundance.
 
Jesus will take these few bits of food and use them in accord with these numbers and meanings to perform a miracle that continues to astound God’s people to this day.
 
Life application: When Jesus said that nothing is impossible with God, He was speaking in the sense of ability to perform. There are certain things God cannot do. For example, God cannot be something He is not. He is love. Therefore, He will always be loving. His judgment and the execution of His judgment are not vindictive or hateful. Rather, it is just and righteous.
 
He cannot violate one of His attributes because they define His very nature. God also cannot do something that is illogical. He cannot make a two which is a three. Such things are contrary to logic, and therefore what He does will be in accord with what is logical.
 
Having said that, there is nothing to prohibit God from producing abundance out of that which appears to be lacking. We may not understand the mechanics of how He caused a bit of bread and a couple of fish to reproduce in such an astonishing manner, but that does not mean He violated the principles of logic or nature in order to accomplish this feat.
 
Study up on what God’s attributes are. Consider His ways. Ponder Him from what is logical, orderly, beautiful, and loving. As you read the Bible, see how what you know apart from Scripture about the nature of God is actually reflected in God as He is presented in Scripture.
 
As you consider Him and His nature while comparing that knowledge to how He is presented in the Bible, you will discover that the Bible accurately portrays Him. It is a reliable testimony to God’s workings in creation and in the redemptive process detailed there.
 
Glorious God, You are perfect in all Your ways. Thank You for Your hand of care for us, as it is recorded in Your word. We are assured of who You are and what You have done as we read its pages. Thank You for this reliable witness and testimony to us, O God. Amen.

Matthew 14:16

Wednesday, 19 November 2025
 
But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” Matthew 14:16
 
“And Jesus, He said to them, ‘They have no need to depart. You, you give, them to eat’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the disciples came to Jesus, noting the remoteness of the area and the late hour, imploring Him to send the people away so they could buy food. In response to that, it now says, “And Jesus, He said to them, ‘They have no need to depart.’”
 
Although each gospel narrative stands on its own, it is still interesting to see the fuller conversation. Mark’s gospel omits the words “They have no need to depart,” but it adds in the words, “And they said to Him, ‘Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?’” Luke likewise leaves out this first clause and omits the additional words of Mark. John’s narrative says –
 
“Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?’ 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.7 Philip answered Him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.’” John 6:5-7
 
 Each account is from the writer’s own perspective, and yet, they can be harmoniously woven together. In Matthew, Jesus continues, saying emphatically, “You, you give, them to eat.”
 
One can see the emphasis from Jesus returned to the disciples based on their words, emphatically highlighted by the remoteness of the area –
 
*“Desolate, it is, this place, and the hour, it passed already. You dismiss the crowds that, having departed into the villages, they should buy themselves food.”
 
*“They have no need to depart. You, you give, them to eat”
 
Jesus is providing instruction in who He is and what He is capable of, and He is doing it in a manner that has astonished the minds of His people for two millennia. These are His disciples, and they have been called to accomplish an impossible task. Despite this, the mass feeding will take place, exactly as Jesus directs.
 
Life application: The miracle of feeding this multitude is something that the Bible asks us to believe at face value. We are not to look for some behind-the-scenes finagling on the part of the disciples or Jesus. In other words, there wasn’t a convoy of trucks just on the other side of the hill, secretly ready to deliver food to feed the multitudes.
 
Rather, God provided the food for the people just as He did with the manna in the wilderness for forty years. It was a true miracle that is to be accepted as such. God continues to perform the miraculous in ways we may not perceive or understand, even to this day. These are done in order to suit His purposes.
 
Unfortunately, too often, people claim the miraculous when what occurred had nothing to do with God’s providing a miracle. There are key issues we should look for to determine if something is truly miraculous.
 
One is to ask if the matter brought glory to God. That is the first and key point. However, such cannot be a miracle that supposedly glorifies God but which doesn’t glorify Jesus. There are innumerable claims of the miraculous in Catholicism, which supposedly highlight Mary or some other figure. Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and other religions claim miracles all the time. Do a general search on YouTube and you’ll see this.
 
Likewise, claims of the miraculous come from Mormonism and other false cults that fall under the umbrella of “Christian” denominations. If biblical Christianity is true, these miracles cannot be real, God-directed miracles. Paul speaks of false gospels, false prophets, false brethren, and the working of Satan, which includes power, signs, and lying wonders.
 
Therefore, not everything that appears miraculous is. In fact, the large preponderance of so-called miracles in the world is nothing but chance events, false claims, or active workings of Satan. As you read the Bible, evaluate the miracles in it and consider why they are recorded.
 
They will always be there to glorify God and to validate His workings in and among His people or for their instruction. Have discernment, and don’t trust anything simply because it is presented by someone who claims to be Christian. You will find that almost every supposed claim of divine intervention, be it dreams, tongues, appearances, or other supposed miraculous events, is simply hogwash.
 
The Bible is written. It testifies to Jesus and His workings. Do you really need more to edify your walk before the Lord? Have faith in what God has done. If He does more in your life, be grateful that His hand was upon you for whatever need you had, be it healing, financial help, or a moment of encouragement that you alone share with Him and that builds you up as His child.
 
Lord God, help us to have discernment and not to get caught up in things that are not helpful to our relationship with You. There are way too many distractions in this life that are neither edifying nor healthy. Keep us from such things, O God. Amen.