Matthew 14:25
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During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
HEROD THINKS JESUS A RESURRECTION OF THE MURDERED BAPTIST--ACCOUNT OF HIS IMPRISONMENT AND DEATH. ( = Mark 6:14-29; Luk 9:7-9). (Mat 14:1-12) At that time Herod the tetrarch--Herod Antipas, one of the three sons of Herod the Great, and own brother of Archelaus (Mat 2:22), who ruled as ethnarch over Galilee and Perea. heard of the fame of Jesus--"for His name was spread abroad" (Mar 6:14).
Open source ↗John the Baptist had said concerning Christ, He must increase, but I must decrease, Joh 3:30. The morning-star is here disappearing, and the Sun of righteousness rising to its meridian lustre. Here is, I. The martyrdom of John; his imprisonment for his faithfulness to Herod (Mat 14:1-5), and the beheading of him to please Herodias (Mat 14:6-12). II. The miracles of Christ. 1. His feeding five thousand men that came to him to be taught, with five loaves and two fishes (Mat 14:13-21). 2. Christ's walking on the waves to his disciples in a storm (Mat 14:22-23). 3. His healing the sick with the touch of the hem of his garment (Mat 14:34-36). Thus he went forth, thus he went on, conquering and to conquer, or rather, curing and to cure.
Open source ↗14:25 About three o’clock in the morning: Literally In the fourth watch of the night. This was approximately 3:00–6:00 am by Roman reckoning. • The fact that Jesus came . . . walking on the water demonstrates God’s sovereign reign over the stormy waters (see Job 9:8; Ps 77:19; Isa 43:16).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified.
He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,
But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.
Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.
Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven.
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the small scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel standing on the sea and on the land.”
He held in his hand a small scroll, which lay open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.