Matthew Episodes

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 num...

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 agai...

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. F...

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 ...

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 w...

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’ ...

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 ea...

Tuesday, 18 November 2025 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” Matthew 14:15 “And evening having come, they came to Him, His disciples, saying, ‘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’” (CG). In the previous verse, ...

Monday, 17 November 2025 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14 “And Jesus, having withdrawn, He saw a great crowd, and He gut-wrenched upon them and He cured their sick” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus, having heard the news about Herod, withdrew in a boat from where He was to a desolate place. At the same time, the crowds followed him on foot. Next, it says, “And Jesus, having withdrawn.” The most...

Sunday, 16 November 2025 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. Matthew 14:13 “And Jesus, having heard, He withdrew thence in a boat to a desolate place by Himself. And the crowds, having heard, they followed Him afoot from the cities” (CG). In the previous verse, it was noted that John the Immerser’s disciples came to retrieve his body and bury it. They then went and told...

Saturday, 15 November 2025 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus. Matthew 14:12 “And his disciples, having come, they lifted the body and they interred it. And having come, they told Jesus” (CG). In the previous verse, John’s head was brought to Herodias’ daughter on a platter. From there, she took it to her mother. With that noted, it next says, “And his disciples.” This refers not to Jesus’ disciples but John’s. They probably tended to John w...

Friday, 14 November 2025 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. Matthew 14:11 “And his head, it was carried upon a platter, and it was given to the damsel, and she carried to her mother” (CG). In the previous verse, it was noted that Herod sent and he beheaded John in prison. It next says, “And his head, it was borne upon a platter.” The word pheró, to bear, is introduced here. HELPS Word Studies says, “properly, to bear, carry (bring) ...

Thursday, 13 November 2025 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. Matthew 14:10 “And, having sent, he beheaded John in the prison” (CG). In the previous verse, despite being grieved, Herod commanded that what Herodias’ daughter asked for was to be given to her. Because of that, it next says, “And, having sent, he beheaded John in the prison.” The word apokephalizó, to decapitate or behead, is first seen here. It is from apo, from or away, and kephalé, head. The meaning is clear. A separ...

Wednesday, 12 November 2025 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. Matthew 14:9 “And grieved, the king, but through the oaths and those co-reclining, he commanded it given” (CG). In the previous verse, Herodias’ daughter made her petition to Herod to give her the head of John the Immerser on a platter. In response, Matthew records, “And grieved, the king.” A new word is seen, lupeó. It signifies di...

Tuesday, 11 November 2025 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” Matthew 14:8 “And having been instigated by her mother, she says, ‘You give me here upon a platter the head of John the Immerser’” (CG). In the previous verse, Herod offered by oath whatever Herodias’ daughter asked for. With his offer made, it next says, “And having been instigated by her mother.” A new word, found only here in the New Testament, is seen, probibaz...

Monday, 10 November 2025 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Matthew 14:7 “Whence with an oath He assented to give her what if she should ask” (CG). In the previous verse, it was noted that Herod had a birthday celebration and that Herodias’ daughter danced for him, pleasing him. Matthew continues the narrative, saying, “Whence with an oath He assented to give her what if she should ask.” The word that confirms the oath is homologeó, to assent. It signifies...

Sunday, 9 November 2025 But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Matthew 14:6 “And being Herod’s birthday, she danced, the daughter of Herodias, in the midst. And she pleased Herod” (CG). In the previous verse, it was noted that although Herod wanted to put John the Immerser to death, he feared the multitude because they reckoned him to be a prophet. It next says, “And being Herod’s birthday.” A new word is seen: genesia, birthd...

Saturday, 8 November 2025 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. Matthew 14:5 “And desiring to kill him, he feared the multitude for they held him as a prophet” (CG). In the previous verse, it was noted that John had told King Herod that having his brother Philip’s wife was unlawful. Therefore, Matthew continues with words concerning Herod’s attitude toward John, saying, “And desiring to kill him.” In Mark, it notes that He...

Friday, 7 November 2025 Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Matthew 14:4 “For John, he said to him, ‘Not it permits for you to have her’” (CG). In the previous verse, it was noted that Herod had bound John and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. That continues now with the words, “For John, he said to him, ‘Not it permits for you to have her.’” John, being a prophet of the Lord, was careful to uphold the word of the Lord. I...

Thursday, 6 November 2025 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Matthew 14:3 “For Herod, having seized John, he bound him, and he placed in prison for Herodias, his brother Phillip’s wife” (CG). In the previous verse, Herod exclaimed his belief that John the Immerser had risen from the dead, which is why he had the miracle powers working in him. The narrative will now explain what led to John’s imprisonment. T...

Wednesday, 5 November 2025 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” Matthew 14:2 “and he said to his servants, ‘This, he is John the Immerser! He, he is aroused from the dead, and through this the miracles work in him!’” (CG). In the previous verse, it said that Herod the tetrarch heard the words about Jesus. Now, that continues, saying, “and he said to his servants, ‘This, he is John the Immerser!’” Both ...

Tuesday, 4 November 2025 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus Matthew 14:1 “In that time, Herod the tetrarch, he heard the ‘Jesus hearing’” (CG). In the previous verse, Chapter 13 ended with words concerning Jesus’ not doing many miracles in Nazareth due to their faithlessness. Chapter 14 now begins with, “In that time, Herod the tetrarch.” A new word is seen, tetrarchés. It signifies the ruler of the one-fourth part of a country or region. In other words, he is not a...

Monday, 3 November 2025 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:58 “And through their faithlessness He did not, there, many miracles” (CG). In the previous verse, it was noted that the people were offended at Jesus. Because of this, He said that a prophet is not without honor except in his fatherland and in his house. With that stated, Matthew next records, “And through their faithlessness He did not, there, many miracles.” A new word, apistia, faithle...

Sunday, 2 November 2025 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Matthew 13:57 “And they stumbled in Him. And Jesus, He said to them, ‘A prophet, he is not dishonored if not in his fatherland and in his house.’” (CG). In the previous verse, the questions about Jesus continued as the people asked about His sisters, wondering how He had obtained His wisdom and mighty working abilities. Because of thei...