Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
video advertismenet
advertisement
advertisement
advertisement
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Bible Commentaries
Alford's Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary Alford's Greek Testament Commentary
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliographical Information
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Matthew 14". Alford's Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary. https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/hac/matthew-14.html. 1863-1878.
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Matthew 14". Alford's Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary. https://studylight.org/
Whole Bible (49)New Testament (17)Gospels Only (5)Individual Books (11)
Verse 1
1. ] This Herod was Herod ANTIPAS, son of Herod the Great, á¼Îº ÎÎ±Î»Î¸Î¬ÎºÎ·Ï Ïá¿Ï ΣαμαÏείÏÎ¹Î´Î¿Ï , and own brother of Archelaus (Jos. B. J. i. 28. 4). The portion of the kingdom allotted to him by the second will of his father (in the first he was left as king) was the tetrarchy of Galilee and Peræa (Jos. Antt. xvii. 8. 1). He married the daughter of the Arabian king Aretas; but having during a visit to his half-brother Herod Philip (not the tetrarch of that name, but another son of Herod the Great, disinherited by his father) become enamoured of his wife Herodias, he prevailed on her to leave her husband, and live with him. (See below, on Matthew 14:4 .) This step, accompanied as it was with a stipulation of putting away the daughter of Aretas, involved him in a war with his father-in-law, which however did not break out till a year before the death of Tiberius (A.D. 37, U.C. 790; Jos. Antt. xviii. 5. 1 3), and in which he was totally defeated and his army destroyed by Aretas; a divine vengeance, according to the Jews, for the death of John the Baptist (Josephus, ibid.). He and Herodias afterwards went to Rome at the beginning of Caligula’s reign, to complain of the assumption of the title of king by Agrippa his nephew, son of Aristobulus; but Caligula having heard the claims of both, banished Antipas and Herodias to Lyons in Gaul, whence he was afterwards removed to Spain, and there died: Jos. Antt. xviii. 7. 1, 2.
The following events apparently took place at Machærus, a frontier fortress between Peræa and Arabia: see below on Matthew 14:10 .
Ïὴν á¼ÎºÎ¿á½´Î½ ἸηÏοῦ ] It was the fame of the preaching and miracles of the twelve , on their mission, of which Herod heard, probably in conjunction with the works of Christ: see [133] Mark.
[133] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 , the sign (â) occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign (â) is qualified , thus, ‘â Mk.,’ or ‘â Mt. Mk.,’ &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others .
Verses 1-12
1 12. ] HEROD HEARS OF THE FAME OF JESUS. PARENTHETICAL ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. Mark 6:14-29 . Luke 9:7-9 , who does not relate the death of John.
Verse 2
2. ] Ïαá¿Ï = Î´Î¿á¿¦Î»Î¿Ï .
αá½ÏÏÏ ] emphatic; equivalent in English to “ it is he, that ” ⦠In Luk 9:7 it is said that Herod διηÏÏÏει διὰ Ïὸ λÎγεÏθαι á½ÏÏ ÏινÏν á½ Ïι ἸÏάνν . á¼Î³Î®Î³ . κ . Ï . λ . There is no inconsistency in these accounts: the report originated with others: but if Herod διηÏÏÏει concerning it, he, in the terrors of a guilty conscience, doubtless gave utterance to these words himself. There is no evidence that Herod was a Sadducee, or a disbeliever in the resurrection as then held by the Pharisees. See also note on Mark 8:14 .
There is no allusion here to metempsychosis, but to the veritable bodily resurrection, and supposed greater power acquired by having passed through death. This is an incidental confirmation of John 10:41 , where we read that John wrought no miracle while living .
Verse 4
4. ] The marriage was unlawful for these three reasons: (1) The former husband of Herodias , Philip, was still living . This is expressly asserted by Josephus, Antt. xviii. 5. 4, ἩÏÏÎ´Î¹Î¬Ï , á¼Ïá½¶ ÏÏ Î³ÏÏÏει ÏÏονήÏαÏα Ïῶν ÏαÏÏίÏν , ἩÏÏδῠγαμεá¿Ïαι Ïοῦ á¼Î½Î´Ïá½¸Ï Ïá¿· á½Î¼Î¿ÏαÏÏίῳ á¼Î´ÎµÎ»Ïá¿· , διαÏÏá¾¶Ïα ζῶνÏÎ¿Ï . (A reply to the attempt made by some to interpret these last words, ‘ having previously been divorced from him while living ,’ is hardly needed, in the presence of the two unqualified synchronous participles, ÏÏονήÏαÏα and διαÏÏá¾¶Ïα . Besides, the part. is not á¼Ïο ÏÏá¾¶Ïα , as erroneously quoted by the Bp. of Exeter [Philpotts]: see his published speech of Feb. 25, 1851, note.) The same is surely implied by the whole narrative, and the word μεÏοικίÏαÏθαι , Antt. xviii. 5. 1. (2) The former wife of Antipas was still living , and fled to her father Aretas on hearing of his intention to marry Herodias: Jos. ibid. (3) Antipas and Herodias were already related to one another within the forbidden degrees of consanguinity . For Î¸Ï Î³Î¬ÏÎ·Ï á¼¦Î½ á¼ÏιÏÏοβοÏÎ»Î¿Ï , καὶ οá½ÏÎ¿Ï á¼Î´ÎµÎ»Ïá½¸Ï Î±á½Ïῶν (of Antipas and Philip), Jos. ib. See the Bp.’s note, and a reply to it in substance the same as the foregoing, in the Quarterly Journal of Sacred Lit. for Oct. 1852 and Jan. 1853. I may add that the remark of Josephus (Antt. xviii. 5. 4), that Salome’s birth had taken place previously to the infidelity of Herodias, is not given, as understood by the Bp. (after Tertullian, adv. Marcion. iv. 34, vol. ii. p. 443), as the technical reason why her conduct was á¼Ïá½¶ ÏÏ Î³ÏÏÏει Ïῶν ÏαÏÏίÏν , but as a moral aggravation of her unnatural crime. It was unlawful by Leviticus 18:16 .
Verse 5
5. ] This verse is further expanded in Mark: á½ Î³á½°Ï á¼©Ï . á¼Ïοβεá¿Ïο Ïὸν ἸÏάν . Îµá¼°Î´á½¼Ï Î±á½Ïὸν á¼Î½Î´Ïα δίκαιον καὶ ἠγιον , καὶ ÏÏ Î½ÎµÏήÏει αá½ÏÏν , καὶ á¼ÎºÎ¿ÏÏÎ±Ï Î±á½Ïοῦ Ïολλὰ á¼Ïοίει , καὶ ἡδÎÏÏ Î±á½Ïοῦ á¼¤ÎºÎ¿Ï ÎµÎ½ . Josephus, not being aware of any other grounds for his imprisonment, alleges purely political ones: δείÏÎ±Ï á¼©ÏÏÎ´Î·Ï Ïὸ á¼Ïá½¶ ÏοÏÏνδε Ïιθανὸν αá½Ïοῦ Ïοá¿Ï á¼Î½Î¸ÏÏÏÎ¿Î¹Ï Î¼á½´ á¼Ïá½¶ á¼ÏοÏÏάÏει Ïινὶ ÏÎÏοι .⦠Ïολὺ κÏεá¿ÏÏον ἡγεá¿Ïαι , ÏÏίν Ïι νεÏÏεÏον á¼Î¾ αá½Ïοῦ γενÎÏθαι , ÏÏολαβὼν á¼Î½Î±Î¹Ïεá¿Î½ .⦠Antt. xviii. 5. 2.
εἶÏον ] literally, ‘ possederunt eum tanquam prophetam;’ and thus Meyer maintains it must be rendered: but as our ‘ hold ,’ so á¼ÏÏ comes to be applied to the estimate formed of a man or thing, which subjectively is our possession of him or it.
Verse 6
6. γενεÏÎ¯Î¿Î¹Ï ] the birthday. This name was given in classical Greek to an anniversary celebration of the memory of the dead . So Herod., iv. 26, having described such a celebration among the Issedones, adds, Ïαá¿Ï δὲ ÏαÏÏá½¶ ÏοῦÏο ÏοιÎει καÏάÏÎµÏ Î¿á¼± á¼Î»Î»Î·Î½ÎµÏ Ïá½° γενÎÏια . Phrynichus, Hesych [134] , and Ammonius lay it down that γενÎÏια is not to be used for γενÎθλια , a birthday . But the adj. was certainly so used in later Greek: e.g. á¼Î³Î¿Î½ÏÎµÏ Ï . γενÎÏιον ἡμÎÏαν Ï . ÏÎ±Î¹Î´Î¯Î¿Ï , Jos. Antt. xii. 4. 7 (in Dio Cassius xlvii. 18, lvi. 46, lxvii. 2, usually cited, the γενÎÏια , though bearing this meaning, are in each case in honour of a dead person). See Suicer, Thes. under γενÎθλια , and Lobeck’s note, Phryn. p. 103. Heins., Grot., a [135] ., hold that the word here means the feast of Herod’s accession: but they give no proof that it ever had such a meaning. Among the seasons kept by the Gentiles, enumerated in the Rabbinical work Avoda Sara, we have ×× ×ס×× ×©× ××××× : see Lightfoot in loc. [On the dative “compare the examples quoted by Jelf, § 699.” Moulton’s Winer, p. 276, note 1.]
[134] Hesychius of Jerusalem, cent y . vi.
[135] alii = some cursive mss.
A great feast was given to the nobility of Galilee, Mark 6:21 . The damsel’s name was Salome (Jos. Antt. xviii. 5. 4), daughter of Herodias by her former husband Philip. She afterwards married her uncle Philip, tetrarch of Ituræa and Trachonitis: and he dying childless, she became the wife of her cousin Aristobulus, son of Herod king of Chalcis, by whom he had three sons, Herod, Agrippa, and Aristobulus. The dance was probably a pantomimic dance.
Verse 9
9. ] ὠβαÏιλεÏÏ was a title which Herod never properly possessed. Subsequently to this event, Herodias prevailed on him to go to Rome to get the title, which had been granted to his nephew Agrippa. He was opposed by the emissaries of Agrippa, and was exiled to Lugdunum. See note on Matthew 14:1 , and Josephus there cited.
Herod was grieved because he heard John gladly ( Mar 6:20 ), and from policy did not wish to put him to death on so slight a cause. This is not inconsistent with his wishing to put him to death: his estimate of John was wavering and undecided, and he was annoyed at the decision being taken out of his hands by a demand, compliance with which would be irrevocable.
Verse 10
10. ] It appears from the damsel’s expression δÏÏ Î¼Î¿Î¹ ὧδε and this verse, that the feast was held either at Machærus or at no great distance from it. Antipas had a palace near, Ïá½° ÏληÏίον ἸοÏÎ´Î¬Î½Î¿Ï Î²Î±Ïίλεια καÏá½° ÎηθαÏάμαθον , B. J. ii. 4. 2; but he was not there on account of the war with Aretas , see above.
Verse 13
13. ] There is some difficulty here in conceiving how the narration is to proceed continuously. The death of the Baptist is evidently retrospectively and parenthetically inserted: and yet the retirement of our Lord in this verse seems to be the immediate consequence of his hearing of that occurrence. But this may well have been so: for (1) the disciples of John would be some days in bringing the news from Machærus to Capernaum, and the report mentioned in Mat 14:1 might reach Herod meantime; (2) the expression with which that report is introduced, á¼Î½ á¼ÎºÎµÎ¯Î½á¿³ Ïá¿· καιÏá¿· , extends it over a considerable space of time; and (3) the message which the disciples of John brought to our Lord might have included both particulars, the death of their Master, and the saying of Herod respecting Himself.
He went across the lake ( Joh 6:1 ) into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaïda ( Luk 9:10 ). His retirement (Luke, ibid., and Mar 6:30 ) was connected also with the return of the twelve from their mission: compare the full and affecting account of the whole transaction in Mark 6:30-35 .
Verses 13-21
13 21. ] FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND. Mark 6:30-44 .Luke 9:10-17; Luke 9:10-17 . John 6:1-13 , where also see notes.
Verse 14
14. ] á¼Î¾ÎµÎ»Î¸Ïν , from his place of retirement.
Verse 15
15. ] This á½Ïία was the first evening, the decline of the day, about 3 p.m.; the á½Ïία in Matthew 14:23 , after the miracle, was late in the night.
ἡ á½¥Ïα ] the time of the day is now late , ἦν Ïá¿Ï á½¥ÏÎ±Ï Î¼Î¹ÎºÏὸν ÏÏὸ δÏνÏÎ¿Ï á¼¡Î»Î¯Î¿Ï , Xen. Hell. vii. 2. 22.
Verses 16-17
16, 17. ] δÏÏε αá½Ïοá¿Ï á½Î¼Îµá¿Ï Ï ., which is common to the three first Evangelists, is considerably expanded in the more detailed account of John 3:1-36 ; John 4:1-54 ; John 5:1-47 ; John 6:1-71 ; John 7:1-53 ; it was Andrew who spoke in our Matthew 14:17 , and the five loaves and two fishes were brought by a lad: John 6:8-9 . They were barley loaves and ( salt ) fish; ibid. And we have (perhaps, but see note there) the vast concourse accounted for in John by the fact that the Passover was at hand , and so they were collected on their journey to Jerusalem.
See a very similar miracle in 2 Kings 4:42-44 ; only then there were twenty barley loaves and an hundred men. See also Numbers 11:21-22 .
Verse 19
19. ηá½Î»ÏγηÏεν ] Luke supplies αá½ÏοÏÏ , the loaves and fishes: John has for it εá½ÏαÏιÏÏήÏÎ±Ï . Both are one. The thanks to heaven is the blessing on the meat. ὠΣÏÏá½´Ï ÏÏá¿¶Ïον á¼Î½ÎβλεÏεν Îµá¼°Ï Ïὸν οá½Ïανὸν Ïαá¿Ï á¼ÎºÏá¿Ïι Ïῶν á½Ïθαλμῶν αá½Ïοῦ οἱονεὶ καÏαβιβάζÏν δÏναμιν á¼ÎºÎµá¿Î¸ÎµÎ½ Ïὴν á¼Î½Î±ÎºÏαθηÏομÎνην Ïοá¿Ï á¼ÏÏÎ¿Î¹Ï ÎºÎ±á½¶ Ïοá¿Ï á¼°ÏθÏÏι μÎÎ»Î»Î¿Ï Ïι ÏÏÎÏειν ÏÎ¿á½ºÏ ÏενÏακιÏÏÎ¹Î»Î¯Î¿Ï Ï , καὶ μεÏá½° ÏοῦÏο ηá½Î»ÏγηÏε Ï . Ï . á¼ÏÏÎ¿Ï Ï Îº . Ï . δ . á¼°Ïθ ., Ïá¿· λÏγῳ κ . Ïῠεá½Î»Î¿Î³Î¯á¾³ αá½Î¾Ïν κ . ÏληθÏνÏν αá½ÏοÏÏ . Orig [136] in loc. This miracle was one of symbolic meaning for the twelve, who had just returned from their mission, as pointing to the δÏÏεὰν á¼Î»Î¬Î²ÎµÏε , δÏÏεὰν δÏÏε of ch. Mat 10:8 in a higher sense than they then could have understood it: but see the symbolic import of the miracle treated in the notes to John 6:1-71 .
[136] Origen, b. 185, d. 254
Meyer well remarks that the process of the miracle is thus to be conceived: the Lord blessed, and gave the loaves and fishes to the disciples, as they were; and then, during their distribution of them , the miraculous increase took place, so that they broke and distributed enough for all.
Verse 20
20. κοÏÎ¯Î½Î¿Ï Ï ] in the construction, is in apposition with Ïὸ ÏεÏιÏÏεῦον .
The cophinus was the usual accompaniment of the Jew: see Juv [137] Sat. iii.14 ‘Judæis, quorum cophinus fÅnumque supellex;’ and Sat. vi. 542. Reland, whom Schöttgen (in loc.) follows, supposes that the basket was to carry their own meats on a journey, for fear of pollution by eating those of the Gentiles, and the hay to sleep on for the same reason.
[137] Juvencus , 330
Verse 21
21. ] ÏÏÏá½¶Ï Î³Ï Î½ . κ . Ïαιδ . is peculiar to Matt., although this might have been inferred from á¼Î½Î´ÏÎµÏ being used in the other three Evangelists. See note on John 6:10 .
Verse 22
22. Îµá¼°Ï Ïὸ ÏÎÏαν ] Mark adds ÏÏá½¸Ï ÎηθÏαÏδάν , John Îµá¼°Ï ÎαÏαÏναοÏμ : for the Bethsaïda, the city of Philip and Andrew and Peter, was distinct from Bethsaïda Julias, in whose neighbourhood the miracle took place, and in the direction of Capernaum.
Verses 22-33
22 33. ] JESUS WALKS ON THE SEA. Mark 6:45-52 . (Luke omits this incident.) John 6:16-21 . The conviction of the people after the foregoing miracle was, that Jesus was the Messiah; and their disposition, to take Him by force, and make Him a king. See John 6:14-15 . For this reason he constrained His disciples to leave Him, because they were but too anxious to second this wish of the multitude; and their dismissal was therefore an important step towards the other.
Verse 25
25. ] The fourth watch according to the Roman calculation, which was by this time common among the Jews (who themselves divided the night into three parts or watches). This would be, near the vernal equinox which this was, between three and six in the morning .
á¼Ïá¿Î»Î¸ÎµÎ½ ÏÏá½¸Ï Î±á½Ï . ] a mixed construction for á¼Ïá¿Î»Î¸ÎµÎ½ á¼Ïὸ Ïοῦ á½ÏÎ¿Ï Ï ÎºÎ±á½¶ ἦλθεν ÏÏá½¸Ï Î±á½Ï . The words ÏεÏιÏÎ±Ï . á¼Ïá½¶ Ïὴν θάλ . (or Ïá¿Ï θαλάÏÏÎ·Ï , the gen. of the mere appearing on the spot, the accus. of motion, over the sea . Webst. and Wilk. cite á¼Ïá½¶ Ïολλὰ á¼Î»Î®Î¸Î·Î½ Od. ξ . 120, á¼Ï ʼ á¼Î½Î½ÎµÎ± κεá¿Ïο ÏÎλεθÏα Od. λ . 577) are common to the three Evangelists, and can have no other meaning here, than that the Lord walked bodily on the surface of the water . The passages commonly cited to shew that á¼Ïί with a gen. can mean ‘on the bank of,’ are not applicable here, being all after verbs of rest , not of motion. 4 Kings Matthew 2:7 : Dan 8:2 Theod.: John 21:1 . In ref. Job we read of the Almighty, á½ ÏανÏÏÎ±Ï Ïὸν οá½Ïανὸν μÏÎ½Î¿Ï ÎºÎ±á½¶ ÏεÏιÏαÏῶν á½¡Ï á¼Ï ʼ á¼Î´Î¬ÏÎ¿Ï Ï á¼Ïá½¶ θαλάÏÏÎ·Ï . Mark adds καὶ ἤθελεν ÏαÏελθεá¿Î½ αá½ÏοÏÏ : John, καὶ á¼Î³Î³á½ºÏ Ïοῦ ÏÎ»Î¿Î¯Î¿Ï Î³Î¹Î½Ïμενον . See notes on John.
Verse 28
28. ] This narrative respecting Peter is peculiar to Matthew. It is in very strict accordance with his warm and confident character, and has been called almost a ‘rehearsal’ of his denial afterwards. It contains one of the most pointed and striking revelations which we have of the nature and analogy of faith; and a notable example of the power of the higher spiritual state of man over the inferior laws of matter, so often brought forward by our Lord. See ch. Matthew 17:20 ; Matthew 21:21 .
Verse 32
32. ] John ( Joh 6:21 ) adds καὶ εá½Î¸ÎÏÏ á¼Î³ÎνεÏο Ïὸ Ïλοá¿Î¿Î½ á¼Ïá½¶ Ïá¿Ï γá¿Ï Îµá¼°Ï á¼£Î½ á½Ïá¿Î³Î¿Î½ : see note there.
Verse 33
33. ] These persons were probably the crew of the ship, and distinct from the disciples. On θεοῦ Ï á¼±ÏÏ , see note, ch. Matthew 4:3 . It is the first time that our Lord is called so by men in the three synoptic Gospels. See ch. Matthew 3:17 ; Matthew 4:3 ; Matthew 8:29 : and John 1:34 ; John 1:50 . This feeling of amazement and reverence pervaded the disciples also: see the strong expression of Mark 6:52 .
Verses 34-36
34 36. ] Mark 6:53-56 . Gennesar or Gennesaret , a district from which the lake was also occasionally so called, extended along its western shore. See Josephus’s glowing description of the beauty and fertility of this plain, B. J. iii. 10. 7. At its northern end was Capernaum, near which our Lord landed, as would appear from John 6:24-25 .
Verse 36
36. ÏαÏεκάλ .⦠ἵνα ] For a discussion of the construction of verbs of entreaty, &c. with ἵνα and á½ ÏÏÏ , see note, 1 Corinthians 14:13 .
On κÏαÏÏ . see note on ch. Matthew 9:20 .
Î´Î¹ÎµÏ . as E. V., were made perfectly whole.