Coming of the King: Week 31

Matthew 14:22-36: The Power of the King

• 14:22 "constrained", "insisted" - Jesus had come to this lonely place for a quiet time with his Father, but the crowd had preempted it. The disciples didn't see any practical way for Jesus to return home. There were no cell phones to call them when he was ready. So, they resisted the instruction.

  John MacArthur suggests that the disciples were tempted to join in making Jesus king, and needed to be sent away. We know from Matthew 10:4 that Simon the Zealot and Judas were of this persuasion.

• 14:23 It was time for that interrupted quiet time. John tells us another reason why Jesus sent the disciples ahead without him: "Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself." John 6:15
• 14:24 "wind was against it" - Dr. McGee compares the disciple in the boat to the Church. Christ has left them for a time to commune with the Father. The wind is against them, and they are buffeted by waves. He will return at a time they do not expect.
• 14:25 "fourth watch" must mean a Roman watch, as the Jews had only 3. This would be the 3 hours before dawn. "walking on the sea" - such a simple solution to the problem of getting home again had not occurred to the disciples.
• 14:29 "walked on the water" - Peter was obeying a command of the King.
• 14:30 "he was afraid, and beginning to sink" - this always makes me picture Wile E. Coyote walking on air until he looks down and is afraid.