You Give Them Something to Eat
Questions for Study 19

Matthew 14:1-36
Key Verse: 16

AFTER ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMMENTARY.
AFTER ANSWERING PLEASE A MAP OF THE AREA AROUND THE SEA OF GALILEE.

I. Herod the Tetrarch, An Immoral Man (1-12)

1. What was Herod's position? (1) What was his reaction when he heard reports about Jesus? (2) Why was he so haunted by John the Baptist?

2. Why did Herod have John arrested and imprisoned? (3-4) What kind of woman was Herodias? How did Herod's self-seeking and his immorality make him a murderer and result in his inner distress and trouble? (Romans 2:7-10)

3. What does this incident reveal about the times? What can we surmise about the people living under the rule of Herod and Rome?

II. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand (13-21)

4. What did Jesus do when he heard about John's death? (13) Why might he have gone to a solitary place? (23a)

5. Why did his plan to be alone fail? (13b) How did Jesus respond to the crowds who came? (14) How did he minister to them? (14b)

6. When evening came, what did his disciples suggest? (15) In what respect was their suggestion a logical one?

7. What did Jesus say in response to the disciples' request? (16a) What challenge did Jesus give to the disciples? (16b) Through Jesus' challenge what can you learn about the basic attitude and faith disciples should have? What can you learn from Jesus about raising up spiritual leaders?

8. How did the disciples answer? (17) How did Jesus work through the disciples to feed the crowd? (18-19b) What can we learn here about the way Jesus works? (18-21)

III. Jesus Walks on the Water (22-36)

9. After feeding the crowd, what did Jesus do? (22-23) What might he have prayed about? What happened to the disciples on the lake? (24) How did Jesus help them? (25) What does their terror at seeing Jesus reveal about them? (26) How did Jesus reassure them? (27)

10. What did Peter do? (29) Why did he begin to sink? (30) How did Jesus rescue and rebuke him? (31) What was the disciples' response when Jesus got into the boat? What did Jesus want to teach his disciples through this event? What can you learn about the faith that overcomes the inner fear problem?

11. What happened when they arrived in Gennesaret? (35-36) What does this teach us about Jesus?