14:1 What does tetrarch mean?
If the Roman Empire controlled a certain land and that land was divided into four regions, each of those regions was controlled by a governor or leader called a tetrarch. That leader was often from the local country, but obedient to Rome.
14:5 Why did Herod chop John's head off?
Herod disliked what John was saying and wanted to kill him, but didn't because the people he was ruling over liked John and thought he was a prophet. He finally did have John executed because of the request of Herodias made through her daughter after he had made a promise to the girl.
14:8 Why did the girl want John's head?
The girl was probably overwhelmed by the offer and wanted to ask mom. There were probably many things she was thinking about asking for, but she also wanted to make her mother happy, so she asked her mom, and her mom had a very specific request. Not wanting to upset her mother, the girl asked for John's head.
14:8 Why did the mother want the platter?
That is a strange request. She probably didn't really want the platter, but it would mean that John had to really be dead, and that she would be able to see that he was dead (not just lied to about his death). I doubt that she ever touched the head or the platter.
14:12 Did John have disciples?
Yes! It was very common for good teachers/rabbis to have followers or disciples. John the Baptists was a type of teacher or prophet, and he had some disciples like Jesus and other rabbis.
14:12 Why did John's disciples bury John the Baptists' body?
The head was given to Herodias, but his body was not. John's disciples probably wanted to honor John as much as possible and give him a proper burial, even if his head had been removed. It would be the respectful thing to do - to bury John's body.
14:14 Why did Jesus have compassion on the crowds, feeding and healing them?
Luke 19:10 says that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Matthew 9:13 says that Jesus desires mercy, that he came for the sick and not the healthy. The reason that Jesus came was to help people who really needed it. As Christians, it is important to remember that we need help because that is the only time that God is able to help us. It doesn't work as good when we try to do it on our own.
14:17 Why did they have 5 loaves and 2 fish when he fed the 5 thousand? Do the numbers stand for anything?
Some people think that the 5 loaves would represent the Torah, the 5 books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Jesus responded to one of the devil's temptations by saying that people do not live on bread alone, but on the Word of God. The Word of God for the Jewish people was the Old Testament, especially the first five books of the Law. The two fish might represent the old covenant and the new covenant, the old way of offering sacrifices at the temple and the new sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
14:19 It never says how Jesus made enough bread for the crowd. So how did he do it?
That is the miracle! Jesus could walk on water, heal injuries and diseases, and here he was able to multiply a small amount of food. Jesus was more than someone who was good at illusions - he was really able to preform miracles.
14:22 Jesus told the disciples to get into the boat. Why didn't He go with them?
Jesus spent a lot of time with God, so this was probably some of that solitary prayer time.
14:23 Why does Jesus always go to the most remote places to pray?
The most important thing Jesus did was be obedient to God. He didn't do anything that God did not want him to do. If he healed a person, it was because God wanted him to. If he went to a certain city, it was because God wanted him to. When he walked on the water, fed the 5,000, or did anything else, it was because God wanted him to. How did Jesus know what God wanted him to do? He spent a lot of time in prayer with God in remote places.
14:26 Why did the 12 think Jesus was a ghost?
The disciples had never seen a regular human being walking on water, and they probably didn't think it was possible. The first alternative that came to their minds was that this was a ghost out on the water. It is interesting to think that people back in Jesus time talked about ghosts, too!
14:28 Why did Peter try to walk on water when he was just a man?
Jesus was a rabbi and Peter was a disciple. The main job of a disciple was to follow the rabbi wherever the rabbi would go, to be "covered in the dust of your rabbi's sandals" because the disciples are following the rabbi so closely and trying to do everything the rabbi does. Some people think that Peter wanted to follow his rabbi onto the water - to do what his rabbi does.
14:30 Why did Peter start to sink? Why was he discouraged and have such little faith?
In the next verse, Jesus asked Peter why he doubted and had so little faith. Peter probably went out because he trusted that his rabbi would be able to help him do this, but then started to doubt his own ability to really walk on water. When we trust in God, we are able to do the great things that he would like for us to do, but when we focus on ourselves, sometimes we get into trouble.
14:33 Why did the people on the boat say, "Truly you are the Son of God." even though they already followed him?
Many disciples followed rabbis or teachers during Jesus' time. The disciples probably thought Jesus was really great, but also saw him as a real human being. Sometimes they had moments like Peter who said that he had come to know and to believe that he was the Holy One of God in John 6:69, but sometimes they probably forgot and just thought of him as a regular guy. After Jesus died on the cross, many of the disciples were disappointed because they didn't realize that this was part of the plan. Jesus walking on the water was probably one of those moments when they really felt like Jesus was the promised one sent from God.
15:3 After the Pharisees asked Jesus why his disciples do not wash their hands before they eat. Then Jesus asks why do you break the commandment of God and starts talking about honoring your father and mother. How do they connect and why does Jesus say that?
The Pharisees were complaining about how Jesus' disciples were not following some laws about hand washing and eating; they thought they could make Jesus' group look bad if they were not good rule following Jews. Jesus begins asking them about rules. It's as if Jesus is saying, "Oh, while we're on the topic of rules, why don't you follow rules?" The Pharisees were famous for giving money to the temple, but it was done publicly to impress others, not really to give to God. The Pharisees loved doing this so much that they would take money that would be used to support their elderly parents and give it to the temple. Jesus said they should be better at the fourth commandment.
15:4 The verse said anyone who curses their father or mother must be put to death. Everyone has sinned, and this is probably one of their sins. Jesus said they were to be put to death. Why didn't they die?
In your Bible you might see that this was quoted from the Old Testament in Exodus and Leviticus. There were many laws that the Jews had and serious consequences for breaking those rules. One rule said that if you were working on the Sabbath, you had to be stoned. At least one person was actually stoned for working on Saturday! There was also a law that if you cursed your parents, you had to be killed. The reason that all these laws existed was to help create the community of the Israelites. Those were God's people, and he wanted them to live a certain way, like parents who have rules in their homes. The 'cursing' is not a simple "Mom, I'm mad at you." This law was about children who were blatantly disobedient and mocked their parents in public, saying they would want their parents dead or worse. Those children were to be killed. Pretty serious stuff.
15:8 What does it mean that 'people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me'?
This quotation from the book of Isaiah was describing a time when God was very frustrated with the Jewish people. They going through the motions of worshiping at the temple, but they did not love God. The reason people should worship God is because they want to, because their hearts are full of gratefulness to God. Jesus is reminding the Pharisees about God's frustration and saying the same thing about the Pharisees. They cared more about what other people thought about them than God. They would rather impress other people with their worship than actually worship the true God.
15:11 What is Jesus saying in this verse?
The Pharisees were very focused on their rules and some of those rules were about what they should eat - the things that go into a person's mouth. Jesus was saying that a person is not 'unclean' based on what they put into their mouth (like food), but what comes out of their mouth (like bad words and evil thoughts). A person is not going to be bad for eating bacon, but a person is bad if they are saying lies about the people around them. Jesus wanted his disciples to think about what comes out of their mouths more than what goes into them.
15:13 What does he mean when Jesus says they will be pulled up by their roots?
This might be a reference the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13 where the weeds were planted next to the wheat. Jesus was saying that even though the Pharisees were not helping people grow closer to God, in the end these leaders will be torn from their religious position since their hearts are not devoted to the God they claimed to worship.
15:15 Why didn't Jesus explain the parable to Peter?
Jesus didn't explain the parable because what he said was not a parable. He was actually just trying to teach his disciples, not tell them a parable. The disciples were often confused by the challenging things that Jesus said, and this is a good example of their confusion.
15:16 What did Jesus mean when he said, "Are you still so dull?"
When Jesus called them 'dull' he was really calling them 'unintelligent' or even dumb. The disciples were asking him to explain a parable, but Jesus hadn't told them a parable, he was just talking. Since they didn't understand, though, Jesus goes on to explain himself in the following verses.
15:22 What does it mean when a person is demon-possessed?
It's not very common here in the United States or among Christians, but some people have been possessed by demons. Demons are very power spiritual beings, more powerful than humans. While it is scary to think that demons could do this, it is important to remember that God is more powerful than demons. If Jesus is in your heart and the Holy Spirit fills your life, then there is no room for a demon to come in and possess you. Stay connected to Jesus.
15:24 "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." What does this mean?
Since the time of Abraham, God had a chosen people - the Israelites, the Jewish people. They were not chosen because they were better than other people, but chosen because they listened to God. Abraham listened to
15:26 Jesus tells the woman it is not right to take the children's bread and feed it to the dogs. What does that mean?
The Jews would sometimes call the gentiles (the non-Jews) dogs. Jesus was saying that he was sent to the Jewish community, so he shouldn't waste time with the non-Jews; he was sent to the children of Israel, not the gentiles. Instead of being upset, the woman humbly requested for crumbs and scraps that the dogs get while the children eat. Jesus honored her for her great faith.
15:31 If Jesus did not heal people, would they not follow Jesus?
There are many people in the world, and they are all different. Some people probably followed Jesus because he healed them. Some might have followed because he changed water into wine or fed 5,000 with very little food. Some might have followed Jesus because of the amazing things that he said and taught. For all of those people, they could have seen Jesus as a popular person, almost like a fad. If they got bored, maybe they wouldn't follow Jesus anymore. Some people, like the disciples, followed Jesus because they knew he was the Holy One of God (like our memory verse says). Those people would follow Jesus even if it wasn't popular. May you be like the people who follow Jesus no matter what happens!
15:38 Why did Jesus feed the 4,000 and the 5,000 when he could have combined them together?
Many of the same people were probably following Jesus both times. In John we find out that many people left after Jesus fed the 5,000, so maybe that was why there were fewer people the second time.
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