The Secret Codes in Matthew: Examining Israel’s Messiah, Part 9: Matthew 13-14, by Kevin M. Williams
The second part of the prayer is “who brings forth bread from the earth.” Man may have planted it; someone may have harvested it; people may have used their sweat on the threshing floor; another milled it and yet another baked it, but ultimately, bread exists because of Yahweh’s care and provision for His people.
This too, is a characteristic of someone whose loyalties reside in the kingdom of Heaven. We may participate in what God is doing, or with what he has provided, but the final glory belongs to God and God alone.
___
Peter is the great conundrum, and likely the best remembered of the disciples. Regretfully, he is remembered so well because we find ourselves in this all-too-human fisherman.
Yeshua has retreated to pray while the talmadim (disciples) remained in the boat. A storm has turned the sea into a nightmare. Part of that nightmare is to see what they at first believe is a ghost walking toward them on the water. When they realize it is Yeshua, good old Peter is the first to say “Command me!” (Matthew 14:28).
How often have we said something similar? “Ask me, Lord, and I shall [fill in the blank].” How many times have we asked God to be put to the test. And how many times, like Kefa (Peter) have we ended up all wet?
This seemed to be the pattern of Kefa’s life. But just as with all the Scriptures, we have been given these examples to be testimonies to our own lives, our own human nature, and our own weak failings.
With admirable courage and steely faith, likely better than any of us reading this today, Peter climbed out of the boat and for a time did very well. Yet even now, even in the midst of success, Kefa could not obey the Master’s command.
How very much like all of us! Even the simplest commands seem to be beyond our ability to consistently conquer. The Messiah has not commanded us to walk on the storm-tossed seas. He has asked us to love one another. He has asked us to keep his Word. He has asked to us care for the downtrodden.
It is at times like these we need the Messiah to take us by the hand, as He did with Kefa. It is at times like these that we need to be reminded how desperately we need a Savior. It is at times like these that we need to know that despite our failings, we have a Redeemer.
Yet once again, Yeshua’s purpose is achieved.
And when they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” (Matthew 14:32-33).
As demonstrated throughout this examination of Matthew, Yeshua never had to personally make the claim that He was the Messiah. The people around Him came to that revelation time and again.
___
And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick; and they began to entreat Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured (Matthew 14:34-36).
This is not the first time we have encountered “the fringe” in Matthew’s gospel. Our first encounter was back in chapter nine: “And behold, a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak” (Matthew 9:20).
Category: Biblical Studies, Pneuma Review, Spring 2003
Followers
Fans
