The Rejection at Nazareth
(Matthew 13:53–58; Luke 4:16–30)
Jesus went on from there and came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. Luk 4:16-30Mat 13:54-58Mat 2:23Mat 13:4 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles? Jhn 6:42Jhn 7:15Mrk 1:21-22Act 4:13-14Mat 4:23Luk 4:31-32Luk 4:15Mat 7:28 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, 1 Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him. Mat 12:46Mat 13:55-57Jhn 6:42Jud 1:1Mat 11:6Gal 1:19Act 1:13Mrk 15:40
Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” Jhn 4:44Luk 4:24Mat 13:57Jer 12:6Jer 11:21 So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them. Mat 13:58Mrk 9:23Mrk 5:23Heb 4:2Isa 59:1-2Gen 19:22Gen 32:25 And He was amazed at their unbelief. Mat 9:35Mat 8:10Luk 13:22Act 10:38Isa 59:16Jer 2:11Jhn 9:30Mat 4:23
And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.
The Ministry of the Twelve
(Matthew 10:5–15; Luke 9:1–6)
Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. Ecc 4:9-10Mat 10:1-5Luk 10:17-20Luk 9:1-6Luk 10:1Luk 10:3-12Luk 6:13-16Rev 11:3 He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money 2in their belts— Luk 9:3Mat 10:9-10Luk 10:4Luk 22:35 and to wear sandals, but not a second tunic. Act 12:8Eph 6:15
And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area. Luk 10:7-8Luk 9:4Mat 10:11-13Act 16:15Act 17:5-7 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.” 3 Mat 10:14-15Act 18:6Luk 10:10-15Neh 5:13Jud 1:7Act 13:50-51Heb 10:26-31Mat 11:20-24
So they set out and preached that the people should repent. Mat 4:17Act 20:21Luk 13:3Act 11:18Act 2:38Ezk 18:30Luk 11:32Luk 24:47 They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil. Jas 5:14-15Luk 10:17Mrk 6:7
The Beheading of John
(Matthew 14:1–12; Luke 9:7–9)
Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, 4 “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Luk 9:7-9Mrk 6:14-291Th 1:82Ch 26:15Luk 13:31Luk 23:7-12Luk 3:1Mat 14:1-12 Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” Mal 4:5Mat 16:14Mat 21:11Mrk 8:28Act 3:22-23Jhn 1:21Jhn 1:25Jhn 6:14
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!” Gen 40:10-11Luk 9:9Mat 14:2Mat 27:4Psa 53:5Rev 11:10-13 For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married. Luk 3:19-20Mat 11:2Luk 3:1Mat 4:12Mat 14:3-12 For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!” Lev 18:16Lev 20:211Ki 22:14Ezk 3:18-19Act 20:26-27Act 24:24-26Mat 14:3-4
So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable, Ecc 7:9Eph 4:26-271Ki 21:20Gen 39:17-20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly. Mat 21:26Mat 14:52Ch 24:15-22Jhn 5:351Ki 21:202Ch 24:22Ch 26:52Ki 13:14
On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. Est 2:18Gen 40:201Pe 4:32Sa 13:23-29Act 12:2-4Dan 5:1-4Est 1:3-7Est 3:7 When the daughter of Herodias 5came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” Est 1:10-12Dan 5:2Mat 14:6Isa 3:16-26 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!” Est 5:3Est 7:2Est 5:6Mat 4:91Sa 28:102Ki 6:31Pro 6:2Mat 14:7
Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” 2Ch 22:3-4Ezk 19:2-3Gen 27:8-11Job 31:31Pro 27:3-4Psa 27:2Psa 37:12Psa 37:14
And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.”
At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” Num 7:13Num 7:19-89Pro 1:16Rom 3:15
The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her. Mat 14:9Mat 27:24-25Mat 27:3-5 So without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison. Mat 14:10-11 The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.
When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb. Mat 14:122Ch 24:161Ki 13:29-30Act 8:2Mat 27:57-60
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
(Matthew 14:13–21; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15)
Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught. Luk 9:10Luk 10:17Mat 10:2Act 20:18-21Luk 22:14Tit 2:6-7Luk 17:5Luk 24:10 And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. Mrk 3:20Jhn 6:1Mrk 3:7Mrk 1:45Mat 14:13
So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place. Mrk 4:36Mrk 6:45Mrk 8:2-9Jhn 6:5-13Mat 14:13-21Mrk 3:9Luk 9:10-17 But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them. Jhn 6:2Mat 15:29-31Mrk 6:54-55Jas 1:19 When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things. Mat 9:36Luk 9:11Num 27:172Ch 18:16Heb 4:15Isa 61:1-31Ki 22:17Jer 50:6
By now the hour was already late. So the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Jhn 6:5-15Luk 9:12-17Mat 14:15-21 Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” Mat 15:23Mrk 3:21Mrk 5:31Mat 16:22
But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” 2Ki 4:42-44Luk 9:13Mat 14:16Mat 15:32-33Mrk 8:2-3Num 11:132Ki 7:2Jhn 6:4-10
They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii 6to give all of them bread to eat?”
“Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them. Mat 15:34Mrk 8:5Jhn 6:9Luk 9:13Mat 14:17-18
And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. 1Co 14:331Co 14:40Mat 15:351Ki 10:5Est 1:5-6 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Luk 9:14-15
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all. Mat 14:19Mrk 7:34Luk 24:30Luk 9:161Co 10:311Ti 4:4-5Jhn 11:41Mrk 14:22
They all ate and were satisfied, Luk 9:17Mrk 8:8-9Jhn 6:12Mat 14:20-21Mat 15:37-382Ki 4:42-44Deu 8:3Psa 145:15-16 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. Mrk 8:19-20 And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.
Jesus Walks on Water
(Matthew 14:22–33; John 6:16–21)
Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. Mat 14:22-33Jhn 6:15-21Mrk 6:32Mrk 8:22Luk 10:13Mat 11:21 After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray. Mrk 1:35Mat 6:6Luk 6:12Mat 14:231Pe 2:21
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land. Jhn 6:16-17Mat 14:23 He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, 7 Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them, Job 9:8Luk 12:38Luk 24:28Mat 14:24Psa 104:3Psa 93:4Isa 54:11Jhn 1:13 but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost— Job 9:8Mat 14:25-26Luk 24:37Job 4:14-16 for they all saw Him and were terrified. Mat 14:27Isa 43:2Jhn 6:19-20Luk 24:38-41Jhn 20:19-20
But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded, Mrk 4:39Psa 93:3-4Jhn 6:21Mrk 7:37Luk 8:24-25Mat 14:28-32Mat 8:26-27Mrk 1:27 for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened. Luk 24:25Mrk 8:17-21Isa 63:17Mrk 16:14Mat 16:9-11Mrk 3:5Mrk 7:18Rom 11:7
Jesus Heals at Gennesaret
(Matthew 14:34–36)
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat. Jhn 6:24-25Mat 14:34-36Luk 5:1 As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus Php 3:10Psa 9:10 and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. Mat 4:24Mrk 2:1-3Mrk 3:7-11 And wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed. Mat 9:20Luk 6:19Num 15:38-39Mrk 3:10Act 5:15Mrk 5:27-282Ki 13:21Act 4:12