Matthew 14:13–21: Compassion for our Needs
Introduction
After the death of John the Baptist, Jesus withdraws to grieve his friend and to rest in Matthew 14:13–21. When Jesus’ plans are disrupted by a needy crowd, we encounter a genuine question: how will Jesus respond to the needs of others when he is mourning the death of his friend and partner in ministry? Here, we see the extraordinary, boundless compassion of Jesus that not only rises to meet the immediately presenting needs of those who pursue him, but that proactively plans out how to care for the needs of his disciples who labor alongside him. Through this story, we see the far ranges of an important biblical principle: Jesus has compassion for our needs.
Discussion Questions
1. Why did Jesus withdraw (v. 13)? How does this withdrawal compare with other scenes in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus or others around Jesus withdraw from danger? Why is this withdrawal necessary for Jesus in the short term, as Jesus grieves the death of John the Baptist? Why is this withdrawal necessary as Jesus awaits the fullness of time for him to go to the cross? What do we learn about caring for our own needs from Jesus’ example here?
2. How does Matthew characterize the eagerness of the crowds as they follow Jesus (v. 13)? How does Matthew characterize their neediness (v. 14)? How might you or I respond if we had been confronted with the burdensome needs of the crowds in the middle of our grief? How does Jesus respond (v. 14)? How long does Jesus spend addressing the acute needs of the crowds (v. 15)? What do we learn about caring for the needs of others from Jesus’ example here?
3. What other need do the disciples recognize that the crowd has acquired after a full day of Jesus’ healing (v. 15)? What solution do the disciples offer (v. 15)? How valuable is this particular solution? What does Jesus instruct the disciples to do instead (v. 16)? How do the disciples respond to Jesus’ instructions? In this, what kind of need has Jesus created for his disciples in the course of their ministry? How does Jesus help them to meet the needs of the crowd?
4. What does this passage teach us about Jesus’ gracious provision to meet our daily needs? What does this passage teach us about Jesus’ gracious provision to meet our eternal needs? What do the twelve baskets symbolize about the scope of the beneficiaries of the messianic banquet that Jesus came to prepare? What earthly need do you need to bring to Jesus right now? What spiritual need do you need to bring to Jesus right now?
