John Beheaded; Five Thousand Fed; Walking on Water

Log in to take the quiz and save your progress.

1. Observe

   Why does Herod have John the Baptist arrested and imprisoned?

   • John had led a rebellion against Roman taxation.
   • John had publicly predicted Herod's death.
   • John had told Herod it was not lawful for him to have his brother Philip's wife, Herodias.
   • John had baptized people without Herod's permission.

2. Observe

   What happens when Peter steps out of the boat onto the water, and what does Jesus say to him?

   • Peter walks to Jesus successfully and is praised for his great faith.
   • Peter steps out but immediately refuses to walk and stays by the boat.
   • Peter walks on the water toward Jesus, then focuses on the strong wind, becomes afraid, and begins to sink; Jesus reaches out, catches him, and says "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
   • Peter steps out but the other disciples pull him back into the boat.

3. Interpret

   Jesus feeds five thousand with five loaves and two fish and has twelve baskets of fragments left over. What does this miracle most centrally reveal about Jesus' identity and mission?

   • It shows that Jesus was primarily a social activist concerned with food poverty.
   • It demonstrates that miracles can be explained by hidden natural reserves of food.
   • It reveals Jesus as the divine provider who fulfills the pattern of God feeding Israel in the wilderness — the one who creates abundance from scarcity, who meets physical need with compassion, and who is worthy of the disciples' trust when resources seem insufficient.
   • It proves that the disciples were more capable than they realized.

4. Interpret

   Peter's faith enables him to walk on water, but fear of the wind causes him to sink. What is the difference between these two moments, and what does Jesus' response teach about faith and doubt?

   • Peter's faith was correct when it was based on his own confidence; his doubt was simply a temporary lapse of willpower.
   • The two moments show that weather conditions, not spiritual focus, determine whether faith works.
   • When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus and responded to his word, he walked; when he shifted focus to the visible threat, he sank — showing that faith is not the absence of fear but sustained orientation toward Christ, and that Jesus rescues even wavering faith that cries out to him.
   • Peter's failure shows that miraculous faith is only possible for the Twelve apostles.

5. Apply

   Jesus initially withdrew after hearing of John's death, but when the crowds followed, he responded with compassion and healed them. What does this model for a believer who needs rest but is faced with others' genuine needs?

   • It teaches that personal grief should always be postponed indefinitely for the sake of ministry.
   • It shows that Jesus was incapable of healthy self-care and burned himself out for others.
   • It teaches that genuine compassion overrides the plan; Jesus still prayed alone later, showing that serving others and seeking solitude are both necessary in rhythm, not in opposition.
   • It means believers should ignore their emotional needs entirely and focus only on service.

6. Apply

   After Jesus walks on water and calms the wind, the disciples worship him and say "You are truly the Son of God." What should seeing Jesus' authority over creation do to a believer's worship today?

   • It should primarily motivate believers to attempt their own nature miracles.
   • It is only relevant for first-century disciples who had no other evidence of Jesus' identity.
   • It should deepen the content and reverence of worship — Jesus is not merely a teacher or helper but the Son of God who commands creation, making every act of trust in him an acknowledgment of divine lordship.
   • It shows that worship is only appropriate in extreme, life-threatening situations.

Your journal

Write your own answers — they save automatically, and only you can see them.

Log in to write and save journal answers.