Matthew 14:1-13 Jesus Begins Withdrawing

My commentary says that chapters 14-20 deal with times when Jesus "withdrew from the crowds and spent time alone with His disciples."  In these verses, Jesus learned of John the Baptist's death at the hands of Herod Antipas.  It listed His reason for withdrawing not as grief, but as caution.

"He quietly withdrew from that area and went to a lonely place.  He lived according to a divine timetable, and He did not want to deliberately provoke trouble with Herod.  because Herod's agents were all around, the Lord had to exercise wisdom and caution."

Jesus did all He did with purpose.  Just because He was the Son of God, He didn't choose to flaunt it.  That would be playing right into Satan's hands and falling for the temptations Satan had presented to Him in the wilderness.  Jesus was much smarter than that.

Father, please always stop me when You see me being tempted to do something that isn't in Your divine timetable for my life.  Don't let me foolishly decide to do anything to You say is wrong.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford