Jesus was a walker on the water

JESUS WAS A WALKER ON THE WATER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
MATTHEW 14: 25 And in the fourth watch of the
night[c] he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But
when the disciplessaw him walking on the sea, they
were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried
out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them,
saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
New InternationalVersion
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking
on the lake.
New Living Translation
About three o’clockin the morning Jesus came toward
them, walking on the water.
English StandardVersion

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them,
walking on the sea.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Secretof Christ's PowerOverNature
George Macdonald.
Matthew 14:22-27
And straightwayJesus constrainedhis disciples to get into a ship, and to go
before him to the other side…
A higher condition of harmony with law may one day enable us to do things
which must now appear an interruption of law. I believe it is in virtue of the
absolute harmony in Him, His perfect righteousness, that God cancreate at
all. If man were in harmony with this, if he too were righteous, he would
inherit of his Father a something in his degree correspondentto the creative
powerin Him; and the world he inhabits, which is but an extension of his
body, would, I think, be subject to him in a way surpassing his wildest dreams
of dominion, for it would be the perfect dominion of holy law — a virtue
flowing to and from him through the channel of a perfect obedience. I suspect
that our Lord, in all His dominion over nature, set forth only the complete
man — man as Godmeans him one day to be. I believe that some of these
miracles were the natural result of a physical nature perfectfrom the

indwelling of a perfect soul, whose unity with the Life of all things and in all
things was absolute — in a word, whose sonshipwas perfect.
(George Macdonald.)
The Government of Nature
George Macdonald.
Matthew 14:22-27
These miracles, dealing with nature, show themselves as interfering with what
we may call the righteous laws of nature. Water should wet the foot, should
engulf him who would tread its surface. Yet even in this, I think, the
restorationof an original law — the supremacy of righteous man, is
foreshown. While a man cannotorder his own house as he would, something is
wrong in him, and therefore in his house. I think a true man should be able to
rule winds and waters, loaves andfishes, for he comes of the Father who made
the house for him. Man is not masterin his own house, because he is not
master in himself, because he is not a law unto himself — is not himself
obedient to the law by which he exists.
(George Macdonald.)

The Sea on Which Jesus Walked
W. H. Bartlett.
Matthew 14:22-27
Shortly after passing the spot which was the scene ofthe terrible discomfiture
of the Christian hosts by Saladin, we came to the brink of a vast hollow, and
the Lake of Tiberius lay slumbering far beneath our feet. The sun was nearly
at the zenith, and diffused a flood of dazzling light upon the waters, just
ruffled by a passing breeze, on which we beheld a solitary bark, a mere speck,
slowlymaking its way towardTiberias. That city, with its huge castle and
turreted walls, a pile of melancholy ruins, lay scatteredalong the nearer
shore. The lake, about ten miles long, add five or six broad, was embosomed
in mountains, or, to describe it more correctly, was like a great caldron sunk
in the lofty table-land, which broke down to its edge in steepcliffs and abrupt
ravines. At one end we could see where the Jordan flowed into it, and, beyond,
the lofty peak of Mount Hermon coveredwith eternal snow. There was no
woodon the hills, there were no villages on the shore, no boats upon the
water; there was no sound in any direction. If there was beauty, it was that of
the intense blue sky of Palestine, reflectedin the blue expanse of waters, and
over-canopying a landscape of serene, but corpse-like, placidity, like a
countenance fixed in death, but upon which there yet lingers something of a
parting smile.
Walking on the Sea

W.F. Adeney
Matthew 14:22-33
The wonderful feeding of the thousands produced a greateffect, rousing the
multitude to enthusiasm, so that the people actually tried to three on an
insurrection in support of the kingship of Jesus, andso that he had to dismiss
them with haste, sending his disciples across the sea, and retiring to the
mountains for prayer. Then it was that the sudden squall fell on the lake, and
the need of his disciples called him to their aid.
I. JESUS IN PRAYER.
1. He was much in prayer. No doubt he thus obtained spiritual refreshment
after the toils and vexations of the day. Here he found the joy of communion
with his Father without distracting influences. To Jesus prayer was a
necessity;it was also a joy. He could not have treatedit as a formal duty. If
Christ could not live without prayer, is it possible for the Christian to be
healthy in the neglectof it?
2. He prayed in solitude. He hated the showy prayers of the religious people of
his day, ostentatiouslyofferedup in the marketplace, primly uttered in the
synagogue. He hungered to be alone with God. He found God among the
mountains.

3. He prayed at critical moments. E.g. at the grave of Lazarus, in Gethsemane.
Now there was greatdanger of an insurrection which would wreck his plans.
To him, too, the third temptation may have returned, and he may have sought
strength to overcome it. Prayer is most valuable in the soul's hardest struggles
with temptation.
II. THE DISCIPLES IN TROUBLE. Away from their Masterthey were
overtakenby a tempest. It would seemthat they were rowing up north in
order to take Jesus on board at a spot further along the easternshore.
Therefore it was for his sake that they were facing the contrary wind, for had
they turned directly homewards they would have been able to run before the
gale. Trouble may come upon the servants of Christ in their very efforts to
keepnear him and to serve him.
III. THE COMING OF CHRIST. In that wild, dark night, while the wind
lashed the sea to fury, it must have howledwith fearful blasts among the rocks
of the wilderness where Jesus stoodalone in his prayer, and then he must have
recognizedthe danger this would mean to his disciples. He was never selfish in
his devotions. It was his habit to permit the interruption of his most sacred
hours of retirement by some cry of distress, some appealfor help. So he came
down to his disciples on the sea. It must have been an act of faith on his part to
venture on the black, boiling waters. But faith was working through love. The
sea must be riskedin an unheard of miracle to save his friends out on its waste
of waters. It is not surprising that the disciples could not believe their eyes,
and mistook their Saviour for a spectre. Sometimes his deliverances are quite
as unexpected, and almosttoo goodto be believed. It is difficult for our faith
to keeppace with his far-reaching grace.
IV. ST. PETER'S ADVENTURE. This singularsequel is quite true to the
characterof the apostle. His impetuosity, his enthusiasm for Christ, his failure
to measure his own weakness, are all in accordancewith what we know of

"the prince of the apostles." Butperhaps in the incident we may detecta
touch of humour. There was no necessityforthe apostle to walk on the water.
Yet Christ indulged his whim and permitted it to be a means of revealing
Peter's weakness, andof introducing one source of strength. Foolish, needless,
and even ridiculous adventures may be turned to goodends. We learn to
know Christ even by means of the follies of which we are heartily ashamed. -
W.F.A.
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(25) In the fourth watch of the night.—The Jews, since their conquestby
Pompeius, had adopted the Romandivision of the night into four watches, and
this was accordinglybetween3 A.M. and 6 A.M., in the dimness of the early
dawn. St. John adds, as from a personalreminiscence, and as guarding
againstexplanations that would minimise the miracle (such as that our Lord
was seenon the shore, or was swimming to the boat), that they were about
twenty-five or thirty furlongs from the point from which they had started—
i.e., as the lake was five miles wide, nearly three-fourths of the way across.
Walking on the sea.—Here,again, we have to choose betweenthe simple
acceptanceofthe supernatural fact as another instance of His sovereignty, or
rejecting it as a legend. On the former supposition. we may see in it something
like an anticipation (not unconnected, it may be, with the intensity of that
crisis in His life) of that spiritual body of which we see another manifestation
in the Transfiguration, and which became normal after the Resurrection,
reaching its completenessin the wonder of the Ascension. We speculate almost
involuntarily on the nature, and, as it were, process ofthe miracle, asking
whether the ordinary laws that governmotion were broken or suspended, or
counteractedby higher laws. No such questions would seemto have suggested
themselves to the disciples. They, as yet not free from the popular

superstitions of their countrymen, thought that it was “a spirit” (better, a
phantom, or spectre)taking the familiar form, it might be, to lure them to
their destruction, or as a token that some sudden mischance had deprived
them of that loved Presence, and, therefore, in their vague terror, they were
troubled, and cried out for fear.
BensonCommentary
Matthew 14:25. And in the fourth watch of the night — The Jews, as wellas
the Romans, usually divided the night into four watches ofthree hours each.
The first watchbeganat six, the secondat nine, the third at twelve, the fourth
at three. During these many tedious and distressing hours of storm and
tempest, of darkness and danger, Jesus saw his disciples, though they saw not
him: he beheld their perplexity and fear, while they were conflicting with the
winds and waves, and observedhow they toiled in rowing:Mark 6:48; yet he
delayed all this time to go to their relief; seeing it proper so long to try their
faith and patience. But in the fourth watch — When, it is probable, as the
storm was not at all abated, they had begun to despair of deliverance;Jesus
went unto them, walking on the water — agitated, stormy, and tumultuous as
its billows were. Thus God often lengthens out the troubles of his people, and
defers the time of their deliverance. But when things are come to an extremity,
and they are ready to think he hath forgotten them, he unexpectedly appears
for their relief and rescue;of a sudden the storm becomes a calm, and they
are happily brought into a safe port. Thus, in the morning watch he appeared
for Israelin the Redsea, troubled and dismayed their pursuing enemies, and
delivered his people: and in all ages the extremity of his church has been his
opportunity to visit and appear for her. He that keepethIsraelneither
slumbers nor sleeps, but has constantly his eye upon them, and, when there is
need, walks in darkness for their succour, support, and comfort. What a
wonderful proof have we here of Christ’s sovereignpowerover the creatures,
which are all under his feet, and at his command, forgetting their natures, and
changing their most essentialqualities at his word! “To walk on the sea was
thought so impracticable, that the picture of two feetwalking on the sea, was
an Egyptian hieroglyphic for an impossible thing. And in the Scripture it is

mentioned, as the prerogative of God, that he alone treadeth on the waves of
the sea, Job9:8.” — Doddridge.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
14:22-33 Those are not Christ's followers who cannot enjoy being alone with
God and their own hearts. It is good, upon specialoccasions, andwhen we
find our hearts enlarged, to continue long in secretprayer, and in pouring out
our hearts before the Lord. It is no new thing for Christ's disciples to meet
with storms in the way of duty, but he thereby shows himself with the more
grace to them and for them. He can take what way he pleases to save his
people. But even appearances ofdeliverance sometimes occasiontrouble and
perplexity to God's people, from mistakes about Christ. Nothing ought to
affright those that have Christ near them, and know he is theirs; not death
itself. Peterwalkedupon the water, not for diversion or to boast of it, but to
go to Jesus;and in that he was thus wonderfully borne up. Specialsupports
are promised, and are to be expected, but only in spiritual pursuits; nor can
we ever come to Jesus, unless we are upheld by his power. Christ bade Peter
come, not only that he might walk upon the water, and so know his Lord's
power, but that he might know his own weakness.And the Lord often lets his
servants have their choice, to humble and prove them, and to show the
greatness ofhis power and grace. When we look off from Christ, and look at
the greatnessofopposing difficulties, we shall begin to fall; but when we call
to him, he will stretchout his arm, and save us. Christ is the greatSaviour;
those who would be saved, must come to him, and cry to him, for salvation;
we are never brought to this, till we find ourselves sinking:the sense ofneed
drives us to him. He rebuked Peter. Could we but believe more, we should
suffer less. The weaknessoffaith, and the prevailing of our doubts, displease
our Lord Jesus, forthere is no goodreasonwhy Christ's disciples should be of
a doubtful mind. Even in a stormy day he is to them a very presenthelp. None
but the world's Creatorcould multiply the loaves, none but its Governor
could tread upon the waters of the sea:the disciples yield to the evidence, and
confess their faith. They were suitably affected, and worshipped Christ. He
that comes to God, must believe; and he that believes in God, will come, Heb
11:6.

Barnes'Notes on the Bible
And in the fourth watch of the night - The Jews anciently divided the night
into three parts of four hours each, usually calledwatches. The first of these
watches is mentioned in Lamentations 2:19, the middle watch in Judges 7:19,
and the morning watch in Exodus 14:24. In the time of our Saviour they
divided the night into four watches, the fourth having been introduced by the
Romans. These watchesconsistedof three hours each. The first commencedat
six and continued until nine; the secondfrom nine to twelve; the third from
twelve to three; and the fourth from three to six. The first was calledevening;
the secondmidnight; the third cock-crowing;the fourth morning, Mark
13:35. It is probable that the term watchwas given to eachof these divisions
from the practice of placing sentinels around the camp in time of war, or in
cities, to watchor guard the camp or city; and that they were at first relieved
three times in the night, but under the Romans four times. It was in the last of
these watches, orbetweenthree and six in the morning, that Jesus appearedto
the disciples, so that he had spent most of the night alone on the mountain in
prayer.
Walking on the sea - A manifest and wonderful miracle. It was a boisterous
sea. It was in a dark night. The little boat was 4 or 5 miles from the shore,
tossedby the billows.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
Mt 14:22-26. Jesus Crosses to the WesternSide of the Lake Walking on the
Sea—Incidents onLanding. ( = Mr 6:45; Joh 6:15-24).
For the exposition, see on[1303]Joh6:15-24.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Matthew 14:27".
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And in the fourth watch of the night,.... This is said, according to the division
of the night into four watches, by the Jews;who (o) say, that

"there are four watches in the night, and four watches in the day.''
It is true indeed, that it is disputed among them, whether there were four
watches, oronly three in the night: some say there were four, others say there
were but three (p); not but that these made a division of the night into four
parts, the three first of which, they thought were properly the watches ofthe
night, and the fourth was the morning. The first watchbeganat six o'clock in
the evening, and lastedtill nine; the secondbeganat nine, and ended at
twelve, which was midnight; the third beganat twelve, and closedat three; the
fourth beganat three, and ended at six in the morning. But since some (q)
Jewishwriters are so positive for the division of the night into three watches
only, and a watch is with them called(r) the third part of the night; and it is
dubious with some, whether the Jewishdivision is here referred to; and since
it is so clear a point, that the Romans (s) divided their night into four watches,
and their writers speak notonly of the first, second, and third watches, but
also of the fourth watch(t); it is thought by some, that the evangelistspeaks
after the Romanmanner: but however, certain it is, that within this period,
probably at the beginning of it, after three o'clock in the morning, Christ
came to his disciples, when they had been almostall the night at sea, tossed
with waves, and in greatdanger.
Jesus wentunto them; from the mountain where he had been praying, the
greatestpart of the night, to the sea side, and so upon the waters to them; for
it follows,
walking upon the sea;as on dry land: though it was so stormy and boisterous,
that the disciples, though in a ship, were in the utmost danger, yet he upon the
waves, was in none at all; by which actionhe showedhimself to be the Lord of
the sea, and to be truly and properly God; whose characteris, that he
"treadethupon the waves of the sea", Job9:8.
(o) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 2. 4. Echa Rabbati, fol. 54. 4. (p) T. Bab. Beracot,
fol. 3. 1, 2.((q) Jaschi& Kimchi in Jude 7.19. & in Psal. cxix. 147. (r) Gloss. in
T. Bab. Betacot, fol. 2. 1. (s) Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. 1. 4. c. 20. (t) Liv.
Hist. 1. 36, c. 24.
Geneva Study Bible

And in the {c} fourth watchof the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the
sea.
(c) By the fourth watchis meant the time nearer to day break:for in ancient
times they divided the night into four watches in which they postedwatches.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 14:25. τετάρτῃ φυλ. = 3 to 6, in the early morning, πρωῒ.—ἐπὶ τ. θ.:
the readings in this and the next verse vary betweengenitive and accusative.
The sense is much the same. The evangelistmeans to representJesus as really
walking on the sea, not on the land above the sea level(Paulus, Schenkel).
Holtz. (H. C.), regarding it as a legend, refers to O. T. texts in which God
walks on the sea.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
25. in the fourth watch] i. e. early in the morning. Cp. “Et jam quarta canit
venturam buccina lucem,” Propert. iv. 4. 63. At this time the Jews had
adopted the Greek and Roman customof four night watches. Formerlythey
divided the night into three watches,orrather according to Lightfoot (Hor.
Heb.) the Romans and Jews alike recognisedfour watches, but with the Jews
the fourth watchwas regardedas morning, and was not included in the three
watches of“deep night.” The four watches are named (Mark 13:35) 1 Even; 2
Midnight; 3 Cockcrowing;4 Morning. St John states that they had rowed 25
or 30 furlongs.
Jesus wentunto them] Mark adds “He would have passedby them.”
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 14:25. Τετάρτη, fourth) and last. The Jews also divided the night
into four watches. The disciples were subjectedto greatstraits for some time,
till He brought them help.—ἀπῆλθε, He departed) His prayers, though they

had lasteda long while, being as it were brokenoff, He departed to help His
disciples.—περιπατῶν, κ.τ.λ.,walking)though the wind blew strong.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 25. - And in the fourth watch of the night. Therefore some nine hours
after sunset (ver. 23, note). They had been battling for hours, and had only
gone about three miles and a half (John 6:19). Jesus went; came (Revised
Version); η΅λθε, not ἀπῆλθε, with ReceivedText. Unto them, walking on the
sea (ἐπὶ τὴν θάλθασσαν);contrastver. 26 (ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης). Here there is
more thought of motion (cf. ver. 29), but in the next verse the advance is
almost forgotten, and the fact of Christ being on the wateris all-important;
"they saw him on the sea, walking."
BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR
And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled.
Matthew 14:26
Christ walking on the sea
E. H. Chapin
Here are presentedtwo points.
I.Human need.
II.Divine help. These two facts are involved in the two aspects ofhumanity.
I. I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE ATTITUDE OF MAN TOWARDS THE
SUPERNATURALAND THE UNKNOWN. "They cried out for fear." This
was the cry of men tossedand toiling on the wild deep, in the gloom of night.
Very startling must have been to them the appearance ofthat form, advancing
through the shadow and over the sea. But that was a cry of our common

nature; it was a spontaneous human utterance from a mysterious depth,
which under all forms of civilization, and all kinds of religion, abides in the
soul of man. Every man awakens to the conviction that there is something
beyond this world. It may not be a very practical conviction; thousands may
live without any steady appreciationof that to which such a convictionpoints.
But there are occasionswhenit is suddenly realized. There are three
conditions of nature which are especiallyadapted to stir these feelings of
mystery and awe, and all three are involved in the circumstances ofthe text.
These are night, the night sky, and the sea.
1. Witness the common terror of the dead night-time and the dark, not a mere
childish superstition, but a solemn awe creeping over the innermost fibres of
the heart, "In thought from the visions of the night," said Eliphaz, "when
deep sleepfalleth on men," etc. Even the scepticalmind has actedupon the
conviction that something must people that undefined space into which the
visible world melts away.
2. Or, again, who has ever lookedup through the darkness and gazedupon
those orbs of light and glory that shame all splendours of the earth, without
the spontaneous convictionof powers and intelligences dwelling outside these
beaten ways of our traffic and our thought? What influences rain upon us
from those starry depths? What unseen messengers glide down these awful
solitudes?
3. Or, once more, considerthat elementin which the greatnessand the
mystery of nature and of life are represented. What suggestionsofthe
supernatural and the unknown rise upon us from the bosom of the sea. What
intimations beyond our sight; what a convictionof our impotence. Regarding
thus this attitude of human need, WHAT HELP HAS BEEN FOUND FOR
IT?TWO answers have come — one from the side of human sentiment, the
other from human reason.
1. One answerelicitedin this attitude of human need appears in various forms
of superstition. Rock-temples andbloody altars, and human sacrifices
proclaim the fact that human nature does not all gravitate to sense and the
darkness of annihilation. The superstitious sentiments need some explanation.

2. The answerthat comes from the side of reason. Law, force, order, are
sublime facts, but not enough for human nature. You cannot by scientific
explanation of the seenrepress man's earnestinquiry about the unseen. To
our human need, and our attitude towards the supernatural, Christ has come.
There is only one voice that can say, "Be of goodcheer, be not afraid."
II. CONSIDERTHE ATTITUDE OF MAN RESPECTING THE NATURAL
AND THE KNOWN, AND HERE YOU WILL OBSERVE THE
CONDITIONSOF HUMAN NEED AND DIVINE HELP. These men who
"criedout for fear" had been "toiling in rowing." We are troubled here
amidst the perplexities and trials of daily life. In one way or another many of
us are "toiling in rowing" — the toil of pleasure — or we are rowing through
heavy waves of care. Our need calls for Divine help. In seasonsofgloom,
looking out upon the world around us through shadows, we discernobjects at
which we shudder. That which excites our fears may be a blessing;but we
know it not, and need the assurance thatcan bid us be of goodcheer.
(E. H. Chapin)
Jesus no phantom
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. IT IS TOO COMMON AN ERROR TO MAKE A PHANTOM OF
CHRIST.
1. HOW often is this done in the matter of sin and the cleansing ofit. Our sin
is real to us; but is Christ as real to us?
2. In the matter of our acceptancewith God after pardon. Our shortcomings
real; equally real the righteousness ofChrist.
3. In the matter of sanctification.
4. In times of trial.
5. In time of death.

6. In Christian work.
II. WE MAKE CHRIST A PHANTOM MOST WHEN HE IS MOST
REALLY CHRIST. When He walkedon the waves there was more of Christ
visible than on land; His Godheadvisible. In the pardon of greatsin you see
most of Christ; so in greatdistress and danger.
III. OUR GREATEST SORROWSARISE FROM OUR TREATING OUR
LORD AS UNREAL. TO some Christ is an indifferent spirit. Many a poor
sinner imagines Him to be an angry spirit and cries out for fear.
IV. If we could but be cured of this desperate mischief, our Lord Jesus Christ
would have a higher place in our esteem, and many other beneficialresults
would follow:
1. Knowledge.
2. Worship.
3. Service.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Easternbelief in Spirits
Van Lennep.
The belief is quite generalin the Eastthat there exists a class ofbeings whom
they call "Jins," both male and female, goodand bad, which hold an
intermediate position betweenangels and men, were createdbefore the latter,
are made of fire, or perhaps of gas, and are capable of assuming a variety of
forms, or of becoming invisible at pleasure. They eat, drink, and marry —
sometimes human beings — as wellas die, though they live severalcenturies.
Many events are accountedfor in the Eastby the agency of the Jins; so that
they do not exist in stories alone, but are recognizedas active agents in human
affairs,
(Van Lennep.)

The magic of the Saviour's voice
A. L. R. Foote.
It is a wonderful organ, this human voice — wonderful in itself, and no less so
in its effects. It is wonderful as an exponent of individual mind and character,
being somehow very closelyconnectedwith a man, and contributing largely to
constitute that aggregateofspecialqualities we call individuality. So much so,
that one is known, is revealedand recognized, by his voice almost as much as
by anything outward.. And it is wonderful as an instrument for affecting
others. The Saviour's voice on this occasionoperatedlike a charm; it wrought
like magic upon them. It is amazing what powerthe living voice, especiallya
long-knownand much-loved voice, has to touch the heart, and to awaken
confidence and peace, andemotions of all kinds, that may have been long
dormant in the soul.
(A. L. R. Foote.)
And PeteransweredHim and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto
Thee on the water.
Matthew 14:28, 33
Impulse and regulation
Bishop Huntingdon.
There are two powers working side by side under which Christ has taught us
He means every true Christian life shall move forward, undervaluing neither
the one nor the other. One of these is the IMPELLING POWER, impulse.
This impulsive part of religious characteris indispensable. St. Peter was right
in his outset"Bid me come to Thee," etc. The other is the REGULATING
POWER. It is this that keeps alive the life that has been awakened, and fulfils
the goodintentions. Impulses spring up in the regionof feeling. Their
continuance, regulation, and practicalresults, depend on the conscienceand

the will. It is easyto reach the transition point betweenimpulse and principle;
some reachit as soonas danger threatens. How shall I turn the ardent impulse
of penitent faith into consistentpiety? By leaving no goodimpulse to grow
cold or waste in a neglectedsentiment, but by embodying it immediately in its
corresponding action;in other words, by Christian regulation. Steadfastness
will come as you are really planted in Christ.
(Bishop Huntingdon.)
The religion of impulse
D. Thomas, D. D.
The religious feeling is the soul of humanity. It may exist in these three forms:
I. Acting WITHOUT intellect, under the control of the external.
II. Acting UNDER intellect — controlledby the judgment. This is as it should
be.
III. Acting AGAINST intellect. This is the religion of impulse, and it is here
exemplified by Peter in three aspects.
1. Urging an extravagantrequest. Men are not made to walk on water; were
never known to do so;have no capacityfor it. To guard against this evil, we
must study generallaws, cultivate self-command, and seek Divine guidance.
2. Impelling to perilous conduct. One foolishact has often plunged men into a
sea of difficulties.
3. Correctedby a merciful God. Christ first allows full liberty for the play of
passionand freaks offolly. Then He helps, if askedto. And, lastly, He exposes
the error — "Wherefore didst thou doubt? " Peterought not to have engaged
in the actwithout faith — and faith implies the full action of intellect. Do not
act from impulse — nor even from customor habit. Act ever from faith.
Remember that faith implies intellect, evidence, and reliance.
(D. Thomas, D. D.)

Peter's unwise experiment in faith
A. M. Stuart.
1. His walking on the sea was needless. There is no pressing necessityshutting
him up to this sea-walk-ing;but it is faith experimenting in high and holy
things. No important end to be served.
2. He asks permissionto do that which is not commanded by Christ. Peter
asks help to do what Christ had not done; to walk on the sea for the walking's
sake. This Christ permits to prove what is in him, but not to his honour or
comfort. A salutary discipline.
3. Yet Christ does not fail Peter;it is not the poweror word of Christ that
gives way, but only the faith of Peterin this power or word. So long as he
looks to Jesus this word supports him. It is easierto believe in the ship than on
the waters. Now he fears, his faith gives way. Peterin his extremity cries aloud
to Jesus. He has not faith enough to walk on the waters, but enough to cry for
help.
(A. M. Stuart.)
Walking on the waters
W. M. Taylor, D. D.
It is not difficult to discoverthe characteristicsofSt. Peteras they come out
here. Whateverhe felt for the moment was sure to come out in his words or
actions. It is easyto blame and say that Peter should not have been so eagerto
meet his Lord, or he should have maintained his faith to the last. But we must
not forgetthat the very height to which his faith had for the moment attained,
exposedhim, more than others, to the temptation of unbelief. They who sit
securelyin their boats are not liable to sink. The men of even temperament
cannot understand an experience such as this. They know nothing of ups and

downs. Where the hills are highest the ravines are deepest, Petermust not,
therefore, be unduly blamed. We learn from the incident:
1. That when His disciples are in dangerof being carriedaway by earthly
influences, Christ sends them into trial. If we are bent on something which
shall endangerour spirituality, God may send us serious affliction to keepus
out of mischief.
2. That while our trial lasts the Lord prays for us.
3. That when Christ comes to us in our trials we are able to rise above them.
He did not come at once. He came over the big waves which constituted their
trial. He makes a pathway into our hearts over the affliction which distresses
us. The disciples did not know Christ when he came. Have we never mistaken
him? When Christ comes, and is recognized, He brings relief.
(W. M. Taylor, D. D.)
Failure teaching humilit
P. Thompson.
y: — Peterrequired a lessonin humility: and it is instructive to observe in
what way he receivedthe lessonfrom our Lord. He did not meet the erring
disciple with sharp and sudden reproof. He did not refuse the man's petition;
but He taught the required lessonby its very fulfilment. We have seena father
adopt the same plan in giving a lessonto his son. The boy was anxious to carry
a heavy burden, believing that he was able for the task. The father let him try;
and as the little arms struggled'and quivered, and failed, the little mind was
taught its own weakness, and the little heart was truly humbled. Just so when
Peteraskedto walk with Jesus upon the water. He said, "Come." The request
is granted, but not approved; and Peter is left to try the work in his own
strength, and fail through inglorious weakness.
(P. Thompson.)

Failure in the midst of success
P. Thompson.
He failed in the midst of success. It is difficult to carry a full cup, or walk upon
the high places ofthe earth. It is more difficult to walk erect, and firm, and far
among the tossing waves ofadversity. The movement of Peterat the outset
was grandly courageous. How truly the other disciples would gaze upon him
with admiration! He steppedover the little boat; placed his foot upon the
rising billow; walkedstep after stepwith perfect safety. It was a greatmoment
in the man's life; but it was a greatness forwhich the man was not equal. His
nerve was too weak to carry the full cup, or bear the heavy burden, or tread
the stormy water. He failed in the hour of triumph, and lostall by not looking
to Jesus. The word is very touching. "When he saw the wind boisterous, he
was afraid." There was the defect. He lookedto the raging winds and the
surging waters. He lookedto the danger, and not to the Saviour. He forgotthe
powerof Christ, and trusting to himself, and trembling like a breaking wave
beneath the boisterous wind, he began to sink. The work was done, and the
lessonlearned, with greatrapidity. His faith, and courage, anddevotion, were
not so greatas he imagined. He discoveredhis helplessness, andprayed for
safety. "Lord save me;" and now the daring man was brought to regard the
Lord's band as the fountain of spiritual strength.
(P. Thompson.)
Peterin the storm
T. Dale, M. A.
1. The presumption of faith — "Bid me come to Thee on the water."
2. The power of faith" Come."
3. The weaknessoffaith.
4. The power of prayer.
(T. Dale, M. A.)

The earnestprayer
W. D. Harwood.
I.We must feelour NEED of salvation.
II.We must know the only SOURCE ofsalvation.
III.We must PRAY individually for salvation.
(W. D. Harwood.)
The fear of Peterwhen walking on the water
C. Bradley.
I. THE FEAR WHICH PETER BETRAYED ON THIS OCCASION.
1. The transient nature of our best and strongestfeelings whenthey are not
kept alive by Divine grace.
2. The danger of needlesslyputting to the trial cur highest graces.Nevermake
a presumptuous display of grace.
II. THE CAUSE OF PETER'SFEAR. "Whenhe saw the wind boisterous,"
etc. Here we are taught not to be unmindful of our dangers, but to keepour
thoughts fixed on the greatness andfaithfulness of Christ when we are
surrounded by them.
III. THE CONSEQUENCEOF PETER'S FEAR. He beganto sink. Our
support in dangers and trials depends on our faith.
IV. THE PRAYER WHICH THE FEAR OF PETER DREW FROM HIM.
1. In all our troubles, if we are Christians, we shall be men of prayer.
2. The fears of the real believer, howeverstrong, are still accompaniedwith a
cleaving to Christ.

V. THE CONNECTOF CHRIST TOWARDS HIM.
1. There is no situation in which Christ cannot help us.
2. There is no state in which Christ will not save us.
(C. Bradley.)
Doubting a hindrance to the Christian life.
R. H. Baynes, B. A.
I. ST. PETER'S DESIRE — "Bid me come unto Thee." The truthfulness of
the Bible seenin the striking preservation of the individuality of the
characters brought into view. Peteruniformly rash. Many a time does the
yearning spirit of the believer say, "Bid me come," etc.
1. There is the memory of joys of which earth knows nothing, experiencedin
His Presence.
2. There is the consciousness ofsecurity from every harm.
3. The confidence createdby so many trials of His love. No wonder that this
desire of Petershould be the longing of Christ's faithful followers.
II. ST. PETER'S FAILURE. The first part of the history show us his daring
zeal; now his failing faith. At first his faith laid hold on Divine power, and he
was able to tread the waves without sinking. There was an element of wrong
in the undertaking; self-confidence again. It was regarding the danger more
than the Saviourthat made him weak.
III. AT THE REPROOFMINISTEREDTO ST. PETER BYOUR LORD.
The rebuke was gentle. After all seenof the powerof Christ could he doubt?
Christ bids us " come" to Him in the gospel. His power works in those who
heed the message. The needand value of true faith in our Lord. There is no
happiness without it.
(R. H. Baynes, B. A.)

Beginning to sink
J. Vaughan, M. A.
There are three conditions of soul.
1. Some think they are sinking, and are not.
2. Some are sinking and do not know it.
3. Some are sinking and miserably do know it.
4. The consequentis evident, what was below you is now over you, your
servant has become your master, cares, andanxieties.
5. Your escape is in looking againto Jesus.
(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
The cause ofsinking
J. Vaughan, M. A.
Let me gather up the steps to the " sinking:" — an emotionalstate, with
abrupt and strong reactions — a self-exaltation— a breaking out, under a
goodand religious aspect, ofan old infirmity and sin — a disproportion
betweenthe. act and the frame of mind in which the act was done — neglectof
ordinary means, with not sufficient calculationof difficulties — a devious eye
— a want of concentration — a regardto circumstances more than to the
Powerwhich wields them — a certain inward separationfrom God — a
human measurement — a descentto a fear, unnecessary, dishonouring fear —
depression— a sense of perishing — "beginning to sink."
(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
No safety in mere feeling

J. Vaughan, M. A.
In the spiritual navigation, it is wellto remember that the feelings are the
sails, and very quickly and very beautifully do our feelings carry us along
while all is favourable. But let once difficulties and temptations come, and if
we have only feelings, we shall stop. The best-spreadfeeling, if it be only
feeling, will never make head againsta contrary wind.
(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
Presumption of early martyrs
Francis Bragge.
Of this nature was that extravagantdesire of martyrdom in many of the
Primitive Church, when even novices in Christianity, and those of the weaker
sex, must needs be thrusting themselves into the hands of the persecutors,
when they might easily, and without sin, have escapedthem; and thereby
exposedthemselves to such cruel torments as they were not able to endure,
and then did very ill things to be free from them again, to the greatdishonour
of their holy religion, the deep wounding of their consciences, and their lasting
shame and reproach, which they could not wipe off but by a long and very
severe repentance. And, indeed, 'tis no better than knight-errantry in religion
thus to seek out hazardous adventures, and lead ourselves into temptations,
and then expectthat God should support us, and bring us safelyoff. 'Tis not
faith, but presumption, that engagesmen so far.
(Francis Bragge.)
Christ and men's fears
Daniel Wilcox.
In this verse are considerable.
1. The Personthat spake;the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Those to whom He spake, viz., the disciples in their present distress.
3. The kind nature and designof Christ's speechto them at this time.
4. The argument He used to silence their fears.
5. The time when He spake to them thus comfortably — straightway.
I. WHENCE IS IT, THAT EVEN REAL DELIEVERS MAY BE READY TO
SINK UNDER THEIR TROUBLES. Causesofdespondence are:we have not
thought of the cross as we ought, or not counted upon it at all, and so have
takenlittle care to prepare for it. Perhaps from our being so long spared, we
promised ourselves an exemption from any remarkable trials; or perhaps we
mistake the nature, end, and designof afflictions when they come, and so are
ready to faint under Divine rebukes. There is a peculiar anguish with which
some are overtaken, whenthey are under apprehensions of approaching
death. As to the springs of this —(a) We are too prone to put from us the evil
day.(b) Death may find us in the dark as to our title to the life to come, or
meetness for it.(c) Consciencemay be awakenedin our last hours to revive the
sense ofpast sins, and so may increase oursorrows and terrors.(d) Satan
sometimes joins in with an awakenedconscience, to make the trial the more
sore.(e)Godsometimes withdraws the light of His countenance.
II. WHAT CHRIST SPAKE TO HIS DISCIPLES NOW, WHEN THEY
WERE IN GREAT DISTRESS,He is ready to speak to all His members,
wheneverthey are any of them distressed.
III. WHAT IS CARRIED IN THESE COMFORTABLE WORDS, AND MAY
BE GATHERED FROM THEM, FOR THEIR SUPPORT. It notes His
presence with them. and His wisdom, power, faithfulness, and love to be
engagedfor them.
(Daniel Wilcox.)
Wherefore didst thou doubt.
Matthew 14:31

Doubting Christians
J. Cooke.
1. It perverts all they do by directing them to a wrong end.
2. It withdraws the mind from Christ.
3. It sours the temper. It breeds fears.
4. It gives Satanpeculiar advantage againstthe soul.
5. The providence of Godappears dark to such a soul.
6. It occasions false comfort.
7. It tarnishes the professionof such a person.
What was the meaning of Jesus walking on water?
Question:"What was the meaning of Jesus walking onwater?"

Answer: The miracle of Jesus walking on the water, recordedin three of the
Gospels (Matthew 14:22–36;Mark 6:45–56;John 6:16–21), came on the heels
of His miraculous feeding of the 5,000 with only five loaves ofbread and two
fish (Matthew 14:17). But it was the miracle of Jesus walking on the water
that, more than any other, convinced Jesus’disciples that He was indeed the
Son of God (Matthew 14:32–33).
The story unfolds at the Sea ofGalilee, which lies in the lowerportion of the
Jordan Valley in a mountain range that rises to 4,000 feetabove sea level. The
lake itself is 700 feetbelow the MediterraneanSea. One of the more
noteworthy aspects ofthis body of wateris that it is greatly susceptible to
sudden and extremely violent storms. These storms are causedby the cold air
rushing down from the mountains surrounding it and colliding with the
warm, moist air rising off the surface of the wateritself.
“When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into
a boat and setoff acrossthe lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and
Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters
grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw
Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water;and they were terrified.
But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ Then they were willing to take
him into the boat, and immediately the boat reachedthe shore where they
were heading” (John 6:16–21).
There are severalsignificantpoints to recognize about this miracle. First,
Matthew tells us that “the boat was already a considerable distance from land,
buffeted by the waves because the wind was againstit. During the fourth
watchof the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake” (Matthew
14:24–25).Thoughthey were only to travel a short distance, the storm was so
violent that, despite all their efforts to control their boat, the storm had driven
them nearly four miles out into the very midst of the sea. Being the fourth

watchof the night (3:00 AM to 6:00 AM), they had been rowing and straining
at their oars for approaching nine hours! They were totally exhausted.
Mark tells us that, when the disciples saw Jesus walking onthe lake, they
thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because theyall saw Him and were
terrified (Mark 6:48–50). And this brings us to the secondsignificantpoint of
this miracle. Jesus always comes to us in the storms of life. This is reminiscent
of the words of God to Isaiah:“When you pass through the waters, I will be
with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweepover you”
(Isaiah 43:2). The Lord may not come at the time we think He should come,
because He knows when we need Him the most. Jesus had waiteduntil the
boat was as far from land as possible, when all their hope was gone. In
essence, Jesus was testing the disciples’faith, and this meant removing every
human prop. Why did Jesus walk on the water? To show His disciples that the
very thing they feared, the raging, seething sea, was merely a setof steps for
Him to come to them. Often we fear the difficult experiences of life such as
illness, loss of loved ones, and financial hardships only to discoverthat these
experiences canbring Jesus closerto us.
But we have to ask, why did they not recognize Jesus?The answeris they
were not looking for Him. Had they been waiting by faith, they would have
known Him instantly. Instead, they jumped to the false conclusionthat His
appearance was that of a ghost. The point is this: fear and faith cannot live in
the same heart, for fear frequently blinds the eyes to the presence of the Lord.
The third significant point is that Jesus proved Himself to be in command of
the elements, something only God can do. He revealedthis truth to the
disciples who recognizedHis divinity and responded with a confessionof faith
in Jesus as God: “The wind died down. Then those who were in the boat
worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’” (Matthew 14:32–33).
This was the first time Jesus was calledthe Son of God by the disciples, a

statementthat, in fact, built on what they had said earlierabout Him in
Matthew 8:27: “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey
him.” Here they answertheir ownquestion: “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Though they had a long wayto go in their spiritual understanding, the
disciples were growing in their faith in the Lord. Also, this was the first time
the disciples are said to have worshiped Jesus. In Matthew 2:11, the magi
from the EastworshipedJesus. Later, a leper is said to have worshiped Jesus
(Matthew 8:2). A synagogue ruler does the same thing in Matthew 9:18. But
this is the first time the disciples worshiped Him. It is also important to note
that their worship is joined to their confession(Matthew 14:33).
And this is what worship is, acknowledging who God is and praising Him both
for who He is and for what He has done. It was in this story that the disciples
took the first step and worshiped Jesus as the Son of God.
https://www.gotquestions.org/walking-on-water.html
Jesus WalkedUpon The Water
Recordedby Junior Sisk and Rambler’s Choice
Written by George Steve Watts
C

Stormy waters 'round me rise lightening flashes 'cross the sky
G7
Mighty tempest sometimes overfloods my soul
C
But I'll never doubt nor fearfor the Lord saidhe'd be near
G7 C
I'll just hold His hand and let Him take control
F C
Jesus walkedupon the waterand He calmed the stormy sea
G7
He just spoke an angry billow ceasetheir roll (ceasetheir roll)
F C
He's the Captain of SalvationHe canset the sinner free
G7 C
By the powerof His blood we can be whole
Though we'll face the storms of life greattemptation sin and strife
G7
As our Captain Jesus charts our journey home
C
Zion's ship keeps sailing straight built to land at Heaven's gate

G7 C
Don't despair through Christ the Lord we canbe strong
repeat#2
Fiery darts around us fly hitting some and some will die
G7
But the Shield of Faith will turn those darts away
C
We must heed His blessedcommands make His word our saving plan
G7 C
Jesus Christ our Lord greatCaptain and our stay
repeat#2
G7 C
By the powerof His love we canbe whole
Jesus walking on water
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Jesus walks onwater, by Ivan Aivazovsky (1888)
Jesus walking on wateris one of the miracles of Jesus recountedin the New
Testament. There are accounts of this event in the gospels ofMatthew, Mark,
and John, but it is not included in the Gospelof Luke.
This story, following the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, tells how
Jesus sentthe disciples by ship back to the "otherside" of the Sea of Galilee
(the westernside) while he remained behind, alone, to pray. Night fell and the
sea arose as the ship became caught in a wind storm. After rowing againstthe
wind for most of the night, the disciples saw Jesus walking onthe sea. They
were frightened, thinking that they were seeing a spirit, but when Jesus told
them not to be afraid, they were reassured. After Jesus enteredthe ship, the
wind ceased, andthey arrived at land.
According to the version in the Gospelof Matthew, Peterwalkedon the water
towards Jesus, but he became afraid and beganto sink, so Jesus rescued
him.[1]
Contents
1
Biblical narrative
2
Interpretations
2.1

Christian teachings
2.2
Historical-criticalanalysis
2.3
Literary-critical analysis
2.4
Gospelof Mark (c. 66–70 CE)
2.5
Gospelof Matthew (c. 80–90 CE)
2.6
Gospelof John (c. 90–100CE)
3
See also
4
Notes
5
Bibliography
Biblical narrative[edit]
The story of Jesus walking on waterappears in the gospels ofMatthew, Mark,
and John, but is not included in the Gospelof Luke. This episode is narrated
towards the end of the Ministry of Jesus in Galilee before the keyturning
points halfway through the gospelnarratives where Peter proclaimed Jesus as
Christ and saw the Transfiguration.[2][3]In all three gospels it follows the
feeding of the five thousand, where Jesus had withdrawn by ship to a desert

place "belonging to"[4]Bethsaida after hearing of the death of John the
Baptist, but was followedby the crowds who travelled on foot.[2]
At the end of the evening, the disciples boarded a ship to cross to the other
side of the Sea ofGalilee, without Jesus who went up the mountain to pray
alone. John alone specifies they were headed "towardCapernaum".[5]During
the journey on the sea, the disciples were distressedby wind and waves, but
saw Jesus walking towards them on the sea. John's Gospelspecifies thatthey
were five or six kilometers awayfrom their departure point. The disciples
were startled to see Jesus, but he told them not to be afraid.[2]
Matthew's accountadds that Peter askedJesus,"ifit is you", to tell him, or
command him, to come to Jesus onthe water(waters).[6]According to the
Pulpit Commentary, the word 'if' is not intended to imply any doubt on
Peter's part.[7] After Petercame down out of the ship and walkedon the
water, he became afraid of the storm and began to sink. He calledout to Jesus
for help. Jesus caughthim and reproved him for his lack of faith, and led him
back to the ship, whereupon the storm stopped. Matthew also notes that the
disciples calledJesus the Son of God.[2] The fact that the John accountalso
lacks this detail suggests thatthis accountof "St. Peter's venture" [8] is a
redactionaladdition by Matthew.[9]
Part of a series on
Saint Peter
In the New Testament
Walking on waterConfessionServant's earDenialRestorationVisionof a
sheetLiberationIncident at AntiochEpistles 1 Peter2 Peter
Other
CrossSwordTombQuo vadis?PrimacyInJudaismIn Islam
vte

In all three accounts, afterJesus gotinto the ship, the wind ceasedandthey
reachedthe shore. Only John's accounthas their ship immediately reachthe
shore. Matthew's and Mark's accounts end at this point, but John mentions
that the next day some people from the other side of the sea that lookedfor
Jesus, notedthat the disciples left without him, but they didn't know where he
went. When they came to Capernaum and askedJesus how he came there,
instead of answering the question, he told the crowdthat they followedhim,
not because theyhad seensigns, but because ofthe free loaves they had eaten
the day before, and he advisedthem not to seek earthly gains, but aim for a
life basedon higher spiritual values.[2][10]
Interpretations[edit]
Christ walking on the sea, by Amédée Varint
Christian teachings[edit]
The walking on the sea episode has specific interpretations within Christian
teachings and has been viewedby scholars as important due to its perceived
impact on the formation of Christian ecumenicalcreeds, as discussed
below.[11]
One aspectof the pericope (passage)is how it highlights the relationship
betweenJesus and his apostles.Merrill Tenney states that the incident is in
essencecenteredonthat aspect, rather than their peril or the miracle
itself.[12]Dwight Pentecostand John Danilsonstate that this miracle was
deliberately designedby Jesus to instruct his apostles andincrease their
faith.[13] David Cook and Craig Evans note that "oflittle faith" is a
somewhatcommon expressionin Matthew (e.g. 8:26 when calming the storm
or 16:8 regarding bread and the Pharisees just before the Confessionof Peter)
and may mean "of no faith".[14]
Richard Cassidystates that this episode sheds speciallight on the position of
Peterwho had faith in Jesus and acknowledgedJesus'extraordinary powers,

and by considering to walk on waterhimself, wantedto share in the actof
Jesus before the other disciples for he consideredhimself closestto Jesus.[15]
Cook and Evans note that the "Lord Save me" cry of Peteris similar to
Matthew 8:25 and Mark 4:38 in the calming the storm episode and again
emphasizes the reliance of the disciples on Jesus.[14]
Cook and Evans also echo Pentecost'sinterpretation that the detail regarding
"many stadia away" and "battered by the waves" were intended to emphasize
that Jesus couldwalk on the water far awayfrom the shore, on a rough sea,
thus establishing his dominance over nature.[13][14]R.T. France has also
pointed out that the details regarding the boat being a long wayfrom the
shore, and the portrayal of Petersinking are intended as a confirmation of the
depth of the water.[16]
Scholars suchas Ulrich Luz and separatelyDale Allison view the pericope as
instrumental in asserting the divinity of Jesus among early Christians.[11]
Alan Robinson sees the pericope as important in establishing the belief in the
early Church that the disciples viewedJesus as the Son of God.[17]Dale
Allison states that Matthew's presentationemphasizes that Godthe Father is
willing to share divine powerwith his son and that the impact of this pericope
on the affirmation of the divinity of Jesus in the ecumenicalcreeds is
undeniable.[18]
Historical-criticalanalysis[edit]
François BoucherCathédrale Saint-Louis (1766)Versailles
The beachof the Sea of Galilee, in Israel
Scholars who hold that the story records actualevents do so on the basis that
Jesus, as Sonof God, was above the laws of nature; or, in a variation, that

Jesus projectedan image himself while actually remaining on the shore.[19]
The meaning of the episode is held to be inherent in its miraculous nature:
"The meaning of the pericope (story) ... only has meaning ... if it is understood
as relating a miraculous event which really took place" (Leopold Sabourin,
1975).[19]
In recent scholarship, BartEhrman has championed the view that in general,
it is impossible to either prove or disprove supernatural events such as
miracles using the historicalmethod, for proving them would require belief in
a supernatural world not amenable to historicalanalysis, and disproving them
would require historical evidence that is usually hard to come by.[20]
Still, some scholars have held the view that while this event took place, it was
not miraculous: Albert Schweitzer, for example, suggestedthat the disciples
saw Jesus walking onthe shore, but were confusedby high wind and
darkness;some scholars who acceptthis "misperceptionthesis" argue that
Mark originally wrote that Jesus walkedonthe seashoreratherthan on the
sea, and that John had a more accurate version.[21]Others have held that the
entire episode is a "pious legend" (B.H. Branscomb, 1937), basedperhaps on
some lost incident; perhaps Jesus wadedthrough the surf (Vincent Taylor,
1957), orperhaps he walkedon a sand bar (Sherman Johnson, 1972, J.D.M.
Derrett, 1981).[22]
Finally are those scholars who regard the story as an example of "creative
symbolism", or myth,[23] which probably was understoodby a part of the
audience literally and by others allegorically.[24]RudolfBultmann pointed
out that the sea-walkingtheme is familiar in many cultures.[23]Furthermore,
the motif of walking on water was associatedwith kings like Xerxes or
Alexander, but also rejectedand satirized as humanly impossible and as
proverbial for the arrogance ofthe rulers by Menander, Dio Chrysostomor in
2 Maccabees5:21.[24]
Others look for an origin in the mythic world of the Old Testamentitself
(Christ's victory over the waters paralleling Yahweh's defeat of the primeval
Sea, representing Chaos),[25]orwithin the New Testament, as anoriginally
simple story later embellished with Hellenistic and Old Testamentdetails.[26]

In the Hebrew Bible, God gives powerover the sea, e.g. to Moses (Ex14:21–
29) or to Elijah (2 kg 2:8).[24]
Adela Yarbro Collins concludes that the text characterizes Jesusas Messiah
and king of Israelendowed with divine properties.[24]
Literary-critical analysis[edit]
See also:Subversive Symmetry
Biblical scholarGeorge W. Young dismisses the naturalistic explanations, the
traditional and the historicalcritical perspectives. He contends that these
methods of exegesis relyon factual interpretations and fail to capture the full
meaning of the text basedon its structure. Instead, Young explores the
pericope with literary-critical methods as narrative art. Young views the text
as fiction, and uses tools and terms often associatedwith fantastic literature to
analyze it.[27]
Young analyses the pericope as the expressionof three entangled, conflicting
perspectives on reality: (i) the "conventionalreality" basedon sensory
perception; (ii) the "impossible" vision of Jesus resulting in the astonishment
of the observers;(iii) the narrator's metaphysical comment in Mark 6:52
identifying Jesus as the Son of God.[28]
Gospelof Mark (c. 66–70 CE)[edit]
45 And straightwayhe constrainedhis disciples to enter into the boat, and to
go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he himself sendeth the
multitude away. 46 And after he had takenleave of them, he departed into the
mountain to pray. 47 And when even was come, the boat was in the midst of
the sea, and he alone on the land. 48 And seeing them distressedin rowing, for
the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watchof the night he
cometh unto them, walking on the sea;and he would have passedby them: 49
but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposedthat it was a ghost,
and cried out; 50 for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he straightway
spake with them, and saith unto them, Be of goodcheer: it is I; be not afraid.
51 And he went up unto them into the boat; and the wind ceased:and they
were sore amazed in themselves;52 for they understood not concerning the

loaves, but their heart was hardened. 53 And when they had crossedover,
they came to the land unto Gennesaret, andmoored to the shore.
— Mark 6:45–53 AmericanStandard Version
Gospelof Matthew (c. 80–90 CE)[edit]
22 And straightwayhe constrainedthe disciples to enter into the boat, and to
go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away. 23
And after he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain
apart to pray: and when even was come, he was there alone. 24 But the boat
was now in the midst of the sea, distressedby the waves;for the wind was
contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came unto them, walking
upon the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway
Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of goodcheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And
Peteransweredhim and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon
the waters. 29 And he said, Come. And Peterwent down from the boat, and
walkedupon the waters to come to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he
was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And
immediately Jesus stretchedforth his hand, and took hold of him, and saith
unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when
they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And they that were in the
boat worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. 34 And
when they had crossedover, they came to the land, unto Gennesaret.
— Matthew 14:22–34AmericanStandard Version
Gospelof John (c. 90–100CE)[edit]
15 Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by
force, to make him king, withdrew againinto the mountain himself alone. 16
And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea;17 and they
entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was
now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 And the sea was rising by
reasonof a greatwind that blew. 19 When therefore they had rowed about
five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and

drawing nigh unto the boat: and they were afraid. 20 But he saith unto them,
It is I; be not afraid. 21 They were willing therefore to receive him into the
boat: and straightwaythe boat was at the land whither they were going.
— (John 6:15–21 AmericanStandard Version)
Abrahamic / Middle Eastern
Christianity
Jesus Walks onWater: Faith During a Storm (Mark 6:45-52)
Analysis and Commentary
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Updated April 26, 2019
45 And straightwayhe constrainedhis disciples to getinto the ship, and to go
to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent awaythe people. 46 And
when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. 47 And
when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the
land. 48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto
them: and about the fourth watchof the night he cometh unto them, walking
upon the sea, and would have passedby them.

49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposedit had been a
spirit, and cried out: 50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And
immediately he talkedwith them, and saith unto them, Be of goodcheer: it is
I; be not afraid. 51 And he went up unto them into the ship; the wind ceased:
and they were sore amazedin themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52
For they considerednot the miracle of the loaves:for their heart was
hardened.
Mark 6:45-52
How Jesus Deals With Another Storm
Here we have anotherpopular and visual story of Jesus, this time with him
walking on water. It is common for artists to portray Jesus onthe water,
stilling the storm as he did in chapter 4. The combination of Jesus’calmness
in the face of the power of nature along with his working another miracle that
amazes his disciples has long been appealing to believers.
One can surmise that walking on waterwas the plan all along—afterall, there
doesn’t appearto be a lot of reasonfor Jesus to be the one sending the people
away. Granted, there are a lot of them, but if the teachings are over then he
can simply say goodbye and go on his way. Of course, one canalso imagine
that he really would have wanted some time to pray and meditate—it’s not as
though he seems to geta greatdeal of time alone. That may have even been a
motivation for sending his disciples off earlier in the chapter to teachand
preach.
What is Jesus’purpose in walking across the sea? Is it simply fasteror easier?
The text says that he “wouldhave passedby them,” suggesting that if they
hadn’t seenhim and had continued struggling through the night, he would
have gottento the far shore aheadof them and been waiting. Why? Was he

just looking forward to seeing the looks ontheir faces when the found him
already there?
In fact, the purpose of Jesus’walking onwater had nothing to do with getting
across the sea and everything to do with Mark’s audience. Theylived in a
culture where there were many claims about various figures’ divinity and a
common feature of having divine powers was the ability to walk on water.
Jesus walkedonwater because Jesus had to walk on water, otherwise, it
would have been difficult for the early Christians to insist that their god-man
was just as powerful as others.
The disciples appear to be a very superstitious lot. They have seenJesus work
miracles, they have seenJesus drive unclean spirits out of the possessed, they
have been given the authority to do similar things, and they have had their
own experiences in healing and driving out unclean spirits. Yet despite all of
this, as soonas they see whatthey think might be a spirit on the water, they go
into conniptions.
The disciples also don’t appear to be very bright, either. Jesus proceeds to
calm the storm and still the waters, just as he did in chapter 4; yet for some
reason, the disciples are “amazedin themselves beyond measure.” Why? It’s
not as though they haven’t seensimilar things before. Only three were there
(Peter, James, and John) when Jesus raiseda girl from the dead, but the
others should have been aware of what happened.
According to the text, they didn’t think about or understand the “miracle of
the loaves,”and as a consequence,their hearts were “hardened.” Why
hardened? Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by God to ensure that more and
more miracles would be workedand thus the glory of Godwould be made
manifest—but the end result was more and more suffering for the Egyptians.

Is there something similar going on there? Are the disciples’hearts being
hardened so that Jesus canbe made to look even better?
https://www.learnreligions.com/jesus-walks-on-water-faith-during-a-storm-
248698
Why Did Jesus Walk On Water?
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“but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.
They cried out, because theyall saw him and were terrified. Immediately he
spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage!It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then he
climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.”
Mark 6:49,50
The short answerto the title of today’s devotional is: Because He neededto
get to the other side of the lake!HA! No, but seriously, Jesus had to get out to
a boat in the middle of a lake, which was full of disciples, so He walkedon
waterto accomplishthis feat.
He and his closestfollowers hadjust fed over 5,000 people. Isay over 5,000,
because the Bible says “5,000men,” it doesn’tsay women and children (see
Mark 6:44). So with my hypothetical theory, by the time you add up wives,
widows, and kids—Jesus hadjust filled up the bellies of over 10,000people!
For those who don’t know the story, Jesus miraculouslymultiplied a few
loaves of bread and fish which fed a very large crowd—andthere were

leftovers!He didn’t just provide what they needed, but also, what they
wanted, which was more than enough!
But that’s just what Jesus does, He shows off! All of His miracles were
performed for our benefit, not His. He alreadyknew who He was. He did what
He did because He wantedthe people following Him around to believe that He
was the Son of God. The only wayto do that was to perform some godly
tricks, also knownas, miracles.
This is why He performed every miracle–so we would believe Him! If it
weren’t for the miracles, we could easily chalk Him up as one of the craziest
people who ever lived. Performing miracles is what makes Him God in the
flesh! He even told the legalistic Jews who were trying to stone Him, “If you
don’t believe what I’m saying, at leastbelieve me based on my miracles” (see
John 10:31-39).
So when Jesus and His 12 disciples had just fed all of these people, He went up
on the side of a mountain for some one-on-one devotional time with the
Father. While He was there, the disciples took off in the boat to getto the
other side of the lake without Him. When Jesus lookedout onto the water, He
saw that it was very windy, a storm had blown in. The waves were going
crazy, and the rowing of the disciples was not helping! So what does Jesus do?
The Water-Walkerjuststrolls on out toward them, right into the storm! No
big deal.
As they see Him coming, they freak out and say, “It’s a ghost!” but Jesus just
gets closer, and closer, andthen finally, He calms them down. “It’s just me,
relax. Don’t be afraid.” Now, in the book of Mark, his accountdoesn’t record
Petergetting out of the boat (Mark 6:47-51). Neitherdoes John’s writing of
this event (John 6:15-21). But Matthew tells us about Peter getting out of the
boat, and walking on water!
Peteris just a regular person, like you and me! But yet, he walkedon water
like the Son of God! Why?! How?!…Becausehis focus was on Jesus. His eyes
were seton the power of Christ–not on the waves. Jesushad just trekked3.5
miles on H2O (see John6:19), and I’m guessing He is a power-walkerbecause

He got out there fast. Maybe He just kinda glided…I’m not sure, but I’m
going to ask Him one day.
So with this huge storm happening all around them, and Jesus standing out on
the lake, Petersays, “Ifit’s you, tell me to come out on the water” (Matthew
14:28). So Jesus does justthat! Imagine it! Getting to walk on water!
The Bible says Peter“walkedon waterand came towards Jesus” (Matthew
14:29)…Wow…Iwonderhow that felt! Here he is, in the middle of a huge
storm, in a little dingy, and Jesus Himself says, “Come out onto the water with
me. It’s safe. I’m here.”
That’s just mind-blowing to me! And it shows me the heart of Christ! He is
not afraid! And He tells us to not be afraid! Even when life is crashing and
smashing all around us, when we are in the middle of the storm and nothing
seems to make sense, Jesussays, “I’m with you.” That is amazing! That is
comforting! THAT’S MY JESUS!
Friend, even when we think we’re going to drown because we’re obeying
Christ as He calls us out onto the water, He still says, “Come with me into the
storm, deeper. I’m here. I won’t let it hurt you. Don’t be afraid.”
So many of us don’t even want to getout of the boat! So many of us Christians
want Jesus to hurry up and get into the boat with us, in our safe little spot!
But He is saying, “No, walk out on the waterwith me. I won’t let you sink.”
This is what we gotta do! We can no longer be afraid of what will happen to us
when we stand up to the storms in our lives! We can no longerbe afraid when
the devil uses people to discourage us! All we gotta do is continue to look
forward with our eyes fixed on Christ…He is right there…wind, waves…and
all.
And He is smiling warmly, gesturing with His hand stretchedout, saying,
“Come.”
Peterhad that focus, briefly. He started to walk on the water but got afraid
and beganto sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30)…and,
Jesus did. He reacheddown into the water, lifted him up and said, “You of

little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Then they climbed into the
boat where the storm died down. Baffled, all of the disciples’eyes were wide
open and fixed on Jesus, absolutelyastonishedat what they had just
witnessed!
And there’s Jesus, sitting there. I believe He was grinning from earto ear. I
can almosthear Him saying with eyebrows raised, “See?…” as the disciples
staredin awe, worshiping Him, knowing that a factwas now clear. They had
actualevidence which would cause them to alter their entire lives: “Truly you
are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33).
https://mattmcmillenministries.com/why-did-jesus-walk-on-water/
Jesus Walks onWater
A
fter Jesus fedthe 5,000 men plus womenand children near the city of
Bethsaida, the people believed that He was the prophet promised by Moses
(John 6:14). Moses hadpredicted that a prophet would come in the future,
and the Jewishpeople believed that the prophet would be the Messiah
(Deuteronomy 18:15). They expectedthe Messiahwouldcome with new
teaching and power, and Jesus did (Mark 1:27). They could not believe what
they had seenearly in His ministry, and they were astonishedthat He was able
to create food. Feeding so many people was more than just a miracle. It was
another sign that Jesus was the Messiah(John 6:14).
Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said,
“This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
The miracle was so significant, and the response of the people was so great
that all of the gospelwriters included it in their memoirs: Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John.

Make Jesus King
The crowdwas energizedand excited with visions of bread and fish in their
heads and thoughts of more. As a result, the people wanted to make Jesus
their king by force.
So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force
to make Him king . . . John 6:15 (NASB)
But Jesus knew their thoughts. They did not know that their plans were not
God’s plans. Apparently, the disciples were also takenup with thoughts of
Jesus becoming king. We do not know for sure, because none of the gospels
tell us, but yet we are told that Jesus “made” the disciples leave.
Immediately Jesus made His disciples getinto the boat and go ahead of Him
to the other side to Bethsaida . . . Mark 6:45a (NASB)
The Greek wordthat is translated as “made” actually means “to force,
compel, or insist.” This suggeststhat the disciples did not willingly leave. Jesus
had to “force” them to leave. Only then was He able to deal with the crowd
and send the people away.
. . . while He Himself was sending the crowdaway. After bidding them
farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. Mark 6:45b-46 (NASB)
Then Jesus retreatedto a mountain in order to escape andto be alone
(Matthew 14:23).
The Horrible Storm
When Jesus “forced” the disciples to leave He had ordered them to get into a
boat and go to the town of Bethsaida, which appears to have been a suburb of
Capernaum. There were two cities calledBethsaida – one northeastof the Sea
of Galilee and one near Capernaum. Jesus had sent the disciples out onto the
Sea of Galilee in a boat without Him.
The gospels ofMark and John tell us that in the darkness of the evening with
the disciples a long distance from land, a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee
started battering the boat and the men.

It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. John 6:17b
(NASB)
But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves;
for the wind was contrary. Matthew 14:24 (NASB)
The Greek wordthat is translated as “battered” actually means “tortured or
tormented.” That is, the boat was being severelybeaten by the wind and
waves. I wonder how the disciples felt being all alone without Jesus, who was
still on the land? The gospelofMark adds that the disciples were straining on
the oars. Eventhough they were experiencedseamen, this storm was still very
difficult.
Jesus was still on the seashorewhenHe saw the disciples straining on the oars.
When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone
on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was againstthem,
at about the fourth watchof the night . . . Mark 6:47-48a (NASB)
He saw them at the fourth watchof the evening even though they were 3-4
miles away(John 6:19). The Jews had four watches. The first watch occurred
between6 pm to 9 pm. The secondwatchwas from 9 pm to 12 am. The third
watchbegan at 12 am and went to 3 am, and the fourth watchwas 3 am to 6
am. It was dark and the disciples had been struggling a long time. The trip
from Bethsaida, northeastof the Sea of the Galilee, to the Bethsaida in the
suburbs of Capernaum should not have takenall night. The storm had
delayed their trip.
Two Miracles
Finally, Jesus came to help them – walking on the water. He did not come to
them in a boat, by swimming, but with only His sandals, taking one stepafter
another upon the water. No rocks in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. There
was just waterand Jesus!I would have liked to have watchedJesus do it.
. . . He came to them, walking on the sea . . . Mark 6:48b (NASB)

Some critics suggestthatJesus was not walking on the sea but along the
seashore, and the disciples were just confused. Such a suggestionignores facts
recordedin the gospels:namely, that Jesus saw the disciples in the darkness of
the night through a storm when the disciples were three to four miles away
from the seashore. Therefore, we conclude that the disciples would not have
been able to see Jesus onthe seashoreIt is a miracle that Jesus saw them, and
the factthat He walkedon the water was the secondmiracle. The first one
might be the greatermiracle. Such critics need better explanations.
Jesus finally came near to the boat. Rather than coming straight to the boat,
He started to walk by them.
. . . and He intended to pass by them. Mark 6:48c (NASB)
Why did He do this? We do not know because we are not told. But it appears
that Jesus was testing the disciples.
Response ofThe Disciples
How did the disciples respond? Were they hooting and hollering and cheering
Jesus on because He was walking on the water? No!They had a different
reaction.
But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposedthat it was a ghost,
and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified . . . Mark 6:49-50a
(NASB)
Matthew adds,
. . . they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” Matthew 14:26 (NASB)
We could try to accusethe disciples of many things, but we should not ever
accuse these brave, burly, experiencedseamenof being cowards. Theydo not
deserve such insults. They responded like this because they had never seen
someone walking on water. How would you have respondedif you had been
one of the disciples in the boat that night with the winds ripping through the
rigging and acrossyour face, with your clothes soakedwith sea water, and

your muscles tired from trying to save your life and your friends? Then in the
middle of your struggle, all of a sudden you see someone walking onwater.
What would you think? When Jesus heard their reaction, He tried to calm
their fears.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be
afraid.” Matthew 14:27 (NASB)
PeterWalks On Water
Hearing Jesus’voice was all that was neededto calm their fears. They knew
His voice, and they knew that He cared. With their fears calmed, all of a
sudden Peterhad a wonderful and thrilling idea.
Petersaid to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the
water.” Matthew 14:28 (NASB)
In the Greek language, there are four classesof“if” statements of conditions.
When Peter said, “If it is You,” he was not saying that he was not sure that the
one walking on waterwas Jesus. He uses what is calleda “first class
condition” or “if statement.” It speaks ofcertainty. What Petersaid was,
“Since it is You, command me to come to you on the water.” Peterhad
confidence in Jesus. Just like a kid, Peterwanted to try walking on water.
Jesus indulged his wish.
And He [Jesus]said, “Come!” And Petergotout of the boat, and walkedon
the waterand came toward Jesus. Butseeing the wind, he became frightened,
and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Matthew 14:29-30
(NASB)
Peterwalkedon water for a few minutes, but his fun was soonto end when he
started sinking. Peterdid not start to sink because he had an evil heart.
Instead of an evil heart, Peterhad a greatpassionfor Jesus. Peterwill
promise to defend Jesus in the future. He will be rebuked for not wanting
Jesus to die. He will be told to put his sword awayafter cutting off a servant’s
ear when Jesus is arrested. He will be invited to the Mount of Transfiguration.
No! Peterhad a goodheart. He was a goodman. He was just short on faith!
Jesus quickly told him that was his problem.

Immediately Jesus stretchedout His hand and took hold of him, and said to
him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31 (NASB)
Did you notice that Peterstarted sinking after he became afraid? Faith and
fear do not go together. When we are fearful, we are lacking faith. Show me
someone who fears, and you will find someone who is not trusting God.
Unfortunately, we all have this problem on occasions. Iwonder if any of the
other disciples thought that Peterhad a wonderful idea and wanted to walk on
watertoo? I doubt that any wanted to try after Peterfailed.
Hard Hearts
After Jesus rescuedPeter, they got into the boat togetherand the storm
stopped.
Then He gotinto the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were
utterly astonished, for they had not gainedany insight from the incident of the
loaves, but their heart was hardened. Mark 6:51-52 (NASB)
Even though they had confidence in Jesus, theyreally did not understand that
He was God. As a result they were still astonishedby the miracles of Peterand
Jesus walking on the waterand the storm being stopped. The fact that they
were astonishedreveals that they did not understand that Jesus could control
the laws of universe. We are told that the disciples had not learned any more
about Jesus from the feeding of the 5,000 men. They were absolutely clueless.
The reasonis that they had hard hearts. They just did not get it! Now if the
disciples could be eyewitnessesto the miracles that Jesus had performed when
5,000 people were feedand yet missed the truth about Him, then it is possible
for you and me to read the Bible and miss key truths about Him too!If the
disciples could have hard hearts, then we can too!If those who walkedand
talkedwith Jesus missedthe truth, then we should not think that we are
immune. They were thrilled with simple evidences but did not move to the
next level of understanding about what the evidence pointed to: that Jesus was
God.

When the storm stopped, then they understood that Jesus was God. Thenthey
responded by worshipping Him.
And those who were in the boat worshipedHim, saying, “You are certainly
God’s Son!” Matthew 14:33 (NASB)
And then another miracle occurred,
. . . and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. John
6:21 (NASB)
Conclusion
What an account!Jesus had performed an incredible miracle that should have
helped them see that He was divine, that He was God. But instead they saw
something else!He could multiply food and feed 5,000 men plus womenand
children! They did not learn the correctlesson. Theirhearts were not
sensitive. They missed the most obvious truth. Their hearts were missing
spiritual humility; as a result, Jesus gave them another opportunity to learn
the truth. The hearts of the disciples were not sensitive to spiritual things.
They were more interested in what Jesus could do for them than in the real
messageofthe event.
Apparently they argued with Jesus, andHe had to force them into a boat.
Jesus waitedfor a disasterto occur out on the dark, stormy, sea. He waited
until they were worn out, tired, and exhausted. He came close to the boat and
then started to walk by until they panicked and called out. Then bold, silly
Peterwanted to walk on water. Amazingly, Jesus accommodatedhis request
and then rescuedhim when he failed.
Neither Peternor the rest of the disciples learned the most important lesson.
The primary lessonwas not that Jesus could feed a large crowdwith two fish
and five loaves, that Jesus could walk on water, that Jesus could help Peterto
walk on water, or that Jesus stilledthe storm. It is amazing how we can read
and study the Bible and then think we have learned the messageofthe
passage. We oftencome away with the wrong lessonbecausewe are looking
for the wrong things. The reallesson, the real truth, the purpose of what the

disciples should have learned was that Jesus is God. The lessonwas not about
food.
They did not have sensitive, spiritual hearts and they were not very humble.
Remember that they had their own goals. Theyhad argued with Jesus.
Sometimes our goalin studying the Bible is selfish – what can I getfrom it?
The goalof Bible study is not what Jesus cando for me – canHe multiply fish
and loaves ofbread for me? The goalof reading and studying the Bible is not
that I candemonstrate my Biblical knowledge. The goalofreading and
studying the Bible is the discoveryof the messageofthe passage!What is God
trying to revealto me through His Holy Spirit? May your prayer be, “Lord
show me the meaning of the passage, evenif there are no loaves of bread or
fish for me!”
https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-studies/life-of-christ-ministry-outside-of-
galilee-mid-a-d-32/jesus-walks-on-water/
Jesus Walks OnWater
QUESTION:Jesus walks onwater - How canI tell if my faith is strong?
ANSWER:
In three of the gospels, we find a record of the time Jesus walks onwater.
Matthew 14:25 says, "During the fourth watch of the night Jesus wentout to
them, walking on the lake."
Mark 6:48 says, "He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind
was againstthem. About the fourth watchof the night he went out to them,
walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them."

John 6:19 says, "Whenthey had rowedthree or three and a half miles, they
saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were
terrified."
The context of these passagesis the factthat the disciples were in a boat on the
Sea of Galilee and a wind blew up. This incident followedthe feeding of the
five thousand and Jesus had gone alone to pray and sent the disciples aheadin
the boat. Then in the middle of the windstorm Jesus walks onthe waterout to
the boat. When the disciples see Him, at first they think it is a ghostand Jesus
speaks peaceto them. "When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they
were terrified. 'It's a ghost,'they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus
immediately said to them: 'Take courage!It is I. Don't be afraid.' 'Lord, if it's
you,' Peterreplied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.''Come,'he said.
Then Petergot down out of the boat, walkedon the waterand came toward
Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried
out, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reachedout his hand and caughthim.
'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?'"
Why did Petersink? He saw Jesus walk onthe waterand as long as Peterkept
his eyes on the LORD, Peterstayedafloat. It was when Peter gothis eyes off
of the LORD and on to the waves beneath him that he sank. The lessonfor the
believer here is that our faith must be rootedin Christ and we must not allow
ourselves to be distractedby life's circumstances. Doubtis not the absence of
faith it is a test of faith. Peterhad faith to step out but he did not count the
costand he "lookeddown." It was only then that Peterbeganto falter and
sink. Yet, the hand of grace pulled Peterto safety.
There is a greatlessonoffaith in this passage ofScripture where Jesus walks
on the water. First, it is that Jesus has controlover the situation. The wind
and turmoil of the waves obeyedHim. As born againbelievers, if we keepour
eyes on the LORD rather than the situation that threatens to engulf us, we too

can walk through the waves with confidence in Christ's ability to bring us
peace in the middle of what ever storm is raging over our lives. There is
nothing that we can face as born againbelievers that is outside of God's
control (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Another greatlessonhere is that Christ's hand is always extended to the lost.
When by faith one reaches outto the LORD for salvation, grace lifts that one
out of the sinking waves of sin. Jesus walks onwateris a principle that the
invisible realities of faith in Christ are victorious over the visible threats of
this world, regardless ofthe form they may take.
https://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/jesus-walks-on-water-faq.htm
Biblical Commentary
(Bible study)
Matthew 14:22-33
EXEGESIS:
THE CONTEXT:
The story of Jesus walking on the water follows the story of the Feeding of the
Five Thousand. As they did then, they do once again. They try to find the
resources within themselves to resolve the problem–but without success.Once
again, they learn that they need Jesus to save the situation–andthemselves.
While Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:16-21 also tell this story, Matthew is the only
one to include the story of Peterattempting to walk on the waterto meet
Jesus. While Matthew uses Mark as one of his sources, his ending for this
story is quite different. In Mark, the story ends with the disciples being

astounded, not understanding, and having hardened hearts. In Matthew, the
disciples worship Jesus and acknowledgethathe is the Son of God.
This story is similar to Matthew 8:23-27, where a storm threatenedto sink the
boat while Jesus slept. In that story, Jesus rebukedthe winds and the sea, and
they obeyed him. In both stories:
• The disciples are in a boat.
• There is a sense in which Jesus is absentfrom the disciples. In Matthew 14,
he sends the disciples ahead by themselves. In Matthew 8, he was in the boat,
but he was asleep.
• The disciples are caughtin a storm and afraid.
• Jesus uses the word, oligopistos (“oflittle faith”) to rebuke the disciples.
• The disciples are amazed at Jesus’power. In the Matthew 8 story, they said,
“What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” In the
Matthew 14 story, they say, “You are truly the Son of God.”
Matthew is writing at a time when Christians are being persecuted. By this
time, Peterhas most likely been crucified. The two storm stories address
issues of danger, fear and faith.
This passagebrought greatcomfort to the early Christians. While not spared
suffering and death, they were confident that Christ would save them even if
they were to die.
MATTHEW 14:22-23. HE WENT UP INTO THE MOUNTAIN BY
HIMSELF TO PRAY
22Immediately Jesus made (Greek:enankasen—compels)the disciples get
into the boat, and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the
multitudes away. 23Afterhe had sentthe multitudes away, he went up into the
mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.
“Immediately Jesus made (enankasen)the disciples getinto the boat” (v. 22a).
Jesus makes (enankasen—compels)the disciples getinto the boat and go to
the other side. They are not being rebellious or foolhardy, but obedient. The

difficulties that they experience on the sea are not of their own making, but
stem from their compliance with Jesus’command.
“After he had sentthe multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by
himself to pray” (v. 23). Rather than remaining with the crowd to curry their
favor after the greatfeeding (vv. 13-21), Jesus dismissesthem and goes up the
mountain to pray. “Prayer, …unlike political advancement, is central to his
mission” (Keener, 256). The locationon a mountain signals that this is an
important moment for Jesus. He tried to find solitude earlier, but the crowds
interrupted him (14:13). Now he finds the opportunity to pray. Matthew tells
us that he is “by himself” and “alone”—emphasizing the solitary nature of his
prayer.
It is only here and at Gethsemane (26:36)that Matthew reports Jesus in
prayer. Both were difficult moments. Here, Herod has turned unfavorable
attention to Jesus (14:1-12). At Gethsemane, Jesuswill prepare himself for
death.
John 6:15 tells us that Jesus withdraws because the crowd wants to “take him
by force, to make him king”. It is possible that he sends the disciples aheadso
that they cannotget caught up in the king-making effort (Morris, 380-381).
MATTHEW 14:24-27. IT IS I! DON’T BE AFRAID
24Butthe boat was now in the middle (Greek:studious pollous—many stadia)
of the sea, distressedby the waves, forthe wind was contrary. 25In the fourth
watchof the night (Greek:tetarte de phulake tes nuktos—in the fourth watch
of the night), Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. 26Whenthe disciples
saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It’s a ghost!” and
they cried out for fear. 27Butimmediately Jesus spoke to them, saying “Cheer
up! It is I! Don’t be afraid” (Greek:me phobeisthe).
“But the boat was now in the middle (studious pollous—many stadia) of the
sea, distressedby the waves, forthe wind was contrary” (v. 24). The boat is
studious pollous—many stadia—from land. A stadion is about 600 feet(182
meters), and John tells us that the disciples had gone about twenty-five to
thirty stadia—aboutthree miles (5 km) (John 6:19), which would put them

near the middle of the sea, which is about 13 miles (21 km) long and 8 miles
(13 km) wide.
It is a frightening thing to be in a small boat, far from shore, in a storm, but
neither Matthew nor John tell us that the disciples are afraid of the storm.
“In the fourth watchof the night” (v. 25a). The fourth watch is 3:00 to 6:00
a.m., and the disciples have moved from a big day with the crowds (the
Feeding of the Five Thousand)directly to the boat and the storm. Not only
have they been awake many hours, but also it is exhausting work to keepa
small boat bailed and on course in the middle of the sea—inthe midst of a
storm.
“Jesus came to them, walking on the sea” (v. 25b). “In Biblical literature, the
sea is often representedas the abode of demonic forces hostile to God. In the
Apocalypse, the final reign of God will mean that the sea no longerexists
(21:1)” (Craddock, 400). To have command over the sea is God’s prerogative.
The Hebrew Scriptures tell of God walking on water or making a way
through the waterfor the Israelites (Job9:8; 38:16;Psalm 77:19;Isaiah
43:16;51:9-10;Habakkuk 3:5), but never of a man walking on water. By
walking on water, Jesus demonstrates his Godly identity.
Matthew has identified Jesus as Emmanuel—God with us (1:23)—and this
story reinforces that role. As noted above, at the time of the writing of this
Gospel, Matthew’s church is weathering a storm of persecution. These
Christians are not in rebellion, but are faithfully serving God. The story of the
disciples on the sea, therefore, mirrors exactly the situation of Matthew’s
church. It holds a promise that Jesus comes to Christians in the midst of the
storm—that the storm does not hold the upper hand—that Christ is present
with us in the storm and redeems us from the storm.
Scholars have askedwhether this story is truly historical. Some have proposed
that Jesus was walking ona sandbar near the shore. However, this story
clearly places Jesus farfrom land, and these men, experiencedon the sea,
would not have been easilyfooled. Others have proposed that this story is
misplaced, and is, in reality, a post-resurrectionstory. They are more
comfortable with the idea that a post-resurrectionJesus couldwalk on water

than a pre-resurrectionJesus. Thatdistinction, however, seems notvery
compelling.
The real question is whether Jesus reallyworkedmiracles. If he could heal the
sick without medicine and feed hungry crowds with only a little food, there is
no reasonto believe that he could not walk on water. If no miracles are true,
then we have to question the resurrection. If the resurrectionis false, the core
of our faith is hollow and we might as wellshut the church doors. We find
ourselves on a slippery slope when we deny the reality of miracles.
There is no way to prove conclusivelythat Jesus workedmiracles—beliefin
miracles and resurrectionare a matter of faith, not proof. The best evidence
of miracles is experiential—the effectthat these miracles, particularly the
resurrection, had on the lives of the first disciples—andthe changes thatwe
see in our lives and the lives of others as a result of our/their relationship with
Christ.
“When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying,
‘It’s a ghost!’ and they cried out for fear” (v. 26.) When the disciples see
Jesus, they are afraid. The storm, while dangerous, is familiar. The disciples
know what to expectfrom a storm and what to do to keepthe boat afloat.
They do not know anything about men walking on water far from land, and
fear that they are seeing a ghost. Herod’s threatening presence was mentioned
just before the feeding of the five thousand (14:1-12). Indeed, they must
wonder whether, in the few hours since they departed in the boat, Herod
might have had Jesus murdered. That is certainly consistentwith their
comment that Jesus is a ghost.
Jesus responds with a threefold statement:“Cheerup! It is I! Don’t be afraid”
(me phobeisthe) (v. 27).
• Jesus uses the first phrase, “Cheerup” (Greek:tharseite—have courage—be
of goodcheer) elsewhere inthis Gospelto hearten a paralytic (9:2) and a
woman with a hemorrhage (9:22). It is not a rebuke but an encouragement.
• The secondphrase, “It is I” (Greek:ego eimi—literally “I am”) is God’s
name (Exodus 3:14). The words, “I am” are close to the centerboth of this

story and of this Gospel(chapter 14 of 28 chapters), and deal with the central
issue of this Gospel—the identity of Jesus. He is the Son of God (4:3, 6; 8:29;
14:33;26:63; 27:40, 54). He is Emmanuel—Godwith us (1:23).
• In this Gospel, an angeluses the third phrase, “Don’t be afraid” to reassure
Joseph(1:20) and the women at the empty tomb (28:5, 10). Jesus uses it to
reassure the Twelve as they go on their mission (10:26, 28, 31) and the
disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration(17:7). Again, it is an
encouragementrather than a rebuke.
Augustine comments:“The ship which carries the disciples, i.e., the Church, is
tossedand shakenby the tempests of temptation; and the contrary wind, i.e.,
the devil her adversary, rests not, and strives to hinder her from arriving at
rest. But greateris ‘He who makethintercessionfor us'” (quoted in Gardner,
232).
This story reassures Matthew’schurch that, even in the midst of persecution,
they need not fear—Jesus is presentwith them. It offers the same reassurance
to us in times of illness, death, persecution, or other troubles. It prepares us
for times when things are going badly—or well.
Adversity is not a sign of God’s displeasure or prosperity a signof God’s
pleasure. Wealth does not equate to God’s favor or poverty to unfavor. Illness
is not a sign of inadequate faith or health a sign of greatfaith. Jesus says that
God “makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just
and the unjust” (5:45).
Paradoxically, the storms of life can be a means of blessing. When things are
going badly, our hearts are more receptive to Jesus. A brokenheart is often a
door through which Christ can find entry. He still comes to us in the midst of
our troubles, saying, “Cheerup! It is I! Don’t be afraid.”
MATTHEW 14:28-31. YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?
28Peteransweredhim and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to
you on the waters.”
29He said, “Come!”

Jesus was a walker on the water

Jesus was a walker on the water

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