These three instances reveal Jesus care for His people by supplying their every need. It is true that the disciples were scared because their hearts had been hardened as a result of their failure to comprehend the loaves. The Apostles creed is a good summary: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell. All of this suggests that John is trying to get the reader to understand the crossing of the Sea of Galilee as a symbolic fulfillment of Moses and the Israelites journey through Egypt and into Israel during the Exodus/Passover story. Peter showed the boldness of his faith as he followed Jesus out of the boat. Peter replied, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water," and Jesus invited Peter to do exactly that. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. Jesus had waited until the boat was as far from land as possible, when all their hope was gone. In the Gospels, Jesus walks on water in Matthew 14:22-33 and also in Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:16-21. 14:22 And straightway he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away. The New Testament Bible tale of Jesus walking on water is one of the most commonly repeated narratives and one of the most significant miracles performed by Jesus in his lifetime.The incident takes place immediately after another miracle, the feeding of the 5,000 people, had taken place.This experience persuaded the twelve disciples that Jesus is, in fact, the Son of God who is still alive. The moment they notice Him approaching, they freak out, proclaiming that He is a ghost! If we really believe this, the acts of Jesus described in the gospels are not arbitrary acts they are part of his mission and the prophetic witness. [17], Scholars who hold that the story records actual events do so on the basis that Jesus, as Son of God, was above the laws of nature; or, in a variation, that Jesus projected an image himself while actually remaining on the shore. Before the disciples got on the boat, Jesus provided bread and fish for 5,000 plus people in the middle of a desert. The idea is that before His death, all Old Testament believers were in Abraham's bosomthe paradise part of Hades. Jesus miraculous crossing of the Sea of Galilee occurs immediately after the feeding of the five thousand, according to each of the four Gospels that describe it.Afterwards, the crossing is followed by a miraculous cure at Gennesaret, according to the gospels of Matthew and Mark (Matt.14:3436; Mark 6:5356). Did Jesus walk on water? [12][13] R.T. France has also pointed out that the details regarding the boat being a long way from the shore, and the portrayal of Peter sinking are intended as a confirmation of the depth of the water. Other times, however, storms rage with no end in sight. As the Passover Lamb (John 1:29) and the One who leads His people safely through dangerous waters (John 6:1621), Jesus is true source of our deliverance. 14:2022).However, as Gods adversaries sought to pursue them, God sent the same sea that had separated them from the Israelites back over Pharaohs army, destroying them (Ex.15:19).For example, the sea is frequently used to represent immense uncertainty and overwhelming difficulties in the book of Psalms, as in Ps.46:2 and 65:7, respectively. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. In fact, He builds on the parallel, ascending a mountain alone (John 6:15) as Moses had before Him (Ex. Though Satan should buffet / though trials should come, / Let this blest assurance control: / That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate / And hath shed his own blood for my soul (It Is Well with My Soul by Horatio Spafford). This episode is narrated towards the end of the Ministry of Jesus in Galilee before the key turning points halfway through the gospel narratives where Peter proclaimed Jesus as Christ and saw the Transfiguration. Help them to understand that you built everything for usso that we might have a place to call home for the rest of our lives.But, even more importantly, you designed our existence so that we may join you in a loving relationship for the rest of our lives, beginning right now.In the name of Jesus, I pray, amen.This devotional is taken from the book 60 Days for Jesus, Volume 1, and it is titled Get your hands on a copy right now! They were completely taken aback (NLT), The Bible says in Matthew 14:2931 that Jesus said, Yes, come. As a result, Peter climbed over the side of the boat and began walking across the sea toward Jesus. Learn Religions. 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 13:1).Furthermore, John informs us that not only is the dark, chaotic sea the source of Gods adversaries, but it is also a sign of their demise, according to the Bible (Rev.18:21). Lord, save me! he cried out in desperation. However, when he saw the tremendous wind and the waves, he became afraid and began to sink into the water. Jesus is not oblivious to the spiritual or physical needs of His people. 'How Great Thou Art' By Carrie Underwood with Vince Gill, Jesus on Adultery: Its More Controversial Than You Think, 'You Raise Me Up' Duet Earns A Standing Ovation From The Judges, 10 Things Your Husband Wishes You Would Say to Him, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, 3 Bad Church Approaches to Good Money Stewardship, 5 Critical Rules to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Stay Safe, 4 Things You Should Know about Jesus Revolution, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Comparison in other versions at BibleGateway. The boat was only about 100 meters from shore. Jonah is judged by a storm, which is only halted when he is flung into the sea (Jonah 1:916), and he is punished. But it need not be sought. See Luke 9, for example, where the feeding of the five thousand is narrated with no mention of Jesus walking on water. Theism not deism. (Moses could only draw water from the rock, while Jesus could draw wine from the rock, the stone jars; see Ex. The video appears to have been taken roughly 15 miles downstream from East Palestine, and just north of where Little Beaver Creek feeds into the Ohio River in Midland, Pennsylvania. [12] David Cook and Craig Evans note that "of little faith" is a somewhat common expression in Matthew (e.g. But we believe this, I believe this, not because it is a creed separate from scripture, but because it is a condensation of scripture. However, He still could not keep his fear at bay in order to stay afloat. This story, following the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, tells how Jesus sent the disciples by ship back to the "other side" of the Sea of Galilee (the western side) while he remained behind, alone, to pray. Moses also doubts Gods ability to provide enough food (Num. In other words, Christ can and sometimes does stop our trials as instantly as He carried His disciples off the sea (John 6:21). 4:89; Luke 4:57), Jesus doesnt reject the connection to Moses. Its like being able to walk on water!Peter walked on water and came near Jesus, according to the Bible (Matthew 14:29).Wow Im curious as to how that felt!Then Jesus Himself comes out onto the water, in the middle of a terrible storm, in his small dinghy, and invites him to come with him.It is risk-free. Despite its name, the lake is 700 feet below sea level in the Mediterranean Sea.One of the most notable characteristics of this body of water is that it is extremely vulnerable to storms that can come on suddenly and be extremely violent.This type of storm is triggered by the collision of cold air rushing down from the mountains surrounding it with warm, moist air rising from the surface of the water itself.After sunset, his disciples went down to the lake, where they boarded a boat and began their journey to Capernaum. When that happens, theres nothing to do except praise God for yet another gift of mercy and grace. A tremendous fortress is our God / a bulwark that never fails, / Our helper He amid the flood / of deadly miseries that prevail (Martin Luthers A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, a hymn to Gods steadfastness). Thus, the story is extremely significant to Christiansand the basis for several important life lessons that govern how believers practice their faith. In summary: Jesus established the New Covenant and important signs thereof and linked it directly to the Old Covenant celebration (Passover). For Christians, this story presents lessons for life that go beyond what meets the eye: By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Jesus committed no sin, either before orduring His suffering (cf. But when he saw the fury of the wind he panicked and began to sink, calling out, "Lord save me!" At once Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying, "You little-faith! Part of the significance of Him not drinking the 4th cup is that we (the faithful) now drink the 4th cup each time we receive communion and drink the precious blood. Yet, whereas Moses returned from the mountain with the law, Jesus returns with nothing but Himself. , Isnt this what we were taught to sing in the old hymnals? Let me preface it. Following Jesus dismissal of the throng, he spent some time alone on a hilltop praying. During his miracle of walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus provides an answer to the question posed in the Nazareth synagogue, Where did Jesus acquire his authority to teach and perform miracles? Following up on his revelation that he was a provider of food in the desert in the account of the Feeding of the Five Thousand (Matthew 14), Jesus shows himself in this story to be the one who walks on water as if it were dry land.Each of Jesus miracles makes use of biblical imagery to proclaim that he is Gods Son, and the only appropriate response is to worship him in that capacity.Following the miraculous feeding miracle, Jesus departs the crowds on the opposite side of the lake after pressing his followers to do so on their own (Matt 14:22-23).I should say that he compelled them to cross the lake in a boat rather than forcing them to do it on their own.The word (v) has a forceful connotation (Judaizers compel Gentiles to be circumcised), but most commentators interpret it as aggressively encouraging the disciples to begin crossing the segregated segregation line.1. The study hypothesized "a rare combination of optimal water and atmospheric conditions for development of a unique, localized freezing phenomenon." [2] I've got a lot more problems with "Jesus walks on ice" than with their Red Sea crossing theory. Matthews tale can give us hope that, no matter how we begin, we will be able to complete our journey with Jesus successfully.When Jesus climbed into the boat, the wind died down.But first, at the direction of Jesus, Peter walked on the water, confirming his authority as the Word of the Living God.This was demonstrated once more when Jesus calmed the storm with nothing more than his word. 19:13). Sandwiched around Jesus claim as the great I AM, is His feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21) and specific salvation of His disciple, Peter (Matthew 14:28-33). Instead of being terrible and punitive, however, the signs Jesus performs are gracious and restorative (John 6:2, 11). One step off, and she began to drown. 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 looked for Jesus, noted that the disciples left without him, but they didn't know where he went. This is where the waves whipped up around the disciples' boat and frightened them into waking Jesus during the storm. John C19 V30, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his . 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. Then he said to the group: Hey guys, sorry I was late, but why did you all go without me? Like the account of the feeding of 5,000 people, this is both amazing and terrifying. And this is his clue to the meaning of all that follows. Anyone who is unfamiliar with the narrative will recall that Jesus multiplied enough bread and fish to feed a huge crowdand there were plenty of leftovers to go around.Besides providing what they need, he went above and above to deliver what they desired, which was more than enough!But thats exactly what Jesus does: He struts his stuff!Not only were all of His miracles for our advantage, but they were also for His benefit.He was well aware of who He was. [15], Scholars such as Ulrich Luz and separately Dale Allison view the pericope as instrumental in asserting the divinity of Jesus among early Christians. He wascompletely innocent in both deed and word: no deceit ( doJloz, dolos;cf. the minister believed about the historicity of the story. Liberal rationalism here we come. 29 And he said, Come. The third significant point is that Jesus proved Himself to be in command of the elements, something only God can do.He revealed this truth to the disciples who recognized His divinity and responded with a confession of 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 14:3233). Branscomb, 1937), based perhaps on some lost incident; perhaps Jesus waded through the surf (Vincent Taylor, 1957), or perhaps he walked on a sand bar (Sherman Johnson, 1972, J.D.M. Passover ), but why did you all go without me 12 ] David Cook and Craig Evans note ``! And also in Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:16-21 dark, and Jesus waited... Across the sea toward Jesus the sea toward Jesus gracious and restorative ( John 6:15 ) as Moses had Him! Faith as he followed Jesus out of the throng, he spent some alone! 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