Matthew 14:22

We have here the story of another miracle which Christ wrought for the relief of his friends and followers, his walking upon the water to his disciples. In the foregoing miracle he acted as the Lord of nature, improving its powers for the supply of those who were in want; in this, he acted as the Lord of nature, correcting and controlling its powers for the succour of those who were in danger and distress. Observe,

I. Christ's dismissing of his disciples and the multitude, after he had fed them miraculously. He constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, Mat 14:22. St John gives a particular reason for the hasty breaking up of this assembly, because the people were so affected with the miracle of the loaves, that they were about to take him by force, and make him a king (Joh 6:15); to avoid which, he immediately scattered the people, sent away the disciples, lest they should join with them, and he himself withdrew, Joh 6:15.

When they had sat down to eat and drink, they did not rise up to play, but each went to his business.

1. Christ sent the people away. It intimates somewhat of solemnity in the dismissing of them; he sent them away with a blessing, with some parting words of caution, counsel, and comfort, which might abide with them.

2. He constrained the disciples to go into a ship first, for till they were gone the people would not stir. The disciples were loth to go, and would not have gone, if he had not constrained them. They were loth to go to sea without him. If thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence. Exo 33:15. They were loth to leave him alone, without any attendance, or any ship to wait for him; but they did it in pure obedience.

II. Christ's retirement hereupon (Mat 14:23); He went up into a mountain apart to pray. Observe here,

1. That he was alone; he went apart into a solitary place, and was there all alone. Though he had so much work to do with others, yet he chose sometimes to be alone, to set us an example. Those are not Christ's followers that do not care for being alone; that cannot enjoy themselves in solitude, when they have none else to converse with, none else to enjoy, but God and their own hearts.

2. That he was alone at prayer; that was his business in this solitude, to pray. Though Christ, as God, was Lord of all, and was prayed to, yet Christ, as Man, had the form of a servant, of a beggar, and prayed. Christ has herein set before us an example of secret prayer, and the performance of it secretly, according to the rule he gave, Mat 6:6. Perhaps in this mountain there was some private oratory or convenience, provided for such an occasion; it was usual among the Jews to have such. Observe, When the disciples went to sea, their Master went to prayer; when Peter was to be sifted as wheat, Christ prayed for him.

3. That he was long alone; there he was when the evening was come, and, for aught that appears, there he was till towards morning, the fourth watch of the night. The night came on, and it was a stormy, tempestuous night, yet he continued instant in prayer. Note, It is good, at least sometimes, upon special occasions, and when we find our hearts enlarged, to continue long in secret prayer, and to take full scope in pouring out our hearts before the Lord. We must not restrain prayer, Job 15:4.

III. The condition that the poor disciples were in at this time: Their ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, Mat 14:24. We may observe here,

1. That they were got into the midst of the sea when the storm rose. We may have fair weather at the beginning of our voyage, and yet meet with storms before we arrive at the port we are bound for. Therefore, let not him that girdeth on the harness boast as he that puts it off, but after a long calm expect some storm or other.

2. The disciples were now where Christ sent them, and yet met with this storm. Had they been flying from their Master, and their work, as Jonah was, when he was arrested by the storm, it had been a dreadful one indeed; but they had a special command from their Master to go to sea at this time, and were going about their work. Note, It is no new thing for Christ's disciples to meet with storms in the way of their duty, and to be sent to sea then when their Master foresees a storm; but let them not take it unkindly; what he does they know not now, but they shall know hereafter, that Christ designs hereby to manifest himself with the more wonderful grace to them and for them. 3. It was a great discouragement to them now that they had not Christ with them, as they had formerly when they were in a storm; though he was then asleep indeed, yet he was soon awaked (Mat 8:24), but now he was not with them at all. Thus Christ used his disciples first to less difficulties, and then to greater, and so trains them up by degrees to live by faith, and not by sense.

4. Though the wind was contrary, and they were tossed with waves, yet being ordered by their Master to the other side, they did not tack about and come back again, but made the best of their way forward. Note, Though troubles and difficulties may disturb us in our duty, they must not drive us from it; but through the midst of them we must press forwards.

IV. Christ's approach to them in this condition (Mat 14:25); and in this we have an instance,

1. Of his goodness, that he went unto them, as one that took cognizance of their case, and was under a concern about them, as a father about his children. Note, The extremity of the church and people of God is Christ's opportunity to visit them and appear for them: but he came not till the fourth watch, toward three o'clock in the morning, for then the fourth watch began. It was in the morning-watch that the Lord appeared for Israel in the Red sea (Exo 14:24), so was this. He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps, but, when there is occasion, walks in darkness for their succour; helps, and that right early.

2. Of his power, that he went unto them, walking on the sea. This is a great instance of Christ's sovereign dominion over all the creatures; they are all under his feet, and at his command; they forget their natures, and change the qualities that we call essential. We need not enquire how this was done, whether by condensing the surface of the water (when God pleases, the depths are congealed in the heart of the sea, Exo 15:8), or by suspending the gravitation of his body, which was transfigured as he pleased; it is sufficient that it proves his divine power, for it is God's prerogative to tread upon the waves of the sea (Job 9:8), as it is to ride upon the wings of the wind. He that made the waters of the sea a wall for the redeemed of the Lord (Isa 51:10), here makes them a walk for the Redeemer himself, who, as Lord of all, appears with one foot on the sea and the other on dry land, Rev 10:2. The same power that made iron to swim (Kg2 6:6), did this. What ailed thee, O thou sea? Psa 114:5. It was at the presence of the Lord. Thy way, O God, is in the sea, (Psa 77:19). Note, Christ can take what way he pleases to save his people.

V. Here is an account of what passed between Christ and his distressed friends upon his approach.

1. Between him and all the disciples. We are here told,

(1.) How their fears were raised (Mat 14:26); When they saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; phantasma esti - It is an apparition; so it might much better be rendered. it seems, the existence and appearance of spirits were generally believed in by all except the Sadducees, whose doctrine Christ had warned his disciples against; yet, doubtless, many supposed apparitions have been merely the creatures of men's own fear and fancy. These disciples said, It is the Lord; it can be no other. Note, [1.] Even the appearances and approaches of deliverance are sometimes the occasions of trouble and perplexity to God's people, who are sometimes most frightened when they are least hurt; nay, when they are most favoured, as the Virgin Mary, Luk 1:29; Exo 3:6, Exo 3:7. The comforts of the Spirit of adoption are introduced by the terrors of the spirit of bondage, Rom 8:15. [2.] The appearance of a spirit, or the fancy of it, cannot but be frightful, and strike a terror upon us, because of the distance of the world of spirits from us, the just quarrel good spirits have with us, and the inveterate enmity evil spirits have against us: see Job 4:14, Job 4:15. The more acquaintance we have with God, the Father of spirits, and the more careful we are to keep ourselves in his love, the better able we shall be to deal with those fears. [3.] The perplexing, disquieting fears of good people, arise from their mistakes and misapprehensions concerning Christ, his person, offices, and undertaking; the more clearly and fully we know his name, with the more assurance we shall trust in him, Psa 9:10. [4.] A little thing frightens us in a storm. When without are fightings, no marvel that within are fears. Perhaps the disciples fancied it was some evil spirit that raised the storm. Note, Most of our danger from outward troubles arises from the occasion they give for inward trouble.

(2.) How these fears were silenced, Mat 14:27. He straightway relieved them, by showing them their mistake; when they were wrestling with the waves, he delayed his succour for some time; but he hastened his succour against their fright, as much the more dangerous; he straightway laid that storm with his word, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

[1.] He rectified their mistake, by making himself known to them, as Joseph to his brethren; It is I. He does not name himself, as he did to Paul, I am Jesus; for Paul as yet knew him not: but to these disciples it was enough to say, It is I; they knew his voice, as his sheep (Joh 10:4), as Mary Magdalene, Joh 20:16. They need not ask, Who art thou, Lord? Art thou for us or for our adversaries? They could say with the spouse, It is the voice of my beloved, Sol 2:8; Sol 5:2. True believers know it by a good token. It was enough to make them easy, to understand who it was they saw. Note, A right knowledge opens the door to true comfort, especially the knowledge of Christ.

[2.] He encouraged them against their fright; It is I, and therefore, First, Be of good cheer; tharseite - "Be courageous; pluck up your spirits, and be courageous." If Christ's disciples be not cheerful in a storm, it is their own fault, he would have them so. Secondly, Be not afraid; 1. "Be not afraid of me, now that you know it is I; surely you will not fear, for you know I mean you no hurt." Note, Christ will not be a terror to those to whom he manifests himself; when they come to understand him aright, the terror will be over. 2. "Be not afraid of the tempest, of the winds and waves, though noisy and very threatening; fear them not, while I am so near you. I am he that concerns himself for you, and will not stand by and see you perish." Note, Nothing needs be a terror to those that have Christ near them, and know he is theirs; no, not death itself.

2. Between him and Peter, Mat 14:28-31, where observe,

(1.) Peter's courage, and Christ's countenancing that.

[1.] It was very bold in Peter, that he would venture to come to Christ upon the water (Mat 14:28); Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee. Courage was Peter's master grace; and that made him so forward above the rest to express his love to Christ, though others perhaps loved him as well.

First, It is an instance of Peter's affection to Christ, that he desired to come to him. When he sees Christ, whom, doubtless, during the storm, he had many a time wished for, he is impatient to be with him. He does not say, Bid me walk on the waters, as desiring it for the miracle sake; but, Bid me come to thee, as desiring it for Christ's sake; "Let me come to thee, no matter how." Note, True love will break through fire and water, if duly called to it, to come to Christ. Christ was coming to them, to succour and deliver them. Lord, said Peter, bid me come to thee. Note, When Christ is coming towards us in a way of mercy, we must go forth to meet him in a way of duty; and herein we must be willing and bold to venture with him and venture for him. Those that would have benefit by Christ as a Saviour, must thus by faith come to him. Christ had been now, for some time, absent, and hereby it appears why he absented himself; it was to endear himself so much the more to his disciples at his return, to make it highly seasonable and doubly acceptable. Note, When, for a small amount, Christ has forsaken his people, his returns are welcome, and most affectionately embraced; when gracious souls, after long seeking, find their Beloved at last, they hold him, and will not let him go, Sol 3:4.

Secondly, It is an instance of Peter's caution and due observance of the will of Christ, that he would not come without a warrant. Not, "If it be thou, I will come;" but If it be thou, bid me come. Note, The boldest spirits must wait for a call to hazardous enterprizes, and we must not rashly and presumptuously thrust ourselves upon them. Our will to services and sufferings is interpreted, not willingness, but wilfulness, if it have not a regard to the will of Christ, and be not regulated by his call and command. Such extraordinary warrants as this to Peter we are not now to expect, but must have recourse to the general rules of the word, in the application of which to particular cases, with the help of providential hints, wisdom is profitable to direct.

Thirdly, It is an instance of Peter's faith and resolution, that he ventured upon the water when Christ bid him. To quit the safety of the ship, and throw himself into the jaws of death, to despise the threatening waves he so lately dreaded, argued a very strong dependence upon the power and word of Christ. What difficulty or danger could stand before such a faith and such a zeal?

[2.] It was very kind and condescending in Christ, that he was pleased to own him in it, Mat 14:29. He might have condemned the proposal as foolish and rash; nay, and as proud and assuming; "Shall Peter pretend to do as his Master does?" But Christ knew that it came from a sincere and zealous affection to him, and graciously accepted of it. Note, Christ is well pleased with the expressions of his people's love, though mixed with manifold infirmities, and makes the best of them.

First, He bid him come. When the Pharisees asked a sign, they had not only a repulse, but a reproof, for it, because they did it with a design to tempt Christ; when Peter asked a sign, he had it, because he did it with a resolution to trust Christ. The gospel call is, "Come, come, to Christ; venture all in his hand, and commit the keeping of your souls to him; venture through a stormy sea, a troublesome world, to Jesus Christ."

Secondly, He bore him out when he did come; Peter walked upon the water. The communion of true believers with Christ is represented by their being quickened with him, raised up with him, made to sit with him, (Eph 2:5, Eph 2:6), and being crucified with him, Gal 2:20. Now, methinks, it is represented in this story by their walking with him on the water. Through the strength of Christ we are borne up above the world, enabled to trample upon it, kept from sinking into it, from being overwhelmed by it, obtain a victory over it (1 John v. 4), by faith in Christ's victory (Joh 16:33), and with him are crucified to it, Gal 6:14. See blessed Paul walking upon the water with Jesus, and more than a conqueror through him, and treading upon all the threatening waves, as not able to separate him from the love of Christ, Rom 8:35, etc. Thus the sea of the world is become like a sea of glass, congealed so as to bear; and they that have gotten the victory, stand upon it and sing, Rev 15:2, Rev 15:3.

He walked upon the water, not for diversion or ostentation, but to go to Jesus; and in that he was thus wonderfully borne up. Note, When our souls are following hard after God, then it is that his right hand upholds us; it was David's experience, Psa 63:8. Special supports are promised, and are to be expected, only in spiritual pursuits. When God bears his Israel upon eagles' wings, it is to bring them to himself (Exo 19:4); nor can we ever come to Jesus, unless we be upheld by his power; it is in his own strength that we wrestle with him, that we reach after him, that we press forward toward the mark, being kept by the power of God, which power we must depend upon, as Peter when he walked upon the water: and there is no danger of sinking while underneath are the everlasting arms.

(2.) Here is Peter's cowardice, and Christ's reproving him and succouring him. Christ bid him come, not only that he might walk upon the water, and so know Christ's power, but that he might sink, and so know his own weakness; for as he would encourage his faith, so he would check his confidence, and make him ashamed of it. Observe then,

[1.] Peter's great fear (Mat 14:30); He was afraid. The strongest faith and the greatest courage have a mixture of fear. Those that can say, Lord, I believe; must say, Lord, help my unbelief. Nothing but perfect love will quite cast out fear. Good men often fail in those graces which they are most eminent for, and which they have then in exercise; to show that they have not yet attained. Peter was very stout at first, but afterwards his heart failed him. The lengthening out of a trial discovers the weakness of faith.

Here is, First, The cause of this fear; He saw the wind boisterous. While Peter kept his eye fixed upon Christ, and upon his word and power, he walked upon the water well enough; but when he took notice withal of the danger he was in, and observed how the floods lift up their waves, then he feared. Note, Looking at difficulties with an eye of sense more than at precepts and promises with an eye of faith is at the bottom of all our inordinate fears, both as to public and personal concerns. Abraham was strong in faith, because he considered not his own body (Rom 4:19); he minded not the discouraging improbabilities which the promise lay under, but kept his eye on God's power; and so, against hope, believed in hope, Mat 14:18. Peter, when he saw the wind boisterous, should have remembered what he had seen (Mat 8:27), when the winds and the sea obeyed Christ; but therefore we fear continually every day, because we forget the Lord our Maker, Isa 51:12, Isa 51:13.

Secondly, The effect of this fear; He began to sink. While faith kept up, he kept up above water: but when faith staggered, he began to sink. Note, The sinking of our spirits is owing to the weakness of our faith; we are upheld (but it is as we are saved) through faith (Pe1 1:5); and therefore, when our souls are cast down and disquieted, the sovereign remedy is, to hope in God, Psa 43:5. It is probable that Peter, being bred a fisherman, could swim very well (Joh 21:7); and perhaps he trusted in part to that, when he cast himself into the sea; if he could not walk, he could swim; but Christ let him begin to sink, to show him that it was Christ's right hand and his holy arm, not any skill of his own, that was his security. It was Christ's great mercy to him, that, upon the failing of his faith, he did not leave him to sink outright, to sink to the bottom as a stone (Exo 15:5), but gave him time to cry, Lord, save me. Such is the care of Christ concerning true believers; though weak, they do but begin to sink! A man is never sunk, never undone, till he is in hell. Peter walked as he believed; to him, as to others, the rule held good, According to your faith be it unto you.

Thirdly, The remedy he had recourse to in this distress, the old, tried, approved remedy, and that was prayer: he cried, Lord, save me. Observe, 1. The manner of his praying; it is fervent and importunate; He cried. Note, When faith is weak, prayer should be strong. Our Lord Jesus has taught us in the day of our fear to offer up strong cries, Heb 5:7. Sense of danger will make us cry, sense of duty and dependence on God should make us cry to him. 2. The matter of his prayer was pertinent and to the purpose; He cried, Lord, save me. Christ is the great Saviour, he came to save; those that would be saved, must not only come to him, but cry to him for salvation; but we are never brought to this, till we find ourselves sinking; sense of need will drive us to him.

[2.] Christ's great favour to Peter, in this fright. Though there was a mixture of presumption with Peter's faith in his first adventure, and of unbelief with his faith in his after-fainting, yet Christ did not cast him off; for,

First, He saved him; he answered him with the saving strength of his right hand (Psa 20:6), for immediately he stretched forth his hand, and caught him. Note, Christ's time to save is, when we sink (Psa 18:4-7): he helps at a dead lift. Christ's hand is still stretched out to all believers, to keep them from sinking. Those whom he hath once apprehended as his own, and hath snatched as brands out of the burning, he will catch out of the water too. Though he may seem to have left his hold, he doth but seem to do so, for they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand, Joh 10:28. Never fear, he will hold his own. Our deliverance from our own fears, which else would overwhelm us, is owing to the hand of his power and grace, Psa 34:4.

Secondly, He rebuked him; for as many as he loves and saves, he reproves and chides; O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Note, 1. Faith may be true, and yet weak; at first, like a grain of mustard-seed. Peter had faith enough to bring him upon the water, yet, because not enough to carry him through, Christ tells him he had but little. 2. Our discouraging doubts and fears are all owing to the weakness of our faith: therefore we doubt, because we are but of little faith. It is the business of faith to resolve doubts, the doubts of sense, in a stormy day, so as even then to keep the head above water. Could we but believe more, we should doubt less. 3. The weakness of our faith, and the prevalence of our doubts, are very displeasing to our Lord Jesus. It is true, he doth not cast off weak believers, but it is as true, that he is not pleased with weak faith, no, not in those that are nearest to him. Wherefore didst thou doubt? What reason was there for it? Note, Our doubts and fears would soon vanish before a strict enquiry into the cause of them; for, all things considered, there is no good reason why Christ's disciples should be of a doubtful mind, no, not in a stormy day, because he is ready to them a very present Help.

VI. The ceasing of the storm, Mat 14:32. When Christ was come into the ship, they were presently at the shore. Christ walked upon the water till he came to the ship, and then went into that, when he could easily have walked to the shore; but when ordinary means are to be had, miracles are not to be expected. Though Christ needs not instruments for the doing of his work, he is pleased to use them. Observe, when Christ came into the ship, Peter came in with him. Companions with Christ in his patience, shall be companions in his kingdoms, Rev 1:9. Those that walk with him shall reign with him; those that are exposed, and that suffer with him, shall triumph with him.

When they were come into the ship, immediately the storm ceased, for it had done its work, its trying work. He that has gathered the winds into his fists, and bound the waters in a garment, is the same that ascended and descended; and his word even stormy winds fulfil, Psa 148:8. When Christ comes into a soul, he makes winds and storms to cease there, and commands peace. Welcome Christ, and the noise of her waves will soon be quelled. The way to be still is, to know that he is God, that he is the Lord with us.

VII. The adoration paid to Christ hereupon (Mat 14:33); They that were in the ship came and worshipped him, and said, Of a truth, thou art the Son of God. Two good uses they made of this distress, and this deliverance.

1. It was a confirmation of their faith in Christ, and abundantly convinced them that the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him; for none but the world's Creator could multiply the loaves, none but its Governor could tread upon the waters of the sea; they therefore yield to the evidence, and make confession of their faith; Thou truly art the Son of God. They knew before that he was the Son of God, but now they know it better. Faith, after a conflict with unbelief, is sometimes the more active, and gets to greater degrees of strength by being exercised. Now they know it of a truth. Note, It is good for us to know more and more of the certainty of those things wherein we have been instructed, Luk 1:4. Faith then grows, when it arrives at a full assurance, when it sees clearly, and saith, Of a truth.

2. They took occasion from it to give him the glory due unto his name. They not only owned that great truth, but were suitable affected by it; they worshiped Christ. Note, When Christ manifests his glory for us, we ought to return it to him (Psa 50:15); I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Their worship and adoration of Christ were thus expressed, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. Note, The matter of our creed may and must be made the matter of our praise. Faith is the proper principle of worship, and worship the genuine product of faith. He that comes to God must believe; and he that believes in God, will come, Heb 9:6.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat_14:22; Mat_14:27

And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side.

The midnight voyage home

I. The feast followed by humiliation and trouble.

1. The feast in the desert was the greatest work in which the apostles were ever engaged during the ministry of Jesus. The miracle was of a more kingly character than others, shared by a greater number(and more plainly typical of great things to come in the kingdom of heaven. In this glorious work the twelve have been active ministers. They were not to remain to receive the congratulations of the multitude; they must go away at once. Jesus constrains them to return to the ship. Ministers must not intrude themselves into the Lords place; they must be willing servants, and then go their way and leave the rest to the Lord. The apostles had been highly exalted, and now they must be humbled. In the sight of the congregation they are sent away in charge of the empty boat, as if they were mere fishermen still.

2. But they are sent also into the midst of trouble. After we have had faith to distribute the bread of life comes the trial of obedience. It seemed as if providence were contrary to their course.

II. The storm aggravated by Christs absence, and stilled by his coming.

1. Jesus sent the twelve away alone, and all that the people saw was that He went not in the ship with them. Jesus was to come to them by the coast.

2. Jesus, meanwhile, has not walked along the coast, whence they expected to take Him in; but has left the shore altogether, and gone up into a mountain apart. In the retired mountain He cannot be seen by the disciples; but in His prayer to the Father they will not be forgotten.

3. Jesus comes to them according to His promise; but not according to their thoughts, either in time or in manner.

4. There is yet one more element of trial mingled for these midnight wrestlers with the waves. Jesus often appears to be going past in our time of need. Also His manner of coming alarms the disciples. In our trials we often mistake the coming of the Lord Jesus.

5. Jesus enters the ship; and how glorious is the effect of deliverance out of danger, of seasonable help, when obeying Christs command, against all adversity.

6. An unlooked-for blessing now awaits them on the shore. (A. M. Stuart.)

Jesus constrained His disciples

Why?

1. Lest they should take part with the rash, many-headed multitude, who would have made Him a king.

2. To inure them to the cross, and teach them to suffer hardship.

3. To give them proof of His power,

Nature and grace

The story of this miracle has instruction for us in connection with the material world in which we live. Nature is not, in all respects, to be separated off too sharply from grace; and this miracle reminds us that it is the Lord of this universe who is the Head of the Church and the Saviour of our souls. (Dean Howson.)

The government of nature

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 restoration of an original law-the supremacy of righteous man, is foreshown. While a man cannot order 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 and fishes, for he comes of the Father who made the house for him. Man is not master in 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.)

Secret of Christs power over nature

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 can create 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 correspondent to the creative power in 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 God means him one day to be. I believe that some of these miracles were the natural result of a physical nature perfect from the indwelling of a perfect soul, whose unity with the Life of all things and in all things was absolute-in a word, whose sonship was perfect. (George Macdonald.)

The glorifying of Christs body

The difficulty here is our Lords withdrawing Himself personally from the control of earthly natural laws. It is common to conceive of the glorifying of Christs body as the work of a moment, at the Resurrection, or, at least, at the Ascension. But if we suppose the Spirits work in glorifying and perfecting Christs body to have been spread over the Saviours whole life, certain periods-such as this walking on the sea, and the transfiguration-being still distinguished as seasons of special activity, much that is obscure will be made clear. A body thoroughly of the earth, chained down by unseen hands to earthly matter, cannot shake itself free from its origin, but that a higher bodily frame, teeming with the powers of a loftier world, should rise above the earthly level is less surprising. This manifestation of Christs hidden glory was designed to build up His disciples in the faith. They saw more and more clearly with whom they had to do, and perceived that He was the revelation of the invisible Father, who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. (Olshausen.)

The Divine coming unrecognized

It often happens that the coming of Christ to His disciples for their relief is that which frightens them most, because they do not know the extent of Gods wardrobe; for I think that as a king might never wear the same garment but once, in order to show his riches and magnificence, so God comes to us in all exigencies, but never twice alike. He sometimes puts on the garments of trouble; and when we are calling upon Him as though He were yet in heaven, He is walking by our Ado; and that from which we are praying God to deliver us is often but God Himself. Thus it is with us as with children who are terrified by their dreams in the night, and scream for their parents, until, fully waking, behold they are in their parents arms! (H. W. Beecher.)

The sea on which Jesus walked

Shortly after passing the spot which was the scene of the 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, slowly making its way toward Tiberias. That city, with its huge castle and turreted walls, a pile of melancholy ruins, lay scattered along 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 steep cliffs and abrupt ravines. At one end we could see where the Jordan flowed into it, and, beyond, the lofty peak of Mount Hermon covered with eternal snow. There was no wood on 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, reflected in 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. (W. H. Bartlett.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 14:22. And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, &c. — According to Joh 6:15, the people were so affected with the above-mentioned miracle, that they were about to take him by force, and make him a king, very naturally supposing, doubtless, that he, who with five loaves and two fishes could feed so many thousands, was able to support armies any length of time he pleased. And it is probable that his disciples were disposed to encourage and aid them in these intentions. Jesus, therefore, knowing both the purposes of the multitude and the inclinations of the disciples, ordered the latter to get into a vessel, and make for Bethsaida, while he should dismiss the former. This they were unwilling to do: it is therefore here said that Christ constrained them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

§ 64. — THE MIRACULOUS WALKING ON THE SEA, Mat_14:22-33.

22. Constrained his disciples — Why were they unwilling to go? We should be wholly at a loss to know, did not John (Joh_6:15) state the fact that the multitude wished to make Jesus a king. It is therefore highly probable that the disciples were anxious to stay and see his promotion to the Jewish crown. But this design of the multitude was alike contrary to the divine order, and likely to expose Jesus to the hostility of Herod Philip.

Mark says that Jesus sent the disciples “to the other side to Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.” A glance at our map of Gennesaret, (p. 62) will show that Bethsaida is strictly not on the opposite or western side, but on the north. To meet this difficulty sacred geographers have placed a supposed Bethsaida on the western side, south of Capernaum, as is seen upon our map of PALESTINE. For this there seems to be no sufficient reason. Jesus sent the disciples to the other side; yet to Bethsaida, by the way, until he had dismissed the people. That done, he would have joined them at Bethsaida, en route to the other side. As we have noted on Mat_14:14, it is probable that the boat coasted along the north shore, by Bethsaida. The original purpose of Jesus to join them at Bethsaida was changed by the sudden gust, which drove them southward.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL NOTES

Mat_14:22. Constrained His disciples.—Perhaps they, too, were carried away by the frenzy of the time, and would have joined the people in proclaiming Him King (Joh_6:15); or perhaps they were unwilling to leave Him behind among the people at a moment of such excitement (Laidlaw).

Mat_14:23. The evening.—The later evening (see note on Mat_14:15).

Mat_14:24. Tossed.—Distressed (R.V.). The expression in the original is forcible, “tortured by the waves,” writhing in throes of agony, as it were. These sudden storms are very characteristic of the lake of Gennesaret (Carr). See Thomson’s “Land and Book,” chap. 25 p. 374.

Mat_14:25. The fourth watch.—I.e. between three and six o’clock in the morning. At an earlier period both the Jews and the Greeks divided the night into three watches, each of four hours. From the time of Pompey, however, they adopted the Roman practice of reckoning four watches, each of three hours (Lange). Walking on the sea.—We should find here the hint of a precise element in redemption. The exact point of the act is not the suspension of natural law. The law of gravity is not suspended so much as superseded by the intervention of a higher law, viz., the liberation of a spiritual or glorified body from the bondage of earthly conditions (Laidlaw).

Mat_14:26. It is a spirit, etc.—An apparition (R.V.). Their belief in the apparition of spectres is here presupposed. They seem to have regarded the apparition as an indication of coming evil (Lange).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Mat_14:22-33

Jesus on the waters.—If the Saviour was bent on retirement before (Mat_14:13), He seems more bent on it now, and in an even greater degree. Probably because of what we read in Joh_6:15, He resolves on sending the multitudes home (Mat_14:22). Probably on account of the effect of the same on the minds of His disciples He “constrains” them to go too (Mat_14:22). After which, it is said, that He “goes up into the mountain apart to pray, and when the even is come He is there alone” (Mat_14:23)—in complete retirement at last! About that retirement itself nothing is told us, though much may be imagined. What is told us, and what we have now to consider, is what He was to His disciples after it was over; what He was to them collectively and as a body; what He was to them individually and in the person of their most representative member.

I. Collectively.—How great, e.g. at this time, was His sympathy with their troubles. These were then by no means of a trivial kind. Instead of being at rest in their homes at that natural time of rest, the night time, they were toiling on the sea (Mat_14:24), in the face of a “contrary” wind. With all their toil, moreover, they were hardly making any progress to speak of. Already it was “the fourth watch of the night.” They were nearing the morning, in fact, but not the shore; and were hardly more, indeed, if any more, than half-way across (Joh_6:19). Just in this their despair it was that Jesus comes to see how they are doing—taking steps, indeed, wholly unheard of in order to do so—and “walking” upon the “sea” itself to “visit” His own. In other words, knowing everything about, and ready to do anything for, those who are in trouble through obedience to Him. How great, in the next place, His sympathy with their fears. These were natural enough in the circumstances detailed, on the part of the disciples. To see one walking upon the water at any time might make any men think that they had before them something superhuman indeed! To see one doing so in the darkness of night, and over that tempestuous sea, and to be doing so (apparently) from behind—thus accounting for the fact that “all” those rowers beheld it (Mar_6:50)—and to be doing so (apparently again) as though for the purpose of coming into that ship into which they afterwards so “willingly received Him” (Joh_6:21)—might well double their fears. What did it all mean? What could it be? Something unreal? Something awful—something non-earthly at best (Mat_14:26). It is beautiful, therefore, to see next how the Saviour met their very natural fears; and how He showed thereby that He thinks of the troubles of His people not only as they are in themselves, but as they are in their eyes. First, He lets His disciples hear the sound of His voice. “Straightway Jesus spake unto them.” That of itself would be much. Then He uses His voice in the way of encouragement and reassurance. “Be of good cheer.” Then He tells them of that fact, which, of all facts in existence, would be most reassuring to them. It is not only My voice, “It is I” Myself. Therefore “be not afraid.”

II. Individually.—And in the person of Peter. In this we see exemplified, on the one hand, how graciously it pleases Him to meet the wishes of His people. This is the point which seems to come out first in what is told us here about Peter. The attempt which he made to walk on the water was not suggested to him by anyone else. Even the permission to make it was not granted to him until he had asked that it might be. “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.” So far below does he seem to have left now—so far below surely has he left now—his former unbelief and alarm. No longer is he afraid of the “apparition.” He is anxious to join it. No longer does it surprise him to see another walking upon the water. He would do so himself. All he waits for is the permission to try. The Saviour meets this, on the one hand, by giving him leave. He says to him “Come.” Also, and further, on the other hand, by giving him help. He enables him to start, at any rate. The Apostle finds, in consequence, that he can do what he wanted to do. He does walk on the waves. He does approach to—if he does not come close to (R.V. margin)—Jesus Himself. So far, therefore, his Master has enabled him to carry out his desire; and has met him most freely—met him most effectually—in that which he proposed. Also we see exemplified here, on the other hand, how graciously it pleases the Saviour at times to repair the errors of His people. Peter’s bold beginning, as we all know, was not followed up in like manner. Instead of continuing to look to Him, for example, who had given him permission to come, he began to look at “the wind”; at the evidences of its violence; at the proofs of its strength. Doing this, he inevitably—such is the infallible result of looking away from the only true Object of faith—began to lose the strength of his faith. Doing this, he, just as inevitably, found himself “beginning to sink.” And doing this, again, would doubtless have continued to sink until wholly overwhelmed by the waters had not the Saviour “immediately” and graciously responded to the little faith he had left; faith only enough, so it appears, to cry to Jesus for help (Mat_14:30). How gracious the action of the Saviour in reply! First of all, “He stretches forth His hand” and saves His disciple both from destruction and fear. How gracious the word which ensues! Its gentle reproach! Its invincible help! Its unanswerable logic! “O! thou of little faith, wherefore dost thou doubt?” What a way of bringing home to all that He was a Saviour indeed!

It is observable, in conclusion, that this seems to have been just the effect produced on all that were with Him. On a previous, somewhat similar, but not equally striking occasion, the effect produced had been that especially, if not solely, of wonder (Mat_8:23-27). On this occasion the effect produced is that of “worship” as well (Mat_14:33). Before, those present declared admiringly that they had never seen such a Man (Mat_8:27)! Now, those present acknowledge devoutly that they are in the presence of God’s Son! “Truly” so; and, therefore, as at once befits such a conviction, humbly so, on their knees. “Verily,” so they said by this action, “Thou art a Saviour indeed!” And if to them, then to us as well who hear of their words. This, indeed, is one reason why this story, amongst so many others, has been thus reported to us, viz., that it may both be to us, in our way, and do for us, also, all it was, and all it did, for them at the first. So St. John declared of all he wrote in his account of the gospel (Joh_20:31). So may it be to us of all we read of this “Saviour indeed”!

HOMILIES ON THE VERSES

Mat_14:23. Jesus alone.—The first evening or afternoon had passed into the second evening or nightfall; twilight deepened into dark, dark into midnight; midnight passed, and the chill morning hours, and still He was there, alone, praying. We have here:—

I. Jesus our Example in prayer.—Not only praying with and for others, but actually a suppliant by Himself, and such a suppliant!

II. An example of solitary prayer.—He had no closet, but a “mountain apart.”

III. An example of continued prayer.—He had been so busy all day that the night must be drawn upon, and the whole night; He only ceased towards the dawn.

IV. An example of special prayer.—I.e. of a special season devoted to it beyond the common.—Prof. Laidlaw, D.D.

Christ’s seasons of special prayer.—Several instances are recorded, such as (Mark 1.) after the first Sabbath’s work in Capernaum, and again (Luk_6:12) just before the choosing of the Apostles, on which occasion He continued all night in prayer to God, and when it was day proceeded to the calling of the Twelve. So here He gave a night to prayer after the first mission of the Apostles and at what we may call the crisis of His Galilean ministry. Observe especially this last note of connection. John expressly records that Jesus departed that evening into the mountain alone, because He perceived that the people would come and take Him by force, to make Him a King. He probably passed, that night, through one of those inward experiences which, as recorded in other instances of Him, were followed by significant acts and words. He “perceived” the ease with which He could then have founded a great party in the Jewish nation, an outward and visible following far more powerful, to human appearance, than that which He did finally leave on earth. But the decision wrought out in that night’s prayer appeared the very next day. He went straight, when He had crossed to the other side, and preached in the synagogues of Capernaum, so John records it, such a sermon that almost all but the Twelve left Him, and many disciples went back and walked no more with Him. “It is the Spirit that quickeneth,” He said; “the flesh profiteth nothing.” And He had to found His kingdom, not on the glory of the flesh, which “falleth away,” but on the power of the Spirit in that word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.—Prof. Laidlaw, D.D.

Mat_14:22-24. Christ and His disciples.—

1. We should be sure of an urgent calling before we undertake a hazardous voyage. Jesus “constrained” His disciples.

2. Christ will not have men diverted from their places and callings under pretence of waiting on Him, nor to expect to live by miraculous means, but to attend upon the ordinary blessing of each man’s vocation; therefore He sendeth the multitude away.

3. Christ, albeit the Son of God, yet because He had taken our nature and the office of Mediator, upon all occasions of retiring He prayeth and intercedeth with God for His people.

4. When the godly are in trouble and under trials, the Mediator is praying for their upholding. When the disciples go to sea, Christ goeth to the mount to pray.

5. Christ’s disciples must be in trouble and hazards when others are at ease.

6. Albeit men have Christ’s warrant for their voyage, yet are they not exempted from trouble and danger therein.

7. Men may have fair weather in the beginning of a work, and danger and trouble may be kept back, till they be so far engaged, as it is more safe for them to go forward than to return.—David Dickson.

Mat_14:22-27. The walk upon the waters.—

I. The Saviour often sends His disciples into scenes of toil and trial.

II. While they are there He watches and prays for them.

III. When they have been enough tried, He will appear for their rescue, gladden them by His presence, and reward them with His blessing.—Baptist Magazine.

Mat_14:25.The sea and the Saviour.—The Jews had a proverb to the effect that “God created seven seas in the land of Canaan, but one only—the Sea of Galilee—did He choose for Himself.” It is characteristic of most lakes, as it is of our English, Scotch, and Irish lakes, that the water is speedily disturbed by sudden gales which sweep down between the mountains. So is it with the Sea of Galilee. Fierce cold winds pass down the snowy ranges of Lebanon and Hermon, and rush through the ravines of the Peræan Hills with terrific force. There is also another reason why the Sea of Tiberias is frequently agitated to an unusual extent. The Jordan runs through the lake with a very strong and distinct current, and when this is opposed by a powerful south or south-east wind the sea is at once beaten into fury.

I. That period of the disciples’ anxiety suggests to us that we, too, are exposed to many difficulties and dangers.—Our life is a voyage. During our course we are all called to encounter storms.

II. But such storms of trial are designed by God to be disciplinary.—Many lessons are conveyed to the mind by seasons of anxiety. The disciples must have been impressed by their inability to steer their own barque or save their own lives. On one occasion the great Napoleon arranged to review his fleet off Boulogne. Seeing that a severe storm was impending, the admiral in command sent word to the Emperor, advising that the position of the ships should be altered. Napoleon demanded obedience to his first directions, and the vice-admiral obeyed. The storm burst in terrific violence. Several gun-sloops were wrecked, and over two hundred soldiers and sailors were obliged to battle with the angry sea for life, and few escaped. The Emperor at once ordered the boats out to rescue the drowning men, but he was told that no boat could live in such a sea. Then, in the strength of his determination, he ordered a company of grenadiers to man his boat, and springing into it, he exclaimed: “Follow me, my brave fellows! Push on! Push on!” In vain the poor soldiers struggled at the oars. “Push on!” cried Napoleon. “Do you not hear their cries! Oh, this sea! this sea! It rebels against our power, but it may be conquered!” Scarcely had the words escaped his lips when a mighty billow struck the boat, and sent it and its occupants with terrible force high up the shore, leaving them like a stranded waif. Thus was the proud monarch taught his impotence. Thus also is self-confident, self-important, self-conceited man often driven back by life’s storms, driven back upon the very first principles of a truly religious life—conscious weakness and necessary dependence.

III. Another thought during that night of anxiety must have been forced home upon the minds of the disciples, viz., the supremacy and saving power of Jesus.—When He discerned their spiritual fitness—their conscious helplessness and earnest yearning for His presence and aid—then He appeared. So He deals with us still. He often seems absent when we most need Him. But He is really close at hand, and cognisant of everything. A lifeboat, with its precious cargo, was pitching and rolling in a fearful storm, when the old captain cried aloud to all, “Hold on! hold on!” The response came, “Ay, ay!” But there was one little voice which, in the sadness of despair, exclaimed, “I can’t hold on!” Instantly the strong arm of the captain was thrown around that trembling child, and he was safe. So when Jesus sees and hears that, notwithstanding our utmost efforts, we feel we need Him, and crave His Divine help, He hastens to our relief. How many have been brought to Christ by sorrow!

IV. How those disciples must have prized the rest and quietude of the haven after that night of anxiety!

V. As Christ went to the relief of His distressed disciples, so we who profess to value the religion of Jesus should be willing to do all we can for our sons of the sea.—They are a noble race—our sailors. A ship was once in distress. Though the angry sea dashed and foamed with terrible fury, yet some noble sailors put off to rescue the ship’s crew. After prolonged effort and peculiar danger they succeeded in bringing the whole company safely to shore. A man of wealth, standing by the water’s side, as spectator of the men’s heroism, was moved by the way they risked their lives. Pulling out his purse he offered all the gold it contained to the coxswain and his men. The gift, however, was respectfully declined, the boatswain saying, “No, sir; we would save a man for nothing any day.”—J. H. Hitchens, D.D.

Mat_14:26.—The disciples in the storm.—A little thing frightens us in a storm (M. Henry). Things oft go backward ere they come forward with us.—Trapp.

Mat_14:28-32. Peter walks on the sea.—Learn:

I. It is not always good to have a literal and exact answer to our requests.—Translated into its real meaning, our prayer too often is that we may walk on some rough dangerous sea in whose rising waves we, for want of faith, or for want of faith enough, should be engulfed. Like Peter we say, “Bid us come there, where we want to be” or “where we may display our superior strength.” Sometimes the answer is “Come,” in order that we may know our weakness, and have our pride of wisdom brought low. Peter must have the offending Adam washed out of him, etc.

II. The miraculous power of faith.—So long as Peter looks only to Christ, so long as he gathers up all powers of heart and mind, and bends them on the Master, he walks on the rough sea as easily as on the green mountain slopes. ’Tis only when he begins to doubt, when his will wavers, and his thoughts tend now in this direction now in that, that he begins to sink.

III. The symbolic, prophetic significance.—Christ stands on the eternal mountain, watching and interceding, while the ship, His church, labours across the sea of time.—The Church.

Mat_14:28-31. Peter: the trial, infirmity and triumph of his faith.—The incident recorded in this passage of Scripture not only illustrates generally the character of the Apostle Peter, but affords a particular example of his faith—its power, and its weakness, too—such as may be usefully studied.

I. That Peter’s faith in Jesus was at all events and upon the whole sincere, is manifest from these two circumstances in his behaviour.

1. In dependence upon Jesus he left the vessel.

2. When sinking he called upon Him for aid. And the very words of our Saviour’s reproof manifestly imply that it was so (Mat_14:31). Peter is not charged with the sin of having no faith at all, though he is reproved for having little faith. Uneasy thoughts and anxious fears, however inconsistent they may be with the abundance and the strength of energetic faith, are not always or necessarily inconsistent with its genuine reality.

II. The faith of Peter, though sincere, was yet imperfect.—Let us mark the progress of his temporary distrust and doubting, that we may see exactly the nature of his sin. When Peter first recognised his Master’s presence, so forward was he to profess his faith, and to put his resolution to the test, even at the hazard of his life—so great was his anxiety to meet Jesus, and so implicit his confidence—that he was willing to trust himself with Him even on the yielding waves. Yet he did not venture without first inquiring what his Master would have him to do. His sin lay, not in the zealous profession which he made of his faith, nor in the prompt alacrity of his faithful obedience, but in the weakness and doubtfulness of that faith which he professed, and in which he obeyed. Such is the sin against which we have to guard.—R. S. Candlish, D.D.

Mat_14:28. Peter’s fault.—Wherein lay the fault in Peter’s proposal? We answer:—

I. In self-confidence, self-preference.—“Bid me.” He would outdo and outdare all the rest with a mightier display of faith. Here, just as at the supper table, with his greater show of humility, “Thou shalt never wash my feet” (John 13), Peter rehearsed, so to speak, his great fall. He boasted a larger faith than all the rest, and fell to a lower and pitiable depth of fear; as in that sadder after-scene he boasted a greater faithfulness, and fell to the lowest depths of unfaithfulness short of final apostasy. The secret springs of the action in both cases, are discovered by comparison of the two. “Let him that thinketh he standeth,” etc.

II. In the impulsiveness which even in religious faith is allied to rashness, and therefore to weakness. Exaggerated faith is really, as appears in this instructive story, weak faith, little faith. It is a small faith boasting itself, stretching itself out and overdoing itself. On this occasion, however, “He said come.” To have repressed Peter’s suggestion might have checked that bold and loving disposition which the Master sought to train for deeds of renown. To be let try this thing, and suffer partial failure in it, was the way by which Peter’s real faith would be strengthened and his fault of carnal overboldness corrected. The Lord puts His answer in the form of a simple permission, “Come!”—Professor Laidlaw, D.D.

Mat_14:30. The failure of Peter’s faith.—So long as the inner soul of Peter was purely and simply turned towards the Person of the Lord, he was capable of receiving within himself the fulness of Christ’s life and Spirit, so that what Christ could do he could do; but so soon as his capacity for receiving the Spirit was contracted by his giving place and weight to a foreign power, the result was … that the sea-walker fell back under the dominion of earthly elements.—Olshausen.

Mat_14:28-29. Doing the impossible.—There is no real success in the work of Christ’s kingdom which is not to man’s judgment as impossible as to tread the waves. When Paul went to convert the nations of Greece and Rome to the faith of the crucified Nazarene, he went to walk on the waters. All reason was against the probability of his success. When Luther revived the gospel of free grace in face of the Roman hierarchy and the empire, he went to walk on the waters. Pope, emperor, princes, and churchmen were ready to swallow him up. There is not a true missionary abroad or true mission worker at home, but goes to seek results above nature, by methods that work beyond reason. If we would truly serve Jesus and His kingdom, walk on the waves we must; for we walk by faith, not by sight. Only let us gather from this story the condition, and take our motto from Isaiah rather than from Peter. Instead of choosing for oneself the path of duty and saying, “Lord, bid me come,” let us put ourselves and our service always into His hands, saying in answer to His question, “Who will go for us?” “Here am I; send me.”—Professor Laidlaw, D.D.

Mat_14:31-32. Christ glorified.—Now the exercise is ended, the disciples’ weakness and Christ’s strength are manifested.

1. When the trial is at an end, the trouble is at an end. Christ and Peter come up into the ship and the wind ceaseth.

2. It is a blessed trouble which endeth in glorifying Christ and in the increase of knowledge.

3. New experience doth furnish deep impressions of Christ’s Divine power and Godhead.

4. Deliverance from imminent death speaketh more of God’s power to the humble person, than the greatest works do speak unto the secure; as the deliverance of the disciples from the raging sea maketh them more sensible of Christ’s Godhead than the miraculous feeding of five thousand with so few loaves in the wilderness.—David Dickson.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. Jesus Walking on the Sea. Mat_14:22-33

22     And straightway Jesus [he] constrained his disciples to get [enter, ἐμβῆναι] into a ship, and to go before him unto [to] the other side, while he sent [until he should have sent] the multitudes away. 23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart [καἰ ἰδίαν] to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with [vexed by the] waves: for the wind was contrary. 25And in the fourth watch of the night [at 3 o’clock, a. m.] Jesus went unto them, walking on [over] the sea.23 26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea,24 they were troubled, saying. It is a spirit [spectre, φάντασμα]; and they cried out for fear. 27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. 28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he25 walked on [over] the water [ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα], to go to Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught [took hold of] him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32And when they were [had] come [up]26 into the ship, the wind ceased. 33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God [Θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ].

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Connection.—The same order as that of the narrative before us is observed in the Gospels of Mark and John. Luke wholly omits the event.

Mat_14:22. Straightway He constrained His disciples, εὐθές ή νάγκασε.—The miraculous feeding had made the strongest impression on the minds of the people, who now wished to make Christ their king, i.e., to proclaim Him Messiah, Joh_6:15. On this, as on other occasions, Jesus had considerable difficulty in withdrawing Himself from the multitude, which, according to John, followed Him to the western shore. The reason why Jesus dismissed his disciples was probably their sympathy with the enthusiasm of the people. In proportion as they had at first been encouraged by the success of their apostolic mission, must have been their depression when the tidings of John’s martyrdom arrived (Mar_6:30-31; Luk_9:10). This sudden revulsion of feeling rendered them all the more susceptible to impressions such as those evoked by the scene which they had just witnessed. In all likelihood, the proposal to make Jesus king was intended in contrast to the crime of Herod, and was hence all the more dangerous. The Lord tarried behind in order to withdraw Himself the more easily from the people after He had calmed them. Upon a lonely, quiet mountain-top would He offer His sacrifice on that notable and glorious day.

To go before Him.—With Lightfoot and Wieseler, we view the event as follows:—The disciples were not to pass over directly, but only to go before Him along the coast, and to take Him up at the place appointed (πρὸςΒηθσαϊδάν, which Wieseler understands as referring to the eastern Bethsaida, above the mouth of the Jordan). When Jesus had dismissed the people and ascended the mountain, the ship was already a prey to the wind and waves, and driven, contrary to the will of the disciples, into the middle of the sea. (The expression βασανιζόμενον implies that the ship was helpless.) During three watches, or till about three o’clock in the morning, the disciples had vainly endeavored to bring the ship back to the eastern coast, in order to meet the Master near Bethsaida. They were only driven farther westward; and when the Saviour finally came into the ship, they were already quite close to the western shore. While thus laboring till completely exhausted, the Lord Jesus awaited them on the eastern shore. It was under these distressing circumstances that He felt impelled to manifest His miraculous power, in an entirely new manner. Compassion for those who toiled on the sea, and a sense of exaltation over the rebellious element which separated Him from His disciples, determined Him to go forth upon the sea. In this view of the matter, this miracle is as full of meaning and importance as any other of the many displays of His compassion and love.—According to the common view, which is adopted even by Meyer, the Lord had commanded the disciples to pass over before Him; but their passage was much retarded by contrary winds, when He, walking on the sea, overtook them, and calmed the storm. Against this view we have to urge the following considerations: 1. If the above view were correct, we should have expected that the disciples would have asked the Master how he intended to pass over. No other ship than theirs was in waiting (John 6); nor would it have been possible to have contemplated the long road by land, more especially as the Evangelist speaks of προάγειν, which implies a short passage, until He had dismissed the people. Least of all would the disciples expect that Christ would walk over the sea, else they could not afterward have been afraid and regarded Him as a spectre. 2. If it had been intended that the disciples should have directly passed over, and not have met the Lord on the eastern shore, the journey by which they so soon reached the middle of the sea would have been extremely rapid, and the statement about contrary winds would appear unaccountable. 3. As the disciples were close by the western shore when the Lord came up to them, the miracle which He performed would have been entirely useless if they had hitherto followed their intended destination. On the other hand, we urge in favor of our own interpretation: 1. The terms προάγει ν, ἕως,—implying that He intended to join them very shortly. The expression εἰςτὸπέραν must be explained as meaning, “in the direction of,” or “toward the other side,” or else “with a view to passing to the other side.” 2. If, as John states, Capernaum was their ultimate destination, the obvious interpretation of πρὸς Βηθσαϊδάν would be that it referred to the eastern Bethsaida, not far from the mouth of the Jordan, and that the disciples were to sail along the coast, and there to meet the Lord. 3. Under such circumstances, it would indeed be contrary to their will when they found themselves in the evening in the midst of the sea. The ship had been driven out by a contrary wind, and all their efforts at rowing proved insufficient to counteract its effects. The ship was Βασανιζόμενον. 4. According to the account in John, they were close by the western shore when the Saviour joined them, and the wind was still strong. Had it been a westerly wind their difficulties would by that time have been almost overcome, and thus help arrived too late. But here the objection may be urged, that, according to the narrative of Matthew and Mark, the wind was allayed when Jesus entered the ship. It might be argued that the wind, which was contrary to them while they sought to reach the eastern shore, would now be propitious, when, after having received Jesus into the ship, they would steer for the western shore. But a glance at the map will remove this difficulty. From any point on the eastern shore the disciples would require to steer northward in order to reach Julias. A strong northeasterly wind had driven them in an opposite direction, and far into the sea. Hence they were probably a good way beyond Capernaum; and if the wind had lasted, it would still have been contrary to them in reference to reaching that port. This also explains the terror of Peter. The Lord came in a northeasterly direction, while Peter, in meeting Him, had to go against wind and waves. 5. Lastly, according to our interpretation of this miracle, it was evidently called forth by the distress of the disciples, which at the same time was symbolical, while the miraculous help afforded them had both a direct and a symbolical import.

Mat_14:25. In the fourth watch of the night,—i.e., between three and six o’clock in the morning. At an earlier period both the Jews and the Greeks divided the night into three watches, each of four hours. From the time of Pompey, however, they adopted the Roman practice of reckoning four watches, each of three hours, viz., ὀψέ. μεσονύκτιον, ὰλεκτοροφωνία, πρωϊ̓. (Comp. Winer sub Nachtwache.)

Mat_14:25-26. Over the sea ( Mat_14:25, ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν, according to the true reading); on the sea Mat_14:26, ἐπὶ τ ῆὶ ς θαλ.)—The text thus points out a nice, but very important distinction. In Mat_14:25, the main point of the narrative lies in this, that Jesus hastened over the sea to join the disciples; while in Mat_14:26 the disciples are chiefly struck with the miraculous sight of one walking on the sea. It is scarcely necessary to say that the gloss of Paulus, Stolz, and Gfrörer, “walking on the high shore above the sea,” is a poor evasion of the difficulty.27 Any such idea is completely refuted by the expression περιεπάτησεν ἐπ τα ὕδατα (ver 29), and by the scene between Christ and Peter, as well as by the impossibility of a conversation carried on between Christ on the shore and the disciples in the midst of the sea [especially during a storm on the lake]. Besides, the terror of the disciples shows that the event was miraculous.

The miracle itself.—It has been regarded: 1. As merely a manifestation of the sway of the Son of God over the elements—a Monophysite view which has lately again been advanced by Meyer.28 In reply, it is sufficient to say, that the narrative implies not merely sway over the elements, but also omnipotent sway over the body of the Lord Jesus, which was not a docetic, but a real body. 2. We have already adverted to the natural [or rather unnatural, because grammatically and exegetically impossible] explanation by Paulus and others, which is wholly incompatible with the narrative. 3. Some have represented it as merely a natural event, which tradition had clothed in a symbolical or mythical form (Baumgarten-Crusius, Hase, and partly also de Wette). 4. Bolten speaks of swimming (! !). 5. Some have characterized it as a mythical anecdote of the sea, with special reference to 2Ki_2:14; 2Ki_6:6; Job_9:8, and to foreign legends (Strauss). 6. Weisse views it allegorically; while, 7. Olshausen holds that our Lord here manifested a power inherent in His higher corporeity. Meyer denounces this view as docetic,—a charge which Olshausen might have retorted with much greater justice; for manifestly, if we suppose that the divinity of Christ had sustained His human nature while walking on the water, we make a complete separation between the two natures in the person of Christ, which after all is Docetism. Olshausen is, in the main, right in remarking that it is a mistake to regard the transformation of Christ as the work of a moment, but that this transformation and perfection extended over all His life. We object only to the manner in which he expresses this truth. It were more correct to say, that while the transfiguration of Christ, viewed as a state, commenced with His resurrection, the disposition toward it was not only inherent in His body from the first, but increasingly manifested itself and developed during the whole course of His life. Hence also the Lord manifested this glory on special occasions, even before His final sufferings. At His baptism it had appeared in a sign from heaven. Again, at the miracle in Cana, and when miraculously feeding the multitude, it had shone forth, and that not merely as inherent in Him, but as extending to others and working wonders. And now, in the extremity of his disciples, it burst forth in all its majesty; while soon afterward it manifested itself even in a visible manner on the Mount of Transfiguration, for the twofold purpose of showing that the Lord Jesus entered, of His own free choice, upon the path of suffering which now opened before Him, and of confirming the faith of the disciples. From the fact that by faith Peter could share in this matter, we infer that the walking on the sea was a momentary manifestation of a spiritual power, inherent in the body of Christ, which had not as yet appeared. Peter—as indeed our human nature generally—possessed the same inherent power, which represents the germ of the resurrection. But in our present stato this power is clogged and fettered by sinfulness; and in this instance is only awakened by the wonderworking word of the Lord, while it again disappears so soon as faith gives place to doubt. Thus this miracle of Christ is a miracle on His own person, just like the miraculous birth, the testimony at His baptism, the transfiguration on the mount, the resurrection, and the ascension—pointing back to the first two, and again forward to these other events. This miracle on Him led to the miracle by Him, or to the summons addressed to Peter to walk with Him on the water. The instances sometimes adduced of somnambulists29 and others who have walked on the water can by no means explain this miracle, but they deserve notice as mechanical and pathological manifestations of a power, showing what is possible and inherent in human nature, weighed down as it still is by sin, and concealed by the contrast between the first and the second life. At any rate, they shed a dim light over that world of higher life which the God-Man opened up, and into which Peter for a short space entered, through the operation of faith.

[Trench, following Olshausen, Neander, Ullmann, and other German divines, remarks on this miracle (Notes on the Miracles, p. 286): “The miracle is not the violation, nor yet the suspension of law, but the incoming of a higher law, as of a spiritual in the midst of natural laws, and the momentary asserting, for that higher law, of the predominance which it was intended to have, and but for man’s fall it would always have had, over the lower; and with this a prophetic anticipation of the prevalence which it shall one day recover. Exactly thus was there here the sign of the lordship of man’s will, when that will is in absolute harmony with God’s will, over external nature. In regard of this very law of gravity, a feeble, and for the most part unconsciously possessed, remnant30 of his power survives to man in the well-attested fact that his body is lighter when he is awake than sleeping [as was observed even by Pliny, Hist. Nat. vii. 18]; a fact which every man who has carried a child would be able to attest. From this we conclude that the human consciousness, as an inner centre, works as an opposing force to the attractionof the earth and the centripetal force of gravity, however unable now to overbear it.”—P. S.]

Mat_14:26. It is a ghost, or a spectre [not spirit, as in the E. V.], φάντασμά [not πνεῦμα] ἐστιν.—Their belief in the apparition of spectres is here presupposed. The vivid sketch of their sudden terror may be regarded as an indirect evidence of the faithfulness of the narrative. They seem to have regarded the apparition as an indication of coming evil.—According to the narrative of John, they were already between twenty-five and thirty furlongs from the eastern shore, i. e., across about three fourths of the lake.

Mat_14:28. [Alford: “This narrative respecting Peter is peculiar to Matthew. It is in very strict accordance with his warm and confident, character, and has been called almost a ‘rehearsal’ of his denial afterward. It contains one of the most pointed and striking revelations which we have of the nature and analogy of faith, and a notable example of the power of the higher spiritual state of man over the inferior laws of matter, so often brought forward by our Lord. See Mat_17:20; Mat_21:21.”—Peter’s fault lay in the words: “Bid me,” which betray an ambitious and overconfident desire to outdo and outdare the other disciples, and may be regarded as a prelude of the boastful: “Although all shall be offended at Thee, yet will not I.”—P. S.]

Mat_14:29. And He said: Come!—One of those commands of sovereignty which prove that the Lord possessed the full consciousness of His power. [But it is more probably the permissive Come, i. e., “Make the experiment, if thou desirest.” The Lord knew that Peter’s courage would fail him.—P. S.]

Mat_14:30. But when he saw the wind boisterous,—i. e., the high waves, impelled by the wind, rushing against him. [As long as Peter looked to Jesus only, he rose by faith over the elements of nature; but as soon as he looked away from Jesus to the boisterous waves, he began to doubt, to despond, and to sink.—P. S.]

Mat_14:31. Wherefore didst thou doubt?—Διστάζειν means properly, to turn irresolutely in two directions, to waver, Mat_28:17. ΙΙρῶτον μὲν ἐθάῤῥησας, ὕστερον δὲ ἐδειλὶασας. Euth. Zigabenus.

Mat_14:32. And when they were come into the ship—Meyer: “According to the narrative in John, Christ did not enter the ship, though the disciples were willing to receive Him. An actual though unimportant discrepancy.” Olshausen accounts for the difficulty by remarking that the disciples at first sought to avoid what they regarded as a spectre; but when they recognized the Lord, they were anxious to receive Him,—which implied, as a matter of course, that He actually entered the ship. Again, in the Gospel of Mark, we read: ἤ θελεπαρελ θεῖναὐ τούς. Apparently it had been the intention of Christ to precede the disciples, and to point out the direction in which to follow Him. This intention was afterward modified by the occurrence with Peter. Accordingly, we interpret the narrative in John as follows: They were willing to receive Him into the ship on the eastern shore at the commencement of their passage, and now (after the scene on the sea, and His entering the ship, which John passes over) they were immediately at the western coast, whither they went. Thus Christ had passed over the greater part of the sea before meeting the disciples.

Mat_14:33. Of a truth Thou art the [a] Son of God.—Not merely the Messiah in the ordinary sense, but with special reference to His divine character as revealed in the New Testament. Meyer: “According to Matthew, Jesus is here for the first time owned by man as the Son of God (Mat_3:17; Mat_4:3; Mat_8:29).” [The persons here introduced as ο ἱἐντῷ πῷ πλοίῳ were probably the crew of the ship, the boatmen, the mariners, and perhaps some other passengers, as distinct from the disciples; comp. Mat_14:15; Mat_14:19; Mat_14:22; Mat_14:26, and οί ἄνθρωποι, Mat_8:27. So Jerome: Nautœ atque vectores. Jerome adds: “The sailors acknowledge Him to be truly the Son of God on witnessing one miracle, the calming of the tempest: yet Arius proclaims Him to be a mere creature.” But it should not be overlooked that the omission of the article before υἱός generalizes the meaning of the term. Christ is more than a son of God, He is the Son of God, in a unique and absolute sense, as He is the Son of Man. The mariners, however, being probably Jews, could not understand the term in a polytheistic sense, and meant to infer from Christ’s control over the elements that He was clothed with divine power.—P. S.]

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. On the miracle itself, see the exegetical notes.

2. Scripture often compares the people to the sea and its waves (Psalms 46; Dan_7:3; Rev_13:1). Christ had just assuaged a storm on land, which had almost swept away the disciples. The same scene is now re-enacted in a figurative manner. Jesus sways the waves of the sea as He had calmed those of the people, and as He shall sway those of the nations. But the Apostles are unequal to the emergency. And when Peter ventures for a while to walk with the Lord on the waves, he soon sinks in the storm, and is only preserved when Christ brings him back into the ship which contains the rest of the Apostles, with the reproof: O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

3. Along with a view of the exaltation of Christ over all nature, we here obtain a glimpse not only of the future glory of the children of God, but also how the throes and struggles of nature are calmed and cease at the feet of Jesus. The narrative contains three miracles combined. The first prefigured and introduced Christ’s resurrection and ascension. From the second we learn how, even upon earth, believers may, in anticipation of their future glory, triumph and conquer in the midst of waves or flames. The third affords us an insight how nature herself shall be delivered from her subjection to vanity into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Lastly, we have here a typical prophecy of the future dominion of the spirit of Christianity over the sea of nations. A British painter, H. Richter, has given us the most affecting representation of Christ’s walking over the sea.

4. Shortly before this, Christ had conquered two giants which ever endanger society—famine, and revolutionary attempts to establish a new millennium By removing the terrors of the deep, He overcame a third and equally great danger. In the interval He had been on the mount. From the mountain of prayer did the great Captain of humanity conduct all His wars, and gain all His conquests. But Christ preferred to meet these three giants, rather than trust Himself to the whims of that despot who, after having murdered the Baptist, showed a disposition to condescend to Himself.

5. From that time forward commenced the sway of the Spirit of Christ, by which He will ultimately subdue these three giants in the world.

6. It is true that Peter could swim; but in his terror he lost not only his spiritual, but even his natural, attainments.

[Trench: Peter is here the image of all the faithful of all ages, in the seasons of their weakness and their fear. So long as they are strong in faith, they are able to tread under foot all the most turbulent agitations of an unquiet world; but when they lose heart and fear, they begin to sink; and were it not for Christ’s sustaining hand, which is stretched out in answer to their cry, they would be wholly overwhelmed and swallowed up.—P. S.]

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Christ walking on the sea: 1. He goes over the sea to bring help; and hence walks, 2. on the sea, displaying His omnipotence.—The three miracles combined prefiguring the threefold transfiguration: 1. Of the Lord; 2. of believers; 3. of nature (Rom. viii.).—Why the Lord constrained His disciples to quit the multitude; or, the dangers accruing to the Church from the enthusiasm of popular excitement.—Christ had as frequently to withdraw from the people as to go and meet them.—The disciples would have sent away the people when they were hungry; Christ dismisses them when they were too well satisfied.—Jesus, in those nights of prayer solitary on mountains, alone with His Father.—The lonely nights of the Saviour, of which the blessing descends on the world in the light of day.—The disciples driven by the sea from the Lord until the fourth watch: 1. In the gospel narrative; 2. in the history of the Church.—How the necessity of the disciples evokes the most glorious power of the Lord.—The miracles occasioned by the need of His people.—How the fear of spirits increases a thousandfold the real terrors of life.—The fear of spectres: 1. The truth lying at the foundation of it; 2. its errors and dangers.—Sad self-deception on the part of the disciples: to be afraid of their Lord and Saviour as if He had been a spectre.—How the disciples in the ship of the Church still cry out from fear, whenever the Lord comes over the waves with a new display of His glory.—How they imagine that the Lord Himself is always obliged to pass over in a vessel.—How the world will be set free from its fear of spectres: 1. From superstition, by faith; 2. from apparitions, by miracles; 3. from fear, by peace; 4. from crying out, by giving praise.—“Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.”—The reply of Peter: “Lord, if it be Thou,”—indicating the appearance of uncertainty in the midst of faith.—The faith of Peter.—The character of Peter the same here as at the time of Christ’s last sufferings, and during his later apostolate (Act_8:10; Galatians 2).—The history of Peter on the sea, a prelude to his fall.—“And He said: Come.”—How it clearly appears that the Lord grants help only on condition of a faith, which, however, Himself has called forth.—Origin of doubt: he looked much at the wind, and little at the Lord.—How the Lord rescues His own from all depths of the sea.—Jesus, the Saviour of His people amid the terrors of the sea.—Christ an all-sufficient Saviour both at sea and on land.—The Spirit of Christ in His victory over the resistance of nature.—If our strength prove insufficient to bring us to Christ, His strength is sufficient to bring Him to us.—How unexpectedly at the end of the journey!—They wished to land on the eastern, but landed on the western shore.—The first confession of the Messiah as the Son of God, the fruit of a night of unparalleled terror.—The most glorious success following the most hopeless toil.—Evening and morning witnessing the miracles of the Lord.—How Christ ever reminds us of His former miracles by working new wonders.—“They worshipped Him;” or, the homage due to Christ as king.—Christ walking on the sea, a prelude to the history of His sufferings and resurrection: 1. Christ separated by the people from His disciples; 2. Christ lost to view in the darkness of night on the other shore; 3. the disciples driven from Him, and toiling in deep sorrow and need; 4. the miraculous reappearance of Christ: fear and joy.

Starke:—Quesnel: An humble person will withdraw from praise and glory.—Zeisius: The word which we have heard and learned must be evidenced by the cross.—Osiander: The kingdom of Christ not of this world.—Christ withdrew from worldly honors, while we seek them; is this to follow after Him?—J. Hall: Worldly prosperity is more dangerous than adversity.—If Christ was thus instant in prayer, how much more should we wrestle in it!—The quiet of evening the time for prayer.—Alone with God.—Quesnel: The Church like a ship in the midst of the sea.—God leads His own people often in strange, but always in a blessed and holy, way, Psa_4:3.—If Jesus be absent, there is only misery and temptation. Nov. Bibl. Tub.—J. Hall: Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.—New wants will bring fresh help and fresh experiences.—Hedinger: The heart of man is unstable,—bold now, and again fearful, Jer_17:9.—Bibl. Wurt.: Alas! how fearful do believers often become in their difficulties and sorrows.—Canstein: Even believers are afraid when God comes to them in an unusual way.—J. Hall: The gracious help of Christ comes always at the right moment.—“It is I; “ I am with thee in trouble, Psa_91:15.—The confidence of Christians.—The assurance of Christ’s gracious presence the greatest comfort of Christians in their deepest sorrows.—Hall: A good sheep knows even the voice of its shepherd, Joh_10:4.—Lord, bid me come unto Thee.—The word of Christ a strong bridge.—With God we can achieve mighty things.—Nature and grace side by side.—However good our purpose, it is shaken by temptation.—Bibl. Wurt.: Beware of being too bold.—Christ does not suffer us to sink in our weakness.—Quesnel: It is good for Christians that God from time to time allows them to feel their weakness and their impotence.—Our help is in the name of the Lord.—The Lord sometimes allows His people to sink, but only in order to humble them.—Osiander: To doubt the help of God, must lead to adversity; therefore keep firm hold of the promise, and do not sink, Isa_43:12.—Canstein: The Lord ministers to His ministers more than they minister to Him.—Zeisius: Christ the wonder-worker, whom even the wind and waves obey.—Quesnel: A consideration of the miracles of Jesus tending to strengthen our faith.—Christ claiming our worship, Php_2:10.

Gerlach: The glorified body of Christ was, as it were, visible even through His earthly body; Matthew 17. Hence the waves were like firm soil under Him; just as Christ passed through the world untouched by human corruption and unmoved by the passions around Him.—In his faith and deep attachment to Jesus, Peter can no longer bear the uncertainty. As on other occasions, so now, he precedes the other disciples; but not knowing his own weakness, he soon fails.—Greater than common demands are made upon those who come prominently forward; but if their temptations are stronger, their deliverances are also more glorious.

Heubner:—In the history of Christ, work and prayer always succeeded each other. Ora et labora.—His need of solitude.—God allows sorrow to befall us because He foresees its end.—When He is absent, rest is wanting.—When the Helper is expected, He is already present.—He knows the need of His people.—The presence of Jesus drives away all fear.—Peter feels his human impotence only when he is on the water; i. e., when he has progressed beyond human experience and strength into the domain of faith, where the power of God alone can sustain him. He now feels that he has passed beyond the limits of human nature, and this sense overpowers him (but only because his heart is divided).—Faith can never wholly sink; it takes hold of the right hand of the Lord.

[Augustine:—Amas Deum, ambulas super mare: sub pedibus tuis est seculi tumor. Amas seculum, absorbebit te.—Chrysostom: We need not fear the tempest, but only the weakness of our faith. Hence Christ does not calm the storm, but takes Peter by the hand.—It is of no use to be near Christ in person, unless we are near Him by faith.—Wordsworth: Peter was enabled by Christ to walk on the sea; so the risen bodies of the saints will be enabled to fly upward and meet Him in the air, 1Th_4:17.—Peter sinks without Christ. (Think of the Church of Rome in her errors.)—P. S.]

Footnotes:

[23] Mat_14:25.—Ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν, B., R., D.. al., [Cod. Sinait]. instead of the lect. recepta: ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης. [Lange: dahin schreitend über das Meer; Ewald: wandelnd über den See; Meyer: über den See hin wandelnd.—P. S.]

[24] Mat_14:26.—Here B., C., D., etc., [Cod. Sinait], read ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης;—the text. rec. with younger MSS.: ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν. [The E. Vers. obliterates the distinction between ἐπὶ τήν (accusative of motion), and ἐπὶ τῆς (the genitive, of the mere appearing on the lake); as does also the Lat. Vulgate (super mare in both cases), and Luther (auf dem Meer.). The change of case is appropriate. The disciples saw the Lord walking on the lake, when He walked over the lake to meet them. Comp. the Exeg. Note, and Meyer in loc.—P. S.]

[25] Mat_14:29.—[Better Conant: And coming down from the ship, Peter walked, etc., καταβὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ πλοίου δ Πέτρος, κ.τ.λ.—P. S.]

[26] Mat_14:32.—[The oldest authorities, including Cod. Sinaiticus. read ἀνα βάντων, “when they had come up,” for the ἐμ βάντων of the received text. Tischendorf adheres to the latter, but Iachmann, Tregelles, and Alford adopt the former.—P. S.]

[27][The preposition ἐπί with the genitive may mean: on the bank of, but only after verbs of rest, as in Joh_21:1 (ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσησ τῆς Τιβεριάδος), not after verbs of motion, as περιπατεῖν, and still less with the accusative.—P. S.]

[28][I can see no monophysitism in Meyer, who simply says in loc. (p. 300): “Die Sache bleibt ein wunderbares Gehen auf dem See, welches. … unter den Gesichtspunkt der Christo als Sohn Gottes inwohnenden Herrschaft über die Elemente und ihre Kräfte zu stellen, hinsicht ich des Wie der Ausfόhrung aber völlig unbestimmbar ist;” i. e., Meyer admits here a supernatural miracle, which must be derived from Christ’s power over nature dwelling in Him as the Son of God, but the exact mode of which cannot be defined.—P. S.]

[29]Die Seherin von Prevorst, 1:77.

[30][This collocation of words, placing two or more adjectives, which are defined by adverbs, before the noun, is a palpable Germanism, which to the English ear sounds heavy and inelegant. It is strange that Dr. Trench, who wrote such readable books on the English language, and the study of words, and is otherwise a fresh, racy, and idiomatic writer, should be frequently so careless and nonchalant in his style.—P. S.]

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

JESUS WALKS UPON THE WATER

Mat 14:22-36; Mar 6:45-56; & Joh 6:15-21. Mark: “And immediately He constrained His disciples to go into the ship, and to proceed before Him to the other side, toward Bethsaida, until He can send away the multitude.” This statement is calculated to puzzle the reader, because Luk 9:10, says that they were already in an uninhabited place of the city called Bethsaida. If you are only once on the spot, this apparent contradiction between Mark and Luke would suddenly vanish. The solution of the matter is, there were two towns called Bethsaida on the sea of Galilee — the one in whose vicinity these multitudes were fed is on the northwest coast; and the other, toward which they sailed after adjournment, is on the left bank of the inflowing Jordan, and near the northeast coast. The latter is known as Bethsaida Julias; the latter cognomen being added to distinguish it from the other Bethsaida, and also in honor of Julia, the Roman empress. “And having sent them away, He departed into the mountain to pray.”

Joh 6:15 : “Therefore, Jesus, knowing that they are about to come and seize Him, that they may make Him King, departed again alone into the mountain to pray.” Here, you see, John tells the secret; they have assembled in vast numbers to go up to Jerusalem to the Passover. This stupendous miracle so convinces them of His Christhood that they resolve to take Him into hand, and carry Him along with them to Jerusalem, and there have Him crowned King of the Jew’s. This is the reason why He had to force His own disciples to go away. They, with the multitude, were determined to crown Him King. As the people looked upon them as leaders in that momentously interesting transaction, when they saw them embark in a ship to leave, the natural effect was to weaken the enterprise in the estimation of the multitude, and postpone His coronation. So now, His disciples, having gone to their ship, are sailing away in a northeasterly direction. Having dismissed the multitude, doubtless eluding their vision, He goes away alone into the mountain to pray.

“And when it was evening, His disciples embarked upon the sea, and having come into the ship, they were going across the sea to Capernaum.” Bethsaida Julias, toward which Mark says they were going, is in the same direction, but several miles beyond Capernaum. Hence there is harmony among the writers. “And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them; and the sea wrought, a great wind blowing.” The sea of Galilee, depressed seven hundred feet below the Mediterranean, and consequently surrounded by mountains and highlands, is quite subject to sudden squalls, often very violent, and dangerous to the small vessels they used in that day. When I was there last fall, it was my good fortune to sail round and over that beautiful sea in a most excellent boat, quite secure amid the storms, having been built for the especial accommodation of the German emperor, who visited that country the preceding year. “Therefore, having come about twenty-five or thirty furlongs [i.e., three or four miles], they see Jesus walking about on the sea, and being near the ship, and they were afraid.” Mark says, “Thought it was a specter” — i.e., a ghost — not distinctly recognizing, perhaps, even human personality. There-fore they were all alarmed and cried out with affright. Mat 14:27 : “Immediately He spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer; I am here; fear not.”

PETER WALKING ON THE WATER & SINKING

“And Peter, responding to Him, said, Lord, if Thou art here, command me to come to Thee on the waters. And He said, Come. And Peter having come down from the ship, was walking about on the waters to come to Jesus.

And seeing the wind strong, became alarmed; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me! And immediately Jesus, reaching forth His hand, took him, and says to him, O ye of little faith, why did you doubt? And they, coming into the ship, the wind ceased. And those in the ship, coming, worshipped Him, saying, Truly, Thou art the Son of God.” These last mentioned as falling down, worshipping, and confessing His Christhood, were evidently the sailors in charge of the ship. We have here, in the example of Peter, a most notable illustration confirming the omnipotence of faith, as illustrated here by Peter looking at Jesus. So long as he kept his eye on Him, with perfect security he could run all around over the stormy sea. You who have never been in a storm at sea will hardly duly estimate the trepidation inspired by the rolling waves, thundering seas, and raging billows. Now, you must remember, the sea was not smooth and calm when Peter walked over it, but racked with storms and plowed with tempests, vividly illustrating the stormy ocean of probationary life. Just as Peter could walk over the stormy sea with perfect security, so long as he kept his eye on Jesus, so can you tread with safety the tempest-racked billows of life’s stormy ocean, swept by cyclones from the bottomless pit, so long as you keep your eye of faith on Jesus, and pay no attention to the roaring billows, nor the barking of the hell-hounds. The moment you take your eye from Jesus, and look at your adverse circumstances, and begin to estimate the power of your temptations, you will begin to sink; and if you do not, like Peter, cry out, “Lord, save, I perish,” you will sink forever, as hell has no bottom.

Joh 6:21 : “Then they wished to take Him in the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land to which they were going.” That land was Genesareth, and the city of Capernaum. Several hours had elapsed in their vain attempt to make headway against a strong northeast wind. When they took Jesus aboard, responsive to His bidding, the tempest lulls, and the sea calms. Therefore, with energetic rowing, they soon disembark at Capernaum, their destination.

Mar 6:51 : “He came up to them into the ship; and the wind ceased, and they were exceedingly astonished among themselves, and marveled. For they did not understand concerning the loaves; for their heart was hardened.” This stupendous miracle of feeding the multitudes the preceding afternoon, should have so thoroughly convinced them of His Christhood as to prepare them to recognize the lulling of the storm and calming the sea as the normal prerogative of Omnipotence, and consequently produce no surprise. Man is a trinity, consisting of spirit, heart, or soul, mind, and body. Hence the heart or spirit, and not the intellect, is the diagnoser of Divine phenomena.

“With the heart we believe unto righteousness” (Rom 10:10),

and under the illumination of the Holy Spirit, our spirit interpenetrates and comprehends the deep things of God. Hence, if you would understand the Bible, and diagnose Divine phenomena, and become truly wise in the deep things of God, get all the rocks of depravity eliminated from your heart, leaving it soft, tender, and filled with perfect love. Then you can go down into the profound mysteries of revealed truth, flooded with new spiritual illuminations, and progressively edified by fresh revealments of the Divine attributes in glory, though you never saw a college nor inherited Solomonic genius. These apostles all needed the sanctifying fire of Pentecost to melt their hearts so thoroughly and illuminate them so perfectly, that they would never again stagger at the ipse dixit of the Almighty. “And having crossed over, they came to the Genesareth land, and disembarked; and they, coming out from the ship, immediately those recognizing Him having run throughout all that surrounding country, began to carry in the sick on beds, when they heard that He was there. And when He went into the villages or cities or countries, they were continuously placing the sick in the forums, and entreating Him that they may touch the hem of His garment; and so many as touched Him were saved.” The stupendous and extraordinary miracle of feeding the ten thousand shook the whole country with the tread of an earthquake, thrilling the people with an incorrigible enthusiasm, to scour the whole country round about, far and wide, and bring in all the invalids, maniacs, demoniacs, and epileptics, while they had an opportunity to come in contact with the wonderful Healer.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14:22-33 Jesus’ power over nature presented the disciples with the opportunity to trust in him as the Son of God (14:33; see also 8:23-27; Ps 8:6; Heb 2:8-9).

14:22 After the miraculous feeding, the crowds sought to make Jesus king (John 6:15), prompting his withdrawal because it was not the appropriate time.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat 14:22. Εὐθέως, straightway) Our consideration ought not to dwell on things which we have well done.—ἠνάγκασεν, constrained, compelled) as it is allowable to believe, for important reasons. They did not willingly sail alone.—τὸ πλοῖον, the vessel) mentioned in Mat 14:13.—ἕως, κ.τ.λ., until, etc.) He is not said to have told them that He should pray. He gave an example of praying in secret.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_14:22 f. The walking on the sea comes next in order, in Mar_6:45 and Joh_6:15 as well.[452] Luke omits it altogether.

ΕὐΘΈΩς ἨΝΆΓΚΑΣΕ] not as though He were already looking forward to some unusual event as about to happen (Keim); He rather wanted to get away from the excited multitudes (who, according to John, had gone the length of wishing to make Him a king), and retire into a solitary place for prayer, Mat_14:23. The disciples would much rather have remained beside Him, therefore He compelled them (Euth. Zigabenus); εὐθ. ἠνάγκ. implies the haste and urgency with which He desires to get them away and to withdraw into retirement,not an outward compulsion, but the urgere which takes the form of a command (Kypke, I. p. 286 f.; Hermann, ad Eur. Bacch. 462). Comp. Luk_14:23.

ἕως οὗ … ὄχλους] literally: until He should have sent the multitude away; and then He will come after them. The disciples could only suppose that He meant to follow them upon foot. Comp. note on Joh_6:24-25.

τὸ ὄρος] the mountain that was close by. See on Mat_5:1. ΚΑΤʼ ἸΔΊΑΝ belongs to ἈΝΈΒΗ; Mat_14:13; Mat_17:1.

ὈΨΊΑς] second evening, after sunset; Mat_14:15.

[452] Instead of the mere εἰς τὸ πέραν, ver. 22, Mar_6:45 specifies Bethsaida, and Joh_6:17 Capernaum. A more precise determination without substantial difference. Not so Wieseler, Chronol. Synopse, p. 274, who thinks that the town mentioned in Mar_6:45 was the Bethsaida (Julias) situated on the eastern shore of the lake; and that it is intended to be regarded as an intermediate halting-place, where the disciples, whom He sends on before Him, were to await His arrival. This view is decidedly forbidden by Mat_14:24 (comp. Mar_6:47): τὸ δὲ πλοῖον ἤδη μέσον τῆς θαλάσς. ἦν, from which it is clear that what is meant in προάγειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πέραν is a direct crossing of the lake. It is likewise in opposition to Joh_6:17, comp. with vv. 21, 24. Wieselers view was that of Lightfoot before him; it is that which Lange has substantially adopted, although the constantly prevailing usage in regard to the simple us εἰς τὸ πέραν, ver. 22 (Mat_8:18; Mat_8:28, Mat_16:5; Mar_4:35; Mar_5:1; Mar_5:21; Mar_8:13; Luk_8:22), should have prevented him from doing so.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 14:22-36 . The return voyage (Mar 6:45-56 )

Mat 14:22 . ἠνάγκασεν : a strong word needing an explanation not here given, supplied in Joh 6:15 . Of course there was no physical compulsion, but there must have been urgency on Christ’s part, and unwillingness on the part of disciples. Fritzsche objects to special emphasis, and renders: “auctor fuit discipulis, ut navem conscenderent”. ἕως οὗ ἀπολύσῃ , subjunctive, here used where optative would be used in classic Greek. Cf. Mat 18:30 , and vide Burton, § 324.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 22. Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship] Either they were afraid to return into the jurisdiction of Herod, or they were unwilling to embark without their Lord and Protector, and would not enter their boat till Christ had commanded them to embark.

From this verse it appears that Christ gave some advices to the multitudes after the departure of his disciples, which he did not wish them to hear.

Unto the other side] Towards Capernaum, Mt 14:34. Joh 6:16-17, or Bethsaida, see on Mr 6:45.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(22) Straightway Jesus constrained his disciples.—St. John narrates more fully the impression made by the miracle. It led those who witnessed it to the conclusion that “this was the Prophet that should come into the world.” They sought to seize Him and make Him a king against His will (Joh_6:14-15), and He, shrinking from that form of sovereignty, withdrew from His disciples, dismissed the multitude, and on the mountain height passed the night in prayer. The disciples at His bidding were crossing to the other side to Bethsaida (Mar_6:45)—i.e., to the town of that name on the western shore of the lake near Capernaum (Joh_6:17). It was, we may reverently say, as if in this unwonted stir of popular excitement—not against Him, but in His favour—this nearness to a path of earthly greatness instead of that which led onward to the cross, He saw something like a renewal of the temptation in the wilderness, needing special communion with His Father, that He might once again resist and overcome it. And once again, therefore, He desired to pass through the conflict alone, as afterwards in Gethsemane, with no human eye to witness the temptation or the victory.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. a ship] the ship or their ship.

22–33. The Disciples cross from the Scene of the Miracle to Bethsaida

Mar_6:45-52; Joh_6:15-21

St Matthew alone narrates St Peter’s endeavour to walk on the sea.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he had sent the multitudes away,.... Had ordered them at least to go away; for, it seems, according to Joh 6:22 that they did not in general disperse: there was a large body of them that continued upon the spot all night, expecting his return; in which being disappointed, they took shipping, and came to Capernaum.

He went up into a mountain apart to pray; perhaps the same he went up to before, and from whence he came down, Joh 6:3. This he chose as a proper place for prayer, where he could be retired, and alone, have his thoughts free, and, as man, pour out his soul to his Father, on his own account, and on the behalf of others; and particularly, he might be concerned about this notion of a temporal kingdom, that his disciples and others were so fond of; and pray that his disciples might be convinced of their mistake, and that the people might be hindered from prosecuting their designs. His going up into a mountain and praying there, were quite contrary to the canons of the Jews; which forbid praying in places ever so little raised.

"Let not a man stand (say they (m)) , "in an high place", and pray, but in a low place and pray; as it is said, "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord", Psa 130:1. It is a tradition, that a man may not stand, neither upon a throne, nor upon a footstool, nor in any high place and pray, because there are no high places before God.''

This rule is delivered by Maimonides (n), in this form:

"A man may not stand in a place that is three hands high, or more, and pray, neither upon a bed, nor upon a seat, nor upon a throne.''

But Christ did not look upon himself obliged, by these traditions of the elders; but chose such places, whether high or low, which were most private and retired.

And when evening was come; when it was now dark, Joh 6:17 when the second evening was come and ended; see Mat 14:15 and it was properly night,

he was there alone; in the mountain, where he continued the greatest part of the night, even until the fourth watch.

(m) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 10. 2. Piske Tosaph. in ib. art. 52, T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 4. 4. Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora precept. Affirm. 19. Midrash Kohelet, fol. 70. 3. (n) Hilch. Tephillah. c. 5. sect. 7.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

Ver. 22. Jesus constrained his disciples] Who seem to have been full loth to leave his sweet company. The presence of friends (how much more of such a friend!) is so sweet, that death itself is called but a departure. Christ compelled them, which is no more than commanded them (say some), to get into a ship: 1. Lest they should take part with the rash many headed multitude, who would have made him a King, Joh 6:15. Thus he many times prevents sin in his by removing occasions. 2. To inure them to the cross, and to teach them, as good soldiers, to suffer hardship, which the flesh takes heavily. 3. To give them proof of his power, now perfected in their weakness, when they were ready to be shipwrecked, and to teach them to pray to him absent, whom present they had not prized to the worth, as appears, Mat 14:17. When we cast our precious things at our heels, as children, our heavenly Father lays them out of the way another while, that we may know the worth by the want, and so grow wiser.

He sent the multitudes away] That he might shun even the suspicion of sedition. We must not only look to our consciences, but to our credits. "Why should I be as one that turneth aside?" Son 1:7, saith the Church, or as one that is veiled and covered, which was the habit of a harlot? Why should I seem to be so, though I be none such? We must shun appearance of evil, whatsoever is but evil favoured. Quicquid fecerit male coloratura. Bern.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And straightway Jesus constrained ... - See Mar 6:45-56; Joh 6:15-21. The word “straightway” means immediately; that is, as soon as the fragments were gathered up. To “constrain” usually means to compel. It here means to command. There was no need of compulsion. They were at this time on the east side of the Lake of Gennesareth. He directed them to get into a ship and cross over to the other side; that is, to Capernaum. Mark adds that he sent them to Bethsaida Mar 6:45. Bethsaida was situated at the place where the Jordan empties into the lake on the east side of the river. Compare the notes at Mat 11:21. It is probable that he directed them to go in a ship or boat to Bethsaida, and remain there till he should dismiss the people, and that he would meet them there, and with them cross the lake. The effect of the miracle on the multitude was so great Joh 6:14 that they believed him to be that prophet which should come into the world; that is, the Messiah, the king that they had expected, and they were about to take him by force and make him a king, Joh 6:15. To avoid this, Jesus got away from them as privately as possible. He went into a solitary mountain alone. In view of the temptation - when human honors were offered to him and almost forced upon him - he retired for private prayer; an example for all who are tempted with human honors and applause. Nothing is better to keep the mind humble and unambitious than to seek some lonely place; to shut out the world with all its honors; to realize that the great God, before whom all creatures and all honors sink to nothing, is round about us; and to ask him to keep us from pride and vainglory.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And forthwith Jesus, &c. In this we have the genuine picture of a Christian life. After eating of the miraculous bread, we must like the disciples, prepare ourselves for labour. As bread was given Elias, to enable him to walk 40 days to the mountain of God, Horeb, so the blessed Eucharist, the true heavenly bread, is given us that we may be able to support the hardships to which we are exposed. (Paulus de Palacio.) --- We here also see the ardent love of the disciples for their Lord, since they were unwilling to be separated from him even for a moment. Theophylactus also adds that they were unwilling for him to go, ignorant how he could return to them.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Mark saith, Mar 6:45, before unto, or over against, Bethsaida. Christ is said to have constrained them, to denote to us that they were not very willing to go. They were in a desert place, it was towards night, the day was far spent ere he wrought the miracle before mentioned; probably they were loath to leave Christ alone, in such a place, and at such a time. But his command was obeyed. Probably he commanded;

1. That he might better scatter the multitude, Mar 6:45.

2. That he might prevent a tumult, for St. John tells us, that the people had a design to take him by force and make him a king, Joh 6:15.

3. To make way for another miracle, to which their going by sea gave occasion, as we shall hear by and by.

4. To gain himself a private opportunity for prayer, for, Mar 6:46, When he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. So also saith our evangelist.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 22-33. Christ"s power over the elements. He walks on the water and stays the storm. St. Peter"s attempt to walk on the water is successful so long as he exercises faith on Christ. Jesus receives homage as Messiah. Parallel passages: Mar 6:45-52Jo 6:15-21. It is strange that the incident of St. Peter is recorded in Matthew only, and not in Mark, for it serves to emphasize what is a leading thought of the preceding narrative, even in Mark, viz. the power that believers receive by virtue of faith on Christ (vers. 16, 19). With Christ in the boat, difficulties cease (ver. 32); they that believe on him can triumph as he did. (vers. 28-31; cf. the thought of Joh_14:19, end) For St. John"s purpose the mention of St. Peter was not necessary; since, by way of introduction to the following discourse, be desired rather to familiarize his readers with the idea of Christ"s body being triumphant over earthly limitations (cf. ver. 19, note).

And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples. It was not their wish to leave him, especially when the multitudes seemed likely to elect him king. (Joh_6:15) But from the temptation to side with the multitudes our Lord desired now to shield them. Separation and physical work (ver. 24) would calm their excitement, and the object lesson that their Master already ruled over wind and sea would lead them to more perfect trust in his methods. Another reason for his sending them forward may have been that they should use the failing light; and yet another, that he himself desired time for prayer. To get into a ship; a boat (embhnai eiv ploion); cf. Mat_8:23 (the boat, Revised Version, reading eiv to ploion). And to go before him. (proagein auton : Mat_2:9 Mat_21:9) For he would follow. He fulfilled his promise much more literally than they anticipated. Unto the other side. "Unto Bethsaida" (Mark); "unto Capernaum" (John). Probably they landed at the western Bethsaida (ver. 13, note), in Gennesaret (ver. 34), and went on to Capernaum, where our Lord again addressed the people. (Joh_6:24-26) While he senttill he should send (Revised Version); ewv ou apolush , Mat_13:33the multitudes away. Why should this take up time? Why did he not dismiss them then and there? Possibly they were too eager to carry out their own plans on his behalf to attend to only one expression of his wish.

Vers. 22-36. The walking on the sea.

I JESUS LEFT ALONE.

1. He sends the disciples across the lake. He "constrained his disciples to get into a ship." It is a strong word. He compelled, he forced them; evidently they were very unwilling to leave him. St. John"s narrative throws a light upon this. The miracle had produced a great impression; it was in accordance with the hopes of the Jews; it was what they looked for in the expected Messiah. It must be he, the multitude thought; he is come indeed. This great Wonder worker is surely the Christ of God. They were right; but their conception of the work of the Christ was not the true one. He was to reign at Jerusalem, they thought; to set them free from the tyranny of Herod, from the detested Roman yoke. They wanted to "take him by force, to make him a King". (Joh_6:15) The Lord was not blinded by popular excitement. He was a King indeed, but his kingdom was not of this world. His kingdom was to come, but in the way appointed by God; and that was the way of the cross. He would not attempt to seize it prematurely, whether at the prompting of the evil one (Mat_4:8, Mat_4:9) or at the clamour of the multitude. The apostles shared the enthusiasm of the crowd. They had been prominent in the distribution of the miraculous food; doubtless the people magnified them. They were great men now; they hoped to sit near to the Lord, on his right hand and on his left, in his kingdom. They had a right above all other men, they may well have thought, to be with their Master in this day of triumph, as they had been faithful to him in his tribulations. They were very unwilling to leave him. But he forced them to go. This excitement was not good either for the multitude or for the disciples. Ambition is an evil thing, especially the ambition of reaching the high places of the Church. The best of men have their faults; the apostles had theirs. Christ forced them to leave him for a time when their hearts were set on earthly triumphs. Religion loses all its beauty when men try to make it a means for self-exaltation.

2. He dismisses the multitude. He could do it more easily and quietly now that the apostles were gone. They were probably the most enthusiastic. They had to be forced; the others were dismissed. Doubtless that enthusiasm was mainly honest zeal for their Master"s glory; though selfish motives, such as those just mentioned, were perhaps unconsciously mingled with it. But even that honest enthusiasm was mistaken. It could do only harm; it would excite the suspicions of Herod, ("that fox," Luk_13:32) and the hostility of the Roman governor. Christ"s hour was not yet come. He would not anticipate the time appointed in the counsels of God. He sent the multitude away. Their disappointment, we may be sure, was great. The apostles, perhaps, were more than disappointed; perhaps they were vexed and even angry; he had to force them to leave him. How often it is so now! Success, popularity, excites us. We hope for great things; perhaps our hopes for spiritual victories include (though we scarcely know it) hopes for our own advancement. Then we are disappointed. He teaches us the holy lesson of patience. We must wait for him, for his time. The Lord reigneth; but it doth not always please him to manifest his power when we expect and wish it.

3. He retires to a mountain for prayer. He had retired to a mountain; he had prayed there all night long, before he called his apostles. Now he does the like. This great Popularity did not dazzle him. He knew that that excited multitude did not understand his mission or his purpose. He himself would the very next day turn that popularity into suspicion or even active opposition. He would offer them the bread of life, and they would not receive it; many of his disciples would go back and walk no more with him. It was a crisis in his earthly life. He retired to collect his thoughts, to hold communion in solitude with his heavenly Father. It is what we should do in times of excitement and difficulty. The hours spent in earnest prayer are the best spent hours of our lives; they give strength, calmness, perseverance. The Lord prayed long. When the evening was come, he was there alone; he prayed on into the late night. A few hours before he had more than five thousand zealous adherents round him. Now they had left him; he himself had sent them away. He was alone, with only God. He was preparing himself, we may reverently believe, for the struggle which lay before him the controversies, the desertions, the bitter opposition. He was holding communion with the Father. He never sought counsel of men; for in some sense he was always alone. His Divine nature isolated him, not from human sympathy and love that was precious even to him (Mat_26:40) but from human advice, human help. He could receive strength only from heaven. (Luk_22:43)

II THE MIRACLE.

1. The disciples. They were in peril now, and the Lord was not with them in the ship, as he had been once before. There was a great wind; the ship was tossed with waves; they were in distress, toiling in rowing. But the Lord saw them in their danger; he saw them from the lonely mountain where he was kneeling in prayer; he saw and came. So he sees us now from heaven, where he ever liveth to make intercession for us. He sees all our trials; and he comes, as then he came, to help and to save. He sent them from him when they would have made him a King; he comes to them now they need his help.

2. They see him coming. It was dark three or four in the morning; they were struggling still with wind and wave. They see suddenly an august Form moving over the surface of the water, coming towards them, seeming as though it would pass by. It was a strange sight in the darkness of that tempestuous night. It increased their terror. It must be an apparition, they thought. It boded ill. Danger, death, was at hand. They cried out for fear. Then in that moment of agony there came a well known voice, sweet and clear, amid the din of the storm, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." So the good Lord cheers his people now, in sickness, sorrow, in the hour of death. "It is I," he saith. He comes to his people in the hour of need. He sees them in their distress from afar off, from the heaven where he is making intercession for them. He comes, manifesting himself in all his love and mercy to those who cry to him in fear and peril. He cometh; it seems sometimes as though he would pass by and leave us in our anguish. But it is only a trial of our faith, to make us feel our need of him that without him we can do nothing. Faithful, earnest prayer always brings him to our side. When he is with us, we can fear no more. "It is I; be not afraid." He is not afraid who hath the blessed presence of the Saviour. Wind and wave may roar; but when the Lord moves over the tossing billows there is peace and hope for the fearful trembling soul even in the immediate nearness of the king of terrors. "It is I; be not afraid." May we hear that gracious word, rosy we feel that gracious presence, in the hour of our death!

3. Peter. Peter, ever impulsive, ever impetuous, was not willing to wait for the coming of the Lord; he would go to him, and that upon the water. So ardent souls think to do great things and expose themselves sometimes to great perils, over-estimating their own faith, under-estimating the danger, thinking perhaps too much of self, too little of others. "Bid me come unto thee," Peter said, as if he had a special interest in the Lord above his brother apostles, as if he indeed loved him more than these. (Joh_21:15) He would not come, indeed he dared not, without the Lord"s bidding; but he asked for that bidding, instead of waiting, as the Christian should wait, to hear his Master"s will. Balaam, with baser motives, sought permission to expose himself to danger; he obtained his request, and it ended in his ruin. Peter was saved, but "scarcely", (1Pe_4:18; perhaps his narrow escape was in his thoughts when he wrote those words) by the Lord"s direct interposition. Christ himself, when tempted to do the like, taught us the course of duty. "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." But the Lord said, "Come." He said it, we may be sure, in love, to teach Peter his own weakness and the danger of presumption. Peter came, and he too walked upon the water. While he was strong in faith, looking unto Jesus, he felt the truth of that blessed promise, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." But his faith failed. He ceased to look with the steadfast gaze of trustfulness upon the face of Christ. "He saw the wind boisterous." It had been so from the beginning. He would not have seen it had his eyes been still fixed upon the Saviour. And now he was afraid he who but a moment before had been so daring. His very skill in swimming (Joh_21:7) failed him in his extremity. Earthly resources will not help us when our faith gives way; and faith will give way when men look at their troubles, not at their Lord. He felt himself sinking. His friends were near, his brother disciples; but they could not help him in that great peril. In deep distress, in the hour of mortal anguish, One, only One, can help. "Out of the deep have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice." Peter still believed in Christ"s love and power. His faith had not the calm strength which he had attributed to it, but it was true and real; it was like the faith of the poor father at the Mount of the Transfiguration: "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." He looked again to Christ; "Lord, save me!" he cried. It is the prayer of humility and penitence and serf-abasement. The trial had done him good. The danger had shown him his weakness. The old self-confidence was gone; it returned afterwards, and was dispelled forever by the deep repentance which followed a yet graver, a far more humiliating failure. Now he felt his weakness. His first request was unbecoming, not such as a sinner should make; his second was a true prayer, such a prayer as we all should lift up out of the depths of our heart to our loving Saviour. Such a prayer is never made in vain. "Immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" The Lord waited not one moment. The needed change was wrought; Peter felt his helplessness. The Lord stretched forth his hand. So doth he now. We feel, when we come to him with strong crying and fervent prayer, that gracious hand holding us up, lifting us out of distress and terror, drawing us closer to himself. "O thou of little faith," he said, in gentle sweet reproof. Peter"s faith never wholly failed him; but it was mingled with doubt. That doubt, that divided mind, divided between faith and fear, might have been his ruin had not the Lord in his great mercy saved him. Let us learn never to doubt the love of our dear Lord. If only he is with us, let us think, not too much of our difficulties and distresses, but of his grace and power. "Lord, increase our faith," be that our constant prayer.

4. The adoration of the disciples. They came into the ship, the Lord and the thankful, penitent apostle. Immediately the wind ceased. Immediately, St. John tells us, the ship was at the land whither they went. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him. They did not forget to offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for his great mercies vouchsafed unto them. "Of a truth thou art the Son of God," they said. It was the first time, except the cases of John the Baptist and Nathanael, (Joh_1:34, Joh_1:49) that men had given this title to the Lord. It followed a night of exceeding great terror. Our trials are blessed if they bring us near to Christ, if they help us to realize his love and power, if they bring us to our knees in awe and love and adoration.

III THE RETURN TO THE LAND OF GENNESARET.

1. The sick brought to him. He was recognized at once; all knew him as the Healer, the Wonder-worker. The men of the place went out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased. That care for the afflicted, that eagerness to bring them to the Saviour, is an example to us; let us go and do likewise.

2. They were healed. They believed in him; their faith was like that of the woman who followed him when he was on his way to heal the daughter of Jairus a faith deep and strong, if not altogether the faith of the instructed Christian. They did not, however, come behind him, as she did; they asked his permission to touch the hem of his garment, and all who touched were made perfectly whole. So it is now. He cleanseth from all unrighteousness those who come to him touching him with the touch of faith.

LESSON.

1. Let us learn of the Lord not to desire popular applause, not to seek the high places of the world.

2. Let us learn in all times of difficulty and anxiety to seek for peace and guidance in fervent, persevering prayer.

3. Let us trust in him; he will help us in our troubles. "It is I," he saith; "be not afraid.

4. Let us shrink from presumption; we are safe when we distrust ourselves, when we trust only in Christ.

5. Let us always look unto Jesus; in temptation, in sorrow, in agony, let us look steadfastly to him. He will stretch forth his hand; he will not let us sink.

Vers. 22-33. Walking on the sea.

The wonderful feeding of the thousands produced a great effect, rousing the multitude to enthusiasm, so that the people actually tried to three on an insurrection in support of the kingship of Jesus, and so 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 treated it as a formal duty. If Christ could not live without prayer, is it possible for the Christian to be healthy in the neglect of it?

2. He prayed in solitude. He hated the showy prayers of the religious people of his day, ostentatiously offered up 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 great danger 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 Master they were overtaken by a tempest. It would seem that they were rowing up north in order to take Jesus on board at a spot further along the eastern shore. 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 keep near 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 howled with fearful blasts among the rocks of the wilderness where Jesus stood alone in his prayer, and then he must have recognized the 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 appeal for 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 risked in 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 almost too good to be believed. It is difficult for our faith to keep pace with his far-reaching grace.

IV ST. PETER"S ADVENTURE. This singular sequel is quite true to the character of the apostle. His impetuosity, his enthusiasm for Christ, his failure to measure his own weakness, are all in accordance with what we know of "the prince of the apostles." But perhaps in the incident we may detect a touch of humour. There was no necessity for the apostle to walk on the water. Yet Christ indulged his whim and permitted it to be a means of revealing Peter"s weakness, and of introducing one source of strength. Foolish, needless, and even ridiculous adventures may be turned to good ends. We learn to know Christ even by means of the follies of which we are heartily ashamed. W.F.A.

Vers. 22-33. (see also Mar 6:45-52Jo 6:16-21) A contention of sense and faith.

The last miracle was one the teaching of which was certainly good for all, alike for the disciples and the multitude; and of the two for obvious and natural reasons, perhaps more so for the former than for the latter. But, letting alone the teaching force of it, that foregoing miracle had for its practical object the benefit of the five thousand with women and children, allaying their hunger and bringing home to their hearts of what ever character those hearts some sense of and some persuasion of the thoughtful consideration of the Lord. For the small number of the twelve disciples there was never any great difficulty probably never any at all in supplying "all their need." But the present miracle was one for the disciples themselves. It was good alike for their body and soul. It may, perhaps, be said to have been in higher kind also, even as limb and life are ever of more import than the satisfying of hunger, though this may be intense. Though we are not at all bound to find herein the reason of its following so distinctly in each account upon the other, yet the link of thought may be helpful. And far is it from being out of analogy with the truth, that he who so cares for the vast flocks scattered, needy, distracted with fear, or callous with indifference, shows no small proportion of that care in also caring for the shepherds and bishops and pastors of the flock, whom he has set, and whom he ever still is setting, over them. It certainly is so in the history now before us. Notice here

I AN INSTANCE OF CHRIST SENDING HIS SERVANTS TO TRY THEIR WAY BEFORE HIM TO FEEL AND TO TEST THEIR OWN QUANTUM OF STRENGTH AND RESOURCES; AND OF HOW, THEN, IN SUCH CASES HE IS WITH THEM, AND OVERTAKES THEM TO THE VERY MOMENT OF THEIR REAL NEED. Distinguish with emphasis such cases from those in which forwardness and self-confidence and unsafe zeal lead the way. And notice what room there is in the dispensation of the Spirit for full account to be taken of this principle. How needful it is, how desirable it is, for us often to feel that there is One who trusts us to go onward awhile, and apparently as though by ourselves, but whose eye and whose love are none the less ever near to us! And notice, further, that these are not for a moment to be counted artificial devices of the vast and infinitely wise superintending Providence, even though for wise and high ends. There were reasons why the disciples were sent onward before Christ.

II AS INSTANCE OF A CERTAIN APPARENT CONSPIRACY AND ACCUMULATION OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF NATURE CONTENDED WITH, BY THE INCREASE OF CONSCIOUS HUMAN EFFORT AND TOIL; AND YET WITHOUT AVAIL, OR WITH VERY LITTLE AVAIL. Darkness, wind, and stormy waves were all "contrary" to the disciples; but they rowed where sails would not serve; and they toiled; and yet there came the hour when the most that they could say for themselves and their effort was that they did not retreat, that they could just hold their way. But this was much to be able to say.

III AN INSTANCE OF THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF HELP BEING JUDGED TO BE EITHER AN EMPTY FORM, OR A FORM, IF NOT EMPTY, CHARGED WITH SOME SPECIES OF ADDITIONAL FEARFULNESS. Remark that the version, "a spirit," is not most correct to the word used, or probably to the real description of the alarm excited in the minds of the disciples. Nor can any justification be adduced from the passage of any scriptural warrant for belief in certain superstitions. It may be said to be Scripture, on the other hand, which defines spirit, and determines the reality of spirits, and does not deny, indeed, that spirits may take "phantom" appearances, but in this place certainly does not state it. The word is not the same as that used, e.g. in Act_12:15, nor does it point in the same direction.

IV AN INSTANCE OF THE BOUNDLESS GENTLENESS OF THE PITY, "LIKE AS A FATHER"S," WITH WHICH THE LORD DISPELS HIS SERVANTS" FEAR, AND REPLACES IT WITH ALL THE EXULTATION OF AN UNEXPECTED EXPERIENCE OF COMFORT AND REPOSE.

V AN INSTANCE OF A GLORIOUS EPISODE OF FAITH, AND THE FAITH THAT SIGHTS IMITATION AND LIKENESS. Faith is the very father of great thought and great enterprise for some; for others it is patient endurance of the storms, and the vanquisher of fears, and exquisite rest from anxiety. But in its noblest attempts, it knows no measure and owns no limit, while it keeps its firm look on its Lord. It partakes of the omnipotence of its unseen object.

VI AN INSTANCE OF AN INGLORIOUS LAPSE OF FAITH. The cause of this very plainly marked here the eye turned away from its great object, and confused by the difficulties of sense.

VII AN INSTANCE OF A VERITABLE SCRIPTURE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE TUMULT, THE DARKNESS, THE STORM OF THE WORLD BUT SAFE; CHRIST NEAR IT, THE EYE OF CHRIST ON IT, CHRIST HIMSELF IN IT, AND ITSELF AT LAST WITH HIM IN THE HAVEN. B.

Vers. 22-33. Peter walking on the sea.

This time was a crisis in the life of our Lord. Thousands of people had followed him into a secluded part of the country, and insisted that he should proclaim himself King. It would have been a lesson to leaders of men to have seen how he induced the huge mob quietly to disperse. But the strain was tremendous. He had to control not merely the clamouring, infatuated thousands, but himself also. What more seductive to the human spirit than the being carried by acclamation to the place of highest influence, entrusted with power to work out one"s own ideas of what is for the welfare of men? Feeling, therefore, the difficulty of the conflict, he gave himself, as soon as the victory was gained, to prayer. He spent the night calming, steadying, fortifying his spirit by fellowship with the Father. Thus prepared, he went to seek his disciples. Why did our Lord adopt at this time so extremely unusual a mode of action. He never did singular things, although he had power to do anything. His power was infinite, so were his sobriety of mind and self-control. His motive probably was the desire to rescue his disciples from difficulties into which he himself had brought them. For consider their probable state of mind. They had first met with the deep disappointment of hearing our Lord distinctly decline a crown; they had been made conscious that, so far from helping their Master, they were sometimes encumbrances to him. But, worst of all, they had been compelled, against their own will and judgment, to embark. They seemed to have very good reason for murmuring at their Master, and yet here on their own lake, in their own boat, they do his bidding. And they had their reward. They kept on as he had told them, and therefore they were overtaken by his presence and help. The disciples, then, could not fail to be impressed chiefly with Christs mindfulness of them. His appearance showed them that no interests of his own, however distracting, could make him oblivious of them and their necessities; it showed them also that nothing could prevent him from bringing them the aid they required. Is it not likely that a great part of his prayer through the night was occupied with them and their individual temptations to deny him and go with the multitude? And it were well if we could attain to the knowledge they now acquired regarding Christ"s mindfulness. We seem at times to be so entirely delivered over to unsympathetic and almost unintelligent agents and influences, that it seems impossible the help of one so spiritual can penetrate to us or avail us aught; but he can make himself understood by the dullest forces of nature, and can find his way to us through the wildest turmoil. The men who had taken the wild fury of wind and sea as a part of the day"s work, and had without any quickening of pulse faced the dangers they were professionally familiar with, are appalled at once and together by the single Figure that approaches them without menace or noise. They saw in it a whole world of unconceived possibilities, and coming at that hour when already they were hard pressed, they concluded it came as the herald of doom. God"s way of helping us is often so different from the one we have planned, that when it comes we murmur instead of being grateful. The transport of reaction finds expression, as usual, through Peter. We need not try to account for the extraordinary request he now made, further than by saying that it was due to the sudden joy of meeting the Friend in whom was all safety, after a night of such tension and toil and disturbance of thought. And the Lord approved Peter"s impulse, else he would not have bid him come, and eventually does not rebuke him for attempting the thing, but for not succeeding. Impulse has its fit place, only it needs to be strongly backed. There are things now that need to be done, but which will seem as impossible as walking on the sea except to the eye of warm feeling. This unreasoning impulse of Peter"s, too, penetrated more deeply into the nature of miracle than a good deal of our would be wisdom penetrates. For it saw no reason why the miracle should not be evinced in Peter"s person as well as in Jesus". And our Lord, by ascribing Peter"s failure solely to lack of faith, implies that any one with faith enough could walk on the sea just as he himself did, He himself did it by faith. But did our Lord mean that if only a man believed he could walk on the water, this would give him power to do so? Certainly not. Faith is needed, but a legitimate occasion is also needed. It is harmony, identification with God and his will, that give power to work miracle. The miracles of our Lord are, therefore, a great promise to human nature; in the Person of Jesus it was shown what that nature is capable of when in its right and normal relation to God. But the results of faith did not last one moment beyond the faith itself. Peter"s fear for one moment excluded faith; the waves shut him off from God, and at once he sank. We do not by once believing receive the Spirit in retention as our own; the Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son, and only while connected with the Son does the Spirit flow from him to us. We fail and sink as soon as we separate ourselves and begin to live by ourselves and for ourselves. We are strong with a strength far beyond our own when we live in God, with his will at heart and intending to work as his hand in the world. But that is the perfect human condition, habitually realized by our Lord alone. There is a lower condition consistent with salvation the condition in which Peter, conscious of his weakness and seeing his danger, cries, "Lord, save me!" Is there any part of your life, any matter of thought or conduct in regard to which you feel that you are sinking, and must shortly be overwhelmed altogether? then consider the prompt, willing, efficient help that answers the cry. The lasting result of this incident on the disciples was their deepened conviction of our Lord"s Divinity. How are we to arrive at that conviction; to feel that our proper attitude is one of worship, and that in his presence we are secure against all calamity; that for rest of mind and spirit, for education of conscience, for fulness of help in all for which we are insufficient, we need go no further than him? I do not suppose that this one miracle would have convinced that boat"s crew; but their minds had been gradually accumulating material for understanding him, and this incident was but a more brilliant light set in front of that material, and which gave the right reading of it. The same material, or nearly the same, is available for us. Let us be patient, sincere, and hopeful. These men who were with him from day to day did not all at once reach the joy of recognizing in the Friend they had learned to love their God and Saviour; but their experience of his love, his truth, his wisdom, his power, gradually separated him in their thoughts from all others and gave him the highest place. D.

Vers. 22-33. Lessons of the storm.

The wonderful narrative before us suggests many lessons, amongst which the following may be noted, viz.

I THAT JESUS IS A PARTY TO THE TROUBLES OF HIS DISCIPLES.

1. These are often induced by their own folly.

(1) After the miracle of the loaves the multitudes were eager to proclaim Jesus as their national King. From what we learn from John, (Joh_6:15) it would seem the disciples were more disposed to second their wishes than to aid their Master in his efforts to send the people away. In this they were moved by the ignorant prejudices of the times. Note: The ignorance of his disciples has ever been a trouble to Christ.

(2) This was the occasion of their having to embark and put to sea, and consequently of their having to encounter a terrific storm. Note: We may expect to encounter afflictions and perplexities when, from whatever motives, we are so foolish as to oppose the will of Christ.

2. Satan has a malignant hand in them.

(1) Evil spirits are concerned in the mischief of destructive storms. The history of Job shows what power Satan has over the elements when he is permitted to use it. When our Lord, in another storm, "rebuked the winds and the sea", (see Mat_8:26) did he not recognize blameworthy intelligence as working behind these elements?

(2) The closing petitions of the Lord"s Prayer, "And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one," show that not only is Satan, in some of his agencies, concerned in every mischief, but that he is so of set malignant purpose. It shows, moreover, that our defence is prayer.

3. Jesus has a benevolent hand in them.

(1) He constrained his disciples to enter the boat and put to sea. This was to relieve himself from their embarrassing sympathy with the prejudices of the multitude. This in itself was a benevolence. It put them out of the way of working further mischief.

(2) He knew, when he constrained them to enter that boat, that they would have to encounter the storm. He permitted the evil spirits to exert their power upon the elements, or, otherwise, commissioned those elements to war. But his design here also was benevolent. It taught the disciples:

(a) That those who will not submit to the ruling of Christ"s wisdom will have to sail without him in the voyage of life.

(b) That in voyaging without Christ the way is difficult and perilous.

(c) That the policy of their ignorant prejudice in making Christ a civil Ruler, if carried out, would, instead of bringing the tranquillity they pictured to themselves, bring them into a political hurricane.

(3) If, then, Jesus is a party to the troubles of his disciples, and that his hand in those troubles is benevolent, let us bless him for them. Let us also be quick to learn the lessons they are intended to teach.

II THAT JESUS IS PRESENT WITH HIS DISCIPLES IN THEIR TROUBLES,

1. He is present in spirit when invisible.

(1) When he had dispersed the multitudes "he went up into the mountain apart to pray." He knew the temper in which his disciples had sailed; he foresaw the coming storm; he remembers them in prayer. By that intercession the malignity of Satan is restrained, and the fury of the winds and waves so moderated that the lives are preserved.

(2) And if Jesus from that mountain height could see and sympathize with his disciples in that tempest, so does he still, from the height of heaven, see and sympathize with his followers in every trouble of their lives.

2. He is present, moreover, in power.

(1) In the crisis of extremity that power is seen. The disciples were now "about five and twenty furlongs" from the shore, in the centre of the inland sea, and the storm most distressing. Just then Jesus "came unto them, walking upon the sea.

(2) That blessed presence is as powerful as it is timely. The Egyptian hieroglyphic for impossibility was a man"s feet walking on the sea. Things impossible to men are possible with God. (cf. Job_9:8) In this miracle the law of gravitation is inverted, and the liquid waves are converted into an adamantine way.

(3) Now he enters the boat. Behold, instantly, all is calm!

III THAT CREDULITY IS THE COMPANION OF UNBELIEF.

1. The heart is slow to discern Christ.

(1) There he is walking upon the sea, yet is he not identified even by his own disciples. Why did they not recognize him instantly? Who else could it possibly be?

(2) But they deemed this too wonderful to be Christ. What, too wonderful for that Blessed One who in this very lake district at Chorazin, Bethasaida, Capernaum had wrought so many miracles! Who on this very sea had stilled a tempest with a word! Who but a few hours earlier had feasted ten thousand upon five barley cakes! Yet such was the fact. (see Mar_6:52)

(3) Are we more quick to discern Christ in the wonders of providence than the apostles were to recognize his presence in the wonders of this history? How seldom do we see deeper than the second causes of things!

2. It mistakes him for a phantom.

(1) "And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is an apparition; and they cried out for fear". (cf. Act_12:15)

(2) This "fear" suggests that they even mistook Jesus for a demon or evil spirit. How frightful are the distortions of the credulity of unbelief!

(3) The disciples were terrified at an apparition which was designed for their salvation. When in their extremity they "cried out for fear," then came their relief. By a word, "It is I; be not afraid," the deepest fear is turned into the highest joy. (cf. Psa_112:4) The calm now succeeds the storm in the soul.

IV THAT NATURAL RESOURCES ARE USELESS IN SPIRITUAL CONFLICTS.

1. Seamanship failed in this storm.

(1) Several of the disciples were brought up as fishermen, and knew how to handle the oar. (Mar_6:48) But here they were at their wits" end, so furiously was the sea working in the storm. This was not purely an elemental strife; it was a spiritual conflict, brought about for spiritual purposes.

(2) Their salvation was of the Lord. He laid the storm. We too shall exclaim, "Of a truth thou art the Son of God," when he tranquillizes the mind which the prince of the powers of the air had disturbed and troubled. Only in so far as the love of Christ is in us can we worship him as Love.

2. The swimming art failed in these waves.

(1) Peter"s fault was not his courage when he said, "Lord, if it be thou since it is thou me come unto thee upon the waters." Courage is fearlessness, and intelligent fearlessness is faith. Faith is the opposite of doubt and fear. (cf. Mar_5:36 Rom_14:23 Jam_1:6)

(2) The Lord permits us to try our strength that we may discover our weakness. Peter in the ship was bold; timid on the angry sea. Men are often confident in speculation, diffident in practice.

(3) Peter was borne up on the water in proportion to his faith, as the children of Israel were victorious as the hands of Moses were held up. (Exo_17:11) "The true position of every disciple is this: So to see the deep that is beneath him as to lose all confidence in himself, and so to see the Saviour that is near him as to lose all terror of the billows" (Anon.).

(4) Peter was a good swimmer, (see Joh_21:7) but he trusts not to his swimming in this peril. Those who rely on grace lose confidence in nature. Christ is the sufficient confidence of his saints. J.A.M.

The necessity for constraint.

Thomson puts together the narrative so as to bring out the reason for Christ"s constraining the disciples; or, rather, a first and external reason which prepares for the discernment of the deeper reason.

I THE EVIDENT NECESSITY FOR THE CONSTRAINT. "As the evening was coming on, Jesus commanded the disciples to return home to Capernaum, while he sent the people away. They were reluctant to go and leave him alone in that desert place; probably remonstrated against his exposing himself to the coming storm and the cold night air, and reminded him that he would have many miles to walk round the head of the lake, and must cross the Jordan at Bethsaida before he could reach home. To quiet their minds, he may have then told them to go on toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd, promising to join them in the night, which he intended to do, and actually did, though in a manner very different from what they expected. Still they were reluctant to leave him, and bad to be constrained to set sail. In this state of anxiety, they endeavoured to keep near the shore between this and Bethsaida, hoping, no doubt, to take in their beloved Master at some point along the coast. But a violent wind beat off the boat, so that they were not able to make Bethsaida, nor even Capernaum, but were driven past both; and when near the Plain of Gennesaret, at the northwest corner of the lake, Jesus came to them walking on the sea." This illustrates well the surface explanation of these events; but it does not satisfy, because it does not give any reason for our Lord sending the disciples away. Why did he not keep them to help him in dismissing the crowd?

II THE REAL NECESSITY FOR THE CONSTRAINT. We must look below the surface, and then some interesting things come to view. The miracle of feeding the thousands excited the people, and led them to regard Jesus as the delivering Messiah, and there and then proclaim him as the expected King. And our Lord"s disciples, instead of repressing this excitement, were carried away by it, and would have joined in this mistaken acclamation. Herein lies the explanation of the following things.

1. Their uselessness as helpers in dismissing the excited crowd, seeing they were themselves excited.

2. Christ"s determination to get them out of the way.

3. Their unwillingness to go.

4. Our Lord"s constraint.

5. The revelation of his mystery and spirituality, in the walking on the sea, as corrective of the material notions to which they were giving room. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He constrained his disciples - Who were unwilling to leave him. Mark vi, 45; John vi, 15.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Christ Walks on the Sea.

The beginning of the return voyage:

v. 22. And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

The narrative implies unwillingness on the part of the disciples and a very strong urgency on the part of Christ. He had His reasons why He wished to remain behind alone, even though the disciples were afraid to venture back into Galilee without His protection. But His command prevailed. The disciples embarked with the purpose of crossing over to the western shore, while He remained to dismiss the people. This in itself may have been a difficult feat, since the excitement of the last days, followed by this manifest miracle had wrought them up to a high pitch.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jesus constrained them; that is, he commanded them to go away before him. No doubt but they were very loth to leave him, and to go without him; both out of the love which they have to him and themselves.

Such as have once tasted the sweetness of Christ, are hardly drawn away from him: however, as desirous, as the disciples were to stay with Christ, yet at his word of command they depart from him.

Where Christ has a will to command, his diciples and followers must have a will to obey.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [LXIII. C. Jesus Walks upon the Water].

LXIII. FIRST WITHDRAWAL FROM HEROD'S TERRITORY AND RETURN. (Spring, A. D. 29.) Subdivision C. THE TWELVE TRY TO ROW BACK. JESUS WALKS UPON THE WATER. aMATT. XIV. 22-36; bMARK VI. 45-56; dJOHN VI. 15-21.

d15 Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone. [Jesus had descended to the plain to feed the multitude, but, perceiving this mistaken desire of the people, he frustrated it by dismissing his disciples and retiring by himself into the mountain.] a22 And straightway he constrained the bhis adisciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, bto Bethsaida [the suburb of Capernaum] atill he should send the multitudes bwhile he himself sendeth the multitude away. [The obedience of the disciples in leaving him helped to persuade the multitude to do likewise.] 46 And when he had taken leave of them, a23 And after he had sent the multitudes away, he went up bdeparted ainto the mountain apart to pray: and when even was come, he was there alone. [The news of John's assassination was calculated to exasperate him in the highest degree, and also to deeply distress him. He needed the benefits of prayer to keep down resentment, and to prevent despondency. For this he started away as soon as he heard the news, but the people prevented him till night.] d16 And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea; 17 and they entered into a boat, and were over the sea unto Capernaum. b47 And when even was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. dand it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. [They evidently expected that he would follow. Possibly they skirted the shore, hoping that he would hail them and come on board.] 18 And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew. a24 But the boat [379] was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves; for the wind was contrary. [That is, it blew from the west, the direction toward which the disciples were rowing.] b48 And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about ain bthe fourth watch of the night [from 3 to 6 A. M.] he cometh { acame bunto them, awalking upon the sea. [The disciples of Jesus can rest assured that the eyes of the Lord will behold their distresses, and that sooner or later the Lord himself will arise and draw near for their deliverance.] d19 When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs [that is, about three and a half miles, or about half way across the sea], they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat: band would have passed by them: a26 And b49 but awhen the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, dand they were afraid. bthey supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; asaying, It is a ghost; and they cried out for fear. b50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. [Their fears would probably have been greater if Jesus had approached the boat, for they were severe enough to make them cry out, even when he was seen to be passing by them.] a27 But straightway Jesus spake unto bwith them, and saith unto them, asaying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. [There was no mistaking that voice. If Isaac knew the voice of Jacob ( Gen_27:22), Saul the voice of David ( 1Sa_26:17), and Rhoda the voice of Peter ( Act_12:13), much more did the apostles know the voice of the great Master.] d21 They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat. [Superstitious fears are not always so soon allayed. His voice brought great assurance.] a28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. 29 And he said, Come. And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. [This scene comports with the character of Peter, who had always a rash willingness [380] to go into danger, and a lack of steadfastness to hold out through it.] 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. [So long as the attention of Peter was fixed upon the Lord's command he succeeded in his venture; but so soon as he let the power of the tempest distract his thoughts, his faith failed and he began to sink.] 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him, and saith unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? [Fear is a source of doubt and an enemy of faith. Those who would achieve the victories of faith must overcome their fears.] b51 And he went up unto them into the boat; a32 And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased. band they were sore amazed in themselves; 52 for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened. dand straightway the boat was at the land whither they were going. a33 And they that were in the boat worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. [The disciples showed the hardness of their hearts in that the working of one miracle did not prepare them either to expect or to comprehend any other miracle which followed. They ought to have worshipped Jesus as the Son of God when they saw the five thousand fed, but they did not. But when he had done that, and had walked upon the water, and quieted the wind, and transported the boat to the land, they were overcome by the iteration of his miraculous power, and confessed his divinity.] 34 And when they had crossed over, they came to the land, unto Gennesaret. band moored to the shore. [The land of Gennesaret was a plain at the western end of the lake of Galilee. Josephus describes it as about thirty furlongs in length by twenty in average width, and bounded on the west by a semicircular line of hills.] 54 And when they were come out of the boat, straightway i the people knew him, a35 And when the men of that place knew him, they sent into band ran round about that whole region, and began to carry about on [381] their beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. aand brought unto him all that were sick; b56 And wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, a36 and they besought him that they might only touch bif it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. [Though the apostles had started their boat toward Capernaum, the storm appears to have deflected their course, and the language of the text suggests that they probably came to land at the south end of the plain, somewhere near Magdala, and made a circuit of the cities in the plain of Gennesaret on their way to Capernaum. As he did not stop in these cities, the sick were laid in the street that they might touch him in passing through. Moreover, as they knew the course that he was taking, by running ahead they could anticipate his arrivals and have the sick gathered to take advantage of his presence. The story of the woman who touched the hem of his garment had evidently spread far and wide, and deeply impressed the popular mind.]

[FFG 379-382]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

22. Straightway. Immediately; after satisfying to the full the wants of the multitude. Compare Mark 6:45–56, and John 6:15–21. He constrained his disciples. They were loath to go without their Master. Yet he wished to be alone. He had come to the “desert place” for retirement; the multitude followed, and sought after the miracle to proclaim him King. His disciples probably sympathized. Hence he sent them, too, away, and stayed to pray and reflect alone. To go to the other side. John says, toward Capernaum.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Connecting Statement:

The following verses describe events that happened right after Jesus fed the five thousand people.

General Information:

These verses give background information about the miracle that Jesus is about to perform of walking on water.

Immediately he

"As soon as Jesus had finished feeding all the people, he"

When evening came

"Late in the evening" or "When it became dark"

being tossed about by the waves

"and the disciples could not control the boat because of the large waves"

translationWords

disciple

pray

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

22–33. THE DISCIPLES CROSS FROM THE SCENE OF THE MIRACLE TO BETHSAIDA

Mar 6:45-52; Joh 6:15-21

St Matthew alone narrates St Peter’s endeavour to walk on the sea.

14, 22, 25. The subject Ἰησοῦς omitted, insertion due to lectionaries or marginal note.

22. τὸ πλοῖον, the ship or their ship.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22-33.] Jesus walks on the sea. Mar 6:45-52. (Luke omits this incident.) Joh 6:16-21. The conviction of the people after the foregoing miracle was, that Jesus was the Messiah; and their disposition, to take Him by force, and make Him a king. See Joh 6:14, Joh 6:15. For this reason he constrained His disciples to leave Him, because they were but too anxious to second this wish of the multitude; and their dismissal was therefore an important step towards the other.

22. εἰς τὸ πέραν] Mark adds πρὸς Βηθσαϊδάν, John εἰς Καφαρναούμ: for the Bethsaïda, the city of Philip and Andrew and Peter, was distinct from Bethsaïda Julias, in whose neighbourhood the miracle took place,—and in the direction of Capernaum.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. And straightway He compelled the disciples to embark into a boat, and to go before Him to the other side, until1 He had sent away the multitudes.] Mk. has τὸ πλοῖον, and after πέραν adds πρὸς Βηθσαιδάν, and then has ἕως αὐτὸς ἀπολύει τὸν ὄχλον. The occurrence of Bethsaida gives rise to difficulties, because if the miracle took place on the north-eastern shore of the lake, Bethsaida (see on 11:21) lay close at hand, and would hardly be called on the other side. Moreover, as a matter of fact, nothing is said of an arrival at Bethsaida, but of a disembarkation at Gennesareth, Mk 53. Of course, Mk. may have meant that they proposed to cross obliquely the north-east corner of the lake towards Bethsaida. They may have arrived at this place and embarked again, or may have been driven away from Bethsaida to the western side of the lake. In either case the mention of Bethsaida in Mk 45 seemed to Mt. unnecessary, as finding no further mention in the narrative.—τοὺς ὄχλους] as usual for Mk.’s τὸν ὄχλον.

(M)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Constrained. Implying the disciples ' reluctance to leave him behind.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.