Matthew 14:24

Mat_14:24

For the wind was contrary.

The wind was contrary

The Sea of Galilee lies low, being, in fact, six hundred feet beneath the level of the Mediterranean, and the water-courses on its banks have cut out deep ravines which act like funnels to draw down the winds from the mountains, so that the storms are often both sudden and severe. On the present occasion the wind came down with such fury that even strong rowers like the fishermen apostles could make little way against it, and after toiling for nine hours they had made no more than three miles.

I. The way of duty is not always easy. Even when constrained by love of Christ to undertake any particular work, we are often beset by difficulties and obstacles: no plain sailing, always breakers ahead.

II. We may take comfort to ourselves from the following facts;

1. We are not responsible for the contrary wind. This takes the sting out of the trial. If a difficulty rises before me in Gods Providence, apart from any agency or culpability of my own, then I am in better mood to meet and overcome it than I should be if I knew it to be the result of my own folly.

2. The attention required for bearing up against the contrary wind may take us, for the time being, out of some subtle temptation. It would seem that our Lord sent His disciples away across the lake that night to keep them out of harms way, and to give them something more to think about than the glittering allurements of worldly greatness. Is it not often so with us? We have not been conscious of it at the moment, but we have seen afterwards that the seeming interruption kept us but of the path of danger. Better far a strong head-wind than a fog; for in the fog an iceberg may be veiled, and collision with that would be destruction.

3. The contrary wind may prepare us for higher service in the cause of Christ. In this night upon the deep the apostles had, as it were, a rehearsal of the difficulties they would have to contend with after their Master was taken up into heaven. Probably much of their persistence in the face of persecution had its root in the remembrance of what they had learned in this nights contest with adverse winds. It was one of their first experiments in walking alone, and it helped to steady them. The very necessity of rowing against the wind develops new strength, and brings latent resources into play. Had it not been for his deafness, John Kitto would probably never have become an author.

4. The Lord Jesus is closely watching us. The apostles knew not that He saw them toiling in rowing, for it was dark. Had they known it, what new heart it would have put into them! To us this knowledge is given-that though Jesus is unseen, He is still looking down with interest upon us, and will at the right time come and succour us. So we may leave all care about the issue, and attend, meanwhile, to the rowing. Let us, then, toil on! It is but a little while at the longest. No contrary wind can last for ever. By and by Christ will come to us, and then there will be peace. Yes, and after a time we shall reach the other shore; and when we touch that, we shall be done with difficulties. So, as one said, just before entering the boat in which he lost his life, Ho! for heaven! What though the waves be rough? Ho! for heaven! What though the wind be contrary? Ho! for heaven! What though the labour be exhausting? Ho! for heaven! (W. M. Taylor, D. D.)

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

Mat 14:24. But the ship — In which the disciples were; was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, &c. — A striking emblem of his church, in the sea of this world, tossed, as it often is, on the waves of affliction and trouble, and assailed by the contrary wind of persecution. It is worthy of notice here, 1st, That the disciples were now where Christ had sent them, and yet they 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 would have been less surprising that they should be thus assaulted; but they had a special command from their Master to go to sea at this time, and were going about his work, and yet a storm overtakes them! We see, therefore, that Christ’s disciples may meet with troubles and afflictions in the way of their duty; and be sent to sea when their Master foresees a storm. They ought not, however, to take it unkindly; for 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. 2d, This storm did not attack them immediately on their setting out: they had got into the midst of the sea when it arose. We may have fair weather in the beginning of our course, and yet meet with storms before we arrive at the port we are bound for. Therefore let not him that girds on the harness boast as he that puts it off: after a long calm, expect some storm or other. 3d, It was a great discouragement to the disciples, that now they had not Christ with them, as they had formerly when they were in a storm: for though he was then asleep, he was soon waked, Mat 8:24, but now he was at a distance from them. Thus Christ inures his disciples first to lesser difficulties, and then to greater, and so trains them by degrees to live and walk by faith, and not by sight. 4th, Though the wind was contrary, and they were tossed with waves; yet, being ordered by their Master to go to the other side, they did not tack about and come back again, but made the best of their way forward. Hereby we learn, that though troubles and difficulties may assault and annoy us in our duty, they must net drive us from it; but through the midst of them we must press forward.

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

Mat_14:24 f. Μέσον] Adjective; with more precision in Joh_6:19. At first the voyage had proceeded pleasantly (ἤδη), but they began to encounter a storm in the middle of the lake.

βασανιζόμ.] not dependent on ἦν. being plagued by the waves; vivid picture.

τετάρτῃ φυλακῇ] πρωΐ, i.e. in the early morning, from three till somewhere about six oclock. Since the time of Pompey, the Jews conformed to the Roman practice of dividing the night into four watches of three hours each; formerly, it consisted of three watches of four hours each. See Wetstein and Krebs, p. 39 f.; Winer, Realwörterbuch, under the word Nachtwachen; and Wieseler, Synopse, p. 406 f.

ἀπῆλθε πρὸς αὐτ.] He came away down from the mountain to go to them. Attraction. Hermann, ad Viger. p. 891 ff.; Bernhardy, p. 463.

According to the reading: περιπ. ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν (see critical notes): walking over the sea; according to the reading of the Received text: π. ἐ. τῆς θαλάσσης: walking on the sea. According to both readings alike, we are to understand a miraculous walking on the water, but not a walking along the shore (ἐπὶ τ. θαλ., on the ground that the shore may be said to be over the sea; comp. Xen. Anab. iv. 3. 28; Polyb. i. 44. 4; 2Ki_2:7; Dan_8:2; Joh_21:1), as Paulus, Stolz, Gfrörer, Schenkel are disposed to think; this view is absolutely demanded by the character of the incident which owes its significance to this miraculous part of it, by the solemn stress that is laid on the περιπατ. ἐπὶ τ. θάλ., by the analogy of the περιεπάτησεν ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα in Mat_14:29, by the ridiculous nature of the fear of what was supposed to be an apparition if Jesus had only walked along the shore, by the ἀπῆλθε πρὸς αὐτούς in Mat_14:25, as well as by the fact that, if Jesus had been on the shore (Strauss, II. p. 170), then the disciples, who were in the middle of the lake, forty stadia in breadth, with the roar of the waves sounding in their ears, could not possibly hear what He was saying when He addressed them. It remains, then, that we have here a case of miraculous walking on the sea, which least of all admits of being construed into an act of swimming (Bolten); but neither are we to try to explain it by supposing (Olshausen) that, by the exercise of His own will, our Lords bodily nature became exempted, for the time being, from the conditions of its earthly existence; nor should we attempt to render it intelligible by the help of foreign analogies (the cork-footed men in Lucian. 14 :hist. ii. 4; the seeress of Prevost; the water-treaders, and such like), but, as being akin to the miracle of the stilling of the tempest (Mat_4:25 ff.), it should rather be examined in the light of that power over the elements which dwells in Christ as the incarnate Son of God. At the same time, it must be confessed that it is utterly impossible to determine by what means this miraculous walking was accomplished. From a teleological point of view, it will be deemed sufficient that it serves to form a practical demonstration of the Messiahship of Jesus, a consideration (comp. Mat_14:33) which was no less present to the minds of the evangelists in constructing their narratives. The credibility of those evangelistsamong whom is John, whose personal experience lends additional weight to his testimonymust prove fatal, not only to any attempt to resolve our narrative into a mythical sea story (Strauss, who invokes the help of 2Ki_2:14; 2Ki_6:6, Job_9:8, and the legends of other nations), or even into a docetic fiction (Hilgenfeld), but also to the half and half view, that some event or other, which occurred on the night in question, developed (Hase) into one of those genuine legendary stories which serve to embody some particular idea (in this instance, the walking on the water, Job_9:8). In the same way Baumgarten-Crusius, on John, I. p. 234, regards a case of walking on the sea, recorded by John, as the original tradition; while Weisse, p. 521 (comp. Schneckenburger, erst. kan. Ev. p. 68), avails himself of the allegorical view; Bruno Bauer, again, here as elsewhere, pushes negative principles to their extreme limit; and Volkmar sees reflected in the narrative Pauls mission to the Gentiles. Weizsäcker and Keim likewise assume, though with more caution and judgment, the allegorical standpoint, the former being disposed to regard the interposing of Jesus with His help, and the power of faith in conquering danger, as constituting the essence of the whole; Keim again being inclined to see in the story an allusion to the distress and desolation of the church waiting for her Lord, and not knowing but that He may not come to her help till the very last watch in the night (Mat_24:43; Mar_13:35),an idea which, as he thinks, is indebted in no small degree to Job_9:8, where God is represented as treading on the waves of the sea. But even this mode of interpretation, though in accordance, it may be, with the letter, cannot but do violence to the whole narrative as a statement of fact. Comp., besides, the note on Joh_6:16-21.

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 14:24 . μέσον , an adjective agreeing with πλοῖον (Winer, § 54, 6), signifies not merely in the middle strictly, but any appreciable distance from shore. Pricaeus gives examples of such use. But the reading of [88] , probably to be preferred, implies that the boat was many stadii (25 or 30, Joh 6:19 = 3 to 4 miles) from the eastern shore. ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων : not in Mk., and goes without saying; when there are winds there will be waves. ἐναντίος ὁ ἄνεμος : What wind? From what quarter blowing? What was the starting-point, and the destination? Holtz. (H. C.) suggests that the voyage was either from Bethsaida Julias at the mouth of the upper Jordan to the north-western shore, or from the south end of the plain El-Batiha towards Bethsaida Julias, at the north end, citing Furrer in support of the second alternative, vide in Mk.

[88] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

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

We must sail even through mighty tempests, and Christ will never forsake us, so that we go whither he hath commanded us.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 24. Tossed with waves] Grievously agitated. This is the proper meaning of the word βασανιζομενον: but one MS. reads βαπτιζομενον, plunged under the waves, frequently covered with them; the waves often breaking over the vessel.

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

(24) Tossed with waves.—Literally, vexed, or tormented.

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

24. tossed with waves] 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.

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 in the fourth watch of the night,.... This is said, according to the division of the night into four watches, by the Jews; who (o) say, that

"there are four watches in the night, and four watches in the day.''

It is true indeed, that it is disputed among them, whether there were four watches, or only three in the night: some say there were four, others say there were but three (p); not but that these made a division of the night into four parts, the three first of which, they thought were properly the watches of the night, and the fourth was the morning. The first watch began at six o'clock in the evening, and lasted till nine; the second began at nine, and ended at twelve, which was midnight; the third began at twelve, and closed at three; the fourth began at three, and ended at six in the morning. But since some (q) Jewish writers are so positive for the division of the night into three watches only, and a watch is with them called (r) the third part of the night; and it is dubious with some, whether the Jewish division is here referred to; and since it is so clear a point, that the Romans (s) divided their night into four watches, and their writers speak not only of the first, second, and third watches, but also of the fourth watch (t); it is thought by some, that the evangelist speaks after the Roman manner: but however, certain it is, that within this period, probably at the beginning of it, after three o'clock in the morning, Christ came to his disciples, when they had been almost all the night at sea, tossed with waves, and in great danger.

Jesus went unto them; from the mountain where he had been praying, the greatest part of the night, to the sea side, and so upon the waters to them; for it follows,

walking upon the sea; as on dry land: though it was so stormy and boisterous, that the disciples, though in a ship, were in the utmost danger, yet he upon the waves, was in none at all; by which action he showed himself to be the Lord of the sea, and to be truly and properly God; whose character is, that he "treadeth upon the waves of the sea", Job 9:8.

(o) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 2. 4. Echa Rabbati, fol. 54. 4. (p) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 3. 1, 2. (q) Jaschi & Kimchi in Jud vii. 19. & in Psal. cxix. 147. (r) Gloss. in T. Bab. Betacot, fol. 2. 1. (s) Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. 1. 4. c. 20. (t) Liv. Hist. 1. 36, c. 24.

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

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

Ver. 24. Tossed with waves] So is the Church often therefore styled, "O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest, that hast no comfort," Isa 54:11. Jesus was absent all the while: so he seemeth to be from his darlings in their desertions; he leaveth them, as it were, in the suburbs of hell, and (which is worst of all) himself will not come at them. Howbeit as the eagle when she flieth highest of all from the nest, doth evermore cast a jealous eye upon her young; so doth this heavenly eagle.

For the wind was contrary] So it is ever lightly to the Church: this world being like the Straits of Magellan, wherein which way soever a man bends his course, he is sure to have the wind sit cross to him. But the comfort is, that whether north or south blow, they both blow good to a Christian, Son 4:16.

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.

But the ship was now in the midst of the sea - John says they had sailed about 25 or 30 furlongs. About 7 1/2 Jewish furlongs made a mile; so that the distance they had salted was not more than about 4 miles. At no place is the Sea of Tiberias much more than 10 miles in breadth, so that they were literally in the midst of the sea.

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

While our Saviour was praying on the mount the ship which carried his disciples was upon the sea, that is, that creek of the sea which they were at that time passing over. A storm ariseth, not without the counsel of God, that Christ might show that both the winds and the waves were under his command.

And in the fourth watch of the night, that is, about three hours before the rising of the sun; for though the Jews anciently divided the night into three parts, each consisting of four hours, yet being at this time under the Romans, they kept to their division of it into four parts, which they called watches, from their military guards, which they relieved every three hours.

Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea, as if it had been firm ground.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit, and they cried out for fear. By this it seemeth that the doctrine of spirits was not strange to that age, though they had a sect of Sadducees which denied it. That the devil, by God’s permission, hath a power to trouble and agitate the air, and also to assume a visible shape, and in it to affright persons by sea or by land, is unquestionable. When the disciples at distance saw Christ walking on the sea, they concluded it was some such apparition. This made them cry out through fear.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. Mark addeth, Mar 6:52, They considered not the miracle of the loaves; for their heart was hardened. Having had so late an experience, both of the power and goodness of their Master, in their late strait for want of bread, they ought not so soon to have showed a distrust in his providence, as if he would have suffered them to have perished in the sea: that miracle did not make a due impression upon them.

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

24. Tossed with waves… wind was contrary — ”Through one of the deep ravines, which have been described as breaking through the hills to the shore, there came down a storm of wind on the lake.” — Stanley.

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

But the ship; boat (Revised Version); ver. 22. Was now; rather, already, when the following incident happened. In the midst of the sea. So also the text of the Revised Version, (with practically Mar_6:47) but its margin, "was many furlongs distant from the land." Westcott and Hort prefer the latter, with Codex B and the Old Syriac. It somewhat resembles Joh_6:19. Tossed; distressed (Revised Version). For basanizomenon suggests not physical motion, but pain and anguish, the idea being transferred in figure to the boat. In Mark it is applied more strictly to the disciples. With waves; by the waves (Revised Version). The agents of the torture (upo twn kumatwn). For the wind was contrary. Yet he came not at once, for he would teach us to bear troubles bravely (cf. Chrysostom).

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

In the evening - Learned men say the Jews reckoned two evenings; the first beginning at three in the afternoon, the second, at sunset. If so, the latter is meant here.

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

The distress of the disciples:

v. 24. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves; for the wind was contrary.

While Jesus remained behind on the shore to pray, the boat had gradually traversed a part of the way toward Capernaum, which they should have reached in a few hours at the most. But the wind was directly against them, and its strength was such as to agitate the water violently, making successful navigation extremely difficult. And all this Jesus knew and saw from the mountain. The eye of His omniscience penetrated the darkness of the night and watched over their frail craft, Mar 6:48.

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

Note here, the great danger the disciples were in, and the great difficulties they had to encounter with; they were in the midst of the sea, they were tossed with the waves, the wind was contrary, and Christ was absent.

The wisdom of God often suffers his church to be tossed upon the waves of affliction and persecution, but it shall not be swallowed by them: often is this ark of the church upon the waters; seldom off them; but never drowned.

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

24. In the midst of the sea. About twenty-five or thirty furlongs, or three and a half miles from the shore (John 6:19), about the middle of the lake. For the wind was contrary. The wind came rushing down from the mountains, and in attempting to make land at Bethsaida, where the Lord had directed, it was in their faces. Sudden gusts are common on the Sea of Galilee. Thompson says he encountered one of such fury that no rowers could row a boat across the lake. There had now arisen one of those sudden and violent squalls to which all inland waters, surrounded by lofty hills intersected with deep gorges, are liable.

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.

24. βασανιζόμενον. The expression 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.

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.

Tossed [βασανιζομενον] . Rev., better, distressed. See on Mt 4:24.

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