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.
22. a ship ] the ship or their ship.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples,…. As soon as ever he had wrought the above miracle, and perceived that the people were so convinced by it, of his being the Messiah, that they were determined, whether he would or not, to set him up for a temporal king, to deliver them from the Roman yoke; which they doubted not he was able to do, who could feed so large a number, with such a small quantity of provision; see Joh 6:14 and knowing also, that his disciples had imbibed the same notion of a temporal kingdom, were very fond of it, and big with expectation thereof; and would have readily encouraged the populace, and joined with them in such an action: wherefore, in all haste, he hurried them away, obliged them to depart, lest any step should be taken, which might be of dangerous consequence to them, and the people: it looks as if the disciples were bent upon the same thing, and that it was with much difficulty and reluctance they were brought off of it. Christ was forced to use his power and authority; and order them directly
to get into a ship; very likely, the same they came over in;
and to go before him unto the other side of the lake of Tiberias or sea of Galilee, over against Bethsaida, to Capernaum, or the land of Gennesaret;
while he sent the multitudes away: who would not so easily have been prevailed upon to have departed, if Christ had not first shipped off his disciples; for had he withdrawn himself, and left his disciples with them, they would have been in hopes of his return, and would have continued in a body with them, in expectation of it; and therefore, the better to disperse them, and prevent their designs, he sends away his disciples before him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Jesus Walks to His Disciples on the Sea. |
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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. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
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, v. 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 (John vi. 15); to avoid which, he immediately scattered the people, sent away the disciples, lest they should join with them, and he himself withdrew, John vi. 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. Exod. xxxiii. 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 (v. 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, ch. vi. 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 xv. 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, v. 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 (ch. viii. 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 (v. 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 (Exod. xiv. 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, Exod. xv. 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 ix. 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. li. 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. x. 2. The same power that made iron to swim (2 Kings vi. 6), did this. What ailed thee, O thou sea? Ps. cxiii. 5. It was at the presence of the Lord. Thy way, O God, is in the sea, (Ps. lxxvii. 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 (v. 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. viii. 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, Ps. ix. 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, v. 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 (John x. 4), as Mary Magdalene, John xx. 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, Cant. ii. 8; v. 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, v. 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 (v. 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, Cant. iii. 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, v. 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. ii. 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 (John xvi. 33), and with him are crucified to it, Gal. vi. 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. viii. 35, c. 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, Ps. lxiii. 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 (Exod. xix. 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 (v. 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. iv. 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, v. 18. Peter, when he saw the wind boisterous, should have remembered what he had seen (ch. viii. 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 (1 Pet. i. 5); and therefore, when our souls are cast down and disquieted, the sovereign remedy is, to hope in God, Ps. xliii. 5. It is probable that Peter, being bred a fisherman, could swim very well (John xxi. 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 (Exod. xv. 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. v. 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 (Ps. xx. 6), for immediately he stretched forth his hand, and caught him. Note, Christ’s time to save is, when we sink (Ps. xviii. 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, John x. 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, Ps. xxxiv. 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, v. 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. i. 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, Ps. cxlviii. 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 (v. 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, Luke i. 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 (Ps. l. 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. ix. 6.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Constrained (). Literally, “compelled” or “forced.” See this word also in Lu 14:23. The explanation for this strong word in Mr 6:45 and Mt 14:22 is given in Joh 6:15. It is the excited purpose of the crowd to take Jesus by force and to make him national king. This would be political revolution and would defeat all the plans of Jesus about his kingdom. Things have reached a climax. The disciples were evidently swept off their feet by the mob psychology for they still shared the Pharisaic hope of a political kingdom. With the disciples out of the way Jesus could handle the crowd more easily,
till he should send the multitudes away ( ). The use of the aorist subjunctive with or is a neat and common Greek idiom where the purpose is not yet realized. So in Matt 18:30; Matt 26:36. “While” sometimes renders it well. The subjunctive is retained after a past tense instead of the change to the optative of the ancient Attic. The optative is very rare anyhow, but Luke uses it with in Ac 25:16.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Constrained. Implying the disciples ‘ reluctance to leave him behind.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
JESUS WALK ON THE WATER –PETER’S LITTLE FAITH V. 22-36
1) “And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples,” (kai “eutheos” enagkasen tous mathetas) “And immediately he constrained the disciples,” when they had gathered up the excess fragments. He apparently urged them, against their will, to leave him behind with the crowd; We satisfy Jesus only by simply doing what He says, Joh 2:5; Joh 15:14; Jas 1:22.
2) “To get into a ship,” (embenai eis to ploion) “To board or get on board the ship,” apparently the one they had crossed the sea in, before this retreat, Mat 14:13; Mr 6:32,33; Joh 6:16.
3) “And to go before him unto the other side,” (kai proagein auton eis to peran) “And to go on before (and without) him to the other side,” of the sea, Joh 6:17. They were returning to the area of Capernaum on the Northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.
4) “While he sent the multitude away.” (heos ou apoluse tous ochlous) “Until he should dismiss or disperse the crowds,” those who had run before Him to this place, had their sick healed, and been miraculously fed by the Lord, Mat 14:13-15; Joh 20:30-31. He was thoughtfully anxious that they should reach their homes before nightfall, as the second period of the Hebrew evening, 6 p.m., was by now at hand, Mat 14:15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mat 14:22
. And immediately Jesus constrained his disciples They must have been constrained; for they would never, of their own accord, have left him, and gone to the other side. Now in this they testify their great veneration for him, when, contrary to their own opinions, they yield to his command and obey it. And, indeed, it had an appearance of absurdity, that he should remain alone in a desert place, when night was approaching. But so much the greater commendation is due to the submissiveness of those who set a higher value on the authority of their heavenly teacher than on all that could be pleaded on the other side. And, indeed, we do not truly and perfectly obey God, unless we implicitly follow whatever he commands, though our feelings may be opposed to it. There is always the best reason, no doubt, for every thing that God does; but he often conceals it from us for a time, in order to instruct us not to be wise in ourselves, but to depend entirely on the expression of his will. And thus Christ constrained his disciples to cross over, in order to train them to that rule of obedience which I have mentioned; though there cannot be a doubt that he intended to prepare the way for the miracle which will immediately come under our consideration.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
SINKING AT SEA
Mat 14:22-33.
SINKING at sea is a phrase that was given new and awful meaning by the Titanic disaster of years since. Throughout the length and breadth of the civilized world, men and women who read the reports of eye witnesses, found themselves waking in the night with the cries of the drowning in their ears, disturbed by dreams little more terrible than were their waking thoughts of the same event. Editors and ministers made no small amount of the moral lessons to be drawn from that sad event; and I bring to you a kindred subject, seeking, if possible, to deepen the impressions of truth which must have been suggested to even the most casual reader or superficial thinker of that time.
The Scripture read in your hearing contains one of the remarkable miracles of Jesus Christ, together with its interesting setting. His disciples had been constrained to enter into a boat and dismissed to the other side of the sea, while He remained behind to send away the multitudes. That once done, He went into the mountain, as was His wont, to pray, and when the evening was come, He was there alone. But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, disturbed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. All the night long, it fought an unequal battle. The brawny men bent to the oars, but their progress was so slow that in the fourth watch of the night, they were both exhausted and far from land. Then it was that Christ came, walking upon the sea, and in the words which His very presence always expressedBe of good cheer, He enheartened those who were well-nigh hopeless.
The astonishment past, Peter, the impulsive, said,
Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come to Thee upon the waves; and He answered, Come. And Peter went down from the boat and walked upon the water to come to Jesus, but when he saw the wind he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, Lord, save. Immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand took hold of him, and said unto him, Oh, thou of little faith, why dost thou doubt? And when they had gone up into the boat, the wind ceased.
Three things: The Presumption of Peter, The Explanation of Trial, and The Parable of the whole Event.
THE PRESUMPTION OF PETER.
The conduct was characteristic. It expressed Peters conscious superiority of vision. When the other disciples were troubled, saying, It is a ghost, and cried out for fear, Peter, who may have joined with them for a moment, swung back at the speech of Jesus, saying, Lord! He would have no man recognize Christ sooner than himself. Had he not, on a previous occasion, when Jesus put to him and others, the question, Who am I? answered, Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, and received the Divine approval and compliment? Here again was his opportunity to show the quickness of his wit. While the dull or excited vision of others was still questioning, he concluded, It is the Christ, and hurried to express himself.
Newell Dwight Hillis says, The first trait of a gentleman is that he is a good listener. Only the selfish are willing to monopolize conversation. All good talk is an exchange, and alas, for the dinner party that has an egotist at the table! He will lift up the capital letter I and turn it into an intellectual hitching-post, and ask every one to stand round about and worship at his shrine and altar. One would hesitate to pronounce severe judgment against this great Apostle, and yet, that his impulsive speech often made him appear egotistical, no one can question. It was Peter who answered the statement of Jesus, The time is coming when you will all desert Me and leave Me alone! Though all man desert Thee, I will never: I will die with Thee. There is no question that the I in Peters life loomed large. A recent editorial in a religious magazine declared that, while the egotist was a disagreeable man, he was often a man of much power, and Peter is an instance and illustration.
His speech also betrayed a conviction of superior faith. Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come to Thee, as if to say, Whatever may be true of timid souls who will cry out at the approach of what seems to be a spirit walking in a storm, I trust Thee so implicitly that if Thou art here and speak the word, I will leap upon the waves and look to see them bear me up. It is a high sounding statement, and yet, there was some ground for it. Peter did believe in Jesus, and Peter thought that, if Christ were present, there was little likelihood that he could perish in the sea; and great likelihood that he could even tread under foot its waves. Henry Clay Trumbull used, we are told, to tell with keen appreciation of the glimpse he once had into the secret of Napoleons power over his soldiers. Happening to meet a French veteran who had served under the great Commander, Dr. Trumbull asked him, Did Napoleons soldiers like him? Like him! the old veteran exclaimed excitedly, while he straightened up and his eyes snapped, Like him! We believed in him. Napoleon say, Go to the moon; every soldier start. Napoleon find the way. That was the confidence that Peter felt in Christ in his truer moments; and in part, at least, that was the confidence he thought to express when he stepped from the boat to the rolling waves.
And yet, one cannot read this record without feeling alarmed lest, beneath the real fervent spirit of the marvelous and mighty man, there was also the spirit of self-assertion, to the effect that, whatever my brethren of little faith may think, Ill show them my trust by treading upon that which is regarded as a liquid grave.
And yet once more, Peter may have evinced some egotism of physical strength. Had he not grown up by this sea? Had he not fished it from shore to shore? Had he not by accident and on purpose been flung into it again and again? Was he not a capable swimmer, and if Christ should fail him, his own strength might be easily fallen back upon? The very thought involves an impossible proposition. The man who trusts in the least to his own strength has not fully committed himself to Christ; and the man who commits himself to Christ cannot go back to his own strength at will. I shall never forget a conversation I had with a truly great preacher of the Gospel on the subject of Divine healing. He was talking of another man, equally notable with himself, and of the fact that he let his little children lie upon a sick bed without calling a physician, and he said, I think I could almost help to mob a man who would behave after that manner. But to so speak is to forget that there come times in the lives of some of Gods saints when by faith they are lifted to that level of conduct where they commit all to Christ, and where they feel conscientiously that they cannot take back that which they have laid upon the altar; nor having accepted Divine strength as sufficient, turn easily from it to put their trust in that which is purely human. While not always acting in concert with these, I confess candidly that they have not only enjoyed my sympathy, but have commanded my admiration because of what seemed to be a course of life compelled at once by strictest logic and commended by the signs of Divine love.
This very thought suggests
THE EXPLANATION OF THE MASTERS CONDUCT.
I doubt if any intelligent reader has passed through this portion of the Scripture without asking, Why did Christ permit Peter to sink? And if such was His purpose, why did He dare to say, Come! thus encouraging an attempt which would end in humiliation and failure?
Such questions are not impossible of answer. So long as men have any disposition to trust in their own strength, it is good to let them try it out; or even if they think they trust in the strength of God, let them also put their faith to the test. The struggle can but result profitably in either case. If they are trusting in themselves and sink, they will see the folly of it and seek a Saviours help. If they are trusting in the Saviour, and are permitted to sink a little, they will but give opportunity both to His power and grace. The very struggle through which they pass proves their spiritual profit. It would be a mistake for Christ to keep His hands forever beneath men. To the limit of their own strength, it is best that they should exercise it; and in order to teach them dependence upon God, it is often best to let them attempt that which is beyond their own strength. A prominent pastor tells the story of a naturalist who was studying a cocoon in which a butterfly was struggling to be free. He heard it beat against the sides of its little prison, and his heart went out in pity for the helpless creature, and taking a tiny lancet he cut away the fragile walls and released it. To his amazement, it was not the beautiful creature he had expected to see. It lay struggling upon the table, a broken, unlovely object. Instead of gorgeous wings, there were only shriveled members. He had offered help before there was need; he had removed the obstacles against which it were better to let the little thing beat itself, until by the struggle it had strength to the point where it could soar into the sunny skies and descend at will to the perfume of flowers.
I confidently believe that Christ never puts out His hand to a man too soon; and I am equally persuaded that He never withholds His hand too long. The sinking of Peter was essential to Peters instruction. Many a man, like an elevator, must go down before he can come up. I met a young man a year or two ago who had what he regarded as an amazing patent, and upon listening to his description, I was fully persuaded that it was valuable. He was ready to withdraw from a good position and push his patent, and in vain was he reasoned with to the effect that it would take a million dollars to properly advertise and get it to the public, and that he had better sell it out, retaining only a commission. His reply was, Other men have succeeded even in youth, and I shall do the same. He put his last penny into it; he borrowed from every credible friend; he sunk it all and quit the locality, discouraged, down and out. But his mother, in speaking of it said, In the end, it will be good for him. It has taught him his limitations, and the crosses he has born in connection with it will turn out to his profit.
Ugo Bassis sermon contained a poem which sought to show men the relation of the cross to both character and accomplishment. It runs after this manner:
If thou impatient do let slip thy cross,Thou wilt not find it in this world again;Nor in another: here and here alone Is given thee to suffer for Gods sake.In other worlds we may more perfectly Love Him and serve Him, praise Him,Grow nearer and nearer to Him with delight.But then we shall not any moreBe called to suffer, which is our appointment here,Canst thou not suffer, then, one hour or two?If He should call thee from thy cross today Saying: It is finished, that hard cross of thine From which thou prayest for deliverance,Thinkest thou not some passion of regret Would overcome thee? Thou wouldst say,So soon? Let me go back and suffer yet awhile More patiently. I have not yet praised God. Whensoeer it comes, that summons that we look for,It will seem soon, too soon. Let us take heed in time That God may now be glorified in us.
Christ was adequate to Peters recovery.
Jesus stretched forth His hand and took hold of him, and said unto him, Oh, thou of little faith, wherefore dost thou doubt?.
Students are pretty well agreed that Peter sank because he got his eyes off the wonderful Son of God and upon the wind and waves. The lesson is
Look out, not in Look up, not down
and look to Christ and not to self or circumstances. Oh, it is a great lesson that poor Jonah learned in the whales belly, Salvation is of the Lord! Father Ryan once penned this into a beautiful poem entitled, Out of the Depths.
Lost! Lost! Lost!The cry went up from a seaThe waves were wild with an awful wrath,Not a light shone down on the lone ships path;The clouds hung low:Lost! Lost! Lost!Rose wild from the hearts of the tempest-tossed.
Lost! Lost! Lost!The cry floated over the wavesFar over the pitiless waves;It smote on the dark and it rended the cloudsThe billows below them were weaving white shrouds Out of the foam of the surge,And the wind-voices chanted a dirge:Lost! Lost! Lost!Wailed the lips of the tempest-tossed.
Lost! Lost! Lost!Not the sign of a hope was nigh,In the sea, in the air or the sky;And the lifted faces were wan and white,There was nothing without them but storm and night,And nothing within but fear;But far to a Fathers ear,Lost! Lost! Lost!Floated the wail of the tempest-tossed.
Lost! Lost! Lost!Out of the depths of the seaOut of the night came He,And the waves and the winds of the storm were hushed,And the sky with the gleams of the stars was flushed. Saved! Saved! Saved! And a calm and a joyous cry Floated up through the starry sky,In the darkin the stormOur Father is nigh.
THE PARABLE OF THE INCIDENT.
This whole incident is marvelously full of suggestions. It is more than a miracle; it is both a miracle and a parable.
The sea in which Peter sank is the symbol of the grave. Concerning the sorrows that were smiting Jesus and which were to end on Calvary, He said, All Thy waves and Thy billows have gone over me. It was in the Red Sea that Pharaoh and his hosts found their burial. How often we speak of those dying in the language of the sea! He is sinking rapidly is the common phrase to describe the approach to death.
We are told that the most painless end a man can know comes to the drowning; but the scientists now say that, so far as death is concerned, it is practically a painless experience; that to live is often to suffer in the body; but to die is to be released. The whole thinking public would have been delighted to have known that when the great ocean-liner, the Titanic, sank, she carried with her to an instant end the 1700 immortals. The reports of an awful hour, or two, or more, of men and women struggling in freezing cold, and against an ever-increasing despair, made an almost unbearable memory. But, for the saints at least who were involved in that awful hour, it was not an end. The papers appalled us with a report that a vessel was not more than five miles away, its lights openly gleaming to the eyes of the perishing, and their agony was increased by that which excited hope, and then in turn, mocked their expectations, and turned its course to another shore while they perished. Brave deeds are recorded; heroic things were done.
Tears for the dead, who shall not come again Homeward to any shore on any tide!Tears for the dead! But through that bitter rain, Breaks like an April sun the smile of pride.
What courage yielded place to others need,Patient of disciplines supreme decree,Well may we guess who knows that gallant breed, Schooled in the ancient chivalry of the sea.
The question as to whether the band played, Nearer My God To Thee will never be settled. One asserts and another disputes; but no one disputes what John Harper did. That noble Christian preacher was seen just a few moments before the event on an upper deck, leaning against the railing and was heard pleading the cause of Christ to a young man, who, though he had been a sinner, was giving his every word an eager audience. And when the Titanic perished and carried down the man who had been chosen to be the pastor of the Chicago Moody Church, the lights went not out for him, for this is also a parable of the resurrection day.
Christ, who stretched forth His hand and lifted Peter out of the Sea of Tiberias, will descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, call forth not only those who sleep in their graves, but every saint that sleeps at sea, to light and life and eternal love.
Alfred Noyes wrote:
Pilot, how far from home?Not far, not far tonight,A flight of spray, a sea-birds flight,A flight of tossing foam,And then the lights of home!
And, yet again, how far?Seems you the way so brief?Those lights beyond the roaring reef Were lights of moon and star,Far, far, none knows how far!
Pilot, how far from home?The great stars pass away Before Him as a flight of spray,Moons as a flight of foam!I see the lights of home!
They did not recover the body of John Harper. Men who know the sea say it may be held by the vessel two miles deep. But John Harpers spirit that night saw the lights of home, and the hour will come when John Harpers body shall be brought forth for the sea shall give up its dead, and death shall have no more dominion over them.
It is an awful thing for a sinner to sink at sea. He goes down without promise or prospect. But a saint at sea is safe whether he ride in the well-trimmed ship or be swallowed down by the salty waves, for in either instance, God is present to watch over him if living; or to mark his resting place when men shall say, he is dead, and surely bring him home! Oh, it is a good thing to be able to say with Alfred Noyes:
Pilot, how far from home?Not far, not far tonight,A flight of spray, a sea-birds flight,A flight of tossing foam,.And then the lights of home!
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
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 Thomsons Land and Book, chap. 25 p. 374.
Mat. 14:25. The fourth watch.I.e. between three and six oclock 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 doingtaking steps, indeed, wholly unheard of in order to do soand 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 behindthus 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 awfulsomething 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 nowso far below surely has he left nowhis 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 toif 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 freelymet him most effectuallyin 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. Peters 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 inevitablysuch is the infallible result of looking away from the only true Object of faithbegan 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 Gods 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.
Christs seasons of special prayer.Several instances are recorded, such as (Mark 1.) after the first Sabbaths 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 nights 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 mans 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. Christs disciples must be in trouble and hazards when others are at ease.
6. Albeit men have Christs 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 onlythe Sea of Galileedid 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 Peran 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 lifes storms, driven back upon the very first principles of a truly religious lifeconscious 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 fitnesstheir conscious helplessness and earnest yearning for His presence and aidthen 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 cant 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 raceour 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 ships crew. After prolonged effort and peculiar danger they succeeded in bringing the whole company safely to shore. A man of wealth, standing by the waters side, as spectator of the mens 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 faithits power, and its weakness, toosuch as may be usefully studied.
I. That Peters 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 Saviours 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 Masters presence, so forward was he to profess his faith, and to put his resolution to the test, even at the hazard of his lifeso great was his anxiety to meet Jesus, and so implicit his confidencethat 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. Peters fault.Wherein lay the fault in Peters 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 Peters 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 Peters 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 Peters 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 Christs 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 Christs kingdom which is not to mans 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 Christs 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 Christs Divine power and Godhead.
4. Deliverance from imminent death speaketh more of Gods 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 Christs Godhead than the miraculous feeding of five thousand with so few loaves in the wilderness.David Dickson.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(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 excitementnot against Him, but in His favourthis 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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And immediately he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him to the other side, until he should send the crowds away.’
‘Immediately He constrained.’ The urgency behind these words would be difficult to understand had we not had the explanation in John’s Gospel. Some of the crowds were beginning to get ideas about proclaiming Him king (Joh 6:15). This was the last thing that He wanted, and He did not want His disciples involved in such ideas. So He packed them off hurriedly in their boat while He Himself despatched the crowds. Hid disciples were to go before Him to the other side, probably across the top North West corner of the Lake. Thus they might expect that, like the crowds had done previously, He Himself would make His way round on the shore.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jesus Demonstrates His Mastery Of The Sea And Is Recognised As ‘The Son of God’ (14:22-33).
This is the second consecutive miracle in which Jesus take the initiative in order to demonstrate to the disciples Who He is and What He has come to do, and it results in their recognition that He is ‘the Son of God’. In context this concept goes well beyond Messiahship. He is Lord of wind and waves, a particularly awesome thing to Israelites who feared and respected the sea.
Jesus has just demonstrated that He can feed men and women and meet their most basic needs, now He demonstrates that He can protect His disciples in all the contrary winds of life. If the disciples are finally to feed the people both lessons are essential. But the lessons go farther than that, for both demonstrate that He is the Lord of creation, and thus truly the Son of God. Both are therefore a necessary build up towards Peter’s confession in Mat 16:16 and to His declaration of the founding of the new ‘congregation’ of Israel in Mat 16:18.
Analysis.
a
b And after He had sent the crowds away, He went up into the mountain apart to pray, and when evening was come, He was there alone (Mat 14:23).
c But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary (Mat 14:24).
d And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea (Mat 14:25).
e And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost,” and they cried out for fear (Mat 14:26).
f But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer; it is I; don’t be afraid” (Mat 14:27).
g And Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the waters” (Mat 14:28).
f And he said, “Come.” And Peter went down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus (Mat 14:29).
e But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me” (Mat 14:30).
d And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and says to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mat 14:31).
c And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased (Mat 14:32).
b And those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, “Of a truth you are the Son of God” (Mat 14:33).
a And when they had crossed over, they came to the land, to Gennesaret (Mat 14:34).
Note that in ‘a’ He sends the disciples before Him to the other side, and in the parallel they arrive in Gennesaret. In ‘b’ He spends much time alone praying in the mountain and in the parallel recognition comes to the disciples that He is the Son of God. In ‘c’ the wind was contrary, and in the parallel the wind ceased. In ‘d’ Jesus comes to them walking on the sea in total confidence, and in the parallel is the contrast of the one who has little faith and fails. In ‘e’ the disciples are afraid thinking that they are seeing a ghost, and in the parallel Peter is afraid, seeing the wind. In ‘f’ Jesus encourages the disciples, and in the parallel He encourages Peter. Centrally in ‘g’ comes Peter’s request that Jesus bid him come to Him on the waters.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jesus Walks on the Water ( Mar 6:45-52 , Joh 6:16-21 ) Mat 14:22-33 records the amazing story of Jesus walking on the water as He made His way to His disciples’ ship in the midst of a storm.
Symbolic Meaning – In this story the troubled waters represent the sorrows of our lives. Jesus comes to us during these times walking above these cares of life. If we abide in Him, we can hear His voice above the cares and sorrows that try to overwhelm us. We are never alone, even during the worst storms of life. If we will learn to fix our eyes upon Jesus, we too can walk above the cares of this life. When we focus our attention upon the storm, the same fear will overcome us, and we too will sink into the despairs of life’s troubled waters. Note these words from Frances J. Roberts:
“O My child, I am coming to thee walking upon the waters of the sorrows of thy life; yea, above the sounds of the storm ye shall hear My voice calling thy name.” [484]
[484] Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved (Ojai, California: King’s Farspan, Inc., 1973), 16.
The waves of the sea also represent the tumult of the nations:
Psa 65:7, “Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.”
Mat 14:22 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.
Mat 14:22
Luk 4:13, “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.”
Mat 14:31, “And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
Mat 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Mat 14:25
Mat 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Mat 14:27
Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Mat 14:29 Mat 14:29
Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Mat 14:30
Mar 4:40, “And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? ”
Luk 8:50, “But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only , and she shall be made whole.”
1Jn 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear : because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
Mat 14:31 Comments As long as Peter kept his eyes of Jesus, faith dominated his heart, filling it; however, as soon as Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and on to the storm and circumstances around him, faith quickly departed and faith moved in to take its place. The wind and the waves could not stop Peter from walking on the water; however, they were able to take Jesus’ attention away from the Word of God that Jesus gave Peter to walk on the water.
Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Mat 14:33 Mat 14:33
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
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.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 14:22. Jesus constrained his disciples We learn from Joh 6:15 that in consequence of this great miracle the people were desirous to take him by force, and make him a king; but Jesus knowing both the purpose of the multitude, and the inclination of the disciples, which most probably led them to encourage those purposes, he ordered the latter to get into their boat, and to go before him to the other side of the creek, to the city of Bethsaida, while he should dismiss the former. The disciples therefore express great unwillingness to depart: they would not go till he constrained or obliged them to depart. It seems they would gladly have detained the people, with whom they fully agreed in sentiment; for it was their opinion also, that he who could feed such a number with so little, had no reason to conceal himself; but, without running the least risk, might take the title of Messiah whenever he pleased. Besides, they certainly supposed that the favourable moment was come, the people being in so proper a temper, that if Jesus but spake the word, they would all to a man have listed under him, and formed an army immediately. See Macknight and Doddridge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
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.
] 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); . . 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 .
] 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 .
] the mountain that was close by. See on Mat 5:1 . belongs to ; Mat 14:13 ; Mat 17:1 .
] second evening, after sunset; Mat 14:15 .
[452] Instead of the mere , 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 ): . , from which it is clear that what is meant in is a direct crossing of the lake. It is likewise in opposition to Joh 6:17 , comp. with vv. 21, 24. Wieseler’s 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 , 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.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
3. Jesus Walking on the Sea. Mat 14:22-33
22And straightway Jesus [he] constrained his disciples to get [enter, ] 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 [ ] 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 oclock, 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, ]; 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 [ ], 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 [ ].
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, .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 Johns 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 (, 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 implies that the ship was helpless.) During three watches, or till about three oclock 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 , 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 , ,implying that He intended to join them very shortly. The expression 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 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 . 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 oclock 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., . , , . (Comp. Winer sub Nachtwache.)
Mat 14:25-26. Over the sea ( Mat 14:25, , according to the true reading); on the sea Mat 14:26, .)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 Gfrrer, 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 (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 elementsa 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. Peteras indeed our human nature generallypossessed 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 ascensionpointing 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 mans 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 mans will, when that will is in absolute harmony with Gods 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.], [not ] .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.Peters 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 Peters 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? means properly, to turn irresolutely in two directions, to waver, Mat 28:17. , . Euth. Zigabenus.
Mat 14:32. And when they were come into the shipMeyer: 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: . 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 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 , Mat 8:27. So Jerome: Naut 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 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 Christs 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 Christs 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 Christs walking over the sea.
4. Shortly before this, Christ had conquered two giants which ever endanger societyfamine, 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 Christs 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 Christs 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: Mans extremity is Gods 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 Christs 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. , B., R., D.. al., [Cod. Sinait]. instead of the lect. recepta: . [Lange: dahin schreitend ber das Meer; Ewald: wandelnd ber den See; Meyer: ber den See hin wandelnd.P. S.]
[24] Mat 14:26.Here B., C., D., etc., [Cod. Sinait], read ;the text. rec. with younger MSS.: . [The E. Vers. obliterates the distinction between (accusative of motion), and (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., , …P. S.]
[26] Mat 14:32.[The oldest authorities, including Cod. Sinaiticus. read , when they had come up, for the of the received text. Tischendorf adheres to the latter, but Iachmann, Tregelles, and Alford adopt the former.P. S.]
[27][The preposition with the genitive may mean: on the bank of, but only after verbs of rest, as in Joh 21:1 ( ), not after verbs of motion, as , 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 ber die Elemente und ihre Krfte zu stellen, hinsicht ich des Wie der Ausfhrung aber vllig unbestimmbar ist; i. e., Meyer admits here a supernatural miracle, which must be derived from Christs 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.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
“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. (23) And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”
Those retirings of the Lord are sweet incidents in his life, and they are held forth to the Church in strong endearments of character. But who shall undertake to describe them? Who shall take upon them to say, what passed in those hallowed seasons between Christ in his Mediator-character and the Father? We read of the transfiguration, Mat 17:1-9 . We read also of his agony in the garden, Luk 22:41-45 . But here we pause. Every circumstance in the life of Jesus is, and must be, pregnant with somewhat great, but oar part is in silence, and holy awe, to exercise our contemplation!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Chapter 62
Revelation By Night and Day
Mat 14:22-36
In the case of feeding the multitude the disciples rashly undertook to give advice to the Master; they rushed into sacred and forbidden places. Out of their urgent cleverness, they had evolved the suggestion which pleased them like a new toy. We have seen how Jesus Christ treated the smart ignorance of his shallow counsellors, and with what infinite beneficence he confounded the notion of sending anybody away from himself to find anything that could do human life the very least good.
Now the scene quite turns. Jesus Christ leaves the disciples to manage their ship, just to show them how cleverly they can do without him. They wanted to take the bigger case into their own hands, and he would not allow them so to do, but to meet them by gracious compromise he gives them a ship to take care of, with what upshot we have seen. Thus he always rebukes clever meddlers with his administration; he gives them something to do by their own skill and power, and shows them by many a disaster what it is to take life away from its divine centre, and to conduct life on a wrong principle. He allows us to make little experiments well for us if he be looking on even from a mountain top whilst we make them. It would be the death of us if he turned his back away and looked otherwhere. He is gracious, and allows us to work our own cleverness on a small scale, that we may see how frail we are, and how hollow and utterly wanting in all comprehensive and grave wisdom, and how true it is “without me ye can do nothing.” He is allowing you now to conduct that small enterprise of yours in business. You will come to him presently, all broken in pieces, and ask him to reconstruct you. Well will it be for you if he is looking on from a mountain top he will gather you together again with a great redeeming grace and gently rebuke you for undertaking to do anything by yourself alone.
Jesus went up into a mountain apart to pray. We wonder how a grand outward ministry can be sustained. The answer is simple in its sublimity. Every outward ministry that is massive, life-taxing, so to say blood-drinking in its fierce demands upon the ministry, is sustained by mountain climbing, solitary communion with God, the nursing of old gentle mother Nature, and soul-fellowship with the Father of all life. The inward man must be renewed day by day: we must deepen the soil, if we would enrich the crop. If the Master could not do without lonely prayer, the servant surely cannot dispense with secret devotion. It is not enough to pray aloud, nor is it sufficient to pray in company in the language of common prayer: we must know the agony, which is joy, of speechless communion, and the exquisitely tender gladness of secret fellowship. We must be closeted with God. “Come up to the top of the mountain,” said the Almighty to Moses, “be ready in the morning;” and while the dew was sparkling in the hardly risen sun they held great speech together, sublime as music. O, those dewy hours, those opening moments of the day what conquests may then be won; when our first interview is with God, we cannot fear the face of man. Let us look at the scene until it live before the eyes of our heart for ever.
He went up into a mountain. No traveller accompanied him, no seething multitude made the air hot by pressure and noise. The great wide sky how wide it can be, let the poet tell me opened before him like a door into the central heaven, where the throne is, and where the Shekinah burned as if glad to see him back again, poor without him, owing all its blue and light and tenderness to his presence.
What can be so hospitable as the summer sky? Whilst we set our figures against it with some view of adding up in totals its height, it lifts itself with infinite dignity above the standard with which we were about to estimate it. What can open like the sky? Now and again we have said, “How light it is: how truly beautiful,” and suddenly, as if the sun had heard us, he answered our challenge by a broader revelation of his light, that cleansed the earth of its shadows and made the green glitter and gleam as if with new and unfathomable life.
Away went the traveller the breezes breathing upon him like blessings beforehand, and though every shadow formed itself into the suggestion of the cross, the light beyond was a prophecy of triumph and glory. Always look to the light as well as to the shadow. Christ’s back was bent as if by a burden invisible, yet he lifted his head with kingly dignity and moved upward like one who had an appointment with God. He went up into a mountain apart to pray. Not alone to recruit his bodily strength, not to view the varied and enchanting scenery. He went to church, he sought the sanctuary, he yearned for the infinite. If he could not do without going to church, who am I that I can dispense with attendance upon the sanctuary? I am but a fool with cap and bells, pleased with the jingling of my own metal, if I do not go to church to fill up the emptiness which nothing else can satisfy.
We must have sanctuary hours, Sabbatic times. Herein is the wondrousness of that word “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” The word holy there cannot mean anything of the nature of spiritual sanctification: a man cannot remember any one day to keep it holy unless he keep the whole time holy. You might as well say, “Be truthful one day in seven, be honest one day in seven, be high minded and pure one day in seven.” It cannot be done. Holiness is not an entry upon a register: a man cannot look at his time-bill and say, “The time has come round for me to be holy.” So with this church going. You cannot go to church on Sunday with any deep and living appreciation of its opportunities and privileges unless you are in church all the week long. The church is not a separate building you can enter upon particular days: if so at all, it is so only to those who do not enter into the spirit and genius of the occasion. The whole world is sacred, and the church is quiet. We must have quietness as well as sacredness. If we enter church in this spirit, we shall be alone, yet not alone, for the Father will be with us.
Jesus Christ could not live within the boundaries that could be touched: he yearned for the infinite, and must in his life have an outlet towards the eternal. Man, I will not discourage or lay upon thee one straw’s weight of disapprobation: if it is in thine heart to grip the bigger earth, the larger place, the broader liberty, the unnameable quantity thou art not far from the kingdom of heaven.
In Jesus Christ’s prayer we do not find what is usually known as asking, or petition, in the ordinary sense of the term. That is the very smallest portion of prayer. Prayer was communion with God, in the case of Jesus Christ, identification with the Father, absorption in him, communion with the spring of all being and might. The begging attitude becomes us well, but we must not abide in that posture of petition, it is the poorest notion of prayer to beg, to ask, to desire that the right hand may be filled and the left hand be filled and the head and the heart be filled, it is the meanest begging. We should seek to be one with God, we should enlarge prayer from petition into fellowship, communion, sympathy then may we hold long talks with God, have all-day speeches with him, and be impatient because the darkness threatens to punctuate with its too hasty period the eloquence of his communications. Rest in the Lord, wait on the Lord, hope thou in God these are the terms which express the completest joy of prayer.
When the even was come, he was there alone. He was often alone, he was always alone he never could be dualised. When in the crowd he was alone, he trod the winepress alone. He was with us, yet in a sense not of us: he sat down beside us, and yet the universe separated between the points. Yet in one sense, limited by convenience, he was alone on the mountain, though all the angels were with him. The evening before, five thousand men crowded upon him, and their appeals were like five thousand arrows quivering in his heart. He was then the centre of humanity, now he stands alone upon the mountain, and is the centre of creation, alone as he was before the world began, alone, gathering strength by rest, alone because solitude is needful to the completeness of the soul’s education, and he must teach us this by example.
Jesus Christ went up into the mountain for our sakes: if he taught us to pray, he taught us how to pray, where to pray, when to pray. We must have our times of withdrawment if we would get a strong hold of life and be master of its vexing details. Do not always be in the crowded streets or in the rush and noise of tumultuous throngs. Five minutes every day alone with God would make us more than conquerors in the day of battle. Fear yourselves if you dare not be alone: probe into causes, when you dare not take a lonely walk all the day long from the morning until the evening; your brain is unhealthy, your heart is unsound or your circumstances are of a nature to be pitied, if you fear to go up a mountain alone and be there all day without speaking to any human creature. Solitude, religiously used, chastens the soul, fills the heart with heavenly peace, and opens the mind to the daily revelation which God makes to those who love him. We have times for eating, times for sleeping, times for recreation, why not have times for communion with God and reading deeply the mysteries of his Word? Time spent with God lengthens and gladdens all other time. No man ever lost a customer by being at church with the right motive and with the right spirit. No man ever found three-and-twenty hours in any day of which one hour was given to the worship of the Father of spirits.
Turning now our attention to the disciples, we find that their management of the ship was a poor management. The ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. They who were going to manage the multitude, were unable to manage their own ship. Our helplessness ought to be the basis of our best education. If we cannot manage the little how can we manage the great? Thus light is let in upon the administration of the universe. If we are in trouble with one little ship, how then can we control all the ships of the sea, all the star-vessels that sail through the infinite firmament, all the hosts of men that gather on the face of the earth, all the legions of angels that people the cities above, all the forces that burn and throb in every line of the immeasurable universe? We may see how great the Lord is by seeing how little we are ourselves. The infinite discrepancy should drive us to the use and security of prayer.
On the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. They could not come to him, so he went to them. They must know what it was to be away from Christ; still the eyes of watchful pity were upon them, they were seen from the mountain, they were in an enforced and undesirable loneliness
How did Jesus Christ view the tossing vessel and the fear-smitten disciples? With somewhat of amusement, knowing how near his own hand was, and how adequate his strength? Did he think of what had occurred a few hours ago, when those blundering navigators proposed to deal with a great question of political necessity in the wilderness? Did he say, “This will show them how little they are and how unworthy to meddle with the administration of vast concerns”? We cannot tell what were his intellectual processes, but his heart was always at the front, his beneficence seemed to outrun his judgment so he went unto the panic-driven disciples when they were tossed on the sea.
Jesus went unto them walking on the water. If this act stood alone, it might affright us. Do not read the miracles as if they were unconnected events any one miracle will terrify you. You must read every miracle as part of some greater wonder; then it will come to you not with violent and mighty shock, and overthrow you by irresistible collision, it will fall into the rhythmic march of a life that could never be measured by the figured lines of human arithmeticians. Yet all past miracles are lost upon us: we must have a present miracle. The disciples therefore could not live upon the miracles of yesterday, they must have the miracle of that very particular hour. So must it be with ourselves we cannot live upon historical wonders, we can only be nourished by daily revelations of divine power and continual manifestations of divine care and love. We cannot be saved by a cross eighteen hundred years old, viewed in the mere light of history; we are saved by a cross older than the foundations of the earth, yet new as the sin of this present evil moment. Jesus Christ must be the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world, and slain every day to our consciousness, our helplessness, our burning contrition and our penitence which cannot answer its own bitter prayers. Life is a continual miracle. The bread we eat is always broken by divine hands. We have so confused and huddled events as to forget their right succession: we are too frequently content to stop at intermediate causes and present agencies were we to search back the bread that is in our hand every day as to its history and its origin, we should find that it was broken by divine, all blessing hands, and is itself a miracle.
The disciples were afraid when they saw this figure, and cried out, saying, “It is a spirit.” How we are frightened by a spirit! Whoever was quite comfortable even with a supposed ghost? Whoever was just where he would like to be when in the middle of a haunted house, without a man within a mile of him? Yet God is a spirit: we who would be afraid to go into a reputedly haunted room and stop there alone one night, cry out sometimes in unbelief and foolish questioning, “Why does not God show himself?” God is a spirit. It is not enough to see the figure: the sight is often misleading: so the ear must be charmed the voice can do what the eye fails to accomplish. So Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid.” You cannot read the sermon you must hear it. Some of us cannot read the Bible, we must hear it read by a sympathetic voice every tone of which is a subtle suggestion or a profound exposition. The eye is a deceiver, and is deceived every day, and there is no more mischievous sophism than the proverb “Seeing is believing.” So it may be, but what is seeing?
The ministry of the human voice is of God’s appointment. It charms itself into ineffable colouring, apocalyptic variety and suggestion, it booms, it whispers, it commands, it soothes, it thunders with strength, it prays with piteousness of sympathy. The gospel therefore is given in charge to the human voice. Preach the gospel it never can be read, but in a secondary and introductory sense it must be heard. The voice of Jesus was recognized when his figure was indistinguishable.
Now comes the great If that always lay in Christ’s road like a preliminary cross. Peter answered the Lord and said, ” If it be thou.” That was the old If it occurs in the story of the temptation, early in this same gospel. When the tempter came to him, he said, ” If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made loaves.” Now the senior disciple says, ” If it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” Beware of the doubting If. Every man has his own test of deity. Peter had his little test. It was accepted, and Peter shows us here instinctively what is shown in every day’s history of human life, properly read, that men when they have their tests accepted, are made afraid of their own tests, and sink in the very water they wanted to walk upon. Beware of setting tests for God; be on your guard against yielding to your own cleverness in setting traps for deity. Sometimes the Lord may accommodate himself to our absurdities of conception and desire. In this case, when Jesus said “Come,” the proposition was Peter’s, the test was Peter’s, the failure was Peter’s: he was afraid by the very manifestation of his own proofs, and ran away from his own test, like a man surprised in guilt.
What will Jesus do? He will save the doubter as well as the despairer. He saved the whole body of the disciples in their despair, he will save the single disciple in his doubting. So he must save us every day. Every day plucks me from the yawning abyss, every day I have the same mean coward’s prayer to offer, “Lord, save me, or I perish,” and he has the same great lordly reply of the outstretched and all-redeeming hand. That is the image of human life, that is the symbolism of our daily experience, our continual discipline, crying in the bitterness of despair, being answered out of the fulness of infinite love.
Then the result “Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” So we are converted every day, and every day we sin. In the morning we write a great “If,” in the evening we write a great creed. We never read yesternight’s creed, we always begin with the morning’s great If.
We may include the remaining three verses of the chapter, and say, in doing so see how Jesus Christ goes to work again. He entered into the land of Gennesaret. The men soon had knowledge of him, and they sent out into all that country, and brought unto him all that were diseased, and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment, and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. Back to work again, on the mountain and in the city these were the points between which that heart oscillated longing for the mountain, drawn to the city, yearning for communion, yet devoted to beneficence, every day needing fellowship higher than the relations of earth could supply, and every day going down the mountain again to pick up the lonely one, to help the helpless, and to redeem with mighty heart, even with outflowing of sacrificial blood, every son of Adam.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
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 1:7Son 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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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 6:14-15 . 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.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
22. ] Mark adds , John : for the Bethsada, the city of Philip and Andrew and Peter, was distinct from Bethsada Julias, in whose neighbourhood the miracle took place, and in the direction of Capernaum.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 14:22-36 . The return voyage (Mar 6:45-56 )
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 14:22 . : 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”. , subjunctive, here used where optative would be used in classic Greek. Cf. Mat 18:30 , and vide Burton, 324.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 14:22-27
22Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Mat 14:22 “Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat” Why Jesus forced the disciples into the boat is unspecified. It could have involved
1. the inappropriate actions of the crowd (cf. Mar 6:15)
2. another example of His supernatural power to build the disciples’faith (cf. Mar 6:45-51; Joh 6:15-21)
“while He sent the crowds away” They had become excited over this miraculous feeding and attempted to make Him king (cf. Joh 6:15). This was exactly the temptation of the evil one in Mat 4:1-4 regarding the turning of the stones to bread. It was for this very reason that Jesus needed to get away, pray and speak with the Father about His further ministry. There was great confusion among the people concerning His healings and, here, of the feeding of the multitude.
Mat 14:23 “He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray” This was His original intent back in Mat 14:13. The Gospels repeatedly record Jesus getting alone to pray. If He, being God Incarnate, needed this, how much more do we?
Mat 14:24 “the boat was already a long distance from the land” Mar 6:47 says the boat was in the middle of the lake.
Mat 14:25
NASB, NKJV,
NJB” in the fourth watch of the night”
NRSV” early in the morning”
TEV”between three and six o’clock in the morning”
This was a technical term to designate the fourth Roman watch of the night, which was 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. (cf. Mar 13:35). Originally the Jews had only three watches during the night (cf. Jdg 7:19; Lam 2:19), but during the Roman period they adopted this fourfold division. Notice that Jesus had been in prayer for most of the night.
“He came to them, walking on the sea” Because the waves and the wind were up, He must have come in and out of sight as the waves lifted up the boat. Here again Jesus showed His power over nature. We learn from the other Gospels that Jesus meant to simply walk past them but, because of their fright, He had to get in the boat with them.
Mat 14:26 “it is a ghost” This is exactly what they would say in the Upper Room in Luk 24:37. They were terrified. Jesus’ first words to them were “Stop being afraid” (present imperative with the negative particle. These words of encouragement are repeated often (cf. Mat 14:27; Mat 17:7; Mat 28:19; Mar 6:50; Luk 5:10; Luk 12:32; Joh 6:20; Rev 1:17).
Mat 14:27 Jesus spoke to His disciples two commands.
1. NASB, “take courage”
NKJV, “be of good cheer”
NRSV, “take heart”
TEV, NJB, “courage”
This is a present active imperative. Jesus spoke these words often to
a. a paralytic, Mat 9:2
b. hemorrhagic woman, Mat 9:22
c. the disciples in a boat, Mat 14:27; Mar 6:50
d. a blind man, Mar 10:49
e. the disciples in the upper room, Joh 16:33
f. Paul, Act 23:11
2. ” Do not be afraid” – This is a present middle/passive deponent imperative. Jesus spoke these words to
a. disciples in a boat, Mat 14:27; Mar 6:50; Joh 6:20
b. Peter after his great catch of fish, Luk 5:10
c. disciples while teaching them, Luk 12:32
d. at transfiguration, Mat 17:7
e. women at the tomb, Mat 28:10
f. Paul at Corinth, Act 18:9
g. Paul at sea, Act 27:24
h. John on Patmos, Rev 1:17
These same words were spoken by angels to
1. Zacharias, Luk 1:13
2. Mary, Luk 1:30
3. shepherds, Luk 2:10
4. women at the tomb, Mat 28:5
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
straightway = immediately, as in Mat 14:31.
a = the.
He sent, &c. This was a miracle in itself.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
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 6:14-15. 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.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 14:22. 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.
Straightway is a business word: Jesus loses no time. No sooner is the banquet over than he sends off the guests to their homes. While they are well fed he bids them make the best of their way home. He who made the multitude sit down was able also to send the multitude away, but they needed sending, for they were loth to go. The sea must be crossed again, or Jesus cannot find seclusion. How he must run the gauntlet to get a little rest! Before he starts again across the sea, he performs another act of self-denial; for he cannot leave till he sees the crowd happily dispersed. He attends to that business himself giving the disciples the opportunity to depart in peace. As the captain is the last to leave the ship, so is the Lord the last to leave the scene of labour. The disciples would have chosen to stay in his company, and to enjoy the thanks of the people; but he constrained them to get into a ship. He could not get anyone to go away from him at this time without sending and constraining. This loadstone has great attractions. He evidently promised his disciples that he would follow them; for the words are, to go before him unto the other side. How he was to follow he did not say, but he could always find a way of keeping his appointments. How considerate of him to wait amid the throng while the disciples sailed away in peace He always takes the heavy end of the load himself.
Mat 14:23. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Now that the crowd is gone, he can take his rest, and he finds it in prayer. He went up into a mountain apart: in a place where he might speak aloud, and not be overheard or disturbed, he communed with the Father alone. This was his refreshment and his delight. He continued therein till the thickest shades of night had gathered, and the day was gone. Alone, yet not alone, he drank in new strength as he communed with his Father. He must have revealed this private matter to the recording evangelist, and surely it was with the intent that we should learn from his example. We cannot afford to be always in company, since even our blessed Lord felt that he must be alone.
Mat 14:24. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
While Jesus was alone, they, in the ship, were in the same condition, but not occupied with the same spiritual exercise When they first quitted the shore it was fair sailing in the cool of the evening; but a storm gathered hastily as night covered the sky. On the lake of Galilee the wind rushes down from the gullies between the mountains, and causes grievous peril to little boats; sometimes fairly lifting them out of the water, and anon submerging them beneath the waves. That deep lake was peculiarly dangerous for small craft. They were far from land, for they were in the midst of the sea, equally distant from either shore. The sea was furious and their ship was tossed with waves. The hurricane was terrible. The wind was contrary, and would not let them go to any place which they sought. It was a whirlwind, and they were whirled about by it, but could not use it for reaching either shore. How much did their case resemble ours when we are in sore distress! We are tossed about and can do nothing; the blast is too furious for us to bear up against it, or even to live while driven before it. One happy fact remains: Jesus is pleading on the shore though we are struggling on the sea. It is also comfortable to know that we are where he constrained us to go (See verse 22), and he has promised to come to us in due time, and therefore all must be safe, though the tempest rages terribly.
Mat 14:25. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Jesus is sure to come. The night wears on and the darkness thickens; the fourth watch of the night draws near, but where is he? Faith says, He must come. Though he should stay away till almost break of day, he must come. Unbelief asks, How can he come? Ah, he will answer for himself: he can make his own way. Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. He comes in the teeth of the wind, and on the face of the wave. Never fear that he will fail to reach the storm-tossed barque: his love will find out the way. Whither it be to a single disciple, or to the church as a whole, Jesus will appear in his own chosen hour, and his time is sure to be the most timely.
Mat 14:26. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit, and they cried out for fear.
Yes, the disciples saw him; saw Jesus their Lord, and derived no comfort from the sight. Poor human natures sight is a blind thing compared with the vision of a spiritual faith. They saw, but knew not what they saw. What could it be but a phantom? How could a real man walk on those foaming billows? How could he stand in the teeth of such a hurricane? They were already at their wits end, and the apparition put an end to their courage. We seem to hear their shriek of alarm: they cried out for fear. We read not that they were troubled before: they were old sailors, and had no dread of natural forces; but a spirit ah, that was too much of a terror. They were at their worst now, and yet, if they had known it, they were on the verge of their best. It is noteworthy that the nearer Jesus was to them, the greater was their fear. Want of discernment blinds the soul to its richest consolations. Lord, be near, and let me know thee! Let me not have to say with Jacob, Surely God was in this place; and I knew it not!
Mat 14:27. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
He did not keep them in suspense: Straightway Jesus spake unto them. How sweetly sounded that loving and majestic voice! Above the roar of waves and howling of winds, they heard the voice of the Lord. This was his old word also, Be of good cheer. The most conclusive reason for courage was his own presence. It is I; be not afraid. If Jesus be near, if the spirit of the storm be, after all, the Lord of love, all room for fear is gone. Can Jesus come to us through the storm? Then we shall weather it, and come to him. He who rules the tempest is not the devil, not chance, not a malicious enemy; but Jesus. This should end all fear.
Mat 14:28. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Peter must be the first to speak, he is impulsive, and besides, he was a sort of foreman in the company. The first speaker is not always the wisest man. Peters fears have gone, all but one if; but that if was working him no good, for it seemed to challenge his Master: Lord if it be thou. What a test to suggest: Bid me come unto thee on the water! What did Peter want with walking the waters? His name might have suggested that like a stone he would go to the bottom. It was an imprudent request: it was the swing of the pendulum in Peter from despair to an injudicious venturing. Surely, he wist not what he said. Yet we, too, have put our Lord to tests almost as improper. Have we not said, If thou hast ever blessed me, give me this and that? We, too, have had our water-walking, and have ventured where nothing but special grace could uphold us. Lord, what is man?
Mat 14:29. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
When good men are unwise and presumptuous, it may be for their lasting good to learn their folly by experience. He said, Come. Peters Lord is about to teach him a practical lesson. He asked to be bidden to come. He may come. He does come. He leaves the boat, he treads the wave. He is on the way towards his Lord. We can do anything if we have divine authorization, and courage enough to take the Lord at his word. Now there were two on the sea, two wonders! Which was the greater? The reader may not find it easy to reply. Let him consider.
Mat 14:30. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
But: a sorrowful but for poor Peter. His eye was off his Lord and on the raging of the wind: he saw the wind boisterous. His heart failed him, and then his foot failed him. Down he began to go an awful moment is this beginning to sink, yet it was only a beginning, he had time to cry to his Lord, who was not sinking. Peter cried, and was safe. His prayer was as full as it was short. He had brought his eye and his faith back to Jesus, for he cried, Lord! He had come into this danger through obedience, and therefore he had an appeal in the word Lord. Whether in danger or not, Jesus was still his Lord. He is a lost man, and he feels it, unless his Lord will save him save him altogether, save him now. Blessed prayer: Lord, save me. Reader, does it not suit you? Peter was nearer his Lord when he was sinking than when he was walking. In our low estate we are often nearer to Jesus than in our more glorious seasons.
Mat 14:31. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Our Lord delays not when our peril is imminent and our cry is urgent: Immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand. He first caught him and then taught him. Jesus saves first, and upbraids afterwards, when he must needs do so. When we are saved is the fit time for us to chasten ourselves for our unbelief. Let us learn from our Lord, that we may not reprove others till we have first helped them out of their difficulties. Our doubts are unreasonable: Wherefore didst thou doubt? If there be reason for little faith, there is evidently reason for great confidence. If it be right to trust Jesus at all, why not trust him altogether? Trust was Peters strength, doubt was his danger. It looked like great faith when Peter walked the water; but a little wind soon proved it to be little faith. Till our faith is tried, we can form no reliable estimate of it. After his Lord had taken him by the hand, Peter sank no further, but resumed the walk of faith. How easy to have faith when we are close to Jesus! Lord, when our faith fails, come thou to us, and we shall walk on the wave.
Mat 14:32. And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
So that Peters walk and his rescue had happened in the face of the tempest. He could walk the water well enough when his Lord held his hand and so can we. What a sight! Jesus and Peter, hand in hand, walking upon the sea! The two made for the ship at once: miracles are never spun out to undue length. Was not Peter glad to leave the tumultuous element, and at the same time to perceive that the gale was over? When they were come into the ship, the wind ceased, it is well to be safe in a storm, but more pleasant to find the calm return and the hurricane end. How gladly did the disciples welcome their Lord, and their brother, Peter, who though wet to the skin, was a wiser man for his adventure!
Mat 14:33. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
No wonder that Peter worshipped him, nor that his comrades did the same. The whole of the disciples, who had been thus rescued by their Lords coming to them on the stormy sea, were overwhelmingly convinced of his Godhead. Now they were doubly sure of it by unquestionable evidence, and in lowly reverence they expressed to him their adoring faith, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Mat 14:22. , straightway) Our consideration ought not to dwell on things which we have well done.-, constrained, compelled) as it is allowable to believe, for important reasons. They did not willingly sail alone.- , the vessel) mentioned in Mat 14:13.-, …, until, etc.) He is not said to have told them that He should pray. He gave an example of praying in secret.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Help in the Hour of Need
Mat 14:22-36
Jesus always comes in the storm. It had been a great relief to escape from the pressure of the crowd to His place of prayer, on heights swept by the evening breeze and lighted by the holy stars. But He tore Himself away because His friends needed Him. He is watching you also in the storm and will certainly come to your help.
He uses the element we dread as the path for His approach. The waves were endangering the boat, but Jesus walked on them. In our lives are people and circumstances we dread, but it is through these that the greatest blessing of our lives will come, if we look through them to Christ.
His coming is sometimes delayed. The gray dawn was already beginning to spread over the scene. The disciples strength was spent. He was not too late to be of service, but just in time to save them from despair. Be of good cheer, and if Jesus bids you come to Him on the water, always believe that His commands are enabling. Keep looking to Him, not at the storm.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Chapter 35
Deity Demonstrated
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. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
(Mat 14:22-36)
Many who claim to be Christians and claim to worship God deny the deity of Christ. That is to say, they deny that Jesus Christ is himself God. Many others, who claim to believe that Jesus Christ is God, ascribe to him attributes of weakness, helplessness, frustration, and failure, which of course are a denial of his true deity as much as the open denial of his eternal Godhead. The religion of such people, the religion of the liberal, or the Arian who denies Christs deity, and the religion of the freewill, works religionist, whose doctrine denies Christs deity, is nothing but a religion of moralisms and philosophy. Such religion is of no more benefit to a mans soul than the teachings of Plato or the ancient, pagan religions of the Gentile world.
Trinitarians
We are Trinitarians. We worship one, holy, sovereign God in three separate, but equal persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We do so because the Lord God has revealed himself from the beginning as One God subsisting of a plurality of divine Persons (Gen 1:26; Deu 6:4; 1Jn 5:7).
Not only are we Trinitarians, we fully believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the man who walked this earth for thirty-three years and died by Roman crucifixion just outside Jerusalem more than two thousand years ago, is himself over all God, blessed forever (Rom 9:5). That man is God manifest in the flesh (1Ti 3:16). We believe that he is God because the Word of God declares that he is God, because he claimed to be God, because both angels and men worshipped him as God while he was upon the earth, and because our entire salvation stands and falls with his absolute deity. If Jesus Christ were not God, his righteousness, his atonement, his resurrection, his intercession, all that he has done could profit us nothing.
To deny Christs deity is to deny his honesty and integrity as a man, for he claimed to be God and received worship from men as God. The Jews took up stones to kill him because he, being a man, made himself equal with God! All he had to do to stop their wrath was to say, Wait a minute, you misunderstood me. I did not mean to imply that I am God!
Having said all that, I am fully aware that it is not possible to prove Christs eternal power and Godhead to an unbeliever. I can no more prove the deity of Christ than I can prove the existence of God. Such proof cannot be given because God never made any attempt to prove his Being. The only way God can be proved is by faith. If you believe God, you know God. If you do not believe God, you cannot know him; and you hope that he is just a myth.
However, the Lord God has given us numerous demonstrations of his Being. He has given us such demonstrations of his Being, that no sane man can honestly deny that God is, and such demonstrations, that every believer simply laughs at those who do deny him. Even so, we have in the New Testament numerous demonstrations of the deity of Christ. They are given not to prove that Christ is God, but to reassure and strengthen the faith of all who know him, trust him, worship him, and love him as God our Savior.
In the passage before us every thing is moving in one direction. The events before us come to a climax in Mat 14:33, when the disciples came and worshipped (the Lord Jesus) saying, Of a truth thou are the Son of God. The Father had declared this at his baptism (Mat 3:17). And the demons in Gadara confessed it in Mat 8:29. But this is the first time the twelve apostles unequivocally declared of Christ, Thou art the Son of God. They made this declaration because our Lord Jesus had so powerfully demonstrated his deity that they simply could not refrain from worshipping him as their God. In Mat 14:22-36 we are given six demonstrations of the fact that the man Christ Jesus is himself God.
Divine Authority
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. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone (Mat 14:22-23). Here we have a clear demonstration of our Saviors divine authority. First, Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship. Then, he sent the multitudes away. He made the disciples take a ship across the Sea of Galilee that they did not wish to take. Then, he sent the multitudes away who wanted to take him by force and make him a king (Joh 6:14-15).
Thus he demonstrated his authority as God over all things. He has authority over the lives and destinies of all men, including their final judgment (Joh 5:22). He has authority over all the supernatural world, including Satan and the fallen angels (Mar 1:27). He has sovereign authority over all the holy angels, whom he could have summoned at anytime to his aid (Mat 26:53). Our Lord Jesus taught as one having authority (Mat 7:29). He sent out his apostles with his authority over unclean spirits, to cast out demons and heal the sick (Mat 10:1). It is his authority that inspires his church to preach the gospel to every creature (Mat 28:18-20).
Jesus Christ, because he is God, has control and authority over everything in heaven, earth, and hell. He commands and controls all men. He commands and controls all angels. He commands and controls all demons. He commands and controls all the elements of nature (Isa 45:7).
Yet, this great God is so much one with us in our nature that as a man he walked before God in perfect faith and was a man of prayer (v.23). The gospel writers frequently remind us of those private seasons when our Redeemer went up into a mountain apart to pray. Those sweet incidents are held before us as strong endearments of character. But were intensely private times. We are seldom given even the slightest indication about what was spoken from his holy heart to the Father in prayer. Our Master practiced what he teaches us to practice. He entered into his closet, shut the door, and prayed to his Father in secret (Mat 6:6). No effort should be made to describe the Masters times of private prayer. No mortal on earth knows (and none should guess) what words were uttered, or what groans were sighed by the Lord Jesus in his Mediator-character before the Father in those hallowed seasons. We are told about the transfiguration (Mat 17:1-9). We read about his agony in the garden (Luk 22:41-45). And we are given details of his intercessory prayer in John 17. But here we must simply pause to adore him as our Mediator in prayer. The Lord Jesus always went somewhere to pray when he was tempted, when His disciples were in trouble, and when he was about to engage in some work as Jehovahs righteous Servant. And he tells us, by his Spirit, to follow his example (Heb 4:16).
Divine Omniscience
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea (Mat 14:24-25). Here we see our Saviors omniscience.
(Psa 139:1-6) “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. (2) Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. (3) Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. (4) For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. (5) Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. (6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”
Try to imagine what was going through the minds of these men. They were in a terrible mess because the Lord made them get into the ship. He sent them right into the eye of a terrible storm! Truly, these disciples are to be admired for their obedience. But you can imagine the terror and confusion they must have felt. The Master was not with them this time! But, really, he was. They just didnt know it!
In the time of their great need, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. He knew where they were. He knew the trouble they were in. Yet, he waited a long time to come to them, because he knew infinitely better than they what they needed. When the storm arose and they were alone in the sea, these disciples forgot all they had seen and heard before. All they could think of was the storm. All they could see was danger. All they could see was fear. How much like them we are!
The ship tossed about with the waves and contrary winds remind us of our own situation in the world. In fact, in Isa 54:11-14 our Lord addresses us as a people in exactly this situation and speaks comfort to our hearts. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comfortedIn righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Our Saviors name is Jehovah-jireh. He sees us. He knows our needs. And he will provide. Commenting on Mat 14:25, C. H. Spurgeon wrote
Jesus is sure to come. The night wears on and the darkness thickens, the fourth watch of the night draws near, but where is he? Faith says, He must come. Though he should stay away till almost break of day, he must come. Unbelief asks, How can he come? Ah, he will answer for himself: he can make his own way. Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. He comes in the teeth of the wind, and on the face of the wave.
Never fear that he will fail to reach the storm-tossed barque: his love will find out the way. Whether it be to a single disciple, or to the church as a whole, Jesus will appear in his own chosen hour, and his time is sure to be the most timely.
Divine Protection
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid (Mat 14:26-27). Here we see a clear display of our Saviors divine care and protection. Being God full of compassion, he understood their frailty and came to them, Walking on the sea. He did not come walking on the sea to teach them how to do it; but to teach them and us, that since he is God over all, we can and should trust him absolutely. Remember, he has absolute power and control over all things. He can and will do whatever is needed to protect us. We will never find ourselves a place where we are beyond his eye and or beyond his reach. There is no storm from which he cannot save us!
Though the disciples were in the midst of a terrible storm, they were in the place of obedience to their Lord and Master. And the place of obedience to Christ is the place of safety (Pro 3:5-6; Act 27:25).
Divine Faithfulness
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (Mat 14:28-31). There is nothing more admirable about our great God than his everlasting faithfulness, and nothing more comforting (Lam 3:24-26). And here Matthew gives us a beautiful picture of our Redeemers divine faithfulness.
With great ease, being strong in faith, Peter stepped out onto the stormy sea. He walked upon the water as confidently as we might walk on concrete. Yes, faith may be, and is, very strong, when the Almighty Giver of faith calls it forth. But, when he suspends (as it were) his omnipotent grace, when he takes away his support (even for a brief moment, and even after allowing us to do great things in his name), our faith is utter weakness! How we need to learn this lesson! No sooner had Peter, looking to Christ, stepped out of his boat, walking on the water to go to the Savior, than he found himself looking at the storm, seized with fear, and sinking in unbelief!
Yet, in great faithfulness the Lord Jesus stretched forth his hand of omnipotent mercy and caught his sinking disciple, and gently rebuked him for his unbelief. How merciful, how gracious our blessed Savior is to us, weak, unstable, unbelieving believers! Often, he leaves us to ourselves for brief moments, as he did Peter, and lets us begin to sink, to teach us that he alone is our Keeper. Yet, he ever stretches out his hand to save his fallen ones. He never leaves us to reap the fruit of our own weakness and unbelief. When sinking in deep waters, he seems only to consider our trouble, not our fault, and graciously delivers us. May he teach us and give us grace to follow his example (Gal 6:1-2; Eph 4:32 to Eph 5:1).
Divine Omnipotence
And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God (Mat 14:32-33). When they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. It always does, once the Savior makes himself known (Isa 43:1-5). And the fact that the wind ceased when our Master came into the ship shows us his great omnipotence. Beholding this display of his omnipotence, They worshipped him saying, of a truth thou are the Son of God! These disciples, who had been rescued by their Lords coming to them across the stormy sea, and calming the sea as he stepped into their little ship, were overwhelmingly convinced of his absolute omnipotence as the eternal God.
(Psa 139:7-18) Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (8) If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (9) If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; (10) Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (11) If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. (12) Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. (13) For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. (14) I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (15) My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (16) Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. (17) How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! (18) If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
Divine Goodness
Then, in Mat 14:34-36 we are given a marvelous demonstration of Christs Divine Goodness and Grace. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
What an endearing picture this is of our Savior. Truly, this is he of whom the prophets spoke (Isa 35:4-6; Luk 4:17-18). He delights in mercy. Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth (Psa 86:15). He who bore our sins and carried our sorrows soothes the sorrows of needy souls. Though now enthroned on high, he is yet touched with the feeling of our infirmity and moved with compassion toward his needy people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted: he knoweth how to succour them that are tempted (Heb 2:18). And it is still true, As many as touch him are made perfectly whole!
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
Jesus: Mar 6:45
while: Mat 13:36, Mat 15:39
Reciprocal: Mat 8:18 – unto Mar 4:35 – Let Luk 8:22 – Let Joh 6:15 – he departed Joh 6:22 – but
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The Fourth Watch of the Night
Mat 14:22-33
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
As we enter this study, we are particularly struck with the words: “Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship.” What is the deeper meaning of the word “constrained”?
1. There seemed a hesitancy on the part of the disciples to enter the ship, and to start across Galilee. We have no doubt that they, as fishermen used to the freaks of Galilee, anticipated a coming storm. The storms still sweep suddenly down upon that little lake and turn it into a maelstrom of fury.
The twelve were not quick to start across the sea because they knew and dreaded the wrath of the wind and waves.
2. Did Jesus know that a storm was brewing? We believe He did. He knew it not as they knew it from a fisherman’s experience. He knew it because He was God, and knew all things. Does not the Book say, that “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do”?
3. Why did Jesus constrain the disciples? If He knew there was a storm in view, should He not have desired to spare them since He loved them dearly? To the contrary, He urged them, pressed them, constrained them to go.
As we think over this matter we are sure that the Lord often sends us forth into periods of testing, into trials and temptations. He does not do it, however, in order that we may be overthrown or cast down, but the rather in order that we may be strengthened, built up, and made to fall more heavily upon His own precious arms.
Perhaps, we should change our method of prayer, and instead of asking God to keep us out of the storms of life, we should ask Him to give us strength to face them with victory.
Saints who bear the cross, and suffer the shame, shall also share the glory in the reign of Christ, when He Comes Again.
Let us never complain again because of the cost of our Christian life. Let us rather glory in reproaches and in distresses.
I. CHRIST ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP (Mat 14:23)
1. Christ does not forget His own. As the disciples were pulling at the oars, struggling against the wind and the waves, Jesus Christ had not forgotten them.
Sometimes we wonder if the Lord sees us and knows our troubles. Does our Lord forget us? This is impossible. Great is His faithfulness, it is renewed every morning, it is fresh every evening. He that watches over us never slumbers nor sleeps. When we pass through the waters, He is with us; and through the floods, they shall not overflow us. It is written, “I will guide thee with Mine eye.”
2. Christ cares for His own. He does not only know, but He cares.
Our Lord has ascended the mountain top. He is now far above all of the woes of earth, however, He has not forgotten those of us who are still here. There are several things that the High Priest did of old. He had the names of the twelve tribes written upon the epaulets of his shoulders; upon his breastplate, and upon the palms of his hands. Our Lord Jesus carries us upon His shoulders, the place of His strength. He has our names upon His breastplate, over the heart of His love. He also holds us in His hands, the place of His helpful care.
There is not a sparrow, that falls to the ground without our Father, and we are of much more value than they. The very hairs of our head are all numbered. What then shall we do? We will trust in the Lord. Though ten thousands be gathered against us, we will not be afraid.
II. IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA (Mat 14:24)
1. When the evening had come. This is the statement found at the close of Mat 14:23. It was dark. The shadows of night lay heavy over the sea of Galilee. With the darkness came the somber shadows of foreboding. The disciples could not see. They knew not the way. Does not that time often come to us? No matter how black the night He is still on the mountain height watching, and praying for us.
2. The ship was now in the midst of the sea. This is the statement of our key verse, Did we ever get into the middle of a bad fix? It did not matter which way we looked, there was no improvement. It seemed to us that we were utterly hopeless in the very middle of our trouble, farthest from either shore. It was at that time, when we were tossed with the waves and beaten down with the winds that our Lord began to undertake in our behalf.
3. The winds were contrary. Winds in the Word of God stand for false doctrine. We remember how it is written, “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.”
Young people need to be awakened to the fact that error is stalking through the land. The day of the apostasy is here.
Darkness is now hovering over the world. The shadows of the night are hourly deepening. The apostasy is sweeping over us. Evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Democracies are toppling. Dictators are coming to the fore. Surely the Church of Jesus Christ is shrouded with night, in the midst of the sea, while the winds and the waves are contrary.
III. THE DISPENSATIONAL PICTURE (Mat 14:25)
Let us now turn aside from the spiritual message of our study, and consider the whole thing in the light of prophecy.
1. We think of our Lord after His resurrection as having ascended on high, where He ever liveth to make intercession for us. We think of Him, moreover, as He sits at the right hand of the Father, expecting until He makes His enemies His footstool. We long for Him to come, and He longs to come.
2. We think of the Church as earth’s shadows gather around her. We think of the winds and the waves pressing against her. We even now hear the midnight cry, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh.” This cry is sounding the world over. The True Church has heard the Lord say, “Behold, I come quickly,” and it is responding, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
3. The hour of His Return. Mat 14:25 says: “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.” Our Lord promised to come in one of the watches. He did not come in the three which are past. He must come now. Are we watching and waiting?
4. Do the signs of the times portend Christ’s imminent Coming? We have room to give but a few suggestive statements:
(1) The midnight cry is being sounded. The prophecy Books are being unsealed, and the Church is lifting up its head in anticipation.
(2) The preparations for the coming of the antichrist, a world dictator, are seen on every hand.
(3) The Jews are turning their faces Zionward and the fertility and fruitfulness of Palestine is being restored.
(4) The last time apostasy with its terrible denials of the faith is here.
IV. THE WORDS OF CHEER (Mat 14:26-27)
1. Light in the darkness. As the disciples pulled at the oars, the Lord Jesus came down from the mount.
Down from the mount the Master came,
He walked upon the storm-swept main;
“It is I; be not afraid,” said He,
“I have come to give you aid,” said He,
“I am Lord of the wind and rain.”
Thank God, the Lord is coming soon to the troubled world, coming to take His own unto Himself. Thank God, also, that in every hour of sorrow and of travail He says unto us, “It is I; be not afraid.”
2. The Deity of Christ. There is but One who can sound the note of good cheer in this, the hour of earth’s travail. There is but One who can come to the world’s help. That One is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and God the Son.
(1) Christ is the Hope of His Church. To the Church He is saying “It is I.” The very expression, “It is I” carries to the Church the Deity of their Lord.
Every time that the words sound forth, “It is I” they are dependent on and acclaim the Deity of Christ.
(2) Christ is the Hope of the nations. He, the Prince of Peace, is the only hope of peace. He, who is our Jehovah-Tsidkenu, is the earth’s only hope for world-righteousness.
(3) Christ is the only Hope of the physical earth, and of the physical creation. He alone can say the word that will cause the earth to spring forth and bud, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater. He alone can cause the wilderness to bloom and to blossom as a rose. He alone can cause the lion and the bear and the calf to lie down together.
(4) Christ is the only Hope of the chosen nation. None other can take out their heart of stone, and give them a heart of flesh. None other can save them and bring them home from all the nations whither they be driven.
V. WALKING ON THE WATER (Mat 14:28-30)
As the Lord drew near to the boat, Peter said, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.”
1. Attempting the impossible. No one had ever walked on the water but the Lord. When Peter, therefore, beheld Christ walking the waves, he said, “If it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.” He evidently felt that whatever the Lord could do, he, empowered by the Lord could also do. Did not Christ afterward say, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth. Go * * and, lo, I am with you alway”? Did He not mean by this, that we were to serve in His power, conquer in His Name? Is not every victory of the believer, no more than walking in the train of His triumph?
2. Failing only when his eyes fell off of his Lord. Peter did walk on the water. However, when he saw the winds and the waves boisterous, he was afraid and began to sink. We always lose the place of victory when we turn our eyes from the Lord, onto our environment. If we think that we can do it alone, we will utterly collapse. If we become afraid because of the difficulties around us, we will utterly fail. Are we not told to run the race that is set before us, “looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith”?
3. The grip of the Master’s hand. As Peter cried out in fear, Jesus immediately stretched forth His hand and caught him. Once more Peter’s faith began to operate. The Lord lets us know very definitely the cause of Peter’s failure when He said, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
VI. MEETING OUR DIFFICULTIES (Mat 14:29)
There are two ways set before us in this study as to how to meet our difficulties.
1. There is the way of pulling at the oars. This was the way of the eleven, and it was, at first, the way of Peter. They all bent their backs and pulled at the oars. Is this the better way? If we walk in the flesh, we can never conquer the flesh. Even now we hear the moanings and the groanings of carnal activity, as we turn to Rom 7:1-25 :
“That which I do I allow not”;
“What I would, that do I not”;
“What I hate, that do I.”
“The good that I would I do not”;
“The evil which I would not, that I do”;
“When I would do good, evil is present with me.”
Do you wonder that such statements as the above are followed by the moan, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
Must Christians forever pull at the oars and fail? Is there no place for victory? Is there no place where the paeans of conquest may sound forth their glad refrain?
2. There is the way of walking on the sea. This is the way of faith-of consummate confidence in Christ. We breast the winds and put the waves beneath our feet. If we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fill up the lusts of the flesh. What the flesh cannot do, God can do in us, and through us.
It is through the Spirit that we must mortify the deeds of the body. Therefore, being led by the Spirit of God, we will know nothing of the spirit of fear which overwhelmed Peter for the while.
It is useless to argue that Peter began to sink. We readily grant it. We immediately reply, however, that he merely began to sink, he did not sink.
VII. THE FINAL SCENE (Mat 14:32-33)
1. When the wind ceased. Our verse says: “And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.”
1. When do we get to the place of victory, and of rest in Christ Jesus? It is when He comes into our hearts. It is when He takes the rudder and grasps the helm.
2. When will the world come to the place of victory and peace? It will be when the Prince of Peace enters the boat. It is written, “His Name shall be called * * The Prince of Peace.” When is He called The Prince of Peace? It is when the government is upon His shoulder. It is when He sits on the throne of David, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice forevermore. The nations of the earth, at this moment, are in a mad frenzy of preparing for war. Munition plants, and every other kind of plants for the manufacture of war materials, are beehives of activity.
When Christ comes, nation will no longer lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore. When Christ comes they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
2. When Christ is acknowledged as God. It was when the wind ceased that they worshiped Him, saying, “Of a truth Thou art the Son of God.”
Not until the Lord Jesus returns to this earth, not until He is crowned Prince of Peace will Zion acclaim Christ as God, Then the Lord will say to His chosen nation, “Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.” Israel will then acknowledge their Redeemer as their God, saying, “Thy God reigneth.”
Then, also, will the nations of the earth worship Christ as God. The bane of this age is the negation of God. The world is humanizing Deity and deifying humanity. When Christ returns the world will crown Him Lord of All.
AN ILLUSTRATION
A young man who was driven out of Western China during the riots years ago was the treasurer of our mission there, and there were others farther up than he who needed silver to pay their way out. He saw that they were cared for, and then started along down the river. The rioters overtook him, boarded his boat, and he jumped overboard. They then began to spear at him in the water. He would dart under the boat and come up on the other side, only to find another spear shot at him. Down he went again, and up again, only to be speared at again, until his case became hopeless. Finally he struck out for the shore, and as he stood in the face of the surrounding mob the chief said, “Let him go,” and they melted away. At Northfield, when asked to tell his story on “Missionary Day,” he said, “Some friends were curious to know what particular text of Scripture came to me when I was down under that boat. Scripture text? The Lord Himself was there.'” Well, every one who heard him speak knew that He was. And when the people hear a young man tell one fact like that, and then say, “I am ready to go back and take my wife and child,” the Church of God believes, and every man and woman that ever has had an experience of Divine things is re-enforced.-Dr. H. C. Mabie.
Fuente: Neighbour’s Wells of Living Water
4:22
Jesus constrained or commanded his disciples to enter a ship and go across the sea before him. He wished to dismiss the multitudes which would require some considerable time because of the large number of them.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
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.
[And immediately he compelled his disciples, etc.] the reason of this compulsion is given by St. John, namely, because the people seeing the miracle were ambitious to make him a king: perhaps that the disciples might not conspire to do the same, who as yet dreamed too much of the temporal and earthly kingdom of the Messias.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
THE history contained in these verses, is one of singular interest. The miracle here recorded brings out in strong light the character both of Christ and His people. The power and mercy of the Lord Jesus, and the mixture of faith and unbelief in His best disciples, are beautifully illustrated.
We learn, in the first place, from this miracle, what absolute dominion our Savior has over all created things. We see Him “walking on the sea,” as if it was dry land. Those angry waves which tossed the ship of His disciples to and fro, obey the Son of God, and become a solid floor under His feet. That liquid surface, which was agitated by the least breath of wind, bears up the feet of our Redeemer, like a rock. To our poor, weak minds, the whole event is utterly incomprehensible. The picture of two feet walking on the sea, is said by Doddridge to have been the Egyptian emblem of an impossible thing. The man of science will tell us, that for material flesh and blood to walk on water is a physical impossibility. Enough for us to know that it was done. Enough for us to remember, that to Him who created the seas at the beginning, it must have been perfectly easy to walk over their waves when He pleased.
There is encouragement here for all true Christians. Let them know that there is nothing created, which is not under Christ’s control. “All things serve Him.” He may allow His people to be tried for a season, and tossed to and fro by storms of trouble. He may be later than they wish in coming to their aid, and not draw near till the “fourth watch of the night.” But never let them forget that winds, and waves, and storms are all Christ’s servants. They cannot move without Christ’s permission. “The LORD on high is mightier than the voice of many waters, yea than the mighty waves of the sea.” (Psa 93:4.) Are we ever tempted to cry with Jonah, “the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.” (Jon 2:3.) Let us remember they are “His” billows. Let us wait patiently. We may yet see Jesus coming to us, and “walking on the sea.”
We learn, in the second place, from this miracle, what power Jesus can bestow on them that believe on Him. We see Simon Peter coming down out of the ship, and walking on the water, like His Lord. What a wonderful proof was this of our Lord’s divinity! To walk on the sea Himself was a mighty miracle. But to enable a poor weak disciple to do the same, was a mightier miracle still.
There is a deep meaning in this part of the history. It shows us what great things our Lord can do for those that hear His voice, and follow Him. He can enable them to do things which at one time they would have thought impossible. He can carry them through difficulties and trials, which without Him they would never have dared to face. He can give them strength to walk through fire and water unharmed, and to get the better of every foe. Moses in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, the saints in Nero’s household, are all examples of His mighty power. Let us fear nothing, if we are in the path of duty. The waters may seem deep. But if Jesus says, “Come,” we have no cause to be afraid. “He that believeth on me, the works that I do he shall do also, and greater works than these shall he do.” (Joh 14:12.)
Let us learn, in the third place, from this miracle, how much trouble disciples bring upon themselves by unbelief. We see Peter walking boldly on the water for a little way. But by and bye, when he sees “the wind boisterous,” he is afraid, and begins to sink. The weak flesh gets the better of the willing spirit. He forgets the wonderful proofs of his Lord’s goodness and power, which he had just received. He considered not that the same Savior who had enabled him to walk one step, must be able to hold him up for ever. He did not reflect that he was nearer to Christ when once on the water, than he was when he first left the ship. Fear took away his memory. Alarm confused his reason. He thought of nothing but the winds and waves and his immediate danger, and his faith gave way. “Lord,” He cried, “save me.”
What a lively picture we have here of the experience of many a believer! How many there are who have faith enough to take the first step in following Christ, but not faith enough to go on as they began. They take fright at the trials and dangers which seem to be in their way. They look at the enemies that surround them, and the difficulties that seem likely to beset their path. They dwell on them more than on Jesus, and at once their feet begin to sink. Their hearts faint within them. Their hope vanishes away. Their comforts disappear.-And why is all this? Christ is not altered. Their enemies are not greater than they were.-It is just because, like Peter, they have ceased to look to Jesus, and have given way to unbelief. They are taken up with thinking about their enemies, instead of thinking about Christ. May we lay this to heart, and learn wisdom.
Let us learn, in the last place, from this miracle, how merciful our Lord Jesus Christ is to weak believers. We see Him stretching forth His hand immediately to save Peter, as soon as Peter cried to Him. He does not leave him to reap the fruit of his own unbelief, and sink in the deep waters. He only seems to consider his trouble, and to think of nothing so much as delivering him from it. The only word He utters, is the gentle reproof, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
Behold in this concluding part of the miracle, the exceeding “gentleness of Christ”! He can bear with much, and forgive much, when He sees true grace in a man’s heart. As a mother deals gently with her infant, and does not cast it away because of its little waywardness and frowardness, so does the Lord Jesus deal gently with His people. He loved and pitied them before conversion, and after conversion He loves and pities them still more. He knows their feebleness, and bears long with them. He would have us know that doubting does not prove that a man has no faith, but only that his faith is small. And even when our faith is small, the Lord is ready to help us. “When I said, my foot slippeth, thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.” (Psa 94:18.)
How much there is in all this to encourage men to serve Christ! Where is the man that ought to be afraid to begin running the Christian race, with such a Savior as Jesus? If we fall, He will raise us again. If we err, He will bring us back. But His mercy shall never be altogether taken from us. He has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” and He will keep His word. May we only remember, that while we do not despise little faith, we must not sit down content with it. Our prayer must ever be, “Lord, increase our faith.”
Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Mat 14:22. Constrained the disciples. See above.To go before him to the other side. Mark: to Bethsaida; John: toward Capernaum. Some understand by Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Philip, supposed to be on the western side of the lake; Capernaum being the ultimate point to be reached; it was in the land of Gennesaret (Mat 14:34). But in that case they would have inquired how He could join them, since there was then no other boat there (Joh 6:22), and the circuit by land was a long one. It is not certain that there was a western Bethsaida (see on chap. Mat 11:21). We therefore infer that He sent them to eastern Bethsaida, which was not far off (Luk 9:10), directing them to await Him there, so that they would cross together to the opposite shore, which they actually did, after the miracle. This accords best with all the details as given by the three Evangelists.Till he sent the multitudes away. They were in an excited condition; hence great prudence, perhaps an exercise of some constraining power was necessary.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
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.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
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.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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 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]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
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 Jews. 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 lifes 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.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Mat 14:22-33. Jesus Walks on the Sea (Mar 6:45-52*).Mt. omits to Bethsaida, seeing that the boat arrived at Gennesaret (Mat 14:34), and the remark that Jesus would have passed by them. But he amplifies the story by the attempt of Peter to walk on the water. This incident, which has a close parallel in Buddhist legend, emphasizes the power of faith. It may reflect the later proud impulsiveness, fall, repentance, and restoration of the apostle. Loisy regards it as a piece of resurrection-legend, like the miraculous catch of fish in Luk 5:1
Mat 14:11. Similarly he sees in the whole story a picture of the dismay of the disciples between the crucifixion and the Resurrection, or rather of the primitive Church after the Ascension, wearied and perplexed by difficulties while waiting for the Parousia. The Masters indifference is only apparent; He will surely come and bring succour and peace.
Mat 14:33. Contrast Mar 6:52. The Messianic confession given by Mt. detracts from the significance of the confession at Csarea Philippi (Mat 16:16).
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Verse 22
Constrained. There was but one boat, or ship, as it is called, (John 6:22,) and the disciples seem to have been unwilling to leave Jesus without any apparent means of rejoining them. But the crisis was one of considerable excitement and danger, and special precautions to effect the quiet dispersion of the people, seem to have been rendered necessary by the high state of excitement which prevailed among them, as is stated John 6:14,15. John the Baptist, the great favorite of the people, had just been murdered by Herod; and Jesus himself was seeking, in these solitudes, a refuge from his cruelty. These facts, in connection with the miracle, produced such an excitement in this assembly, as to lead them to form the design of forcing Jesus to head them in an insurrection against Herod’s authority. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that the disciples were reluctant to leave their Master in such a place, and the object of such an excitement, and without any apparent means of returning across the lake to his friends.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Jesus’ walking on the water 14:22-33 (cf. Mar 6:45-52; Joh 6:14-21)
Jesus proceeded to do a second miracle to deepen His disciples’ faith in Him even more.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
As soon as the people had finished eating, Jesus "immediately compelled" (Gr. eutheos enagkasen) His disciples to enter a boat and depart for the other side of the lake. There appear to have been several reasons for His unusual action. First, this miracle appears to have refueled the enthusiasm of some in the crowd to draft Jesus and to force Him to lead the nation (cf. Joh 6:15). Perhaps Jesus wanted to spare His disciples from this attractive temptation. [Note: Lenski, p. 568.] Second, Jesus wanted to get away to pray (Mat 14:23). Third, He wanted to prepare to get some rest (Mar 6:31-32). Fourth, He had an important lesson to teach them.
". . . there are two kinds of storms: storms of correction, when God disciplines us; and storms of perfection, when God helps us to grow. Jonah was in a storm because he disobeyed God and had to be corrected. The disciples were in a storm because they obeyed Christ and had to be perfected." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:51.]
Evidently Jesus sent the disciples up the eastern Galilee coast toward Bethsaida Julias with orders to wait for Him but not beyond a certain time (Joh 6:17). [Note: B. F. Westcott, The Gospel According to St. John , 1:218; Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, pp. 348-49.] He planned to travel north by foot. They proceeded west across the lake by boat when He did not appear by the prearranged deadline.