And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Mat 14:31
Wherefore didst thou doubt.
Doubting Christians
1. It perverts all they do by directing them to a wrong end.
2. It withdraws the mind from Christ.
3. It sours the temper. It breeds fears.
4. It gives Satan peculiar advantage against the soul.
5. The providence of God appears dark to such a soul.
6. It occasions false comfort.
7. It tarnishes the profession of such a person. (J. Cooke.)
Safety of believers in seeming perils
A British subject may be safe although surrounded by enemies in a distant land-not that he has strength to contend alone against armed thousands, but because he is a subject of our Queen. A despot on his throne, a horde of savages in their desert, have permitted a helpless traveller to pass unharmed, like a lamb among lions-although, like lions looking on a lamb, they thirsted for his blood-because they knew his sovereigns watchfulness, and feared his sovereigns power. The feeble stranger has a charmed life in the midst of his enemies, because a royal arm unseen encompasses him as with a shield. The power thus wielded by an earthly throne may suggest and symbolize the perfect protection of Omnipotence. A British subjects confidence in his Queen may rebuke the feeble faith of a Christian. O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? What though there be fears within and fightings without? He who bought His people with His own Blood cannot lose his inheritance, and will not permit any enemy to wrest from His hand the satisfaction of His soul. The man with a deceitful heart and a darkened mind, a feeble frame and a slippery way, a fainting heart and a daring foe-such a man would stumble and fall; but the member of Christs body cannot drop off; the portion of the Redeemer cannot be wrenched from His grasp. Ye are His. Christ is the safety of a Christian. (W. Arnot.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 31. Jesus stretched forth his hand] Every moment we stand in need of Christ: while we stand-we are upheld by his power only; and when we are falling, or have fallen, we can be saved only by his mercy. Let us always take care that we do not consider so much the danger to which we are exposed, as the power of Christ by which we are to be upheld; and then our mountain is likely to stand strong.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
31. And immediately Jesus stretchedforth his hand, and caught him, and said to him,O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?(Also see on Mr6:50.)
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand,…. The Syriac reads it, , “and in that very moment”; for his case requires immediate assistance, and Christ readily gave it; he reached out his hand at once, being just by him,
and caught him; as he was sinking to the bottom, and lifted him up, and set him on his feet upon the water, and enabled him to walk with him to the ship; but not without reproving him for the weakness of his faith,
and said unto him, O thou of little faith: he does not say, O thou unbeliever! or, O thou who hast no faith! for some faith he had, though but small; of this phrase, See Gill “Mt 6:30”.
Wherefore didst thou doubt? waver, fluctuate, or wast divided between faith and fear. He was worthy of reproof, since he had had the order of Christ to come to him upon the water; and an experience of his power in supporting him thus far; and was now so near unto him, that he had no room to doubt, whether it was he or not, nor of his power to preserve him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Didst thou doubt? (?). Only here and 28:17 in the N.T. From and that from (twice). Pulled two ways. Peter’s trust in the power of Christ gave way to his dread of the wind and waves. Jesus had to take hold of Peter (, middle voice) and pull him up while still walking on the water.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand,” (eutheos de ho lesous ekteinas ten cheira) “And immediately Jesus stretching out (extending) his hand,” in prompt reply to an earnest prayer of faith, Rom 10:10-13, Isa 55:6-7.
2) “And caught him,” (epelabeto auto) “He took hold of him,” of Peter, who had (Gk. blepon) “glanced” at the waves and begun to sink, Mat 14:30. Jesus rescued him in response to his cry, in harmony with Divine promises and principles, Psa 40:1-3; Psa 145:18-19.
3) “And said unto him, 0 thou of little faith,” (kai legei auto oligopiste) “And said directly to him, 0 you little faith one,” chiding him for his fear and doubt in a moment of sinking, much as His former chiding other disciples in the midst of a storm, Mat 8:26.
4) “Wherefore didst thou doubt?” (eis ti edistasas) “Just why did you doubt?” after such a profession and expression of courage and after I commanded you to come to me, as you requested? Why did you glance away, turn eyes from me to the winds? He was double-minded for the moment, as was Pilate, Mat 27:17; See also Jas 1:8. Let it be recalled that from Eve’s evil look upon the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden, until today, any look away from the Divinely commanded way, tends to evil and a fall. A lift from such sinking comes only by a cry for Divine intervention, 1Jn 2:15-17; Rom 14:1-2; Heb 12:1-3.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
31. O man of little faith. While our Lord kindly preserves Peter, he does not connive at Peter’s fault. Such is the object of the chastisement administered, when Peter is blamed for the weakness of his faith. But a question arises, Does every kind of fear give evidence of a weakness of faith? for Christ’s words seem to imply that, where faith reigns, there is no room for doubt. (384) I reply: Christ reproves here that kind of doubt which was directly opposed to faith. A man may sometimes doubt without any fault on his part; and that is, when the word of the Lord does not speak with certainty on the matter. But the case was quite different with Peter, who had received an express command from Christ, and had already experienced his power, and yet leaves that twofold support, and falls into foolish and wicked fear.
(384) “ Que Doute et Crainte ne peuvent avoir lieu ou la foy regne;” — “that Doubt and Fear cannot have place where faith reigns.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
‘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?” ’
The impression we are given is that Peter had almost reached Jesus before he had taken his eyes off Him, for Jesus is able to reach out and take hold of him. And then He gently rebuked him. “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” It was a reminder that growing though the faith of the disciples was, it was still small compared with what it should be (compare Mat 17:20).
We must remember, of course, that this description is comparative. The comparison is with the Master Himself. But when we can give evidence in ourselves of the huge faith that Peter had to begin with, we will have a right to point to his little faith. But then we will be too humble to do so. However, until then we can only recognise how much less our faith is than his. Nevertheless the point is made. Believing though the disciples were, they still had a long way to go.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 14:31. Jesus stretched forth his hand, &c. Peter did not doubt that it was Jesus who walked upon the water; he might have been convinced of that, as we observed in the former note, before he left the vessel; nay, must have been convinced of it while he was sinking, otherwise he would not have called to him for assistance; but he was afraid that Jesus could not or would not support him against the wind, which blew more fiercely than before: a doubt most unreasonable and culpable, since it was as easy to support him against the storm, as to keep him above the water, which Jesus had virtually promised todo by his permission, and which he had actually performed, when Peter first left the vessel. See the Inferences.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 14:31 f. .] , ; Euth. Zigabenus. For , wherefore? comp. Mat 26:8 ; Wis 4:17 ; Sir 39:17 ; Sir 39:21 ; Soph. Tr . 403, Oed. C. 528, and Hermann’s note.
] According to John, Jesus did not go up into the boat, but the disciples wanted to take Him on board. A difference that may be noted, though it is of but trifling importance. See note on Joh 6:21 .
] Comp. Herod, vii. 191. LXX. Gen 8:1 . It became calm . Anthol . vii. 630: , and see Wetstein.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Ver. 31. O thou of little faith, &c. ] Thou petty fidian, small faith; Christ chides Peter, and yet helps him. Involuntary failings, unavoidable infirmities, discard us not; as robberies done by pirates of either nation break not the league between princes; as lesser failings dissolve not the marriage knot. Christ knew us well before he took us, yet took us for better for worse. 2. He “hates putting away,” Mal 2:16 , and herein, as he is above law, so his mercy is matchless, Jer 3:1 . Joshua the high priest, though he was ill-clothed, yet he stood before the angel, Zec 3:3 . Much will be so borne with, where the fault is of passion merely, or of incogitance and inadvertence, as here.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 14:31 . : again in Mat 28:17 , nowhere else in N. T., from , double, hence to be of two minds, to doubt ( cf. , Jas 1:8 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
O thou of little faith. See note on Mat 6:30.
wherefore = why, or for what. Greek. eis.
doubt = waver, or hesitate. Greek. distazo. Occurs only here and Mat 28:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 14:31. , O thou of little faith) Even great faith is little in comparison of that which we ought to have. We should also possesss constancy.- , wherefore? to what end?) With what advantage? He is not blamed because he came out of the vessel, but because he did not remain in the firmness of faith. He was right in exposing himself to trial; but he ought to have persevered.-, didst thou doubt) The nature of faith is perceived from its opposites, doubt and fear. See Mar 5:36; Rom 14:23; Jam 1:6.[673]
[673] Mat 14:33. , Thou art the Son of God) Since they perceived that Jesus was such by reason of His miraculous walking on the sea, they ought not to have wondered at this very miracle to such a degree as to be lost in amazement. It is for this reason they are censured by Mar 6:51-52. For the mind, which faith has rendered intelligent and sober, unlearns excess of astonishment-Harm., p. 333.
Mat 14:35. , the men) who perhaps were engaged in labouring in the fields.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
stretched: Psa 138:7, Isa 63:12, Mar 1:31, Mar 1:41, Mar 5:41, Act 4:30
and caught: Gen 22:14, Deu 32:36, Mar 16:7, Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32, Luk 24:34, 1Pe 1:5
O thou: Mat 8:26, Mat 16:8, Mat 17:20, Mar 11:23, Rom 4:18-20, 1Ti 2:8, Jam 1:6-8
Reciprocal: Gen 18:14 – Is Gen 42:36 – all these things are against me Exo 14:10 – sore afraid Jdg 1:19 – but could Jdg 4:8 – General 1Sa 27:1 – And David Mat 6:30 – O ye Mat 15:28 – great Mar 4:40 – Why Mar 9:22 – if Luk 8:25 – Where Luk 12:28 – O ye Rom 4:19 – being Rom 14:1 – weak
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:31
The Lord chastised him at the same time he was rescuing him by accusing him with having little faith. A good lesson may be obtained for all of us from this event. It does not require as much faith to appear firm when everything is favorable. The test comes when it appears that things are against us, and it is then that we should think of the words of Paul in Rom 8:31, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 14:31. O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 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. Trench: Peter is here the image of all the faithful of all ages, in the seasons of their weakness and their fear.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. The mercy of Christ is no sooner sought, but found: immediately Jesus put forth his hand and caught him. O with what speed, and with what assurance, should we flee to that sovereign bounty, from whence never any suitor was sent away empty.
Observe, 2. Though Christ gave Peter his hand, yet with this hand he gave him a check; O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Though Christ likes believing, yet he dislikes doubting. A person may be truly believing, who nevertheless is sometimes doubting, but his doubting eclipses the beauty of his believing.