BibleTools

Topical Studies

 A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z


What the Bible says about Jesus Christ's Miracles: Walking on Water
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Matthew 14:22

Jesus forces the disciples to go without Him (Matthew 14:22; Mark 6:45; John 6:15). The text contains a strong sense of urgency, especially in the word "made," which implies "compelled," and "immediately" amplifies it. Only John tells why He urged His disciples to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee: to get them away from the crowd, which was so excited by the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 that they would have taken Him by force to make Him king (John 6:15). The crowd, on the verge of revolution against the Roman government, put the disciples in grave danger.

They did not fully understand that Christ's work as Savior of the world did not involve conquering governments at that time, so they were susceptible to the crowd's influence in wanting to make Him king. This influence may be why they were unwilling to leave Him at what they may have thought was His crowning moment. In their growing admiration of Jesus, the disciples were likely reluctant to be separated from Him even for a moment, yet He sent them away. The storm, then, had the effect of saving them from strong ambitions, and they would later realize that the stormy night, along with the earlier exciting day, had worked together for their good (Romans 8:28).

Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Walking on the Water (Part One)

Matthew 14:22-33

The heart of Christ's miracle of walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21) is that of Jesus' direct control over natural law. His paradoxical action against the known laws of gravity and of the properties of liquid water did not change, suspend, or cancel these universal laws themselves; instead, it was the exercise of a stronger power. By using an analogy, Herbert Lockyer sheds light on the principle at work:

The law of gravity is not set aside when the magnet collects iron filings; it is only that the superior force of magnetism has overcome gravitation. So what happened that stormy night was the exercise of Christ's omnipotence, as He, the Creator of seas and winds revealed His authority over them, and they being His, He could use them as He desired. It was His will which bore Him triumphantly above those waters. (All the Miracles of the Bible, p. 201.)

All things are possible with the Father and Jesus Christ. To doubt that they can accomplish such things is faithlessness. One who has learned to trust in God and believe in His Word does not wonder whether God can intervene on his behalf, although he may wonder at the method or the way it is carried out.

Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Walking On Water (Part Two)

Matthew 14:24

The storm was a real trial for the disciples. In the same way, much in life is contrary to us; the wind is seldom at our backs, as it were. No one who spent time on the Sea of Galilee went long before experiencing contrary winds. Likewise, everyone on the sea of life eventually experiences circumstances that oppose them. Job says, "Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward. But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause" (Job 5:7-8). Even so, some things can only be improved by contrary winds, which are intended to strengthen our character and faith.

Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Walking On Water (Part Two)

Matthew 14:27

The three words, "It is I," are in Greek only two words (ego eimi), and they are much more powerful and significant than most Bible readers realize. Jesus says not, "It is I" but "I am," which is a direct assertion of His deity. Moses had asked God:

"Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:13-14).

Clearly, Jesus is declaring that He is the Yahweh of the Old Testament. Throughout the New Testament, there are a number of significant amplifications of this: Christ is the "I AM" that is the bread of life; the light of the world; the good shepherd; the resurrection; the way, the truth, and the life; and the Alpha and Omega, among other things (John 6:35; 8:12; 10:11; 11:25; 14:6; Revelation 1:8).

In the Garden of Gethsemane the night before the crucifixion, the "I AM" lesson was made unambiguous. When soldiers came to arrest Christ,

He went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?" They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He" ["He" has been inserted by the translators]. And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18:4-6)

The disciples in their peril at sea needed the great "I AM." These two words alone should have removed all their fear.

In this incident, the disciples show that they were growing in faith. In the earlier miracle of Christ stilling the storm on the sea, they asked, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" (Matthew 8:27). Now they have advanced in their knowledge to recognizing Jesus as God (as "Son of God" indicates) and worshipping Him.

Recognizing that Jesus is God means that their worship was correct doctrinally. True worship cannot be separate from true doctrine. Jesus says to the woman at the well, "You worship what you do not know" (John 4:22). He could say this to some even in the greater churches of God today who sadly do not know enough about the Father and Christ. We, too, must know Him as the Son of God and fully divine to worship Him acceptably.

Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Walking on the Water (Part One)

Matthew 14:31

Peter asks for a sign that the "apparition" really is Jesus, and He replies, "Come!" His response contains an implicit pledge that Peter would not be engulfed in the raging waters. At first, Peter's confidence in Jesus' power sustains him as he walks on the water, but as doubt quickly creeps in, his enjoyment of the intensely spiritual experience soon fades.

Peter's zealous, impulsive faith is not absolute, convicted faith but humanly reasoned, self-assured, and immature, though it allowed him to attempt the seemingly impossible feat of walking on water. Jesus is gentle in His rebuke, not saying, "Why did you bother to come?" but gently asking, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" as He held out a hand to reassure Peter.

Despite his initial faith, Peter soon found himself facing a dramatic test. In the clash between sight and faith (II Corinthians 5:7), his impulsive faith vanished and fear took its place. Taking his eye off his Savior to focus on the raging waves, he sank but did not drown. Jesus saved him because He never abandons His elect. Poor Peter must have felt humiliation that night as his fear and failure revealed his weakness and lack of true faith.

Once Jesus entered the ship with Peter, the winds immediately ceased. Ceased in Matthew 14:32 means "to grow weary." The rough elements had spent themselves, having been overcome by supernatural power. In that instant, the ship was supernaturally and immediately moved to the shore.

Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Walking On Water (Part Two)

Mark 6:51-52

Mark characteristically records details that the other writers do not, and here, he describes the disciples' astonishment. If they had truly believed, nothing should have amazed them. They knew Jesus was the Messiah, but their faith was too weak to believe deeply that He was the powerful God of creation. Mark explains that His multiplying of the loaves and fish just hours earlier should have demonstrated Jesus' true identity to them (Mark 8:18-21), but neither that miracle nor the appearance of Jesus on the water could open their hearts to the reality of His divine nature.

When Jesus had calmed the storm earlier, the disciples had struggled with faith versus fear (Mark 4:40), and now, they struggled with faith versus fear plus hard-heartedness. Their hearts were hardened because their minds were slow to recognize the significance of Christ's miracle. This does not mean that they were conflicted about Jesus, but simply that they were slow to recognize His omnipotence. Once the excitement of the raging sea had settled down, the disciples gained a greater appreciation for the breadth of His power. From this they were able to admire and worship Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33). The disciples' hearts were beginning to soften.

The encouraging lesson of this miracle is that faith is tested by the stormy trials in life, but despite our being tossed about on the waves of a troublesome world, Jesus is always near. We may feel abandoned in times of stress, but Christ has not forgotten us. His intervention may sometimes come suddenly, at other times slowly, yet depending on the will of the Father, there is always the potential for a miraculous solution.

Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Walking On Water (Part Two)


 




The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment

The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment

Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day.

Email Address:

   
Leave this field empty

We respect your privacy. Your email address will not be sold, distributed, rented, or in any way given out to a third party. We have nothing to sell. You may easily unsubscribe at any time.
 A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
©Copyright 1992-2024 Church of the Great God.   Contact C.G.G. if you have questions or comments.
Share this on FacebookEmailPrinter version
Close
E-mail This Page