Jesus Walks on the Sea
Many Touch Him and Are Made Well
| << Matthew 14:21 | Matthew 14:23 >> |
What Does Matthew 14:22 Mean?
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
Christ's miracle of walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21) took place soon after feeding the 5,000. The next day He preached a sermon in the synagogue that turned their rejoicing into near total rejection—almost all but the twelve disciples left Him. A representative of God must not trust in human praise nor withhold the truth to try to please people. Instead, as a true witness, he must preach God's truth regardless of the world's disapproval.
Later, Jesus told His disciples to set out in their boat for the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. At three hours after midnight, straining at the oars against the storm, they were still only halfway across the lake. In a contrary wind and tossed by the waves, the disciples did not realize that Jesus was fully aware of their difficulty. They were about to learn of His sympathy and willingness to come to their aid. He approached the distressed disciples in an entirely unexpected way, by walking on the turbulent sea as if it were stable as rock.
Clearly, He had been praying for and watching out for them while on the mountain, but when He passed near them, they did not recognize their Savior. The night was extremely black in the storm, and their nerves were on edge with fear. Under these conditions, they thought He was a spirit, an ominous apparition of some kind. But He encouraged them immediately with familiar reassurance: "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Later in their lives during times of anxiety, this moment probably came to mind as a lesson deeply received and continually comforting.
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)
Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Matthew 14:22:
Matthew 14:22-33
Matthew 14:22-33
Mark 6:45-52
Mark 6:45-52
John 6:15-21
John 6:15-21
| << Matthew 14:21 | Matthew 14:23 >> |
Join 137,262+ readers
A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning
Consistent Bible study is hard to start.
The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.
Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.