22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat
and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up
on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed
by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to
them, walking on the sea. 26 And when
the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a
ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You,
command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And
when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to
Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,
he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand
and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little
faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped
Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Having fed the five thousand, the Lord Jesus immediately makes the disciples get into the boat they came in and depart for the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Now while the disciples were departing, the Lord Jesus remained back on shore, while He personally sent the multitudes away. And so, this time there would be no hoards of people racing to catch up with Him, as there was when He first crossed over with the disciples, and likely would’ve been again if He left with the disciples in the boat with them.
Having sent the multitudes away, Jesus now goes back up on the mountain where He and His disciples first went when they crossed over the Sea of Galilee (John 6:1-3). And so, when evening came Jesus was alone there so that He might pray. In Luke’s Gospel it states that Jesus was all night there in prayer (Luke 9:28); meaning until the “fourth watch” of the night (vs. 25, which was the three-hour time period ending at dawn, roughly beginning at 3:00 am)
Vs. 24 “But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.”
Now while Jesus was on the mountain praying, the disciples were crossing over the Sea of Galilee at night. Not an unusual act since fishermen would often fish all night under the light of the stars until daybreak. However, the disciples were having a rather difficult journey since they were only about halfway across the Sea of Galilee, at the hour of the forth watch, for as the Scripture says they were being tossed about (think violently shaken) by the waves, for the winds were contrary. And so, the disciples had been all night struggling to row their way across the Sea of Galilee, but as yet to no avail. No doubt then the disciples were despairing of their journey.
Vs. 25 “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.”
And so it is in the disciple’s darkest hour and deepest distress that the Lord Jesus comes to them, walking on the Sea to rescue and save them; walking not on ice, not on rocks in the Sea, but on the violently tossed and turned Sea itself! Showing Himself then as Lord of all things in God’s creation.
Vs. 26 “And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.”
Now while the disciples are fearing for their very lives, they now see Jesus walking on the storm-tossed sea towards them. However, in seeing Him, initially they are only troubled because they think it is a ghost and not Jesus, and so they cry out for fear not realizing it is Jesus coming to save them.
Vs. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Now Jesus hearing the disciples cry out for fear, now reassures them that it is He, saying to them all, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Vs. 28-29 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
Now the Apostle Peter having heard Jesus is the first to speak up and says to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And so, Peter seeing our Lord and Savior walking effortlessly on the stormy Sea being unaffected and unharmed by it, now asks Jesus to command him to come to Him figuring that if Jesus can cause Himself to walk on the waves of the Sea as if walking on solid ground so He can do the same for Peter. And with that Jesus now says just one word to Peter, “Come.” For that is just what the Lord Jesus Christ says to us all, “Come”; come and step out of your vessels of “security” and join Me in the “storms of life”, for that is where Jesus is, not in the comforts of this life, but out on the stormy seas looking for the lost, and seeking to save His own out of them all. Therefore, with Jesus’ command, Peter now comes down out of the boat and steps out onto the water, walking towards Jesus, no doubt to the shock and amazement of the other disciples.
Now Peters initial exuberance at seeing Jesus walking on the water and going to Him at His Word is soon met with fear, as Peter realizes that the wind all around him is boisterous, (which is just like ministering the Gospel in this sometimes hostile and boisterous world when we too step out in faith and do so). And so, though Peters initial faith was very strong, yet now in this “crises” moment his faith is temporarily being overcome by his own fears, and so he begins to sink (because Peter lost his focus as to whom it is who is upholding him) and so despairing in the moment Peter cries out to the Lord, “Lord save Me”. Which is something you and I will also do in this life and journey with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as we face our own crises moments when we too think we are about to be swallowed up by the storms of life or sink into the faith abyss. Nonetheless as Peter found out, and you and I will also find out, (sometimes time and again), when we call upon the Lord in our deepest distresses Jesus saves us (Rom 10:13).
Vs. 31 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
With Peters crying out to the Lord to save him, the Lord Jesus immediately stretches out His hand and catches Peter, saving him, and having caught him, Jesus says to Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Something that I must ask myself every now and then when like Peter I too think that I’m about to go under, or be swallowed by the storms of this life, or think that I’m going to be abandoned. Yet time and again when I think it’s over for me the Lord likewise saves me, just as He will save you! For great is the Lord’s faithfulness in season and out! (Psalm 36:5; 89:1; 143:1-2; Lam. 3:23).
Vs. 32-33 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Jesus then having saved Peter and brought him into the boat; where the other disciples were; the wind ceases. The forces of nature then, like all the forces in this life; whether good or evil; are at the beckon call and command of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ! The disciples then having observed all these things are simply overjoyed and filled with enthusiastic praise and adoration for the Lord and so they come to Jesus and worship Him saying to Him, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Commentary
Vs.
22 “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat
and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.”Having fed the five thousand, the Lord Jesus immediately makes the disciples get into the boat they came in and depart for the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Now while the disciples were departing, the Lord Jesus remained back on shore, while He personally sent the multitudes away. And so, this time there would be no hoards of people racing to catch up with Him, as there was when He first crossed over with the disciples, and likely would’ve been again if He left with the disciples in the boat with them.
Vs.
23
“And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up
on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.”
Having sent the multitudes away, Jesus now goes back up on the mountain where He and His disciples first went when they crossed over the Sea of Galilee (John 6:1-3). And so, when evening came Jesus was alone there so that He might pray. In Luke’s Gospel it states that Jesus was all night there in prayer (Luke 9:28); meaning until the “fourth watch” of the night (vs. 25, which was the three-hour time period ending at dawn, roughly beginning at 3:00 am)
Vs. 24 “But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.”
Now while Jesus was on the mountain praying, the disciples were crossing over the Sea of Galilee at night. Not an unusual act since fishermen would often fish all night under the light of the stars until daybreak. However, the disciples were having a rather difficult journey since they were only about halfway across the Sea of Galilee, at the hour of the forth watch, for as the Scripture says they were being tossed about (think violently shaken) by the waves, for the winds were contrary. And so, the disciples had been all night struggling to row their way across the Sea of Galilee, but as yet to no avail. No doubt then the disciples were despairing of their journey.
Vs. 25 “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.”
And so it is in the disciple’s darkest hour and deepest distress that the Lord Jesus comes to them, walking on the Sea to rescue and save them; walking not on ice, not on rocks in the Sea, but on the violently tossed and turned Sea itself! Showing Himself then as Lord of all things in God’s creation.
Vs. 26 “And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.”
Now while the disciples are fearing for their very lives, they now see Jesus walking on the storm-tossed sea towards them. However, in seeing Him, initially they are only troubled because they think it is a ghost and not Jesus, and so they cry out for fear not realizing it is Jesus coming to save them.
Vs. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Now Jesus hearing the disciples cry out for fear, now reassures them that it is He, saying to them all, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Vs. 28-29 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
Now the Apostle Peter having heard Jesus is the first to speak up and says to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And so, Peter seeing our Lord and Savior walking effortlessly on the stormy Sea being unaffected and unharmed by it, now asks Jesus to command him to come to Him figuring that if Jesus can cause Himself to walk on the waves of the Sea as if walking on solid ground so He can do the same for Peter. And with that Jesus now says just one word to Peter, “Come.” For that is just what the Lord Jesus Christ says to us all, “Come”; come and step out of your vessels of “security” and join Me in the “storms of life”, for that is where Jesus is, not in the comforts of this life, but out on the stormy seas looking for the lost, and seeking to save His own out of them all. Therefore, with Jesus’ command, Peter now comes down out of the boat and steps out onto the water, walking towards Jesus, no doubt to the shock and amazement of the other disciples.
Vs.
30
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,
he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
Now Peters initial exuberance at seeing Jesus walking on the water and going to Him at His Word is soon met with fear, as Peter realizes that the wind all around him is boisterous, (which is just like ministering the Gospel in this sometimes hostile and boisterous world when we too step out in faith and do so). And so, though Peters initial faith was very strong, yet now in this “crises” moment his faith is temporarily being overcome by his own fears, and so he begins to sink (because Peter lost his focus as to whom it is who is upholding him) and so despairing in the moment Peter cries out to the Lord, “Lord save Me”. Which is something you and I will also do in this life and journey with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as we face our own crises moments when we too think we are about to be swallowed up by the storms of life or sink into the faith abyss. Nonetheless as Peter found out, and you and I will also find out, (sometimes time and again), when we call upon the Lord in our deepest distresses Jesus saves us (Rom 10:13).
Vs. 31 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
With Peters crying out to the Lord to save him, the Lord Jesus immediately stretches out His hand and catches Peter, saving him, and having caught him, Jesus says to Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Something that I must ask myself every now and then when like Peter I too think that I’m about to go under, or be swallowed by the storms of this life, or think that I’m going to be abandoned. Yet time and again when I think it’s over for me the Lord likewise saves me, just as He will save you! For great is the Lord’s faithfulness in season and out! (Psalm 36:5; 89:1; 143:1-2; Lam. 3:23).
Vs. 32-33 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Jesus then having saved Peter and brought him into the boat; where the other disciples were; the wind ceases. The forces of nature then, like all the forces in this life; whether good or evil; are at the beckon call and command of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ! The disciples then having observed all these things are simply overjoyed and filled with enthusiastic praise and adoration for the Lord and so they come to Jesus and worship Him saying to Him, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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