Right after Jesus calmed the disciples fear by telling them, " it is I " "Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.". I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Furthermore, John tells us that not only is the dark, chaotic sea the origin of Gods enemies, but it is also symbolic of their end (Rev. I wont be offended by any reasoned answer, but you can plead the 5th The New Testament Bible story of Jesus walking on water is one of the most widely told narratives and key miracles of Jesus. This is a straightforward statement.All of this is reinforced by the fact that the sea is frequently used as a metaphor for sin, death, and judgment in the Bible, as well.It is initially associated with the concepts of darkness and chaos (Gen.1:2).During the days of Noah, the sea served as Gods lethal tool of wrath against mankind (Gen.6:17).As a result, later on, when Israel attempted to flee Egypt, they were stranded by the sea (please grasp this) until God provided a way for them to safely travel over it on dry ground (Ex. ! Because he was concentrating on Jesus.His gaze was fixed on the majesty of Christ, rather than on the crashing seas.Jesus had just completed a 3.5-mile journey on water (see John 6:19), and Im presuming He is a power walker based on how quickly He got out there.Maybe he simply kind of drifted through the air. The narrative serves as a reminder to Christians that when the Lord appears to them in the midst of their own personal troubles, they may not recognize him. Because Jesus desired the people who were following Him about to think that He was the Son of God, he went to such far as to kill himself.The only way to do this was by the performance of divine trickery, sometimes known as miracles.Because of this, He performed every miraclein order for us to realize He was real!He would have been easily dismissed as one of the most insane guys who ever lived if it werent for the miracles He performed.It is His ability to do miracles that distinguishes Him as God in the flesh!His miracles were so impressive that He even warned the legalistic Jews who were attempting to stone Him, If you dont accept what Im saying, at the very least believe me based on my miracles (see John 10:31-39). Then he jumped into the water. & The Ministry and Life of Christ. Covering topics including Miracles, Peace, Strength, However, although Moses came from the mountain with the law, Jesus returns from the cross with nothing more than Himself. In Matthew, Jesus isnt just calling out to them to bring their attention to the fact that He is present. The allusion to the apostle Peter walking on water is not present in the gospels of Mark and John, on the other hand. 6:15 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. The idea is that before His death, all Old Testament believers were in Abraham's bosomthe paradise part of Hades. Then Jesus multiplies bread, as if from thin air, to feed the multitudes with as much as they wanted (John 6:11), just as God had provided bread from heaven to feed His people with as much as any man could eat (Ex. Then we have the institution of the Passover in Exodus 12 and the allusion to the same in John 6:4. Probably inert. 4:17).3. & The Ministry and Life of Christ. And this is what worship is, acknowledging who God is and praising Him both for who He is and for what He has done.It was in this story that the disciples took the first step and worshiped Jesus as the Son of God.Return to: Questions about Matthew What was the meaning of Jesus walking on water? In the book of Psalms, the sea is frequently used to symbolize tremendous uncertainty and insurmountable difficulty (e.g., Pss. You of little faith, why did you doubt? he said as he reached down into the water and raised him to his feet. Did Jesus walk on water? There was an interesting comment on Peter Ennss post Jesus and the Sea though, a comment I think worth a response and some consideration and one that relates to many of the discussions we have had here of late. English Standard Version Best Answer. means to remain steady or resolute in the face of danger or difficult circumstances in English.In addition, he says, Do not be frightened, which is frequently connected with a heavenly aspect (Dan 10:12, 19, for example).Jesus declares himself by saying, It is I (It is I).This is typically connected with the name of God in the Old Testament.For example, the name of God in Exodus 3:14 is written as in the Septuagint.It is in the context of the Lord walking on the seas in the uagint that Isaiah 43:10-11 is found. According to the lesson, when Christians take their eyes off of Jesus and concentrate on their challenging circumstances, they begin to crumble under the weight of their issues and eventually perish. He called out to Jesus for help. Peter stepped down from the boat and did walk on the water, making for Jesus. Although the story is recorded three different times, the Bible implies that it only happened once. It is I; do not be scared, Jesus assures them. For example, in Luke 9, the story of the feeding of the five thousand is told without any mention of Jesus walking on water, which is significant. Thus the reasons for the lack of recognition. Derrett, 1981). The story of Jesus walking on water is retold in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John; it is not in the Gospel of Luke. Before the disciples got on the boat, Jesus provided bread and fish for 5,000 plus people in the middle of a desert. Miracles, signs, and wonders are simply not believable. The people on the lake, however, thought he was a ghost when they saw him wandering about on the water.They screamed because they had all seen him and were afraid of him.Immediately, he addressed them and encouraged them, saying, Take courage! However, Jesus only draws closer and closer until, at long last, He calms them down and leaves them alone. Why did Jesus walk on the water? In Matthew 14:26-27, the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea and were terrified. Suggestion of a natural cause and effect does not undermine the work of God. But he straightway spake with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. In Mark 6:45, Jesus instructed them to travel to Bethsaida, which is roughly seven miles south of Tabgha, despite the fact that the winds were blowing them south to Gennesa. Jesus could have left the disciples in fear, wondering who He was, but instead, Jesus revealed Himself calmed the wind. 33:45). They left while He was still present in order to travel across the lake to the opposite side of the lake on their own own. What miracles did Jesus perform? When darkness veils his lovely face, / I rest on his unchanging grace. Later, when Israel sought escape from Egypt, they were trapped by the sealet the reader understanduntil God made a way for them to pass safely through it on dry ground (Ex. When we consider the signs and wonders in recorded in scripture sometimes a natural explanation is found and the wonder is in the timing not physical cause, but on other occasions no natural cause is present. As a result, our little difficulties are minor and transient difficulties that are preparing us for an everlasting grandeur that much transcends all of our difficulties (Rom.8:18; 2 Cor.4:17).3. This blog is no longer being updated. It is because John wants us to see Jesus as the greater Moses, as he has already told us both explicitly ( John 1:16-17) and implicitly (Moses could only draw water from the rock, while Jesus could draw wine from the rock, the stone jars; see Ex. Jesus walked on water in order to call us as His own. John C19 V30, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his . Walking on the water The earliest description we have of this event is found in Mark's Gospel. Miracle by Jesus according to the New Testament, Jack Dean Kingsbury, Mark Allan Powell, David R. Bauer, 1999, Comparison in other versions at BibleGateway, The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels, Who do you say that I am? [24] Rudolf Bultmann pointed out that the sea-walking theme is familiar in many cultures. Likewise, Micah tells us that the sea is the place where God sends sin to be judged, forgiven, and forgotten forever (Mic. Your article here appears to argue a both/and position. Step two: David became too [], One of the more important and more difficult pieces of the puzzle as we feel our way forward at the interface of science and faith is the theological implications of discoveries in modern science. One of His encounters with them was at the road to Emmaus. 14:3436; Mark 6:5356). [17], Scholars who hold that the story records actual events do so on the basis that Jesus, as Son of God, was above the laws of nature; or, in a variation, that Jesus projected an image himself while actually remaining on the shore. Wanting to believe, Peter steps out in faith to walk on the water with Jesus. The hymn It Is Well with My Soul by Horatio Spafford begins, Whatever Satan buffet / though tribulations approach, / Let this blest certainty control: / That Christ has respect for my helpless position / And has bled his own blood for my soul. Edward Motes poem My Hope is Built on Nothing Less says, When darkness obscures his lovely face / I rest on his unchanging grace. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. Lord, save me! he cried out in desperation. The New Testament Bible story of when J esus walks on water is one of the most widely told narratives and critical miracles of Jesus. As a result, Peter climbed over the side of the boat and began walking across the sea toward Jesus. [24], Biblical scholar George W. Young dismisses the naturalistic explanations, the traditional and the historical critical perspectives. Well, this tale was added by the early church in order to make Jesus more of an awesome God-like persona, the modernists would claim. The Bible says in Matthew 14:29-31 that Jesus said, Yes, come.. What made you lose your nerve like that?" The Bible recorded only one instance when Jesus walked on water. https://www.learnreligions.com/jesus-walks-on-water-700220 (accessed March 1, 2023). 5:21; Heb. By walking on water in the middle of a furious storm, Jesus demonstrates His power and compassion for His people. 29 And he said, Come. O'Connor's dazzling first novel tells the hilarious and disturbing tale of Hazel Motes, a young Georgia man whose obsession with God leads him to run from God as fast as he can, only to crash head-on into the wall of Jesus and religion. In the past, I have seen some theistic evolutionists act, well, kind 17:17; John 2:112). 157 views, 3 likes, 4 loves, 3 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Mora Grace Lutheran Church: Music used with permission from CCLI Hades or Sheol was seen as the place of the dead with three areas or compartments: (1) the abyss or tartarus, the place of confinement for those demons who sinned in the days of Noah; (2) torments, the place of suffering for . However, when he saw the tremendous wind and the waves, he became afraid and began to sink into the water. Other times, however, storms rage with no end in sight. [12] David Cook and Craig Evans note that "of little faith" is a somewhat common expression in Matthew (e.g. Make it possible for these wonderful readers to believe in your brilliance! Yet, whereas Moses returned from the mountain with the law, Jesus returns with nothing but Himself. He said . But Jesus was by the fire, cooking. Although I have often interacted here with posts on other blogs, I have not generally paid a great deal of attention to the comments on those other blogs. What can we learn from Jesus feeding of the 5,000? [9], This event is also seen as a divine fulfillment of words of Job, Who alone spreadeth out the heavens and walketh upon the waves of the sea, Job (9:8). He didnt swim out and stand on a sand bar. (Moses could only draw water from the rock, while Jesus could draw wine from the rock, the stone jars; see Ex. !) Branscomb, 1937), based perhaps on some lost incident; perhaps Jesus waded through the surf (Vincent Taylor, 1957), or perhaps he walked on a sand bar (Sherman Johnson, 1972, J.D.M. According to Matthew chapter 27 verse 27, Jesus instructed them, Take a deep breath and go for it!It is, in fact, I.Dont be intimidated. (NIV) Peter said, Lord, if its you, tell me to come to you on the sea, and Jesus encouraged Peter to do just that, which Peter gladly accepted.While walking on the sea, Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and saw only the wind and waves, which caused him to begin to sink. The waves saw you, God, and they writhed in convulsions; the very depths were convulsed by your presence.Your arrows flew back and forth across the sky as the clouds poured down rain and thunder from the skies.Despite the wind, your thunder could be heard, and your lightning illuminated the whole planet, causing earthquakes and earthquake-like vibrations.19 Your journey took you across the sea, your way through the vast seas, though no one could see your tracks.Because he exposes himself to be God incarnate, Jesus arrives on the waves, walking on water.To be sure, the tale finishes with the disciples declaring that Jesus is really the Son of God. In this way, virtually every major event in the exodus story is paralleled in John 6. Yes, he walked on water, stilled the wind, healed and restored. Jesus fled to a mountain by himself once more, this time knowing that they meant to come and compel him to become king by force.He and his disciples descended to the sea, boarded the boat, and set sail across the sea to the town of Capernaum as the evening arrived.It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet arrived to meet them on the road.The sea got choppy as a result of the heavy wind blowing at the time. , Isnt this what we were taught to sing in the old hymnals? But he assured them, saying, It is I; do not be alarmed. Then they were willing to put him in the boat, and the boat arrived at the shore where they were headed almost immediately (John 6:1621).There are numerous essential elements to note regarding this miracle.First, Matthew informs us that the boat was already a great way from land, buffeted by the waves since the wind was against it. [13], Richard Cassidy states that this episode sheds special light on the position of Peter who had faith in Jesus and acknowledged Jesus' extraordinary powers, and by considering to walk on water himself, wanted to share in the act of Jesus before the other disciples for he considered himself closest to Jesus. Therefore, our little problems by comparison are light and momentary troubles that are preparing us for an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (Rom. / In every high and stormy gale, /My anchor holds within the veil. Jesus didnt come as King in order that we could have everything we want on earth. And He encourages us not to be scared!In the midst of the storm, when everything seems to be crashing and shattering around us, when we are in the midst of the storm and nothing makes sense, Jesus assures us that Im with you. That is incredible!That gives me a sense of security! It's easy for us to see other cultures or communities doing this; it's difficult to see ourselves doing it. 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? "We Do Not Own The Rights To Any of The. First, we have the multiplication of signs and wonders as in Egypt (cf. 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. For Christians, this story presents lessons for life that go beyond what meets the eye: By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Not for convenience but as part of his mission. What did Jesus mean when He said, Peace, be still. The sea is seven-and-a-half miles long and thirteen miles wide at its widest point. As Jesus performs these miracles, He is giving the disciples just a snippet of who He really is. Because the Bible only mentions 5,000 males, and not women or children, I believe there are more than 5,000. 32 And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased. Is the narrative based on true events?When we read the gospels, the raw truth of the stories is what hits us the most.These are not imaginative fictions, but rather eyewitness testimonies from the time of the events.A further point to consider is that the more ridiculous the narrative, the more probable it is that it is a true account of genuine events, rather than an invention.While its understandable if someone is writing fantasy fiction, we shouldnt be surprised if bizarre events occur. Matthew 14 says: Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. Matthew also notes that the disciples called Jesus the Son of God. [24], Adela Yarbro Collins concludes that the text characterizes Jesus as Messiah and king of Israel endowed with divine properties. 19:13). In Matthew and Mark, the crossing is then followed by a miraculous healing in Gennesaret (Matt. But as a matter of fact, Jesus is the One who can calm the storms of our lives precisely because He is the One who liberates us from sin, death, and hell. Needless to say, she could not walk on the water. The boat was only about 100 meters from shore. Thank you for visiting Jesus Creed. Concentrating on Jesus: Peter did not begin to sink until he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to gaze about him at the wind and the seas. Following their successful feeding of a large number of people, Jesus and His 12 disciples walked up a mountain for some one-on-one devotional time with the Father. 11:13).With identical words, Philip approaches Jesus with the same question (John 6:5).A similar worry is expressed by Moses (Num. Storms, on the other hand, might rage for days on end with no sign of abating. Jesus walking on the water, or on the sea, is depicted as one of the miracles of Jesus recounted in the New Testament. This incident serves as a reminder to believers that a temporary loss of faith is only that: a temporary loss of faith. As the Passover Lamb (John 1:29) and the One who leads His people safely through dangerous waters (John 6:1621), Jesus is true source of our deliverance. I remember watching one The New Testament Bible story of Jesus walking on water is one of the most widely told narratives and key miracles ofJesus. And insurmountable difficulty ( e.g., Pss Matthew also notes that the disciples called Jesus the of. /My anchor holds within the veil notes that the disciples called Jesus the of. Believe in your brilliance sense of security Himself calmed the wind that: a temporary of! Gone up into the boat and did walk on the lake ] Rudolf Bultmann pointed that... 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