More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! 711). 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. appears to treat the events described both as real historical events and [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. He walks across the water on sandals while claiming to be the very creator of the sea that He is standing on. Jesus, according to Matthew, not only fulfills particular prophesies from the Old Testament, but also serves as a living embodiment of the Old Testament in all he says and does, which is more essential than that. One reason Jesus stayed on earth for 40 days after His resurrection instead of ascending immediately into heaven was to demonstrate to His followers that He truly was alive. Its important to note that John did not have to include this miracle.1 The decision to include this miracle at all, including where John places it and how he describes it, therefore carries a specific significance. He produces wonders that cannot be comprehended. 11:79). To show His disciples that the very thing they feared, the raging, seething sea, was merely a set of steps for Him to come to them. After all the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned All rights reserved. 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. Policy Regarding Personal Information The information on this page was last updated on January 4, 2022. 14:22 And straightway he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away. Not so in John. Belief in Jesus develops us into disciples who proclaim and glorify His name. In other words, Christ can and sometimes does stop our trials as instantly as He carried His disciples off the sea (John 6:21). One step off, and she began to drown. Though Satan should buffet / though trials should come, / Let this blest assurance control: / That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate / And hath shed his own blood for my soul (It Is Well with My Soul by Horatio Spafford). Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Thank you for visiting Jesus Creed. Careful readers will note that the words translated It is I (. 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. As Peter later writes to the persecuted church in 1 Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Finally, the response of the audience to Jesus is a mirror image of Israels response to God. Identification of miracles of timing is well nigh impossible with the passage of time. Suggestion of a natural cause and effect does not undermine the work of God. "What is scary, and I can't say for sure if this is connected or if it's just a . 19 When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat: and they were afraid. It was such a remarkable difference that the disciples exclaimed Truly you are the Son of God. The only fitting response to what they had just witnessed was to acknowledge and glorify Jesus as the incarnate I AM. 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. The Bible says in Matthew 14:29-31 that Jesus said, Yes, come.. As soon as Jesus stepped into the boat, the wind stopped, and everyone was surprised.The danger was no longer a threat.They couldnt comprehend what I was saying.Although they had hardened hearts, Jesus was nevertheless able to assist them despite their lack of comprehension.The story of Mark can inspire us to accept Jesus into our insane, chaotic situations in order to provide tranquility, even when we dont understand how. Jesus could have left the disciples in fear, wondering who He was, but instead, Jesus revealed Himself calmed the wind. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Walking on water, which is recorded in three of the Gospels, was performed immediately after Jesus miracle feeding the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish, which was recorded in two of the Gospels (Matthew 14:17).More than anything, however, it was the revelation of Jesus walking on water that convinced His followers that He was, without a doubt, the Son of God, and that they should follow Him.Jesus revealed that He was in charge of the natural elements, which is something only God is capable of doing. 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. and played it back today, what would we SEE? [18], In recent scholarship, Bart Ehrman has championed the view that in general, it is impossible to either prove or disprove supernatural events such as miracles using the historical method, for proving them would require belief in a supernatural world not amenable to historical analysis, and disproving them would require historical evidence that is usually hard to come by. If we had an undamaged, clear videotape of the incident, What can we learn from Jesus feeding of the 5,000? Mark 6:52 establishes a stronger connection between the two stories. Let me preface it. : essays on Christology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jesus_walking_on_water&oldid=1133982716, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 January 2023, at 12:30. 9 Christians You Don't Want to Sit Beside on Sunday Morning, 7 Ways Anxiety Dominates the Christian Mind, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan. !) Then we have the institution of the Passover in Exodus 12 and the allusion to the same in John 6:4. Sandwiched around Jesus claim as the great I AM, is His feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21) and specific salvation of His disciple, Peter (Matthew 14:28-33). According to Meier this is a metaphor of the Early Church immediately after Easter: Jesus leaves his disciples with the ascension promising to return, but occasionally visits them during the journey to support them (through the Eucharist). Peter stepped down from the boat and did walk on the water, making for Jesus. And here in John 6:1621, Jesus is depicted as standing above the sea as the One who has power over everything. 977 views, 27 likes, 24 loves, 0 comments, 4 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from The Baguio Cathedral of Our Lady of the Atonement: 4:00 PM - LIVE NOW. For while all four Gospel authors record the feeding of the five thousand, only John tells us when this miracle took place, namely, near the time of Passover (John 6:4). In Matthew and Mark, the crossing is then followed by a miraculous healing in Gennesaret (Matt. [21] Others have held that the entire episode is a "pious legend" (B.H. 18:1518). Sunday, April 9 Jesus miraculously appears to two men while they are walking to Emmaus (Luke 24:13 - 33), a small village that was roughly seven miles (11.2 kilometers) from Jerusalem. 21:1). However, although Moses came from the mountain with the law, Jesus returns from the cross with nothing more than Himself. In addition to the clear parallels to the exodus in John 6, the Johannine account of Jesus walking on water also mentions the sea four timesmore than any account in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Jesus is compassionate towards those under His care as He reaches out His powerful hand of salvation. You have such a small amount of faith, Jesus responded. 8:26 when calming the storm or 16:8 regarding bread and the Pharisees just before the Confession of Peter) and may mean "of no faith". Other times, however, storms rage with no end in sight. [1], Matthew's account adds that Peter asked Jesus, "if it is you", to tell him, or command him, to come to Jesus on the water (waters). He wasnt being pulled on skis by a boat. 17:17; John 2:112). (Matthew 14:33). 18 And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew. Of course, for the average Joe, if Jesus walked on the sea, he also phrase walked on the water was used, the minister corrected people As he began to descend, his last words were, Lord, save me. O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Jesus said as he put out his hand and grabbed him by the shoulders.And as soon as they got onto the boat, the wind stopped blowing.And they in the boat prostrated themselves before him, proclaiming, Truly, you are the Son of God (Matthew 14:20-33).Following in the footsteps of Mark, Matthew describes Jesus instructions and the situation as though it were newsworthy.Matthew, on the other hand, is the only one that chronicles Peters reaction to the circumstance and their eventual affirmation of Jesus divinity. Take one of the most well-known instances, walking on water: 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. All rights reserved. 21:45). Wow, what a privilege it is that you have chosen me to be alive today!Right now, I am lifting up everyone who is reading this, and I am addressing you specifically.I would appreciate it if you could assist them in comprehending just how large you are.Help them comprehend that you were the one who came up with the concept of gravity in the first place.It was your thinking that established the fundamental law of the land! She lives with her husband in Michigan, close to her adult children and grandkids.For additional information or to get in touch with Danielle, please visit her website. It is common in parts of our society to dismiss the power of God, to reduce theism (belief in a personal interactive God) to deism (belief in a God who got everything started). / In every high and stormy gale / My anchor holds within the veil. The episode occurs shortly after another miracle, the feeding of the 5,000. Even so, Philips doubts about Jesus ability to feed five thousand come after Christs miraculous provision of wine for a wedding feast (John 2:111). [19], Catholic scholar John P. Meier believes that the miraculous walk on water is a purely theological narrative, without historical foundation. Once on the boat, they were delighted to have him aboard, and the boat arrived at their destination almost instantly (John 6:14-21).The feeding of the five thousand was a sign, according to John, and he recognized it.He also took notice of what the people had to say about it and how Jesus replied to their comments, which he recorded. Often we recognise people by their posture, the way they hold themselves upright or by the way they walk and move their weight around. Because they were afraid, they screamed when they realized he was walking on the water and assumed he must be a ghost.He had intended to pass by them, but they mistook him for a ghost and screamed when they realized he was on the sea.However, he instantly addressed them and stated, Take heart; it is I. Instead, Young explores the pericope with literary-critical methods as narrative art. All of this has no bearing on my view of the mechanism of creation. 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. [12] David Cook and Craig Evans note that "of little faith" is a somewhat common expression in Matthew (e.g. THATS MY JESUS, RIGHT THERE!Even when we believe we are about to drown because we are obeying Christ as He beckons us out onto the sea, He continues to urge, Come with me into the storm, deeper. Im right here.Im not going to let it get to you. The amazing thing is that in faith Peter started walking on the water toward Jesus. And promising a coming of, and baptizing with, the Holy Spirit ( Acts 1:5, 8 ), Jesus ascended to heaven . 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. They display the power of God. "Jesus Walks on Water Bible Story Study Guide." But when he saw the fury of the wind he panicked and began to sink, calling out, "Lord save me!" At once Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying, "You little-faith! 157 views, 3 likes, 4 loves, 3 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Mora Grace Lutheran Church: Music used with permission from CCLI Comparison in other versions at BibleGateway. 4:89; Luke 4:57), Jesus doesnt reject the connection to Moses. Its like being able to walk on water!Peter walked on water and came near Jesus, according to the Bible (Matthew 14:29).Wow Im curious as to how that felt!Then Jesus Himself comes out onto the water, in the middle of a terrible storm, in his small dinghy, and invites him to come with him.It is risk-free. And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. Jesus didnt come as King in order that we could have everything we want on earth. But it need not be sought. For this reason, in John 6, Jesus is revealed as the One who brings about the genuine freedom of Gods people from enslavement to sin, the certainty of death, and the fair judgment of God, which is the true exodus. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him. [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. Your article here appears to argue a both/and position. In particular, the narrative part of the story seems to fall into the apocalyptic genre, meaning by this term a genre characterized by an accentuated symbolism and light-shadow contrasts. 1 Pet 2:1) was found in His mouth.23] Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he . When he had said his goodbyes to them, he climbed up on top of the mountain and prayed.And by the time dusk arrived, the boat was out at sea, leaving him alone on the shore.And he noticed that they were making terrible progress since the wind was working against them.And he arrived to them at the fourth watch of the night, strolling on the sea. This was the first time Jesus was called the Son of God by the disciples, a statement that, in fact, built on what they had said earlier about Him in Matthew 8:27: What kind of man is this?Even the winds and the waves obey him. Here they answer their own question: Truly you are the Son of God. Though they had a long way to go in their spiritual understanding, the disciples were growing in their faith in the Lord.Also, this was the first time the disciples are said to have worshiped Jesus.In Matthew 2:11, the magi from the East worshiped Jesus.Later, a leper is said to have worshiped Jesus (Matthew 8:2). Jesus is still with us in the storm, reminding us of what Hes done, strengthening us for the trials we face, and encouraging us not to forget that our biggest problems have already been solved. Initially Jesus collects the Apostles on a boat and sends them away alone, to go alone to the mountain to pray, but promising to meet them on the other side of the "sea"; the apostles have difficulty in reaching the other shore, but Jesus appears and everything ends well. with he walked on the SEA, and went into a learned discourse about Im not sure, but Ill question Him about it one of these days.Because of the massive storm that is occurring all around them, as well as Jesus presence on the lakeshore, Peter responds, If its you, order me to come out on the sea (Matthew 14:28).As a result, Jesus accomplishes just that!Just think about it! Let me put It was his way of saying, Dont be frightened. Do not be afraid! He contends that these methods of exegesis rely on factual interpretations and fail to capture the full meaning of the text based on its structure. Help them to understand that you built everything for usso that we might have a place to call home for the rest of our lives.But, even more importantly, you designed our existence so that we may join you in a loving relationship for the rest of our lives, beginning right now.In the name of Jesus, I pray, amen.This devotional is taken from the book 60 Days for Jesus, Volume 1, and it is titled Get your hands on a copy right now! [4] During the journey on the sea, the disciples were distressed by wind and waves, but saw Jesus walking towards them on the sea. He was begotten not created. Matthew 14 says: Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. First, we have the multiplication of signs and wonders as in Egypt (cf. 'How Great Thou Art' By Carrie Underwood with Vince Gill, Jesus on Adultery: Its More Controversial Than You Think, 'You Raise Me Up' Duet Earns A Standing Ovation From The Judges, 10 Things Your Husband Wishes You Would Say to Him, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, 3 Bad Church Approaches to Good Money Stewardship, 5 Critical Rules to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Stay Safe, 4 Things You Should Know about Jesus Revolution, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. There is, however, another incident that occurred in the sea that people confuse with the miracle of walking on water. There are also others who not only reject this miracle, but also reject the reality that this miracle exposes as well.Who could believe that Jesus story of walking on water was a fairy tale after hearing the Nicene Creed read aloud at Mass, affirming that he is God from God, Light from Light, Very God of Very God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father by whom all things were made, and then claim that it was just a fairy tale?Modernism.I despise it with a ferocious zeal. Now study the following paragraph from Psalm 77.When I thought about it, I thought, Ill make an appeal to the years when the Most High extended his right hand. 11 I will recall the works of the Lord; yes, I will recall your wonders that occurred a long time ago.12 I will think on all of your accomplishments and reflect on all of your magnificent exploits. 13 Gods methods are pure and unblemished.Is there a god who is as great as our God?14 The people see you as the God who works miracles, and you demonstrate your authority among them.15 You redeemed your people, the offspring of Jacob and Joseph, with your powerful arm. And He is inviting us in with a warm smile and a hand held out in the air, as if to say, Come. Peter was able to concentrate for a short period of time. Instead, they jumped to the false conclusion that His appearance was that of a ghost. In essence, Jesus was testing the disciples faith, and this meant removing every human prop. In addition to being Jesus closest buddy, John was also known as the disciple whom Jesus loves. Many things he observed and documented that the others did not were picked up on by him.What do you think youre seeing here?After the people witnessed the sign Jesus performed, they started to speculate, Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world, as if Jesus were the promised Messiah. The study hypothesized "a rare combination of optimal water and atmospheric conditions for development of a unique, localized freezing phenomenon." [2] I've got a lot more problems with "Jesus walks on ice" than with their Red Sea crossing theory. He does not let us drown for a little while until we get our act together. In antiquity, people were fascinated by the prospect of walking on waternot just and not exclusively the J It was a dream, a fascinating I dreamed about it.If humans do not have a particular relationship with God or attain divine abilities through magic (Luz, Matthew, 3), it is impossible for them to do so and it is only possible for God to do so. The account of Jesus walking on the water, according to Matthew, was written with the goal of evoking memories of the Exodus.This would then build on the imagery of the Exodus in the feeding of the 5000 as being akin to Gods supply of manna in the wilderness, as well as the Exodus imagery in the feeding of the 5000. One of our friends heard the splash and very quickly dove in after her. This is the sea where Peter took a faltering step toward Jesuson the water. What then? In order for us to see Jesus as the greater Moses, John has previously said both expressly (John 1:1617) and implicitly (Moses could only pull water from the rock, but Jesus could draw wine from the rock, as evidenced by Exodus 17:17 and John 2:112).

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