Jesus walked on water in order to call us as His own. This story, following the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, tells how Jesus sent the disciples by ship back to the "other side" of the Sea of Galilee (the western side) while he remained behind, alone, to pray. He produces wonders that cannot be comprehended. In Isaiah 57:20, the sea is said to symbolize wickedness, since its constant waves stir up mire and dirt. There are three different accounts of Jesus walking on water that have been recorded in the Bible.It is crucial to notice that the event is told by three of Jesus followers, Matthew, Mark, and John, who are all named in the Bible.In Jesus earthly career, Luke was not a disciple of Jesus, thus his gospel does not include any references to Jesus walking on water. 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. 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). the sea into dry land to part the waters of the Red Sea. When they came to Capernaum and asked Jesus how he came there, instead of answering the question, he told the crowd that they followed him, not because they had seen signs, but because of the free loaves they had eaten the day before, and he advised them not to seek earthly gains, but aim for a life based on higher spiritual values.[1][8]. The video appears to have been taken roughly 15 miles downstream from East Palestine, and just north of where Little Beaver Creek feeds into the Ohio River in Midland, Pennsylvania. Why did Jesus walk on the water? It seems to me that any speculation about a miracle, sign, or wonder without an audience is rather pointless. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. Although the story is recorded three different times, the Bible implies that it only happened once. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. All we are left with is the evidence of Gods work through his natural cause, the historical record of what happened and the natural laws of the environment within which it occurred. [24], Adela Yarbro Collins concludes that the text characterizes Jesus as Messiah and king of Israel endowed with divine properties. The New Testament Bible tale of Jesus walking on water is one of the most commonly repeated narratives and one of the most significant miracles performed by Jesus in his lifetime.The incident takes place immediately after another miracle, the feeding of the 5,000 people, had taken place.This experience persuaded the twelve disciples that Jesus is, in fact, the Son of God who is still alive. The episode occurs shortly after another miracle, the feeding of the 5,000. ft er me.11 I, I am the Lord, and there is no rescuer (plural of savior) apart from me (participle from savior).m ).Why does Jesus waltz throughout the world? He was begotten not created. Can you tell me why you were so skeptical of me? (NLT). Jesus, on the other hand, walked on the water. Meaning of Jesus Walking on Water. There is a parallel in Johns gospel as well. / When all around my soul gives way, / He then is all my hope and stay. . 11:1), doubting Gods ability to give what He promised to provide (John 6:52; see Ps. 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". 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. Stephanie Englehartis a Seattle native, church planters wife, mama, and lover of all things coffee, the great outdoors, and fine (easy to make) food. Moses also doubts Gods ability to provide enough food (Num. 46:2; 65:7). Some of Jesus followers are fishermen who are accustomed to being on the Sea of Galilee at the time of his death. In Matthew, Jesus isnt just calling out to them to bring their attention to the fact that He is present. This is where the waves whipped up around the disciples' boat and frightened them into waking Jesus during the storm. [10], One aspect of the pericope (passage) is how it highlights the relationship between Jesus and his apostles. Salvation in Jesus does not come from working hard or being righteous. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is I; do not be scared, Jesus assures them. A few minutes behind them, I meandered over towards the dock full of people I knew. 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? [4] During the journey on the sea, the disciples were distressed by wind and waves, but saw Jesus walking towards them on the sea. Both emerge from the concrete reality of Davids own experience. Is this not what the old hymns taught us to sing? Weathering the storm with Jesus: As soon as Jesus entered into the boat, the storm subsided completely. Matthew 14 says: Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. In fact, He builds on the parallel, ascending a mountain alone (John 6:15) as Moses had before Him (Ex. Come, he instructed.As a result, Peter stepped out of the boat and walked across the water to reach Jesus.His fear increased, though, as he noticed the wind. After Jesus entered the ship, the wind ceased, and they arrived at land. After feeding the 5,000, Jesus Christ sent his disciples on ahead of him in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. Bergquam noted he did not find any evidence of chemicals in the water, but anecdotally, what he did discover is jarring. However, although Moses came from the mountain with the law, Jesus returns from the cross with nothing more than Himself. However, like with the last lake-miracle (Matthew 8:23-27), the disciples are in a precarious situation and are afraid when they see Jesus approaching them. [11] Dwight Pentecost and John Danilson state that this miracle was deliberately designed by Jesus to instruct his apostles and increase their faith. This incident serves as a reminder to believers that a temporary loss of faith is only that: a temporary loss of faith. On the way to smashup, or redemptiondepending on how you read the bookHazel's path crosses that . [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. Mary Fairchild is a full-time Christian minister, writer, and editor of two Christian anthologies, including "Stories of Calvary.". 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. 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. In the past, I have seen some theistic evolutionists act, well, kind [16] Dale Allison states that Matthew's presentation emphasizes that God the Father is willing to share divine power with his son and that the impact of this pericope on the affirmation of the divinity of Jesus in the ecumenical creeds is undeniable. [23] Furthermore, the motif of walking on water was associated with kings like Xerxes or Alexander, but also rejected and satirized as humanly impossible and as proverbial for the arrogance of the rulers by Menander, Dio Chrysostom or in 2 Maccabees 5:21. 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). It appears that they are traveling against the wind and are being pummeled by the wave. Usually, the word battered () refers to harassment and torture (e.g., Mark 6:48 in the ESV, they were making progress painfull), but in this case, it refers to punishment.This is the traditional meaning of the word, which conveys the idea of being forced to read the material (typically via suffering, BrillD).The disciples knowledge of who Jesu is may have been tested throughout this hard night of rowing against the wind.Since they end up at Gennesa, this is the case.The distance between Tagbha and Tel Kinneret is approximately 14 miles (23 kilometers) south, at the southern tip of the l ake. What did Jesus mean when He said, Peace, be still. I remember watching one Fairchild, Mary. 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. 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. 711). John's Gospel specifies that they were five or six kilometers away from their departure point. 2 Cor. 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. 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. In our sin and shame, we are all sinking into the darkness. Some scholars would question how early the empty tomb story is. Jesus walked on water in order to call us as His own. This parallels what Moses told the people on the eve of the Red Sea crossing: Do not be afraid. As Paul writes in Romans 1:4, Jesus "was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.". 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. It is I. Growing up, every sermon I heard about Jesus walking on water focused on Gods ability to calm the storms in our lives. Like all apocalyptic literature, his function is to comfort a community in need. Then they witnessed Jesus walking toward them across the surface of the water, and their fear turned to terror because they believed they were seeing a ghost. Careful readers will note that the words translated It is I (. 14:2022). 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. This is the sea where Peter took a faltering step toward Jesuson the water. "Jesus Walks on Water Bible Story Study Guide." Lord, save me! he cried out in desperation. As a result, you are not bound by any natural rule since you are the Creator of nature! He called out to Jesus for help. Following their witnessing of this miracle, the disciples prostrated themselves before Jesus and said, Truly you are the Son of God.. 711).In contrast to this, the signs Jesus performs are loving and restorative rather than horrific and punishing in nature (John 6:2, 11).Next, in Exodus 12, we have the institution of the Passover, as well as an allusion to the Passover in John 6:4, which are both references to Jesus.Following this, Israel traveled in the desert, and Moses prayed to God for guidance on where he could obtain enough food to feed such a large number of people (Num. Jesus miraculous crossing of the Sea of Galilee occurs immediately after the feeding of the five thousand, according to each of the four Gospels that describe it.Afterwards, the crossing is followed by a miraculous cure at Gennesaret, according to the gospels of Matthew and Mark (Matt.14:3436; Mark 6:5356). [20], Some scholars have held the view that while this event took place, it was not miraculous: Albert Schweitzer, for example, suggested that the disciples saw Jesus walking on the shore, but were confused by high wind and darkness; some scholars who accept this "misperception thesis" argue that Mark originally wrote that Jesus walked on the seashore rather than on the sea, and that John had a more accurate version. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. If you wish, you may contact me directly at rjs4mail[at]att.net. Have you ever paused to consider and giggle at the miracle account of Jesus walking on water?Im sure you have.What exactly was the point of that?The fact that he cured people, drove out devils, and fed the hungry is understandable; these are all commendable and logical things for a good teacher and miracle worker to accomplish.The walking on water, though, was a mystery to me.Was it some sort of prank? As soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, Peter began to sink.When Peter called out to the Lord, Jesus quickly put out his hand to grab him in his arms.As Jesus and Peter clambered into the boat together, the storm came to an abrupt halt. After rowing against the wind for most of the night, the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water. [24] Rudolf Bultmann pointed out that the sea-walking theme is familiar in many cultures. Don't be afraid." 14:13).2 The implication is clear: we have nothing to fear so long as God is with us, and He is with us in Christ Jesus our Lord. 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