Matthew 14:22-33 “How to Walk On Water”

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 09 Sept 2012

Translation

14:22 And Jesus immediately made His disciples get into in the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side until whenever He had dismissed the crowds

14:23 Then, after dismissing the crowds, He went up the hill by Himself to pray. And after it was late, He was alone there.

14:24 Now by this time, the boat was in the middle of the lake, being beat up by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

14:25 Then, during the last quarter of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking upon the lake,

14:26 And, once the disciples saw Him walking upon the lake, they became agitated, saying that it was an apparition, and because of their fear they cried out.

14:27 So Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, “Keep being courageous! I myself am [here.] Stop being afraid!”

14:28 Then, in answer to him, Peter said, “Lord, if you yourself are [here,] command me to come to you upon the waters.”

14:29 And He said, “Come!” And after disembarking from the boat, Peter walked upon the waters in order to come to Jesus.

14:30 But as he saw the strong wind, he became frightened; then he began to drown[1] and cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

14:31 And immediately Jesus extended his hand and grabbed him and said to him, “Little-faith, why did you think twice?

14:32 And after they got up into the boat, the wind quit.

14:33 Then the men in the boat came and bowed down to him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

 

Introduction

·         “When God made Phil Keaggy, He was just showing off!” – Michael Card at the 2012 Creative Life conference, Glen Eyrie, CO.

·         It seems odd to think of God or Jesus as showing off, but I think our human tendency to show off to others to win their admiration is a reflection of the way God is, because we’re made in His image. I think Jesus was showing off to His disciples when He walked on water, but unlike us, He was able to pull it off without sinful motives, because as God, He really does deserve to be worshipped!

Exposition

14:22 And Jesus immediately made His disciples get into in the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side until whenever He had dismissed the crowds

Και ευθεως-אC ηναγκασεν [‘ο Ιησους[2]] τους μαθητας [αυτου[3]] εμβηναι εις [το[4]] πλοιον και προαγειν αυτον εις το περαν ‘εως ‘ου απολυση τους οχλους

 

14:23 Then, after dismissing the crowds, He went up the hill by Himself to pray. And after it was late, He was alone there.

και απολυσας τους οχλους ανεβη εις το ορος κατ’ ιδιαν προσευξασθαι οψιας δε γενομενης μονος ην εκει

 

14:24 Now by this time, the boat was in the middle of the lake, being beat up by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

το δε πλοιον [ηδη-D,Vg] μεσον της θαλασσης ην[7] βασανιζομενον ‘υπο των κυματων ην γαρ εναντιος ‘ο ανεμος

 

14:25 Then, during the last quarter of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking upon the lake,

τεταρτη δε φυλακη της νυκτος [απ-CT]ηλθεν προς αυτους [‘ο Ιησους-CT] περιπατων επι την θαλασσαν[8]

 

14:26 And, once the disciples saw Him walking upon the lake, they became agitated[9], saying that it was an apparition, and because of their fear they cried out.

‘οι δε μαθηται[10] ιδοντες αυτον επι της θαλασσης περιπατουντα[11] εταραχθησαν λεγοντες ‘οτι φαντασμα εστιν και απο του φοβου εκραξαν

 

14:27 So Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, “Keep being courageous! I myself am [here.] Stop being afraid!”

ευθεως[12] δε ελαλησεν αυτοις ο Ιησους-אD λεγων Θαρσειτε εγω ειμι μη φοβεισθε

 

14:28 Then, in answer to him, Peter said, “Lord, if you yourself are [here,] command me to come to you upon the waters.”

αποκριθεις δε αυτω ‘ο Πετρος ειπεν Κυριε ει συ ει κελευσον με ελθειν προς σε επι τα ‘υδατα

 

14:29 And He said, “Come!” And after disembarking from the boat, Peter walked upon the waters in order to come to Jesus.

‘Ο δε ειπεν Ελθε. Και καταβας απο του πλοιου ο[13] Πετρος περιεπατησεν επι τα ‘υδατα ελθειν[14] προς τον Ιησουν.

 

14:30 But as he saw the strong wind, he became frightened; then he began to drown[15] and cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Βλεπων δε τον ανεμον ισχυρον-אB εφοβηθη και αρξαμενος καταποντιζεσθαι εκραξεν λεγων Κυριε σωσον με.

 

14:31 And immediately Jesus extended his hand and grabbed him and said to him, “Little-faith, why did you think twice?

Ευθεως δε ‘ο Ιησους εκτεινας την χειρα επελαβετο αυτου και λεγει αυτω Ολιγοπιστε, εις τι εδιστασας;

 

14:32 And after they got up into the boat, the wind quit [Ceased/stopped/died down].

Και αναβαντων[17] αυτων εις το πλοιον εκοπασεν ο ανεμος

 

14:33 Then the men in the boat came and bowed down to him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Οι δε εν τω πλοιω [ελθοντες[18]] προσεκυνησαν αυτω λεγοντες Αληθως θεου υιος ει.

Conclusion – Focus your attention on Jesus; believe these things about Him

  1. Jesus is Powerful
    1. He controlled the crowds (v.22)
    2. He controlled the wind (v.33)
    3. He had mastery over the water (v.25) and could even use the storm as His pathway.
    4. He had power to save Peter and the rest of the disciples from drowning (v.31)
    5. And He even had power over locomotion – John 6:21 says that they were suddenly at shore and no longer in the middle of the lake when Jesus climbed into the boat.
    6. And if Jesus had that power back then, then He still has that kind of power today; power over every problem we face and power to control any situation for us.
    7. Do you believe it?
  2. Jesus is Involved
    1. Just as Jesus didn’t use His power to prevent the storm and make His disciples’ life easy, but used a stressful situation to increase His followers’ faith, so too, you can expect that God will not remove all stress from your life.
    2. However, if you trust Him in this stress, He will meet you in it and will bring you through (so look for Him!).
    3. He will not be aloof to your hardship. Just as Jesus was praying for His disciples as they braved the storm, so Jesus even now stands before the throne of God interceding for us (Hebrews 7:25).
    4. For this reason we can take courage and not be afraid
    5. And because Jesus is both powerful and involved, we can obey Him even when we don’t understand. John Calvin wrote, “We do not obey God properly and substantially unless we simply follow whatever He commands even though it conflicts with our ideas. God always has the best reason for His purpose, but He often hides it from us for a time so that we may learn not to be wise in ourselves but to depend entirely on His will.”
  3. Jesus sets the example
    1. We particularly see Jesus’ example in prayer. (v.23)
    2. He had told His disciples in Matt. 6:6 “But as for you, whenever you pray, enter into your closet, and after you have closed your door, start praying to your Father who is in the secret [place], and your Father who sees in secret will reward you...” Jesus practiced what He preached.
    3. Although praying alone isn’t the only Biblical way to pray, it has many benefits; John Calvin wrote: “Those who set themselves to pray with God as their only witness will be more watchful, will pour forth their heart into His bosom, will examine themselves more carefully, and, knowing that they have to do with God, will rise above themselves.”
    4. In this and many other ways, Jesus is our example.
  4. Jesus is about the work of nurturing faith
    1. His name for Peter “Little-faith” was intended to stimulate Peter to have big faith. (v31)
    2. Jesus’ question of Peter is a good one to help us consider how to grow in our faith: “Why did you doubt?” We would do well to analyze why we doubted God in our last failure of faith. Think it through.

                                                              i.      Was it because you have a hardened heart (Mark 6:52)?

                                                            ii.      or was it because you were thinking about the contrary forces arrayed against you rather than on Christ? (v.30)

    1. Jesus will get the mature faith that He wants:

                                                              i.      Once He revealed who He was, His disciples wanted Him to be with them (John 6:21), and that’s what He wanted.

                                                            ii.      And once He had shown His power over the water and wind, His disciples worshipped Him as God, and that’s what He wanted. (v.33)

  1. Jesus is gracious
    1. When we find ourselves in trouble due to our own foolishness, Jesus doesn’t say, “I told you so” and let us drown. He responds with salvation to those who ask for it, even when they don’t deserve it.
    2. Jesus could have yelled, “Up!” and made Peter rocket out of the water and land back in the boat, but He didn’t. He moved in closer to Peter and took hold of him. Jesus does not become disgusted at us for failing and distance Himself from us; instead He gets closer to us and relates to us personally.
    3. Jesus does not stand there laughing at Peter as Peter drowns. He is not saying, “You weakling, if you can’t run with the big dogs, just stay home!” Jesus doesn’t make fun of us and leave us to suffer when we fail; instead He saves and trains us to trust Him in a more focused way.


[1] “Sink” doesn’t seem to fit with the other uses of this word: Exodus 15:4; 2 Samuel 20:19,20; Psalms 55:9; 69:2,15; 124:4; Ecclesiastes 10:12; Lamentations 2:2,5; Matthew 18:6.

[2] Found in the Byzantine, Majority, and Textus Receptus editions, but not in the Critical editions of the GNT. Obviously it’s about Jesus, whether He is explicitly stated or not.

[3] + Patristic edition and Textus Receptus, following B,K,P,Θ,f13/ - Critical, Majority editions, Vulgate, following א, C, D, L, W, Γ, Δ, f1.

[4] Omitted in B, Σ, f1.

[5] The Greek word anagkasen has to do with using force to compel (ATR) somebody do what they wouldn’t otherwise do.

[6] Hendricksen, p.600.

[7] Following B and f13, the Critical text reads σταδιους πολλους απο της γης απειχεν “had gained a distance of many stadium-lengths away from the land” which is basically the reading of John’s gospel. It seems inappropriate for the NAS, ESV, and NIV to adopt this reading with such slender support.

[8] With very little early manuscript support, the Byz., Maj., and TR have the Genitive rather than the Accusative spelling of “lake,” but both cases are properly translated “upon” with the preposition “epi.” The Genitive may slightly emphasize being “over the top of” whereas the Accusative could slightly emphasize “touching/pressing against the top of the lake’s surface.

[9] The only other time Matthew uses this word etarachthesan, which is translated “troubled/terrified,” was to describe how agitated Herod felt when he heard about the presence of a rival king from the wise men. You’d get pretty stirred up too if you saw what the disciples did on a dark night on the lake!

[10] This is the Critical text reading, following א, B, D, Θ,and f13 (although  א,Θ and f1 omit mathetai). The Byz., Maj., and TR editions have kai instead of de as the conjunction, (following C, L, W, and f1), a synonym which doesn’t make a difference in translation here.

[11] This is the Critical text reading following א, B, C, D, f1,and f13 (the last of which has this word a few words earlier). The Byz., Maj., and TR use the accusative form of “lake” but have scant evidence in early manuscripts (L, W), and it doesn’t make a difference in translation anyway.

[12] Without comment, the Nestle-Aland critical edition uses the alternate spelling ευθυς, which has no difference in mean­ing. The same thing occurs in Mark 6:50, with a note in the textual apparatus that ευθυς is the reading of א, B,L, and Δ.

[13] The definite article is not there in א, B, D, so some critical editions omit it, but it doesn’t make a difference in translation in English because Peter is already definite as a proper noun.

[14]  With practically nothing more than the support of B, the Critical editions spell this verb as an Indicative rather than an Infinitive. Curiously, א has both “…ελθειν. Ηλθεν ουν…” The difference in translation would be that the traditional Greek texts emphasize Peter’s intent to walk to Jesus, whereas the modern editions emphasize that he actually did walk to Jesus, a distinction which is not crucial to the story.

[15] “Sink” doesn’t seem to fit with the other uses of this word: Exodus 15:4; 2 Samuel 20:19,20; Psalms 55:9; 69:2,15; 124:4; Ecclesiastes 10:12; Lamentations 2:2,5; Matthew 18:6.

[16] Matthew is the only Bible author who uses this word. It is only found here and Matt .2:17

[17] This is the reading of the Critical editions, following א, B, D, Θ, f13, and of the Mark 6:51 account. The Byz., Maj., and TR read εμβαντων, following C,L,W, and f1, but the two words are really synonyms for “getting [up] into the boat.”

[18] This word “coming” is not in the Critical editions or the modern English versions, following its omission in א, B, C, N, f1, however it is in the Byz., Maj., and TR editions, as well as the Vulgate and KJV, following D, L, W, and Θ, f13 (the last two of which read proselthontes “coming toward”). Not a crucial detail as they are already at close quarters in a boat.