Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14: 22-33 ESV
Matthew 14: 22-33 Paddling
…14When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself. 16When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,… John 6: 14-16
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side - He had originally come for solitude, but instead had compassion on the multitude that sought Him out. He taught them and healed their sick, but He also performed a miracle on a very large scale, before a people who were waiting for Messiah. Those zealots in the crowd were ready to have the kingdom come now, but in John 6 we see that Jesus knew this and withdrew. It is interesting how much power He had, because He also dismisses them, sends them away, even contrary to their wishes. His disciples would also be desirous of such a political movement, an overthrow, but it is not the time, and Passover, which was approaching, was actually about something else. He is separating his disciples from the excitement of the crowd, and let this be a reminder, that His kingdom is not of this world.
…35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37“Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”… John 18: 35-37
A T Robertson on made the disciples - Literally, “compelled” or “forced.” See this word also in Luke 14:23. The explanation for this strong word in Mark 6:45 and Matt. 14:22 is given in John 6:15. It is the excited purpose of the crowd to take Jesus by force and to make him national king. This would be political revolution and would defeat all the plans of Jesus about his kingdom. Things have reached a climax. The disciples were evidently swept off their feet by the mob psychology for they still shared the Pharisaic hope of a political kingdom. With the disciples out of the way Jesus could handle the crowd more easily - Precept Austin
He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray - This was His original plan, to go to a peaceful place, to have quiet time and renewal with the Father. Let this also be a lesson, if Christ prayed then we need to all the more, and the times of quiet and rest cannot be forever circumvented.
…9He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire. 10“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.” 11The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah… Psalm 46: 9-11
MacArthur makes an excellent point - Jesus’ temptations neither began nor ended with the three in the wilderness immediately after His baptism. At the end of that session, the devil only “departed from Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). The enthusiasm of the crowds and the disciples to make Him king was very much like the third temptation in the wilderness, in which Satan offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory” (Matt. 4:8–9). “What better time to establish your kingdom than the Passover season, and in what better way than by marching triumphantly into Jerusalem at the head of thousands of faithful, enthusiastic supporters?” the devil may have asked. Jesus would surely gather many more thousands on the way to the Holy City, and His supernatural power would guarantee victory against any opposition. He could easily conquer the Herods, and even mighty Rome would be no match for the Son of God. He could bypass the cross and avoid the agony of having to take the sin of the world upon Himself. (MNTC-Mt) - Precept Austin
The boat by this time was a long way from the land - Now Christ was on the mount, and He had removed His disciples from the mob, had taken them from the power of a surging movement and thrown them to the mercy of an unforgiving sea. He sent them the way of turmoil, for the direction he gave them was against the wind. Their sails were of no use, and so they would have to row it, and anyone who has paddled a kayak or a canoe when a sudden storm appears, knows that you can't stop. You gain very little paddling forward, but if you stop you drift back, you lose ground. If you are rowing a larger vessel, where men oar from both sides, you have to work together or you will turn, and again lose ground. They have been with Jesus in a boat before, when He has calmed the storm, but this time He is on the mount and they are in the vessel alone, striving to go where He has sent them. But, if we are going where God sent us, doing as He told us, then are we truly alone?
…33Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God— and He is interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?… Romans 8: 33-35
It is a ghost - They see someone walking on the water and they are afraid. There is really no good earthly explanation for what they are seeing, they are far from the shore, and so their minds latch onto an explanation.
And in the fourth watch of the night - This would be the hours just prior to dawn, from three to six in the morning. The Jews divided the night into four watches; the first was from 6 in the evening till 9 pm , the second from 9 to 12, the third from 12 to 3 and the fourth from 3 to 6; so that it may have just begun to be daylight before our Lord came toward the disciples. Note that this expression of time indicates Jesus prayed until (3–6 a.m.) probably seven or more hours. POSB adds "He prayed in a storm. A storm arose at some point, apparently long before 3 a.m. or the disciples would have already crossed the lake. The importance of prayer to Christ is strikingly seen in the fact that He prayed for so many hours in the midst of a storm." - Precept Austin
Take heart, it is I - Jesus corrects them, it's just Him, walking where people don't walk, in a storm, out on the Sea. He has been aware of their situation, and He will not test us beyond what we are able. His timing is impeccable.
He said, come - Many speak of a faith that is more like shadow boxing, psyching themselves up to do something, but this is a request, "command me to come to you", and the action is based upon the command, faith responds with obedience.
Lenski - Only under those circumstances could Jesus say, “Come!” The faith which Peter manifests Jesus accepts and justifies. If it had not been true faith, or if wrong and foolish motives had prompted Peter, Jesus would never have given his command. Those who criticize Peter ought to see that their criticism really strikes Jesus who consents to Peter’s proposal. Peter is ready to make up for the cowardice of the superstitious fear he had had a moment ago by the courage of faith which now trusts Jesus’ power enough to walk out to him at his command. We cannot agree that Peter intends to outdo and to outdare the other disciples, to show off his faith before them before the Lord as being greater than theirs as he afterward did when he said, “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I” (26:23). Peter makes no comparison between himself and the rest. If he had done so even silently, the Lord would never have replied, “Come!” but would have warned and corrected him exactly as he did on the later occasion. The Lord’s “Come!” is the bidding Peter asks - Precept Austin
The key to faith is looking to Jesus.
Peter saw that everything that threatened to be over his head was already under Jesus' feet.
--- Adrian Rogers
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid - The circumstance is not unknow to God, and if we will look to Christ, the Author and Finisher of our salvation, then we will see His hand even in the storm.
THOUGHT - Someone has said: “There are three ways to look. If you want to be wretched, look within; if you wish to be distracted, look around; but if you would have peace, look up.” Peter looked away from Christ, and he immediately began to sink. He had God’s eternal word, which was sure footing, and better than either marble, granite or iron; but the moment he took his eyes off Christ down he went. (D L Moody) . Corrie Ten Boom said it this way…
Look around and be distressed.
Look inside and be depressed.
Look at Jesus and be at rest.
Lord, save me - Short, sweet and to the point, there was no time for him to wonder how he would get himself out of this. We are foolish when we forget by whose power we are able to walk where men can only drown. Cry out, for if you believe in yourself you are forever lost, swept under the waves, but turn your eyes to Jesus, plead for mercy, "Lord, save me."
…23“If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” 24Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” 25When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.”… Mark 9: 23-25
Those in the boat worshiped Him - Jesus accepts worship, and on more than one occasion, yet we know that worship is reserved only for God. To worship anyone or anything that is not God, is to worship the creation, and this is idolatry.
…7to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house. 8I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols. 9Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”… Isaiah 42: 7-9
This also applies to angels, and so those, like Mormons and Jehovah's witnesses, who do not believe that Jesus is God, do err. Some of these groups believe that Jesus is Michael the Archangel. Other groups, like Muslims and many Eastern philosophies, believe Jesus to be a prophet, but not God. All these groups have extrabiblical revelation, deny the deity of Christ, and so many today believe that Christ was teaching a way, but not that He was the only way.
…7“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.” 8And I am John, who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. 9But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”… Revelation 22: 7-9
24The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. 26But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”… Acts 10: 24-26
Yet we are to worship Christ, the Son of God, the second member of the Trinity -
…5For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father”? Or again: “I will be His Father, and He will be My Son”? 6And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.” 7Now about the angels He says: “He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire.”… Hebrews 1: 5-7
…9Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.… Philippians 2: 9-11
…8Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9“All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.” 10“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ ”… Matthew 4: 8-10
…13Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God as well? 14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. 15By the time He knows enough to reject evil and choose good, He will be eating curds and honey.… Isaiah 7: 13-15
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