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Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."
When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.
- Matthew 14:22-36
Yesterday, we read that when Jesus heard that Herod feared He was John the Baptist returned from the dead, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food." But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." He said, "Bring them here to Me." Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. We recall that Jesus had withdrawn to a deserted place after hearing that Herod Antipas now feared that Jesus was John the Baptist returned from the dead. It's the first time the Roman authorities have taken notice, as reported in Matthew's Gospel, and in this negative way. We know that the religious authorities are plotting against Jesus, but Herod the tetrarch is ruler of Galilee and Perea for the Romans. Jesus attempts to go out by Himself for prayer, and the crowd had followed Him. Now that He has sent them away, He goes up on the mountain by Himself to pray at this turning point in His worldly ministry.
Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." We understand this somewhat eerie scene, and the fear of the disciples. The fourth watch of the night is about three o'clock in the morning; we can imagine them struggling on the stormy sea in the dark of the night, without Jesus. This is the second time in Matthew's Gospel that Jesus has permitted the disciples to be caught in a storm. The first time (8:23-27) He was with them, but here He has left them alone. My study bible says that it is a way of strengthening their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life. Walking on the sea is both symbolic and a sign of dominion over nature, the province of God, displaying Christ's divinity. "It is I" is ego eimi in the Greek; literally "I Am," which is the divine name of God from the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14). My study bible says, "Christ reminds the fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives."
And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. My study bible tells us that it is Peter's faith that allows him to walk on the water, and points out that Peter doesn't really ask to walk on the water nor to perform miracles per se, but rather he wants to be with Christ. It's kind of a typical impulse of the Peter we know before Pentecost. Peter participates in this miracle so long as he keeps his focus on Christ, but as soon as he's distracted, his fears take over and he starts to sink. Peter is the perfect picture of human beings caught up between our natural fears and our faith. The Greek term for doubt here means "wavering" or "hesitation." My study bible tells us that therefore the cause of Peter's sinking wasn't the storm but rather the doubt; therefore Christ doesn't rebuke the wind, but Peter.
Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." This is the first time the disciples make this confession that Jesus is the Son of God. Only God can be worshiped, and by doing so, they confess His divinity. The boat is often seen as symbolic of the Church. It's also been used as an image of a believer's individual journey of faith.
When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well. Gennesaret was a place known for beauty and for its fertility both of the land for crops, and the sea for fishing. It was known as the "Paradise of Galilee," and was prosperously situated on an important trade route. In this sense the place is symbolic of the Kingdom and the flowering of faith in Christ. The life coming from Jesus' very body in these miracles of healing through touch gives us a sense of His ministry finding the faithful who will follow Him, even as the time is being prepared for His rejection. We've just read the miracle of the loaves and fishes in the wilderness, and been given an image of the Eucharist to come at the Last Supper. In that context we may also view the life-creating properties of His body and the means by which His Church will participate in His very life.
There is no mistaking the tensions in the Gospel. Even as the religious leadership have begun to plot against Him, and Herod Antipas has begun to fear Him, so Jesus' ministry takes its next steps. Jesus withdraws for prayer, but the crowds follow Him and so is born the central miracle of all the Gospels: the feeding in the wilderness, the foreshadowing of the Eucharist by which the bread of heaven will continually be given in the Church. Here in today's reading we see what happens when Jesus can finally withdraw for prayer on the mountaintop. The Gospel notes the increased presence and signs of the divine that take place with His disciples and those who have faith in Him. It is the first time He is worshiped by the disciples, the first time they confess He is the Christ. There is this perplexing, paradoxical reality of the flowering of the Church in the midst of signs of persecution. God's way is being made clear, a path is being given for the Church, despite looming suppression in the figures of authority. There is really no other way to view our faith but this: that God's way is not our way and confounds expectations, preparing a path where there doesn't seem to be one at all. The preparation is being made for the Church to go out to all the world, a people of God collected to one another by faith, sustained in the Eucharist (and thereby His life-creating presence). We simply don't know what path will emerge out of the narrow and restricted circumstances created by hostility to Christ and to the Gospel. In this sense, the picture of the disciples alone at sea at three o'clock in the morning, pulling against headwinds and waves in which even these experienced fishermen on this sea are struggling, gives us a place in which to identify our faith. We can focus on Him and His words, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Be of good cheer in the Greek can also be rendered, "Take courage" or "Take heart." He speaks of the confidence of faith, and His presence. It is this we rely on through all difficulties, and the example we can see in the Gospel story of God working through all things, no matter how constricted the path seems or circumstances would seemingly allow. In the face of rejection, faith is the only way -- but we must be prepared to accept outcomes we could never expect, and move forward into the way we're given.
