There are accounts of this event in three GospelsMatthew, Mark, and Johnbut it is not included in the Gospel of Luke. 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. Following the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus Christ dispatched his disciples ahead of him in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee to the other side.Later that night, the disciples came upon a storm that made them feel uneasy and threatened them with death.Their dread quickly changed to horror as they saw Jesus strolling toward them across the surface of the water, and they began to believe that they were seeing the appearance of a ghost. His voice rang out to the Lord even though he was terrified, knowing that Jesus was the only one who could assist him. When it comes to ghosts in the ancient world, they were considered to be a negative omen; in the LXX Isaiah 28:7, a comparable phrase () is rendered as a foul omen. Take heed, disciples, as Jesus reaches out to them and instructs them to take heed. eart! (imperative from eart!) By the end, no one could tell what 4:17).3. 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. 7:1819). To anyone familiar with the Old Testament, John 6 reads like a reenactment of the exodus story of which the Passover is a central part. The Bible depicts God as cutting a road through the water to guide Moses, Aaron, and the people like a flint to the promised land.Only God has the ability to walk on water.According to Job 9:8, God is characterized as the one who alone stretched forth the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea. eas.It is more similar to Matthew in the Septuagint, where Job 9:8 reads walks about on the sea as if it were a grou. When the disciples first see Jesus, they are scared and believe he is a ghost (14:1).No matter what happens, the disciples are not expecting to see someone walking on the sea towards them.It is only used here and in Mark 6:49 and Luke 24:37 (again, the disciples believe Jesus is a ghost after the crucifixion) that the Greek () is used. 21:1). The miracles are reported as taking place years apart from each other, but in both miracles apostles are fishing unsuccessfully in the Sea of Galilee when Jesus tells them to try one more cast of the net, at which they are rewarded with a great catch (or "draught", as in "haul" or "weight"). Your article here appears to argue a both/and position. This is all the more remarkable given that Johns account is the shortest by far (86 words in Greek compared with 139 in Mark and 186 in Matthew). Then he said to the group: Hey guys, sorry I was late, but why did you all go without me? Like the account of the feeding of 5,000 people, this is both amazing and terrifying. Fairchild, Mary. When that happens, theres nothing to do except praise God for yet another gift of mercy and grace. Psalm 30 thanks God (vv. Is this not what the old hymns taught us to sing? Part of the significance of Him not drinking the 4th cup is that we (the faithful) now drink the 4th cup each time we receive communion and drink the precious blood. 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. (Ex.16:4).It is because of these ties that the multitudes accept Jesus as the prophesied prophet, just as they did Moses (John 6:14; see also Deuteronomy 18:1518).As a result, they strive to establish Him as king (John 6:15; see also Deut. Jesus says, It is I; do not be afraid. In other words, 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. Thank you for visiting Jesus Creed. Do not be alarmed. So many of us are apprehensive about even getting out of the boat!Jesus, please hurry up and come aboard the boat with us, in our secure little corner!So many of us Christians want him to do just that!No, instead, come out on the sea with me, He says.Im not going to let you drown. This is exactly what we need to do! The New Testament Bible story of Jesus walking on water is one of the most widely told narratives and key miracles ofJesus. Then Jesus multiplies bread, as if from thin air, to feed the multitudes with as much as they wanted (John 6:11), just as God had provided bread from heaven to feed His people with as much as any man could eat (Ex. 1-3, 11-12) and exhorts others to thank God (vv. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came unto them, walking upon the sea. It didnt actually take place. In order for these mythological components to have been late additions, the gospels would have had to be written a considerable time after the actual events of Jesus life, which is contrary to all arguments concerning a late chronology for Jesus life that have been advanced.All four gospels were completed by 80 AD, even if the most optimistic modernists choose the most recent plausible dates for their creation.That is just fifty years after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, according to the calendar.People who had been eyewitnesses to the events were still living at the time.I recall what occurred fifty years ago, do you?If not, your parents will tell you what happened. If we call out to Jesus in trust, he will come and take our hands in his and lift us over what appears to be insurmountable circumstances. 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. Liberal rationalism here we come. Several hours later in the night, the disciples encountered a storm that frightened them. Concentrating on Jesus: Peter did not begin to sink until he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to gaze about him at the wind and the seas. Growing up, every sermon I heard about Jesus walking on water focused on Gods ability to calm the storms in our lives. [18] The meaning of the episode is held to be inherent in its miraculous nature: "The meaning of the pericope (story) only has meaning if it is understood as relating a miraculous event which really took place" (Leopold Sabourin, 1975). 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. The idea is that before His death, all Old Testament believers were in Abraham's bosomthe paradise part of Hades. What is the significance of Jesus calming the storm? Evolutionary creation makes the most sense out of the data. You of little faith, why did you doubt? he said as he reached down into the water and raised him to his feet. In fact, He builds on the parallel, ascending a mountain alone (John 6:15) as Moses had before Him (Ex. 11:1), doubting Gods ability to give what He promised to provide (John 6:52; see Ps. All of this has no bearing on my view of the mechanism of creation. As soon as Jesus saw him, he reached out and grasped him. For those who are familiar with the Old Testament, John 6 may appear to be a recreation of the exodus account, in which the Passover is a significant element, as it does to those who are not.In the first place, we have the proliferation of signs and wonders, similar to what happened in Egypt (cf.Ex. 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. What Does it Mean That Jesus Was Gods Begotten Son? 24 But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves; for the wind was contrary. But why? This preview shows page 17 - 19 out of 39 pages. 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. : 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. I cant tell you His exact intent or purpose for this strange encounter, but the three New Testament accounts point to the confirmation of His deity and the deepening of our faith. During his miracle of walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus provides an answer to the question posed in the Nazareth synagogue, Where did Jesus acquire his authority to teach and perform miracles? Following up on his revelation that he was a provider of food in the desert in the account of the Feeding of the Five Thousand (Matthew 14), Jesus shows himself in this story to be the one who walks on water as if it were dry land.Each of Jesus miracles makes use of biblical imagery to proclaim that he is Gods Son, and the only appropriate response is to worship him in that capacity.Following the miraculous feeding miracle, Jesus departs the crowds on the opposite side of the lake after pressing his followers to do so on their own (Matt 14:22-23).I should say that he compelled them to cross the lake in a boat rather than forcing them to do it on their own.The word (v) has a forceful connotation (Judaizers compel Gentiles to be circumcised), but most commentators interpret it as aggressively encouraging the disciples to begin crossing the segregated segregation line.1. 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). The narrative serves as a reminder to Christians that when the Lord appears to them in the midst of their own personal troubles, they may not recognize him. 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. 18:21). This is where the waves whipped up around the disciples' boat and frightened them into waking Jesus during the storm. Therefore, in John 6, Jesus is revealed as the One who brings about the new exodus, that is, the true liberation of Gods people from slavery to sin, the inevitability of death, and the just judgment of God. Happily, we dont have to guess what it is. If you wish, you may contact me directly at rjs4mail[at]att.net. 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. In order to demonstrate to his disciples that he is more than a miraculous worker or charismatic leader, k on water? 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried out for fear. Jesus, on the other hand, walked on the water. | Theme by SuperbThemes.Com. I have arrived! After that, he went inside the boat, and the wind died down completely. Is this a foreshadowing of Jesus agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:36-42). Covering topics including Miracles, Peace, Strength, Young views the text as fiction, and uses tools and terms often associated with fantastic literature to analyze it. 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. Best Answer. Probably inert. In Matthew and Mark, the crossing is then followed by a miraculous healing in Gennesaret (Matt. The New Testament Bible story of Jesus walking on water is one of the most widely told narratives and key miracles of Jesus. What did Jesus mean when He said, Peace, be still. His claim is further confirmed by the disciples in Matthew 14:33 where Jesus steps into their boat, and immediately the wind ceased. Matthew 14 says: Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. Then, 15:19). Matthews narrative goes into greater detail about the scenario than the other two accounts.They had all finished their meals and were satisfied, and the disciples collected twelve baskets full of broken bits that had been left behind.In addition to women and children, there were around 5,000 males who participated in the meal. Night fell and the sea arose as the ship became caught in a wind storm. 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. [5] After Peter came down out of the ship and walked on the water, he became afraid of the storm and began to sink. [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. 4:15; 1 John 3:5). Christ ascended 40 days after His resurrection. Strobel also argues that the resurrection is the best explanation for the fact that Jesus' tomb was empty on Easter morning. Make it possible for these wonderful readers to believe in your brilliance! 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. Often we recognise people by their posture, the way they hold themselves upright or by the way they walk and move their weight around. (Matthew 14:31; Mark 12:31).After that, they went onto the boat, where the storm had subsided.All of the disciples eyes were wide open and riveted on Jesus, as if they couldnt believe what they were seeing for the first time!And theres Jesus, all alone in the middle of the room.I believe He was beaming from ear to ear the entire time. He walked on top of the water in the middle of a raging storm. Stephanie Englehartis a Seattle native, church planters wife, mama, and lover of all things coffee, the great outdoors, and fine (easy to make) food. Using similar language, Philip asks Jesus the same (John 6:5). 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. Hades or Sheol was seen as the place of the dead with three areas or compartments: (1) the abyss or tartarus, the place of confinement for those demons who sinned in the days of Noah; (2) torments, the place of suffering for . Lord. There are accounts of this event in three Gospels Matthew, Mark, and John but it is not included in the Gospel of Luke. Can you tell me why you were so skeptical of me? (NLT). 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake (Matthew 14:2425).Though they were only to travel a short distance, the storm was so violent that, despite all their efforts to control their boat, the storm had driven them nearly four miles out into the very midst of the sea.Being the fourth watch of the night (3:00 AM to 6:00 AM), they had been rowing and straining at their oars for approaching nine hours!They were totally exhausted.Mark tells us that, when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost. Branscomb, 1937), based perhaps on some lost incident; perhaps Jesus waded through the surf (Vincent Taylor, 1957), or perhaps he walked on a sand bar (Sherman Johnson, 1972, J.D.M. Like us, Peter is plagued with the depravity of human nature. 18:1518). 29 And he said, Come. 33:45).And, while He rejects their promise of kingship without the crucifixion (cf.Matt.4:89; Luke 4:57), Jesus does not deny the relationship to Moses that they have made with Him.As a matter of fact, He builds on the comparison by mounting a mountain by himself (John 6:15), just as Moses had done before Him (Ex.19:13). [24], Adela Yarbro Collins concludes that the text characterizes Jesus as Messiah and king of Israel endowed with divine properties. That is a departure from the Jewish . [11] Dwight Pentecost and John Danilson state that this miracle was deliberately designed by Jesus to instruct his apostles and increase their faith. As recounted in Matthew verse 27,Jesus told them, "Take courage! The waves saw you, God, and they writhed in convulsions; the very depths were convulsed by your presence.Your arrows flew back and forth across the sky as the clouds poured down rain and thunder from the skies.Despite the wind, your thunder could be heard, and your lightning illuminated the whole planet, causing earthquakes and earthquake-like vibrations.19 Your journey took you across the sea, your way through the vast seas, though no one could see your tracks.Because he exposes himself to be God incarnate, Jesus arrives on the waves, walking on water.To be sure, the tale finishes with the disciples declaring that Jesus is really the Son of God. 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). Hours later in the night he came unto them, walking upon the.... 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