Episode 106 - Matthew 14:22-27 - One Who Walks on Water
Scripture: Matthew 14:22–27 (NIV)
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Episode Summary
In this episode, Matthew moves directly from the feeding of the five thousand into a new scene on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus sends His disciples ahead by boat while He withdraws alone to pray.
As night falls, the disciples find themselves in difficulty. The wind is against them, and the boat is battered by the waves. What begins as a simple crossing turns into a long struggle.
Meanwhile, Jesus remains on the mountain in prayer. His withdrawal is intentional. After a public miracle that could stir political expectations, He chooses solitude and communion with the Father rather than momentum with the crowd.
During the fourth watch of the night, in the darkest and most exhausting hours before dawn, Jesus comes to the disciples. He is not in a boat. He is walking on the water.
In the world of Scripture, the sea is more than a setting. It often represents chaos, danger, and forces beyond human control. In passages like Job and the Psalms, it is God alone who rules the waters and stills the waves.
So when Jesus walks across the sea, Matthew is not simply describing a miracle. He is revealing identity. The one who approaches the boat stands over the chaos.
The disciples respond with fear. They assume they are seeing a ghost, unable to recognize what is happening. Their fear is not irrational. It reflects the impossibility of what they are witnessing.
Jesus speaks immediately. “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
The phrase “It is I” carries deeper meaning. It can also be understood as “I am,” echoing the language of divine self-revelation. In the midst of wind and waves, Jesus is not only calming fear. He is revealing His presence.
The storm has not yet stopped. The waves are still active. But everything changes because Jesus is now present with them.
Takeaways
* Jesus often sends His followers into situations that reveal their need for Him
* The sea represents forces beyond human control, yet Jesus stands over them
* God’s presence may come after long periods of struggle
* Fear can come from misrecognizing what God is doing
* The presence of Christ changes the meaning of difficult circumstances
Recommended Reading and Sources
Scripture and Cross References
Matthew 14:22–27 (NIV, NRSV, CSB, ESV)
Job 9:8
Psalm 77:19
Isaiah 43:1–2
Standard Study Resources
HarperCollins Study Bible
CSB Study Bible
R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew
W. D. Davies and Dale C. Allison Jr., A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Matthew
Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary
Ulrich Luz, Matthew 8–20
Jewish and Historical Context
Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler, The Jewish Annotated New Testament
About the Podcast
Gospel at a Glance walks through the Gospels one passage at a time, exploring how Jesus’ actions and teachings reveal the nature of God’s kingdom. Each episode invites listeners to slow down, observe carefully, and reflect on how Scripture speaks into real life.
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Keywords
Matthew 14, Jesus walks on water, sea as chaos, divine identity of Jesus, fear and faith, Gospel of Matthew
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