Matthew 14:28-33

Oct 16, 2011 08:21 AM Done

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

Peter could have asked a dozen questions of the "aparition". Instead, he chooses a request...why this one?

Guzik:

• “Peter’s protasis (‘if it’s you’) is a real condition, almost ‘since it’s you.’ The request is bold, but the disciples had been trained for some time and given power to do exactly the sort of miracles Jesus was doing (Matthew 10:1). What is more natural than for a fisherman who knew and respected the dangers of Galilee to want to follow Jesus in this new demonstration of supernatural power?” (Carson)
• We have no idea what prompted Peter to ask such a question, but his faith in Jesus was remarkable. He really responded to Jesus’ invitation and got out of the boat.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

• He was rash, headlong, incautious, really attached to Jesus, but still easily daunted and prone to fall.

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

• A weak faith is always wishing for signs and miracles. To take Christ at his word, argues not only the perfection of faith, but also the highest exercise of sound reason.
• He is to be credited on his own word, because he is the Truth, and therefore can neither lie nor deceive.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

• bid me come unto thee on the water; thereby expressing great love and affection to Christ, being willing to come to him, though through danger, through storms and tempests; and also his strong faith in him, supposing it to be he; who, he knew, was as able to support his body on the water, as his own; and yet much modesty, submission, and dependence; not willing to take a step without his order.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

• It is no new thing for Christ's disciples to meet with storms in the way of duty, but he thereby shows himself with the more grace to them and for them. He can take what way he pleases to save his people. But even appearances of deliverance sometimes occasion trouble and perplexity to God's people, from mistakes about Christ.

Matthew Henry's Whole Commentary

• First, It is an instance of Peter's affection to Christ, that he desired to come to him. When he sees Christ, whom, doubtless, during the storm, he had many a time wished for, he is impatient to be with him. He does not say, Bid me walk on the waters, as desiring it for the miracle sake; but, Bid me come to thee, as desiring it for Christ's sake;
• Secondly, It is an instance of Peter's caution and due observance of the will of Christ, that he would not come without a warrant. Not, "If it be thou, I will come;" but If it be thou, bid me come.
• Our will to services and sufferings is interpreted, not willingness, but wilfulness, if it have not a regard to the will of Christ, and be not regulated by his call and command.
• Thirdly, It is an instance of Peter's faith and resolution, that he ventured upon the water when Christ bid him. To quit the safety of the ship, and throw himself into the jaws of death, to despise the threatening waves he so lately dreaded, argued a very strong dependence upon the power and word of Christ. What difficulty or danger could stand before such a faith and such a zeal?

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Gills:

• ...this was an extraordinary and miraculous action: for if it was so in Christ, it was much more so in Peter: Christ walked upon the water by his own power, as God; Peter walked upon the water, being held up by the power of Christ.

Matthew Henry's Whole...

• But Christ knew that it came from a sincere and zealous affection to him, and graciously accepted of it. Note, Christ is well pleased with the expressions of his people's love, though mixed with manifold infirmities, and makes the best of them.
• The gospel call is, "Come, come, to Christ; venture all in his hand, and commit the keeping of your souls to him; venture through a stormy sea, a troublesome world, to Jesus Christ."
• Peter walked upon the water. The communion of true believers with Christ is represented by their being quickened with him, raised up with him, made to sit with him, (Eph. 2:5, 6), and being crucified with him, Gal. 2:20.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

Note that he was only beginning to sink:

Guzik 

• “Peter walked on the water but feared the wind: such is human nature, often achieving great things, and at fault in little things.” (Bruce)

Vincent's Word Studies

• He was afraid - "Although," says Bengel, "a fisherman and a good swimmer" brain://CC_I74Oqo1OpixQFdFrR-Q/160John 21:7

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

• Peter's great fear (v. 30); He was afraid. The strongest faith and the greatest courage have a mixture of fear. Those that can say, Lord, I believe; must say, Lord, help my unbelief. Nothing but perfect love will quite cast out fear. Good men often fail in those graces which they are most eminent for, and which they have then in exercise; to show that they have not yet attained. Peter was very stout at first, but afterwards his heart failed him. The lengthening out of a trial discovers the weakness of faith.
• Looking at difficulties with an eye of sense more than at precepts and promises with an eye of faith is at the bottom of all our inordinate fears, both as to public and personal concerns. Abraham was strong in faith, because he considered not his own body (Rom. 4:19); he minded not the discouraging improbabilities which the promise lay under, but kept his eye on God's power; and so, against hope, believed in hope,
• The sinking of our spirits is owing to the weakness of our faith; we are upheld (but it is as we are saved) through faith (1 Pt. 1:5); and therefore, when our souls are cast down and disquieted, the sovereign remedy is, to hope in God, Ps. 43:5.
• It was Christ's great mercy to him, that, upon the failing of his faith, he did not leave him to sink outright, to sink to the bottom as a stone (Ex. 15:5), but gave him time to cry, Lord, save me.
• A man is never sunk, never undone, till he is in hell. Peter walked as he believed; to him, as to others, the rule held good, According to your faith be it unto you.
• The remedy he had recourse to in this distress, the old, tried, approved remedy, and that was prayer: he cried, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Guzic:

• “THERE is only one word in the original for the phrase, ‘O thou of little faith.’ The Lord Jesus virtually addresses Peter by the name of ‘Little-faith,’ in one word.” (Spurgeon)
  • [3640 (oligópistos) occurs five times in the NT, each time with Jesus rebuking the problem of failing to hear His voice (cf. Jn 10:3,4,27).]

• Peter here shows us the weakness of little faith.
  • ·      Little faith is often found in places where we might expect great faith.
  • ·      Little faith is far too eager for signs.
  • ·      Little faith is apt to have too high an opinion of its own power.
  • ·      Little faith is too much affected by it surroundings.
  • ·      Little faith is too quick to exaggerate the peril.

• Yet Peter also shows us some of the strengths of little faith.
  • ·      Little faith is true faith.
  • ·      Little faith will obey the word of Jesus.
  • ·      Little faith struggles to come to Jesus.
  • ·      Little faith will accomplish great things for a time.
  • ·      Little faith will pray when it is in trouble.
  • ·      Little faith is safe, because Jesus is near.

• “You do believe, and if you believe, why doubt? If faith, whylittle faith? If you doubt, why believe? And if you believe, why doubt?” (Spurgeon)
• “Doubt is literally ‘be divided in two’; true faith is single-mindedly focused on Jesus.”
• We can say that in theory, there might be reasons for doubting Jesus and His promises.
  • ·      If on former occasions, you have found God unfaithful to His promise.
  • ·      If some old follower of Jesus has solemnly told you that God can not be trusted.
  • ·      If your problem is a new one and so extremely difficult that it is certain that God cannot help you.
  • ·      If God has abolished His promises, and made them no longer valid.
  • ·      If God has changed.

• “Our doubts are unreasonable: ‘Wherefore didst though doubt?’ If there be reason for little faith, there is evidently reason for great confidence. If it be right to trust Jesus at all, why not trust him altogether?” (Spurgeon)

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

• Jesus stretched forth his hand - Every moment we stand in need of Christ: while we stand - we are upheld by his power only; and when we are falling, or have fallen, we can be saved only by his mercy.
• Let us always take care that we do not consider so much the danger to which we are exposed, as the power of Christ by which we are to be upheld; and then our mountain is likely to stand strong.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

• he does not say, O thou unbeliever! or, O thou who hast no faith! for some faith he had, though but small;

People's New Testament

• It is a fact that ought to be noted that the Gospels narrate the failures in miraculous power on the part of the apostles as well as their success. No book of myths would do this. At the same time it is always made plain why they failed.

Matthew Henry Whole

• Christ's time to save is, when we sink (Ps. 18:4-7): he helps at a dead lift. Christ's hand is still stretched out to all believers, to keep them from sinking
• Never fear, he will hold his own. Our deliverance from our own fears, which else would overwhelm us, is owing to the hand of his power and grace, Ps. 34:4.
• Could we but believe more, we should doubt less.

32And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

Vincent's Word Studies

• Ceased (ἐκόπασεν)

A beautiful word. Lit., grew weary; sank away like one who is weary.

33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

People's New Testament

• 14:33 They that were in the ship came and worshipped him. Not only did they approach him with an outward unforbidden gesture of worship, but they avowed him, for the first time collectively, to be the Son of God.

Matthew Henry's Whole

• It was a confirmation of their faith in Christ, and abundantly convinced them that the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him; for none but the world's Creator could multiply the loaves, none but its Governor could tread upon the waters of the sea; they therefore yield to the evidence, and make confession of their faith;
• Thou truly art the Son of God. They knew before that he was the Son of God, but now they know it better. Faith, after a conflict with unbelief, is sometimes the more active, and gets to greater degrees of strength by being exercised. Now they know it of a truth.
• Faith is the proper principle of worship, and worship the genuine product of faith. He that comes to God must believe; and he that believes in God, will come, Heb. 9:6.