The Tenth Sunday after Trinity is August 13, 2023.

Readings for Year A can be found here, as used for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity, Year A, in 2020.

The Gospel is as follows (emphases mine):

Matthew 14:22-33

14:22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

14:24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.

14:25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.

14:26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.

14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

14:28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

14:29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.

14:30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little Faith, why did you doubt?”

14:32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

14:33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Commentary comes from Matthew Henry and John MacArthur.

In the Sundays after Trinity in Year A, we have been given strong meat from Matthew’s Gospel. In recent weeks, these have included the following:

Readings for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity — Year A — and exegesis on the Gospel, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (July 16, 2023, Parable of the Sower and significance of Matthew 13)

Readings for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity — exegesis on the Gospel, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (July 23, 2023)

Readings for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity, Year A — exegesis on the Gospel, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52, part 1 (July 30, 2023)

Readings for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity, Year A — exegesis on the Gospel, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52, part 2 (July 30, 2023)

Readings for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity, Year A — exegesis on the Gospel, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52, part 3 (July 30, 2023)

Readings for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity, Year A – exegesis on the Gospel, Matthew 14:13-21, part 1 (August 6, 2023, Feeding of the Five Thousand)

Readings for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity, Year A – exegesis on the Gospel, Matthew 14:13-21, part 2  (August 6, 2023, Feeding of the Five Thousand)

The Feeding of the Five Thousand, which had preceded today’s reading, represented a great turning point in our Lord’s ministry, as John MacArthur explains:

For two years his ministry had been on the rise, and he had been proclaiming and he had been healing and he had been casting out demons, and then in the later part he was joined with the disciples who began also to proclaim and also to cast out demons and also to heal. And the rising excitement, the fever pitch, the waves became billows. Irresistible impulses began to seize the multitude as they saw the power and the wisdom of this individual. And then when he was able to feed them and create food out of his own bear hands seemingly unaided in any way and they were all eyewitnesses to it and they all tasted it, they were convinced. And you have at this juncture the pinnacle of popularity of Jesus, and John 6:14 and 15 says, “They got together and they were going to make him the king.” And the disciples must have thought, “That’s it, we’ve done our job. We’ve accomplished it. They see that he’s the king. They’re gonna make him the king.” And immediately at that juncture when their hopes had reached the highest point, when it all looked like it was gonna fall in their laps, I mean they knew that when the Messiah come he would feed the multitude, and he had done it and it was in their minds very likely the door kicking open to the kingdom.

And the people were saying, “We want him to be the king!” …

John 6 gives us a fuller account of what happened the next day, which MacArthur summarises:

And when they woke up the next morning they were all in the same vicinity, according to John 6, and they said, “It’s breakfast time. Where’s Jesus?” And he wasn’t there. They knew a good thing when he saw it, and that’s when he gave them the lecture about the only meal they were gonna get was his flesh and his blood. And they said, “Forget it.” And from then on, the popularity of Jesus started down. Oh, he taught a little in the Synagogue. He did some healing. But eventually he began to move away and move away, and his popularity declined and he spent more and more time with the disciples and less and less time with the crowds.

This is that very peak from which things begin to descend to his crucifixion. He sent them away. He shot their dreams to pieces because he would not be made a political leader on their terms.

And so, Jesus immediately made the disciples get into the boat and sail to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds (verse 22).

Matthew Henry’s commentary, like MacArthur’s sermon, also tells us that Jesus was not about to be made a temporal king:

He constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, v. 22. St. John gives a particular reason for the hasty breaking up of this assembly, because the people were so affected with the miracle of the loaves, that they were about to take him by force, and make him a king (John 6 15); to avoid which, he immediately scattered the people, sent away the disciples, lest they should join with them, and he himself withdrew, John 6 15.

Henry points out that, with the Apostles having the 12 sacks of leftover barley loaves, they did not sit down to relax for the evening but followed our Lord’s order:

When they had sat down to eat and drink, they did not rise up to play, but each went to his business.

The Apostles had to leave, because if they had not, the crowd would have stayed:

He constrained the disciples to go into a ship first, for till they were gone the people would not stir. The disciples were loth to go, and would not have gone, if he had not constrained them. They were loth to go to sea without him. If thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence. Exod 33 15. They were loth to leave him alone, without any attendance, or any ship to wait for him; but they did it in pure obedience.

Henry describes our Lord’s final words to the crowd that day:

Christ sent the people away. It intimates somewhat of solemnity in the dismissing of them; he sent them away with a blessing, with some parting words of caution, counsel, and comfort, which might abide with them.

After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He went up the mountain alone to pray; when evening came, He was there alone (verse 23).

So many of us — myself included, for decades — neglect prayer, yet Christ set us His example, recorded in the Gospels.

Henry tells us:

II. Christ’s retirement hereupon (v. 23); He went up into a mountain apart to pray. Observe here,

1. That he was alone; he went apart into a solitary place, and was there all alone. Though he had so much work to do with others, yet he chose sometimes to be alone, to set us an example. Those are not Christ’s followers that do not care for being alone; that cannot enjoy themselves in solitude, when they have none else to converse with, none else to enjoy, but God and their own hearts.

2. That he was alone at prayer; that was his business in this solitude, to pray. Though Christ, as God, was Lord of all, and was prayed to, yet Christ, as Man, had the form of a servant, of a beggar, and prayed. Christ has herein set before us an example of secret prayer, and the performance of it secretly, according to the rule he gave, ch. 6 6. Perhaps in this mountain there was some private oratory or convenience, provided for such an occasion; it was usual among the Jews to have such. Observe, When the disciples went to sea, their Master went to prayer; when Peter was to be sifted as wheat, Christ prayed for him.

I went through a time of trial, not so long ago, that taught me to pray unceasingly, as St Paul put it. My trial was not one of faith or temptation, just coping with a project to which I was subject, involving a complete upheaval of my personal surroundings. It was not long — some weeks later — and my prayers were answered one by one, enabling me to cope with the situation, still ongoing but in lesser measure now.

My initial prayers focused on the upheaval, my intentions asking that it be turned into good order, which came step by step. The next phase concerned a life-changing period in my life, some decades earlier, when I saw how good the Holy Trinity was to me. Those prayers of gratitude which extended over several months added a third dimension, one of praise for Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What I came to realise is that the three Persons, unlike earthly persons, had been with me every step of the way throughout my life. That is my prayer journey in a nutshell, but I share it to show that a true prayer life is possible in our day and age.

However, in large part, many churches today do not emphasise the power of prayer — and faith. It is probably because, for most of us, life is good, even if we are in a cost of living crisis. It is when we are being tried and tested, afraid and fearful, that puts us into a routine state of prayer. Today’s reading helps to illustrate that.

Henry’s analysis concludes:

3. That he was long alone; there he was when the evening was come, and, for aught that appears, there he was till towards morning, the fourth watch of the night. The night came on, and it was a stormy, tempestuous night, yet he continued instant in prayer. Note, It is good, at least sometimes, upon special occasions, and when we find our hearts enlarged, to continue long in secret prayer, and to take full scope in pouring out our hearts before the Lord. We must not restrain prayer, Job 15 4.

While Jesus was praying, the Apostles’ boat was battered by the waves and was far from land, the wind being against it (verse 24).

MacArthur explains our Lord’s purpose in and with this storm:

He refused the kingdom that people offered; he really did, he refused it. His kingdom was not of this, what? This world, John 18:36. His kingdom was not the kind of kingdom men wanted. The fact to the matter is his kingdom was in a little frail boat in the middle of a storm in the sea; that’s where the seeds of his kingdom were, and it wasn’t the kind of kingdom that men thought. When he sent the crowd away and dealt with that little group of disciples in a boat, he was building his kingdom his way, for they would become the rulers of the kingdom. And so we see him revealing himself to them. The whole import of this passage then is to bring the disciples to the place where they really understand. You see they went away disillusioned from that shore and no doubt were asking the question, “Is he a king? Is this really the king?” And they needed a regal, royal display. “Is he the Messiah? Is he the Lord? Is he the one we thought?” And they needed evidence, and boy do they get it. 

MacArthur explains how Jesus showed His authority here:

Now I want you to notice five aspects of the divine nature manifest in this event … They worshiped him, first of all, because they knew he was the Son of God on the basis of divine authority, on the basis of divine authority. And it’s really just kind of implied there, but in verse 22 it tells us that he constrained the disciples to get into a boat and go before him to the other side. And he sent the multitude away. This is indicative of the fact that Jesus controlled everything. He controlled those who were his own and those who were not. He controlled the disciples who did not want to leave him, who did not want to leave the moment and the excitement and the great thrust of that effort to make him king. They were captivated by the whole thing, but he controlled them. The mob was gonna kidnap him and force him to be a king; he controlled them too, as well as the wind and the wave and the sea and their thinking and their faith and everything else that he controlled.

MacArthur gives several other examples from the Gospel, then culminates with the final chapter of Matthew before returning to today’s passage:

The sum of it all comes in Matthew 28:18 where Jesus says, “All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” He had authority. What is authority? Well, if I were defining authority, I think I would define it as ruling, sovereign control. He was in control of everything. He called all the shots. He made all the decisions about everything. He commanded angels, holy and fallen. He commanded men, redeemed and unredeemed. He commanded them in time; he commands them in eternity. He commands them in hell; he commands them in heaven. He determines their destiny. He controls nature. He creates whatever he will create. He stops the storm whenever he will stop the storm. He causes the wind and causes the wind to cease. He can walk on water. He has authority. Now that becomes clear to us in this passage.

Early in the morning, Jesus came walking towards them on the sea (verse 25).

MacArthur describes what the disciples had been going through all night:

… we go back to the sea, the lake of Gennesaret, the Lake of Galilee, the Sea of Galilee. The boat is in the midst of the sea. John’s Gospel says 25 to 30 stadia or furlongs out into the sea, which is about an eighth of a mile, puts them out somewhere between three and four miles into the sea. Now the trip from where they were on the shore at Bethsaida Julia across to Capernaum and Bethsaida West couldn’t have been more than four-and-a-half miles, three-and-a-half, four-and-a-half, somewhere in that area. We don’t know exactly ’cause we don’t know exactly what spot they were in, but a three or four-mile trip, at the most four-and-a-half miles. But instead of going along that little cut on the north shore they find themselves three or four miles out into the middle, and it’s only seven or eight miles across so they’re pretty well in the middle. And they’re being tossed with the waves, and the wind is contrary.

Now you have to just sort of love these guys ’cause they’re doing their best to be obedient, aren’t they? They’re pushing that bow in the right direction. Confused, disillusioned, disappointed, upset, questioning but they keep the bow pointed to the west. Now they left after the meal was served in the first evening. They’re trying to navigate four miles. Instead, they’re in the middle of the lake afraid they’re gonna drown. Mark adds that they were distressed in their rowing. The word, by the way, here you notice in verse 24, “tossed.” It’s the word translated in Matthew 8 “tormented.” It means to test by torture. They were being tortured for their lives. John tells us that not only was the wind contrary but John 6:18 says, “It was a fierce wind, a fierce wind,” and so they’re being tormented; it’s a bad night. They’re trying to be obedient but they’re not having much success. It’s dark. It’s gloomy. The storm is violent. The water is angry and worst of all, no Jesus …

Verse 25: “In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them walking on the sea.” Oh, I like that, no hoopla, right? It just says, “He went walking on the sea,” just like you just took a walk on the sea. It’s so matter of fact that it’s almost overpowering, but for him it was not any big deal. It was he who made the sea could walk on the sea if he chose. And so he came walking on the sea. He knew where to walk, by the way. He knew right where they were … He knows where we are. He knows our distress. He knows our circumstance and he knows how to get to us. 

Now the fourth watch of the night. At night when you were a sailor, somebody kept watch always. And they divided the watch into four parts, four shifts, one man for each watch. The first watch was 6 to 9 in the evening. The second watch was 9 to 12. The third watch was 12 to 3, and the fourth watch was 3 to 6, the morning watch. They’ve been at this all night now, and they’re in great anxiety and fear. But he waits a long time until he comes; that’s all part of the lesson, see. Do you realize that if you never have a storm you never know that he can handle a storm? You never really understand the power of God in your behalf until you are strung out to the extremity. That’s part of it. Why do you think our Lord didn’t go to Martha and Mary until Lazarus was so dead he stunk? Because it was in the impossibility of that extremity that they would see his power. I mean he could’ve just turned around on the top of the mountain and hushed the storm. He could’ve made sure the storm never started, but he ran them out to their extremities so that they would learn that in that extremity he was there, and he knew and he understood.

He does know; he knows everything. He knows your down sitting and your uprising. He knows everything there is to know about you. He knows where you are. He knows what your needs are. He’s known you from your womb. If you ascend into heaven, he’s there. If you make your bed in Sheol, he’s there. If you take the wings of the morning and if you dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, there shall his hand lead you and his right hand will hold you up. Doesn’t matter where you are, he knows.

When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and exclaimed (verse 26), “It is a ghost!”

MacArthur tells us this is all part of the divine lesson:

We’ve seen his omniscience. We’ve seen his authority. Now his care, protection. “And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled,” – that’s putting it mildly – “saying it is a phantasm,” Greek word for phantom, apparition, ghost, whatever. “And they screamed out for fear.” By the way, Mark adds that they all saw him. This isn’t one guy who thought he saw a UFO go by; they all saw him. There wasn’t any deception here. All of them saw him and all of them stared at him and it was all very clear and you have to make that point because there are those liberals who want to tell us that they just thought they saw him. They saw him. They didn’t know what it was but they knew they saw him, whoever he was.

In John 6:19, John says, “He came near their boat,” and of course they at that point are terror stricken. I mean it’s bad enough to be in the situation they were in in the middle of the storm, still perhaps the dark before the dawn. You’re panicked. You’re weary. You’ve been terribly disillusioned and disappointed. There’s a sense of hopelessness not only in your present circumstance but in the extended circumstance of what your life means. And then to add to that, all of a sudden someone comes walking on the water, and you just really can’t handle it; you just can’t handle it. And some liberal commentator said that Jesus was just walking along the shore, that’s all, by the water, and that’s why John said they were three and four miles out in the middle. He was walking on the water.

And if you look at verse 26, it says, “They were troubled.” The noun form of that verb was tarachē. And I remembered an old word that I heard in a psychology class one time called ataraxia. So I looked it up in the dictionary and sure enough it was a word that I did legitimately remember. And ataraxia means to be free from anxiety, to be free from emotional disturbance, to be free from trouble, to have tranquility. That’s ataraxia. Taraxia means trouble; it means upheaval. It means to shake up, to agitate, to trouble. A figurative use means to upset, to throw into a state of panic or alarm, and that’s exactly the word here. They were in a state of panic. They were horrified having seen this phantasm, this apparition or whatever. Now Mark who records this adds another interesting note. He says that he would have appeared to have passed by their boat. I mean just walking along like it was a normal deal on the water and then to just go by the boat like you’re just going down the road waving at folks. And it appeared as though he would’ve passed by, and you have to ask yourself, “Why would he do that? Why would he appear to be just passing by?” And it reminded me of Luke 24:28 where Jesus had walked down the road to Emmaus, and you remember it appeared as though he would’ve continued and just gone on. And they said, “No, no, no. Stay. Come with us.” And then he revealed himself to them. You see the Lord will always be there but wants to elicit from the heart of the one in need the cry, right? He responds to the cry. He always stops for the ones who call. And they screamed, “It is a phantasm.” And they were in a state of panic. They were crying out all right. And so he stopped, and Mark says he talked with them.

Immediately — note that word — Jesus spoke to them, saying (verse 27), ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid’.

MacArthur explains the expression:

“Stop fearing. I’m here, take heart”. Be of good cheer is a kind of an English colloquialism. It means to take courage, take heart, don’t be afraid, stop fearing. You see God is the protector of his people, oh what a great truth. The storm never gets so extreme that he doesn’t know where we are, that he can’t walk on the water. He’ll protect his own. Never comes too late. And you see this is the lesson for the 12 and this is the lesson for us. There’s no reason for fear in your life as a Christian, or mine either, none at all.

By the way, this is not about our walking on water:

After this incident, nobody ever walked on water that I read in the Bible. And people today who claim to be able to do miracles don’t do well at this one. This is not to teach people how to walk on water. This is to teach people who can’t walk on water that God can. You see that’s what it’s to teach. It’s to teach that in the extremity you don’t need to fear, because he’s there, and he’ll respond to your need.

Ever the bold one — and leader of the Apostles — Peter said, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water’ (verse 28).

Henry provides this analysis:

[1.] It was very bold in Peter, that he would venture to come to Christ upon the water (v. 28); Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee. Courage was Peter’s master grace; and that made him so forward above the rest to express his love to Christ, though others perhaps loved him as well.

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; “Let me come to thee, no matter how.” Note, True love will break through fire and water, if duly called to it, to come to Christ. Christ was coming to them, to succour and deliver them. Lord, said Peter, bid me come to thee. Note, When Christ is coming towards us in a way of mercy, we must go forth to meet him in a way of duty; and herein we must be willing and bold to venture with him and venture for him. Those that would have benefit by Christ as a Saviour, must thus by faith come to him. Christ had been now, for some time, absent, and hereby it appears why he absented himself; it was to endear himself so much the more to his disciples at his return, to make it highly seasonable and doubly acceptable. Note, When, for a small amount, Christ has forsaken his people, his returns are welcome, and most affectionately embraced; when gracious souls, after long seeking, find their Beloved at last, they hold him, and will not let him go, Cant 3 4.

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. Note, The boldest spirits must wait for a call to hazardous enterprizes, and we must not rashly and presumptuously thrust ourselves upon them. 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. Such extraordinary warrants as this to Peter we are not now to expect, but must have recourse to the general rules of the word, in the application of which to particular cases, with the help of providential hints, wisdom is profitable to direct.

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?

MacArthur adds:

In fact, Peter himself had known healing in his own family: his wife’s mother.

Jesus, responding to Peter, said ‘Come’; so, Peter got out of the boat and began walking on water towards Jesus (verse 29).

Henry says:

See blessed Peter walking upon the water with Jesus, and more than a conqueror through him, and treading upon all the threatening waves, as not able to separate him from the love of Christ, Rom 8 35, etc. Thus the sea of the world is become like a sea of glass, congealed so as to bear; and they that have gotten the victory, stand upon it and sing, Rev 15 2, 3.

He walked upon the water, not for diversion or ostentation, but to go to Jesus; and in that he was thus wonderfully borne up. Note, When our souls are following hard after God, then it is that his right hand upholds us; it was David’s experience, Ps 63 8. Special supports are promised, and are to be expected, only in spiritual pursuits. When God bears his Israel upon eagles’ wings, it is to bring them to himself (Exod 19 4); nor can we ever come to Jesus, unless we be upheld by his power; it is in his own strength that we wrestle with him, that we reach after him, that we press forward toward the mark, being kept by the power of God, which power we must depend upon, as Peter when he walked upon the water: and there is no danger of sinking while underneath are the everlasting arms.

Then Peter noticed the strong wind, became frightened and began to sink, calling out (verse 30), ‘Lord, save me!’

Jesus immediately — note the word — reached out His hand and caught him, saying (verse 31), ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’

Henry explains:

Here is, First, The cause of this fear; He saw the wind boisterous. While Peter kept his eye fixed upon Christ, and upon his word and power, he walked upon the water well enough; but when he took notice withal of the danger he was in, and observed how the floods lift up their waves, then he feared. Note, 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, v. 18. Peter, when he saw the wind boisterous, should have remembered what he had seen (ch. 8 27), when the winds and the sea obeyed Christ; but therefore we fear continually every day, because we forget the Lord our Maker, Isa 51 12, 13.

Secondly, The effect of this fear; He began to sink. While faith kept up, he kept up above water: but when faith staggered, he began to sink. Note, 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 Pet 1 5); and therefore, when our souls are cast down and disquieted, the sovereign remedy is, to hope in God, Ps 43 5. It is probable that Peter, being bred a fisherman, could swim very well (John 21 7); and perhaps he trusted in part to that, when he cast himself into the sea; if he could not walk, he could swim; but Christ let him begin to sink, to show him that it was Christ’s right hand and his holy arm, not any skill of his own, that was his security. 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 (Exod 15 5), but gave him time to cry, Lord, save me. Such is the care of Christ concerning true believers; though weak, they do but begin to sink! 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.

Thirdly, The remedy he had recourse to in this distress, the old, tried, approved remedy, and that was prayer: he cried, Lord, save me. Observe, 1. The manner of his praying; it is fervent and importunate; He cried. Note, When faith is weak, prayer should be strong. Our Lord Jesus has taught us in the day of our fear to offer up strong cries, Heb 5 7. Sense of danger will make us cry, sense of duty and dependence on God should make us cry to him. 2. The matter of his prayer was pertinent and to the purpose; He cried, Lord, save me. Christ is the great Saviour, he came to save; those that would be saved, must not only come to him, but cry to him for salvation; but we are never brought to this, till we find ourselves sinking; sense of need will drive us to him.

[2.] Christ’s great favour to Peter, in this fright. Though there was a mixture of presumption with Peter’s faith in his first adventure, and of unbelief with his faith in his after-fainting, yet Christ did not cast him off; for,

First, He saved him; he answered him with the saving strength of his right hand (Ps 20 6), for immediately he stretched forth his hand, and caught him. Note, 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. Those whom he hath once apprehended as his own, and hath snatched as brands out of the burning, he will catch out of the water too. Though he may seem to have left his hold, he doth but seem to do so, for they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand, John 10 28. 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.

Secondly, He rebuked him; for as many as he loves and saves, he reproves and chides; O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Note, 1. Faith may be true, and yet weak; at first, like a grain of mustard-seed. Peter had faith enough to bring him upon the water, yet, because not enough to carry him through, Christ tells him he had but little. 2. Our discouraging doubts and fears are all owing to the weakness of our faith: therefore we doubt, because we are but of little faith. It is the business of faith to resolve doubts, the doubts of sense, in a stormy day, so as even then to keep the head above water. Could we but believe more, we should doubt less. 3. The weakness of our faith, and the prevalence of our doubts, are very displeasing to our Lord Jesus. It is true, he doth not cast off weak believers, but it is as true, that he is not pleased with weak faith, no, not in those that are nearest to him. Wherefore didst thou doubt? What reason was there for it? Note, Our doubts and fears would soon vanish before a strict enquiry into the cause of them; for, all things considered, there is no good reason why Christ’s disciples should be of a doubtful mind, no, not in a stormy day, because he is ready to them a very present Help.

Continuing with MacArthur’s five lessons that our Lord had for the Apostles in this drama, we come to the fourth:

There was a fourth demonstration of deity, and that was His divine love. And we find that in this part of the text that we want to look at this morning, verse 28. Although Matthew and Mark and John record Jesus walking on the water, only Matthew records this particular incident with Peter. “And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.’

“And the Lord said” – what? – “‘Come.’” Now, we’ll stop there for a moment. Now, I believe this is a picture of God’s love. God is not only characterized by sovereign authority; and knowledge; and by protecting, delivering care and power, but by love. And we know that. We know enough about the Scriptures to know that God is a God of love. In fact, the Bible says God is love – doesn’t it? – 1 John 4. God is love. As wet is to water, so love is to God. As warm is to the sun, so love is to God. As blue is to the sky, so love is to God …

… love is not some kind of sentimentality. Love is not some kind of whimsy. Love is not some kind of feeling, some kind of passion. Love is a principle, and love is the principle of meeting needs, taking people from weakness to strength. And we see it here …

The thing that consumed Peter’s heart was that he loved Jesus Christ, and he sensed in His presence tremendous safety. And he believed that if the Lord could walk on that stuff, he could get to where He was and be safe in the midst of an environment that he could not control and he was in great fear of. And I like that in him.

I like the fact that he knew he had no resources. I like the fact that all he could think about doing was running to where Jesus was, even though you couldn’t do that. He was consumed with the fact that he wanted to get to Jesus.

In fact, I think Jesus spent most of His ministry going down a road, and when He’d stop, Peter would run into the back of Him. I mean I just – I just think that Peter was always there. He longed to be where Jesus was. He tried to get as close to Him as he could, even in the time of the trial. They wouldn’t let him in, and that’s why he was outside. But he hung around as long as he could.

And all the while, the Lord is trying to build into that man the character that it’s going to take to lead and to be the key and the catalyst of the first years of the history of the Church, because he was the first 13 – 12 or 13 chapters of Acts. All the time, the Lord is trying to build that into him. And when he finally gets his sort of final lesson, when he finally gets that monumental lesson that he gets in the last chapter of John’s Gospel, and the Lord finally nails down his commitment to ministry.

The way the Lord hits him and hits him dead between the eyes is to question whether Peter – what? – loves Him. That was the crushing blow. And I’m sure there was something in Peter that said, “If all of this has gone by, and it is not yet clear that I love Him, it’ll be clear from here on out.” And it was, for the day came when he had to offer his life, tradition tells us, and he requested that he not be crucified but upside down, because he had not the right to be crucified as his Lord. And they tell us that he was a faithful martyr. So, he learned his lesson. He loved the Lord Jesus Christ.

When they — Jesus and Peter — got into the boat, the wind ceased (verse 32).

John 6 says:

²⁰ But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ ²¹ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

The stormy trial and lesson ended — immediately.

The fifth and final point is the demonstration of God’s power through His Son:

I believe they saw here the Son of God, because also He demonstrated divine power, verse 32. They had seen enough walking on the water and all the rest, but it says in verse 32 – and it is so matter-of-fact – “And when they were come into the boat, the wind stopped.” He got in the boat, and the storm stopped just like that.

And the text tells us that the boat was instantly at the shore. They were in the middle of the sea, the storm stopped; in a blink, they’re at the shore.

Those in the boat worshipped Jesus, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’ (verse 33).

Henry draws lessons for us from this verse:

VII. The adoration paid to Christ hereupon (v. 33); They that were in the ship came and worshipped him, and said, Of a truth, thou art the Son of God. Two good uses they made of this distress, and this deliverance.

1. 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. Note, It is good for us to know more and more of the certainty of those things wherein we have been instructed, Luke 1 4. Faith then grows, when it arrives at a full assurance, when it sees clearly, and saith, Of a truth.

2. They took occasion from it to give him the glory due unto his name. They not only owned that great truth, but were suitable affected by it; they worshiped Christ. Note, When Christ manifests his glory for us, we ought to return it to him (Ps 50 15); I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Their worship and adoration of Christ were thus expressed, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. Note, The matter of our creed may and must be made the matter of our praise. 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.

MacArthur tells us:

… James says, “The testing of your faith is ultimately producing perfection.” You see, the Lord runs us out as far as our faith will go, and then our faith ends, and we start to sink, He lets us begin to sink. And we say, “Lord, save me.” And when He does, that extends that faith just that much further. That’s what the Christian life is all about; it’s about learning more and more to trust God. Right? Believing God more and more so that we can step out on faith and attempt those things which we believe ourselves to be inadequate to accomplish.

And so, Peter was afraid. And that’s a mild way to say it; he began to sink. There was no way to swim, not with all the stuff he had on, and not in the middle of that storm. He just cried, “Lord, save me.”

And here we see the loving Lord in verse 31, “And immediately” – immediately – “Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him and said unto him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”

And, you know, my answer would have been, “Are you kidding? I mean look at this deal. I’ve never been out here before. This is more than I’ve ever experienced.”

What the Lord is saying, “Didn’t you think I’d catch you? Didn’t you think you could trust me in that extremity? Didn’t you think I’d sustain you in that thing you’ve never been in in your life before? I was here all the time.” The Lord caught him. Picked him up. Little faith.

May I suggest to you that before you condemn him for little faith, that little faith is better than no faith? May I also remind you that our dear Lord said, “If you had faith as small as a grain of mustard seed, you could move a mountain”? So, it doesn’t take a whole lot, does it? I men if little faith will get you out of the boat onto the water, it’s pretty substantial stuff.

All of us, I think, could be characterized as having little faith sort of mixed with doubt. And that is why the Lord brings into our lives the difficulties and the trials and the vicissitudes and the strugg