TRANSLATION MATTHEW 14:22

Briskly Jesus ushered his pupils into the boat, to go ahead of him to the other side, while he himself let the crowds depart. When he had let them go, he climbed the mountain by himself, to pray. When evening came he was there alone.

Now the boat was already a mile or two from land, worked over by the waves, as the wind was contrary. In the last quarter of the night, he came towards them, walking on the sea. When his pupils saw him walking on the sea, they howled with fear. Immediately he said to them, “Courage! Here I am; don’t be afraid.” Peter responded to him, “Master, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” And he said,”Come.” Peter came down from the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But seeing the force of the wind, he became afraid and beginning to drown, cried out, “Master, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out a hand, grasped him and said, “Tiny-trust, why did you waver?” As they came up into the boat, the wind settled down. Then those in the boat worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are God’s son!”

In the Hebrew bible, for example Psalm 77 and Isaiah 43, it is God who makes his way over the waters. This image has two sources:

1. in the process of creation God sets limit to the great deep, the waters of chaos, which continue to threaten God’s order.

2. In the exodus from Egypt, God leads his people across the sea, holding back its waves, in which the Egyptians are then drowned.

Both are at play in this story which Matthew takes and alters from Mark’s original

The ‘other side’ in these stories is always the desired place, the true destination, the rule of heaven. Jesus pushes them to go without him and absents himself, so that he can be with God. There is a foretaste here of the crucifixion. As they struggle with the powers of chaos, he returns walking, like God, on the elements of chaos. There is a foretaste here of the resurrection. He identifies himself with the name of God, “I am” which can also mean I’m here or It’s me. (Ego eimi in Greek)

Peter’s story here is Matthew’s addition to Mark’s original. It shows Peter in his role as chief lover and doubter of Jesus. To come to Jesus over the water involves love and courage. To fail, as Peter does, is also to succeed in displaying love which is as yet insufficient in trust. The narrative is moving in its brief summation of the relationship of Peter and Jesus; when he fails, out of love, Jesus grasps him. This relationship may bring comfort to Matthew’s readers then and now.

When Jesus (and Peter) are in the boat, the power of chaos recedes, and the crew can worship their master as God’s son. This title is the one which unites the magic with the realism, the success with the suffering, the greatness with the humility, power with weakness. Although in his ministry Jesus shares this divine relationship with his pupils and all who follow him, it remains unique; “when evening came, he was there alone.” – a oneness is expressed in solitary prayer.