CCLIV.

HE WALKETH ON THE WATER.

St. Matthew xiv. 22-27.

And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

The reason of this constraint may be gathered from what we are told by another of the Evangelists' was the effect of the late miracle of the loaves upon the multitude. It impressed them with a transient belief that Jesus was that Prophet of whom Moses had spoken. And in the ardour of their enthusiasm, assembled as they were for their journey to Jerusalem, they would fain carry Him with them to the Holy City, and there proclaim Him King. Our Lord perceiving this, constrains the Disciples (with whose own notions at this time the plan would have exactly fallen in) to re-embark and re-cross the lake, while He, doubtless not without difficulty, prevailed upon the people to disperse. And having at length accomplished this, He retires into the mountain for that prayer and meditation for which He had just sought this privacy, which the people had so broken in upon, but whom He was too compassionate to dismiss untaught, unfed. By this time the evening was full come, and the "disciples went down unto the sea." Here they re-embark at the spot where they had moored their little vessel in the morning,

1 St. John vi. 14, 15.

1

3

in order to recross the lake towards the town of Capernaum on the opposite shore. It would appear however that they lingered awhile, in the hope that their Lord would yet rejoin them, and recross the lake in their company. But having waited till darkness had come on, expecting Him in vain, they conclude that He means, as on a former occasion, to spend the night upon the mountain, or to go round by land; and they determine therefore at once to set out for the opposite shore. By this time the wind had risen, and the waves were high; so that, with all their toil in rowing,2 they had only advanced "about five and twenty or thirty furlongs," about mid-way across the lake, by the fourth watch of the night, which would be, according to our reckoning, about three o'clock in the morning.5 Then it was, when getting weak and disheartened in the middle sea, and the difficulty and the danger appeared ever increasing, that the Lord, who "saw them "2 in their distress, and who would choose their extremity for His opportunity, drew nigh at last to give them aid. And in that extreme hour they see Jesus, walking upon the liquid pavement of the sea, but knew not that it was Jesus. They supposed, as they suppose afterwards on His resurrection, that it was a spirit. And when they see this apparition "drawing nigh unto the ship," they cry out for fear. And as they cried out for fear, so Jesus straightway called out to still their fear; using the same means, as again after His resurrection, to remove the same St. John vi. 17. There is no places lay in the same direction. need to get rid of the apparent dis2 St. Mark vi. 48. crepancy between two of the Evangelists by adopting the rendering of the margin in St. Mark, "over against Bethsaida," if we bear in mind the fact that there were at least two places of this name; one on the north-eastern shore, in whose neighbourhood the late miracle was wrought, and the other on the northwestern coast, not far from CaperSo that whether we say with St. John, they went over the sea "toward Capernaum," or 66 unto Bethsaida," with St. Mark, it amounts to the same thing; seeing that both

naum.

3 St. John vi. 19. Bengel notes here the popular mode of speaking adopted in Holy Scripture.

The lake is about 40 furlongs in breadth; but they were probably compelled to pull in an oblique direction; so that they might have rowed this distance and more, and yet be only mid-way.

5 The Jews divided the night, after the Romans, into four watches, ending at 9, 12, 3, and 6 o'clock severally. Chrysos. in S. Jo. Hom. xliii. St. Luke xxiv. 37, 39. 8 St. John vi. 19.

suspicion. "It is I" He says, using that mystic name,1 in which now at length they had learned to put their trust.2

CCLV.

THE SAME SUBJECT-continued.

St. Matthew xiv. 28-33.

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Peter is generally found foremost to address his Lord.3 His was an ardent soul. He seems to have been of sanguine temperament, depreciating difficulties and dangers till he found himself in their midst, and then sometimes retreating panic-struck from the position into which he had rashly adventured himself. The Lord would have him learn to know himself; to know that mere human boldness is not enough; that without Him we can do nothing; but that we can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us. As of late

"The Greek idiom . . . recalls the Divine name itself."-A Plain Commentary.

2 "They were more afraid of an apparition, for so they supposed Him to be, than of the winds and waves It is more terrible to wrestle with the rulers of the darkness of this world than with a tempestuous sea Our real distresses are often much increased by our imaginary

...

ones... Even the approaches of comfort and deliverance are often so misconstrued as to become the occasions of fear and perplexity."-Henry.

St. Matt. xvi. 16, 22; St. John vi. 68, 69; xiii. 6, 8, 9, 36, 37; xxi. 7, 11, 20, 21. There is an exposition of this passage of the history in Bp. Patrick's Parable of the Pilgrim, ch. xxi.

to Philip, so now to Peter, He reads a required lesson. Peter seems to have walked a step or two upon the water. Had he continued "looking unto Jesus," he would have found Him Finisher as well as Author of his faith. But he looks off from Him, on to the dangers around, and so begins to sink. Yet has he a little strength. His faith does not altogether fail. He has the instinct and habit of prayer. Though, abandoning his former self-confidence, he now feels he cannot walk alone, he has confidence in Christ, and cries to Him who is able to save. As a tottering child grasps at the hand of which not till now has it felt the need. "Wherefore didst thou doubt ?" Why, as it were, be of two minds? * Why not continue in that first persuasion which would have upborne thee on the water and brought thee safely to my side? So the Church teaches us to pray the Almighty God mercifully to look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities to stretch forth His right hand to help and defend us. And now they who before had been troubled and afraid are no longer unwilling that that form should approach them, but gladly take Him on board. And straightway His Divine power and presence accomplish a double miracle. The wind suddenly ceased, "and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went."" They who by their own efforts great part of the night can hardly accomplish the first half even of their journey, are conveyed the rest of their way instantly by the mighty power of their Lord. St. Mark tells us one effect of the miracle upon their minds: "They were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened." In present dangers we are too apt to forget former deliverances. This forgetfulness is afterwards referred to by our Lord himself.

Lect. cclii, above.

2 Heb. xii. 2.

3 Rev. iii. 8.

St. James i. 6, 8.

5 Collect for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

Compare the

St. John vi. 21. prophetic Psalm cvii. 29, 30.

"Through the dear might of Him that walked the waves."-Milton: Lycidas.

8 St. Mark viii. 17-21. It is one of the stock objections of the infidel to the credibility of the sacred narrative.

But as yet their mind was too hard long to retain an impression. Gradually we know it softened. The rude shipmen however seem to have been moved. They at least came and made obeisance, confessing Him to be the expected Messiah.

CCLVI.

GENNESARET.

St. Mark vi. 53-56.

And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him. And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

The beds in that country were little more than rugs or blankets, portable bedding, or at the best light couches or litters,2 on which the sick might easily be carried from place to place. The people there, as elsewhere, readily acknowledged Christ when He bestowed temporal benefits upon their bodies. We do not find the same eagerness in seeking His spiritual blessings for the soul. The hem or border of His garment was none other than the purple fringe or wing which the Jews of old were directed to wear in order to

As in the late miracle of the loaves, their feeding the multitude with the bread Christ gave symbolized their afterwards feeding His Church with the Bread of Life, -so their toil here symbolized their labouring for that Church. She was aptly signified by that bark, tossed upon these billows, buffeting this storm. And they were to learn from their present

trouble what they should hereafter be called to endure. This was to teach them what they might expect n bringing the vessel of the Church hrough the waves of this troublesome world to the land of everlasting life, and without Whom it cannot be.

2 Like the Charpoy so universal in India.