Commentary - Matthew 14:22-36

Bird's-eye view

Following the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, a sign of His messianic authority and provision, Jesus compels His disciples into a boat and into a storm. This is not accidental; it is a deliberate act of a sovereign Lord. This entire episode is a profound revelation of Christ's identity. He is not merely a great teacher or a miracle worker; He is the Lord of creation, the one who commands the wind and the waves. The disciples' journey from fear to faith, culminating in their worship of Him as the Son of God, is the central movement of the passage.

The incident with Peter is a story within the story, a vivid illustration of the nature of faith. Faith is not the absence of fear, but rather acting on the command of Christ in the midst of that fear. Peter's momentary success and subsequent failure both serve to highlight the object of faith: Christ Himself. The story concludes with a demonstration of Christ's healing power, a tangible outworking of His divine authority. Those who recognize Him and reach out in faith are made whole, a picture of the greater salvation He offers to all who will come to Him.

Outline

Commentary

22 Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away.

The word "immediately" connects this event directly to the feeding of the five thousand. There is no pause. Christ is always working, always moving His plan forward. The verb "made" is a strong one; it indicates compulsion. The disciples did not volunteer for this boat trip, and given what was about to happen, they likely would not have. Jesus is sovereignly orchestrating this entire event. He is sending them into the storm. This is a critical point. The trials and storms of the Christian life are not random accidents. They are appointments, scheduled by a wise and loving King for the purpose of revealing Himself and strengthening our faith. He sends the crowds away separately, dealing with the multitudes and His inner circle with different purposes.

23 And after He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

Here we see the perfect humanity of Christ. After a massive expenditure of energy, both social and miraculous, He retreats to be with His Father. This is not a sign of weakness, but of perfect dependence and communion. If the sinless Son of God prioritized solitary prayer, how much more should we, His fallen and needy followers? He is alone, demonstrating that the source of His power is not in the crowds or even His disciples, but in His relationship with the Father. While the disciples are beginning to struggle on the sea, their Master is interceding for them on the mountain. Our security in the midst of our storms is that we have a High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us.

24 But the boat was already many stadia away from the land, being battered by the waves; for the wind was against them.

The storm is not just a meteorological event; it is a spiritual lesson. The wind was "against them." This is the nature of the world's opposition to the mission of the church. The world, the flesh, and the devil are contrary winds. The disciples are experienced fishermen, but their human skill is no match for this supernaturally ordained trial. They are "battered," a word that speaks of torment and affliction. God often allows us to come to the end of our own resources so that we might learn to rely entirely on His.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.

The fourth watch was from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., the darkest part of the night. It is when their exhaustion and fear would have been at their peak. And it is precisely then that Jesus comes. His timing is perfect. He comes to them "walking on the sea." This is a direct claim to deity. In the Old Testament, it is God alone who treads upon the waves of the sea (Job 9:8). Jesus is not simply performing a miracle; He is demonstrating that He is Yahweh incarnate. He is the Lord of creation, and the very forces that threaten His disciples are but a carpet under His feet.

26 Now when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.

Their first reaction is not faith, but terror. This is telling. Even in the presence of the divine, our fallen nature defaults to fear. They have just seen Him multiply loaves and fish, yet their minds immediately jump to a naturalistic (or superstitious) explanation. They think it's a ghost, a phantom. They cannot yet conceive that their master is the master of the sea itself. Their fear is a reminder that a true vision of God's power is terrifying to sinful men before it is comforting.

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Jesus does not rebuke them for their fear; He speaks to it. His first words are of comfort. "Take courage." Then He reveals Himself with the covenant name of God: "It is I." This is the Greek "ego eimi," the same phrase used in the Septuagint for God's declaration "I AM" in Exodus 3:14. He is not just saying, "It's me, Jesus." He is saying "The great I AM is here." And because the I AM is present, the command logically follows: "do not be afraid." The only antidote to fear is the presence of the sovereign Christ.

28 And Peter answered and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

Here is Peter in all his glorious impetuosity. This is not the voice of doubt, but of a faith that wants to leap into action. The "if" is not a condition of disbelief, but a request for confirmation. "Since it is you, give me the command." Peter understands something crucial: he cannot walk on water by his own power. He needs a command from Christ. True faith does not act presumptuously; it acts on the authority of God's Word. Peter wants to be where Jesus is, even if that means getting out of the relative safety of the boat and into the storm.

29 And He said, “Come!” And getting out of the boat, Peter walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

Jesus gives the one-word command that makes the impossible possible. "Come!" And on the basis of that word alone, Peter steps out. For a few moments, Peter does the impossible. He walks on water. This is a powerful picture of the Christian life. We are called to do things that are, in ourselves, utterly impossible. But when we act in obedience to the command of Christ, with our eyes fixed on Him, we are enabled by His power to walk on the very waves that threaten to overwhelm us.

30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

What changed? The wind had been blowing the whole time. The waves had been crashing the whole time. What changed was Peter's focus. He took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the circumstances. "Seeing the wind." The moment he did, fear replaced faith, and he began to sink. This is the universal experience of believers. When we focus on the size of our problems instead of the size of our Savior, we will sink. But even in his failure, Peter does the right thing. He cries out to the only one who can help him. His prayer is a model of desperation and correctness: "Lord, save me!" It is short, to the point, and directed to the right person.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Notice the sequence. Jesus saves first, then He rebukes. His grace precedes His correction. The rescue is immediate. Jesus does not let him sink. The rebuke is gentle but pointed. "You of little faith." It was not that Peter had no faith; he had enough to get out of the boat. But his faith was small, and it faltered. The question "why did you doubt?" is one we must all ask ourselves. The reason for doubt is never found in Christ's inability, but in our own failure to keep our eyes on Him. The circumstances were no match for Christ's power, so there was no logical reason for Peter to doubt.

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind stopped.

The storm had a purpose, and that purpose was now fulfilled. The moment Jesus is in the boat, the chaos ceases. His presence brings peace. This is true not just on the Sea of Galilee, but in our lives, in our families, and in our churches. When Christ is welcomed and given His rightful place, the storms of strife and fear must give way to His peace.

33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!”

This is the climax of the story. The trial has led to a true confession. Their fear has been transformed into worship. They have moved from thinking He is a ghost to knowing He is the Son of God. This is the goal of every trial God sends into our lives: that we would see Christ more clearly and worship Him more truly. They don't just admire Him or thank Him; they worship Him. This is the only appropriate response to a display of the divine nature.

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.

The journey is complete. They arrive at their destination, not in spite of the storm, but through it. The storm was part of the journey, not a detour from it.

35 And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick;

Christ's fame precedes Him. The recognition of who He is leads to immediate action. They don't just marvel; they act on what they know. They become evangelists, spreading the word that the Healer has arrived. They bring the sick to Him, demonstrating a corporate faith. This is the natural response to recognizing the authority and power of Jesus.

36 and they were pleading with Him that they might just touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were cured.

This is a faith that understands that there is power in the very person of Christ. It is not a magical belief in the garment itself, but a desperate faith that any connection to the person of Jesus is sufficient for healing. And Jesus honors this faith. "As many as touched it were cured." There is no sickness too great for His power, and no faith too small for His compassion. The healing of the body points to the greater healing of the soul that He alone can provide. All who come to Him in faith, reaching out to touch the hem of His garment, will be made whole.