Matthew 14:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

NIV: Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

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

CSB: Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning.

NLT: About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.

KJV: And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

NKJV: Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

In the Roman world, night watches were divided into four periods, with the final one being between the hours we now call 3 and 6 a.m. This means the disciples have been in the boat, battling a strong wind, for most of the night. They are somewhere in the middle of the Sea of Galilee and likely exhausted. This condition is not their fault, in the sense that they've made some kind of mistake. They're here because Jesus explicitly ordered them to take the boat across the lake at that time (Matthew 14:22).

Suddenly, Jesus approaches the disciples in the boat on foot. He is walking on top of the water. John's telling of this moment includes the detail that the disciples had rowed three or four miles by this point (John 6:19). That's a long way from shore. This incident was not an illusion or some easy trick. Jesus walked on water—standing on top of a liquid surface—for miles.

Matthew 14:22–33 contains the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. Immediately after feeding thousands of people from a single small portion, Jesus goes up to a mountain to pray. The disciples spend a long night rowing against a strong wind. Jesus walks across the lake to meet them. Peter walks on the water with Jesus briefly before becoming afraid of the wind and waves and beginning to sink. Jesus saves Peter and asks why he doubted. The wind stops when Jesus gets in the boat, and the disciples worship Him as the Son of God.

Matthew 14 begins with a backstory about the arrest and execution of John the Baptist by Herod the tetrarch, the Jewish ruler of the region. Jesus and the disciples take a boat to a desolate place only to find crowds waiting. Jesus heals many and then feeds as many as twenty thousand people with five loaves and two fish. Later, the disciples row against a strong wind until Jesus walks on the water to meet them and calm the wind. Peter walks on water briefly and then doubts and begins to sink. The disciples worship Jesus. On the other side of the lake, Jesus continues to heal the sick.

Matthew 13 included more of Jesus' parables and an unfortunate incident where His own hometown rejected His ministry. Chapter 14 begins with news that Herod the tetrarch—the man who killed John the Baptist—is aware of Jesus' fame and power. Jesus and the disciples intend to withdraw to somewhere desolate, but a crowd is waiting for them. Jesus heals people, miraculously feeds thousands, and walks on water. When they reach the other side, Jesus heals more people. Chapter 15 sees Jesus once again debating with His critics and performing more healings.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 4/27/2024 2:45:29 AM