Jesus Walks on the Water – Matthew 14:22-36
The fourth watch (Matthew 14:25). According to Roman reckoning, from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. The Jews had only three watches of the night.
» The Gospels give three reasons why Jesus stayed behind and dismissed his disciples.. what are they?:
1. Matthew 14:23 and Mark 6:46 :
2. Mark 6:31-32:
3. John 6:14-15
» Pious Jews normally set aside two hours a day for prayer. Jesus spends the rest of the day in prayer although how long this time was is uncertain, given the ambiguous use of word “evening”. Mountains were places of prayer for Moses and Elijah.
» Read Matthew 14:24-26. Where were the disciples when evening came and what conditions were they encountering? What miracle did Christ perform and how did the disciples react to what they saw?
» Read Matthew 14:27. How did Jesus try to calm the disciples’ fears? Jesus’ answer is literally “I am” pointing back to God’s self-revelation in Exodus 3:11-15 and Isaiah 43:10…. And to his own divine nature. Recognizing who he is, the disciples offer him their worship.. this the first time the disciples are said to have worshiped Jesus..an act reserved only for God (Matthew 14:33). See also and Job 9:1-10.
» Read Matthew 14:28-30. Peter gets himself in trouble throughout the New Testament because of his impulsivity. It may be that we are intended to see him here as an example of foolhardiness instead of faith. However Jesus encouraged the attempt, and the fact that it started well suggests that we should understand this as a genuine act of faith. In the end Peter is an object-lesson for disciples who are tempted to take their eyes off Jesus and pay more attention to the threatening world around them. Read Hebrews 12:1-3. How might understanding WHO Jesus is guide us as we try to figure out HOW to live?
» Read Matthew 14:31. Who does the saving and how does he do it? (See also Psalm 89:1-17) Notice Jesus’ rebuke in verse 31 is not for Peter’s impetuous faith but for his vacillating faith once he started out. Can you think of times when you or some you know doubted God’s word and suffered as a result? Can you think of any times when you or someone you know was too presumptuous and did something that they were not called to do and floundered as a result? Read Revelation 3:14-22. How do Christ’s words to the church at Laodicea reveal some ways that Christians can be tempted to vacillate between righteousness and sin? How might floundering be a sign of God’s loving discipline? Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24. How might the Apostle Paul’s advice guide us as we seek to walk by faith?
» Read Matthew 14:35-36. What happened when Jesus and His disciples arrived at their destination? The hem of His garment. Matthew 14:36. One of the tassels (zizith) worn by Jewish men, in obedience to Numbers 15:38-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12, on the four corners of their outer garment, and later on the prayer shawl (tallith). The tassels were made of blue and white cords woven together.
» What situations cause you the most fear in life? What causes you to take your eyes off Jesus Christ and waver in your faith?
