Matthew 14:26, commentary and pictures

On a dark fourth watch of the night the exhausted disciples, toiling for hours against wind and foam-capped waves in obedience to cross the sea, saw Jesus walking calmly toward them on the water and mistook Him for a ghostly forerunner of death, crying out in great terror. He had never lost sight of them but watched with tender compassion through the storm, coming across the waves not as a messenger of death but to save and make Himself known. His voice telling them not to be afraid dispelled their horror and turned despair into the joy of faith and hope. The walking on the heaving sea and silencing of the storm by a word show His power over nature as a real sign of divinity and Messiahship. The cry of fear therefore teaches that He is just as near to followers in every tempest and trial, calling for calm unwavering trust that He is on board as Captain to care for people and ship.

Stormy Night Setting

The cry of fear takes place in darkness on the Sea of Galilee in the fourth watch of the night, amid a fierce storm with strong winds and heavy foam-capped and white-capped billows, with the boat buffeted, laboring and driven by the waves. A flash of lightning and a gleam of light reveal the approaching figure upon the water close by the boat. Death seems near while the boat rocks at the will of the waves.

The disciples are there in obedience to the command to cross to the farther side and reach the point to take Jesus on board. Through a dark tempestuous night they bend to their oars for hours against adverse winds and a contrary sea, with vessels that will not obey them and with billows talking with death. Though strong men accustomed to hardship and peril and not easily intimidated, their strength is exhausted, they are bewildered by the uselessness of their efforts, humbled and praying, they lay down their oars as hopeless in despair, feel utterly deserted, long for Jesus, and expect to perish with all given up for lost.

The night follows the feeding of above ten thousand persons from a few small loaves and fishes. It happens on the same sea on whose shores much of the ministry was spent and many of the most wonderful miracles were performed, within sight of the beach of that feeding and not far from Capernaum where the sick were healed and the dead raised. That crowning miracle strengthens all-day conviction that Jesus is the long-looked-for Deliverer, raising the hopes of the people higher and higher that He will make Judea an earthly paradise, a land flowing with milk and honey. He can satisfy every desire, heal soldiers wounded in battle, supply whole armies with food, break the power of the hated Romans, deliver Judah and Jerusalem, conquer the nations, and give to Israel the long-sought dominion. The disciples themselves have seen His healing the sick, controlling satanic agencies, stilling the angry waters, and raising the dead to life, and from these works believe He possesses power to set up His kingdom in Jerusalem, power to quell all opposition, and power over nature.

The verse belongs to the account of Jesus walking on the sea also told in Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:14-21.

Terror Turned to Rescue

The disciples saw Jesus walking calmly on the water toward them and close by them in the darkness and storm in the fourth watch of the night, and they did not recognize Him. They mistook Him for a spirit, ghost, apparition and phantom, counted as an enemy and a sure precursor of destruction and immediate death. A flash of lightning revealed the approaching figure, and the sight increased their fear rather than bringing hope. Terror overpowered them so that hands that grasped the oars with muscles like iron let go their hold while the boat rocked at the will of the waves, and all eyes were riveted on the man walking upon the white-capped billows of the foaming sea. They cried out in great fear for help, believing the apparition meant their destruction.

He had not forgotten them but had watched all their efforts through the fearful storm with tender sympathy and pitying love and deep compassion, as tender as a mother watching a suffering child. He never lost sight of them as those who were to be the coming light of the world. Their trial of faith in obeying Him in their hour of greatest peril was necessary. Help came when ambition was quelled and hearts were humbled and they prayed.

He came across the waves to save and rescue them as a messenger of life rather than death. He made Himself known, identified Himself, and told them not to be afraid. His voice reaching them in the fourth watch with heavenly blessing dispelled terror. The horror of despair was changed into the joy of faith and hope without anxiety or dread of death.

After the cry of fear the disciples recognized Him and cried out entreating His help. Peter saw his Master coming and attempted to come to Him on the water and faltered and began to sink. The storm suddenly ceased when Jesus joined them, as the boat reached land.

Divine Power and Trust

Walking on the heaving billows and then stilling the angry roaring sea by a word shows power over the elements and over the forces of nature. That walking on the water amid the waves during the fierce storm was a real sign of divinity and a mighty work evidencing Messiahship. Unbelieving people explained it away by claiming the disciples were deluded when they saw Him. The rescue belongs to an earlier deliverance from danger at sea that was remembered when the disciples faced danger at sea again. On that later occasion their efforts to save the ship failed, and remembering that He had already delivered them, they looked for Him and wondered whether He would come again as their only hope.

The incident illustrates that followers may exhaust their own strength and wisdom and struggle in vain before recognizing their need to trust Him. Seeing Him approach at first increased their terror, because they did not recognize Him and thought Him a spirit. His reassuring voice then dispelled fear and gave hope and joy. When they give the work to Him in faith, He compassionately takes it up and accomplishes what seemed impossible.

The verse means He is just as near to followers amid present scenes of tempest and trial as He was then. He watches with His eye upon all their efforts those who pull hard against a head sea in peril, when moon and stars seem hidden and in despondency they say effort is useless and they will perish. His appearance, which should be blessing and hope and life, is mistaken as a ghost and precursor of death, yet His voice and presence change the horror of despair into the joy of faith and hope without anxiety or dread of death. It calls for calm, steady, firm and unwavering trust, believing Christ is on board as Captain to care for His people and the ship and not to be moved from the Stronghold. The dark storm is sent not to shipwreck but to test and prove each one individually, as a school for education for higher work and more consecrated effort.