Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
After obediently crossing at night without him, the disciples were helpless in a violent tempest until Jesus came walking on the water in their greatest need and stilled the storm by his word to bring them safely to land. Safe in the boat they bowed before him with thankful hearts, acknowledging him as truly God's Son and their Deliverer. Their conviction had grown from his words, healings and feeding of thousands, and was crowned by his power over the waters showing who he was. This declares that God holds the winds and controls the seas, and that the compassionate Redeemer can calm every tempest and be trusted in storm as well as sunshine.
Stormy Crossing to Worship
The worship in the boat followed Jesus sending the disciples across to the far side of the lake to take him aboard, after the crowd wanted to make him king, while he stayed behind alone to pray, and they went in obedience to his command though dissatisfied. The crossing was at night in a small sailboat tossed on dark, white-capped billows amid a violent, fierce tempest with adverse, contrary winds. Though they were strong men used to hardship and peril, they bent to their oars and rowed for hours until their strength was exhausted, overwhelmed and helpless. At last all human effort was defeated, they laid down their oars in despair and expected to perish with their Master absent, while longing for him to reach the appointed place.
Jesus saw their danger from the shore and had not forgotten them, but watched them all through the fearful storm with tender sympathy and pitying, infinite love, like a mother watching a suffering child. In the fourth watch of the night amid flashes of lightning, in their greatest need and greatest peril when all seemed lost and strength was exhausted and despair was taking the place of hope, he was close by. He came to them walking calmly upon the boisterous water as a messenger of life, giving help when their fear and ambition had been subdued and their hearts were humbled and prayed for help.
They first mistook his appearance for a sure sign of immediate death, huddled in fear and astonishment and cried out in terror and great fear. His voice heard above the roar of the elements announced himself and told them not to be afraid, and their confidence was restored that it was Jesus the Master. Horror and despair quickly changed to the joy of faith and hope, for his presence turned despair to faith and hope. With the beloved Master present and Christ beside them they felt no more anxiety nor dread of death.
Peter's attempt to walk on the water ended in difficulty and he was rescued, then Jesus joined them in the boat. With infinite power he hushed the storm by his word and calmed winds and waves and troubled waters, the tempest suddenly ceased, sorrow was turned into joy, and the boat safely reached land and was brought safely to shore. After they were safe in the boat with the storm ended and the shore reached, the disciples and others aboard bowed before Jesus with thankful hearts. They worshipped him and confessed that he is truly the Son of God, hailing him as their Deliverer from thankful recognition of his power and deliverance, their terror having given way to joy.
What Confession Declares
The worship rose from hearing his words as the voice of God, from seeing healings that only divine power could perform, and from sharing in the feeding of thousands from five barley loaves and two small fishes on the grassy plain. That meal recalled God feeding Israel with manna in the desert and marked Jesus as him whom Moses foretold, the prophet who should come into the world. His stilling of the tempest and bringing the boat safely to land displayed his authority over the waters. His power over the storm hushed by his word showed the disciples who he was, and those mighty works are evidence of his Messiahship and ground for hailing him as Deliverer and Son of God.
Conviction had strengthened all day until a crowning miraculous act assured the people that the long-looked-for Deliverer was among them. Their hopes then rose higher that he would make Judea an earthly paradise, a land flowing with milk and honey, and would satisfy every desire. They expected him to break the power of the hated Romans, to deliver Judah and Jerusalem, to heal soldiers wounded in battle, to supply whole armies with food, to conquer the nations, and to give Israel the long-sought dominion. The confession therefore means that God holds the winds in his hands and controls the waters, beholds at one glance the highest heavens and the midst of the sea, regards finite beings as mere specks on the broad deep, and sends angels from his excellent glory to guard a little boat careening over the waves. It means that the powerful, gracious, compassionate Redeemer is able to calm every tempest and revive every heart, and may be trusted in the storm as well as in the sunshine.
The verse belongs to the instruction in Matthew 13 and 14 that gives an example of Christ's teachings and the manner of his work. Faithfully reported by believing disciples, it is to leave its impression on the hearts of all believers to the end of time. It holds principles underlying true education, instruction higher than can proceed from human minds or lips, which those who believe present truth for the last days are to study, to follow, and to bring into their ministry of the Word. His presence turns despair to faith and hope, so that with Christ beside them death is no longer feared. That earlier rescue across the water is remembered as the reason to turn to him as the only hope in danger. The storm, Jesus walking on the water, the fear of the disciples, his reassuring words, Peter's attempt and its result, the tempest suddenly becoming calm, and the boat reaching land belong together, while the worship and confession that he is the Son of God stand without further explanation.
After obediently crossing at night without him, the disciples were helpless in a violent tempest until Jesus came walking on the water in their greatest need and stilled the storm by his word to bring them safely to land. Safe in the boat they bowed before him with thankful hearts, acknowledging him as truly God's Son and their Deliverer. Their conviction had grown from his words, healings and feeding of thousands, and was crowned by his power over the waters showing who he was. This declares that God holds the winds and controls the seas, and that the compassionate Redeemer can calm every tempest and be trusted in storm as well as sunshine.
Stormy Crossing to Worship
The worship in the boat followed Jesus sending the disciples across to the far side of the lake to take him aboard, after the crowd wanted to make him king, while he stayed behind alone to pray, and they went in obedience to his command though dissatisfied. The crossing was at night in a small sailboat tossed on dark, white-capped billows amid a violent, fierce tempest with adverse, contrary winds. Though they were strong men used to hardship and peril, they bent to their oars and rowed for hours until their strength was exhausted, overwhelmed and helpless. At last all human effort was defeated, they laid down their oars in despair and expected to perish with their Master absent, while longing for him to reach the appointed place.
Jesus saw their danger from the shore and had not forgotten them, but watched them all through the fearful storm with tender sympathy and pitying, infinite love, like a mother watching a suffering child. In the fourth watch of the night amid flashes of lightning, in their greatest need and greatest peril when all seemed lost and strength was exhausted and despair was taking the place of hope, he was close by. He came to them walking calmly upon the boisterous water as a messenger of life, giving help when their fear and ambition had been subdued and their hearts were humbled and prayed for help.
They first mistook his appearance for a sure sign of immediate death, huddled in fear and astonishment and cried out in terror and great fear. His voice heard above the roar of the elements announced himself and told them not to be afraid, and their confidence was restored that it was Jesus the Master. Horror and despair quickly changed to the joy of faith and hope, for his presence turned despair to faith and hope. With the beloved Master present and Christ beside them they felt no more anxiety nor dread of death.
Peter's attempt to walk on the water ended in difficulty and he was rescued, then Jesus joined them in the boat. With infinite power he hushed the storm by his word and calmed winds and waves and troubled waters, the tempest suddenly ceased, sorrow was turned into joy, and the boat safely reached land and was brought safely to shore. After they were safe in the boat with the storm ended and the shore reached, the disciples and others aboard bowed before Jesus with thankful hearts. They worshipped him and confessed that he is truly the Son of God, hailing him as their Deliverer from thankful recognition of his power and deliverance, their terror having given way to joy.
What Confession Declares
The worship rose from hearing his words as the voice of God, from seeing healings that only divine power could perform, and from sharing in the feeding of thousands from five barley loaves and two small fishes on the grassy plain. That meal recalled God feeding Israel with manna in the desert and marked Jesus as him whom Moses foretold, the prophet who should come into the world. His stilling of the tempest and bringing the boat safely to land displayed his authority over the waters. His power over the storm hushed by his word showed the disciples who he was, and those mighty works are evidence of his Messiahship and ground for hailing him as Deliverer and Son of God.
Conviction had strengthened all day until a crowning miraculous act assured the people that the long-looked-for Deliverer was among them. Their hopes then rose higher that he would make Judea an earthly paradise, a land flowing with milk and honey, and would satisfy every desire. They expected him to break the power of the hated Romans, to deliver Judah and Jerusalem, to heal soldiers wounded in battle, to supply whole armies with food, to conquer the nations, and to give Israel the long-sought dominion. The confession therefore means that God holds the winds in his hands and controls the waters, beholds at one glance the highest heavens and the midst of the sea, regards finite beings as mere specks on the broad deep, and sends angels from his excellent glory to guard a little boat careening over the waves. It means that the powerful, gracious, compassionate Redeemer is able to calm every tempest and revive every heart, and may be trusted in the storm as well as in the sunshine.
The verse belongs to the instruction in Matthew 13 and 14 that gives an example of Christ's teachings and the manner of his work. Faithfully reported by believing disciples, it is to leave its impression on the hearts of all believers to the end of time. It holds principles underlying true education, instruction higher than can proceed from human minds or lips, which those who believe present truth for the last days are to study, to follow, and to bring into their ministry of the Word. His presence turns despair to faith and hope, so that with Christ beside them death is no longer feared. That earlier rescue across the water is remembered as the reason to turn to him as the only hope in danger. The storm, Jesus walking on the water, the fear of the disciples, his reassuring words, Peter's attempt and its result, the tempest suddenly becoming calm, and the boat reaching land belong together, while the worship and confession that he is the Son of God stand without further explanation.