In our last study we considered Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand. Just after Matthew recorded this miraculous work of Jesus, he reported the incident of Jesus walking on water (Mat 14:22-33). After feeding the multitudes, Jesus sent the disciples before Him by boat to the other side of the sea of Galilee while He spent time alone in prayer. Later that night, when the boat was being tossed by the waves, the disciples saw what they thought was a ghost walking on the sea, and they cried out with fear. It was Jesus! He said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter was not convinced that it was the Lord walking on the sea and demanded confirmation. “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” He stepped out onto the sea at Jesus’ invitation, but when he realized the strength of the wind, he began to sink. Certainly, our focus in life must be on Jesus, and not on our circumstances, but the significance of the story is the response of those in the boat. When Jesus had gotten into the boat, the passengers came and worshipped Him, saying, “Truly, You are the Son of God.” Though Peter’s faith had wavered, the faith of those who witnessed the incident was no doubt strengthened.