Matthew 14:22-33
Walking on the Water
Read the passage
22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds.
23After He had dismissed them, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone,
24but the boat was already far from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea.
26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
28“Lord, if it is You,” Peter replied, “command me to come to You on the water.”
29“Come,” said Jesus. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.
30But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
32And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind died down.
33Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!”
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
After feeding the crowd, Jesus makes the disciples get into a boat while he dismisses the people and goes up the mountain to pray. During the night, the boat is far from land and battered by waves. Jesus comes toward them on the sea, and their fear grows before he tells them not to be afraid.
Peter asks Jesus to command him to come across the water. He steps out, notices the strong wind, becomes afraid, and begins to sink. His cry is brief and honest: “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reaches out his hand, then questions Peter's little faith. The rescue is as important as the rebuke.
This is not a command to manufacture danger or prove faith by ignoring sound judgment. Peter's action begins with Jesus' invitation, and the disciples' confession at the end centers on who Jesus is. Trust can include taking a brave step, but it also includes crying for help and receiving rescue when our courage fails.
When Jesus and Peter climb into the boat, the wind dies down. The disciples worship Jesus and confess that He truly is the Son of God. Their response is directed to the One who has walked across the sea and taken hold of Peter.
How We Know
Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:16-21 preserve the same night crossing and Jesus' approach to the disciples on the sea. Matthew adds Peter's brief attempt to come to Jesus, so the parallel accounts provide comparison without erasing Matthew's distinctive testimony.
Questions
1 What does Jesus do while the disciples are frightened on the sea?
AnswerJesus walks on the sea toward the frightened disciples. He tells them, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid,” and later reaches out to Peter when he begins to sink.
2 What happens when Peter's courage gives way to fear?
AnswerPeter walks toward Jesus, becomes frightened by the wind, sinks, and cries for help. Jesus reaches out immediately, while the disciples later worship him as the Son of God.
3 How is trusting Jesus different from trying to prove ourselves?
AnswerPeter comes because Jesus commands him to, then depends on Jesus to save him. Trust receives the Lord’s word and help rather than trying to display personal courage.
4 What fear needs to be spoken aloud before the next decision?
AnswerEach person can name one fear that needs to be spoken aloud and one wise action—prayer, counsel, preparation, or asking for help—that would keep fear from ruling the next decision.
What This Means for Us
Peter’s faith falters, and Jesus takes hold of him immediately. The Lord’s strength is greater than the disciple’s grip on his own courage. Peter is corrected, but he is also rescued.
When fear exposes your weakness, ask Jesus for help instead of waiting until you can sound confident. Receive help from others too. The passage calls us to worship the Son of God who saves, not to imitate walking on water or create a crisis to prove our faith.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, Son of God, save us when our faith falters. Teach us to hear Your word, ask for help and trust Your strength. We worship You, whose authority is greater than the danger that frightens us. Amen.