Y'all know the story of Jesus beckoning Peter to walk on the water to Him, but here is the question:
Why would Jesus tell Peter he was of little faith when of all the disciples, only he had the faith to get out of the boat? Was He sending a message to the other disciples? Was He using Peter as a visual that man's faith is too weak?
What other opinions do you guys have?
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~ Dan
I'm much more flawed than I would like to admit, but I am much more loved than I can imagine.
Y'all know the story of Jesus beckoning Peter to walk on the water to Him, but here is the question:
Why would Jesus tell Peter he was of little faith when of all the disciples, only he had the faith to get out of the boat? Was He sending a message to the other disciples? Was He using Peter as a visual that man's faith is too weak?
What other opinions do you guys have?
1. Jesus gave Peter the faith to get out of the boat and called him to do that, not the others.
2. Peter was indeed, a visual to the others, but perhaps not as is commonly thought (though you're right on target, IMHO.)
I once taught a series on this scene. In going over it with my wife, she corrected me on something. I had emphasized that Peter was the ONLY one who'd gotten out of the boat, something that is all too common today. Most are not willing to exercise their faith and get out of the boat. Her comment to me was this: "Well, don't forget that those same disciples who didn't get out of the boat all went on to be martyred." Gulp.
What too many miss is that Peter walked on the water twice, not once. The first time, he was on his own, stepping out as bidden, supported by his faith. But his flesh was unable to overcome the natural. His fear of the elements, embedded from years of fishing, of knowing what power the sea had and its dangers, was too much for his puny faith.
But then he walked back to the boat with the help of Jesus. It was Christ who sustained him, kept him from sinking. That lesson was not lost, I think, to the others. They saw Peter do the impossible and fail suddenly. They saw Peter do the impossible again...this time with the help of Jesus. Every one of them took away from that the certain knowledge that with the help of Jesus, they could do the impossible.
And so it must ever be with us of feeble flesh and whose faith trembles in the face of danger.
Pay attention to The Spiritual Side of Life
Some folk need to look closer at the spiritual things in life. Confession:Some articles in here are designed to draw you over towards that side.
Where does the Bible say he walked back to the boat?
Matthew 14:31-32 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (32) And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
1. Jesus stretched out one hand, not two.
2. The single hand strongly suggests Jesus lifted Peter up to a standing position
3. Since Jesus initially came walking on the water and since the Yamaha Waverunner had not yet been invented and since there's no implication that Jesus flew, logic says the two of them walked back to the boat. The distance is unimportant and we do not know how far Peter walked. He may have walked 10 yards or just a couple.
4. We know they went back to the boat.
5. All the historical data would lead one to reasonably conclude they walked back to the boat.
Pay attention to The Spiritual Side of Life
Some folk need to look closer at the spiritual things in life. Confession:Some articles in here are designed to draw you over towards that side.
Y'all know the story of Jesus beckoning Peter to walk on the water to Him, but here is the question:
Why would Jesus tell Peter he was of little faith when of all the disciples, only he had the faith to get out of the boat? Was He sending a message to the other disciples? Was He using Peter as a visual that man's faith is too weak?
What other opinions do you guys have?
But even Jesus telling Peter he had little faith was a compliment of sorts in light of this verse: Mt 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
IOW, a little faith can certainly accomplish a tremendous amount especially when contrasted with no faith. Peter was the only human being besides Christ to walk on water. We rightly illustrate the weakness of his faith in taking his eyes off Christ and putting them on the storm, but he got further than any of the others did.
The other thing I have preached from this passage is the thought of mistakes of effort. Did Peter, in essence, make a mistake? Yes, in that he took his eyes off of Christ. But the very fact he had the "opportunity" to make that mistake was because he was making an effort to DO something. So many Christians never get out of the boat in the first place. I have used that to preach patience with those that are making mistakes b/c they are trying to DO something for Christ.
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Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Matthew 14:31-32 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (32) And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
Browsing, if Jesus had called Harry (Potter instead of Peter), he would have flown back to the boat.
English skills and reading comprehension are sometimes a commodity in short supply for ALL of us. Thanks for pointing out the obvious answer.
But even Jesus telling Peter he had little faith was a compliment of sorts in light of this verse: Mt 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
IOW, a little faith can certainly accomplish a tremendous amount especially when contrasted with no faith. Peter was the only human being besides Christ to walk on water. We rightly illustrate the weakness of his faith in taking his eyes off Christ and putting them on the storm, but he got further than any of the others did.
The other thing I have preached from this passage is the thought of mistakes of effort. Did Peter, in essence, make a mistake? Yes, in that he took his eyes off of Christ. But the very fact he had the "opportunity" to make that mistake was because he was making an effort to DO something. So many Christians never get out of the boat in the first place. I have used that to preach patience with those that are making mistakes b/c they are trying to DO something for Christ.
I'm glad you brought that up Brother Tom, because that was the first verse that came to me...however, I have a little different take on that verse than I've heard most people preach...and I do think that Jesus "insulted" their little faith or lack thereof.
I believe people miss the point that Jesus makes with the mustard seed. Most people, including preachers say, "If you just had a little faith, the size of a mustard seed..." It is not our faith compared to the size of a seed that Jesus is speaking to...it is our faith compared to the FAITH of a mustard seed...meaning great faith. That seed is totally and completely dependent upon God when it hits the soil. All a farmer can do is plant that seed. In those days the farmer did not even really do that. Usually a mustard seed simply fell to the ground. The point is, that seed was totally dependent upon God from the time it hit the soil. God would have to provide the rain, the sunlight, the carbon dioxide, the nitrogen, the elements, everything that the seed would need to sprout and grow. And that seed must rest completely in God, in His timing, in His care, in His provision of ALL things in order for it to even sprout. That is the faith of a mustard seed...fully relying on God, fully resting in His grace, fully trusting in His love and care. As I see it, Jesus was chiding them, and Peter, for their little faith; even a mustard seed knows to have complete trust in the Creator.
And I believe He gives us an example of mustard seed faith...Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
__________________ James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
The disciple/teacher relationship was one in which the disciple sought to be like his master in every way. Jesus even said that His disciples would do what He was doing.
The sequence is as follows:
1. They saw someone walking on the water and thought it was a ghost.
2. After a verbal interchange, they think Him to be Jesus.
3. Peter, wanting to do what his Master was doing (as all disciples should), tells this one, who claims to be Jesus, to order him out of the boat so that he can walk on water also. Obviously, Peter believes that, if this was Jesus, Jesus would make him able to walk on water.
4. Jesus orders him out of the boat. This was not an impulsive jumping out of the boat.
5. Peter obeys and walks initially.
6. He begins to sink as he looks at the waves.
7. Jesus lifts Him back up and scolds him for his little faith. They walk back to the boat.
Peter's little faith is that Jesus would not be able to sustain him while he was following Jesus' orders.
The same idea comes up two chapters later in Matt 16 when the disciples are scolded for their little faith because they thought Jesus was criticising them for not bringing provisions with them. There too, Jesus was showing them that He was the One Who could be counted on to provide for them in every situation.
Since they were His disciples and had given up everything to follow Him, He could be counted on to provide the necessities of life to them. They were to trust that He could keep them afloat when He asked them to walk on water and also could provide bread when they had given up their livelihoods to follow Him. It was a "little faith" that did not believe He would provide bread or keep them from drowning in the course of their following Him.
For an OT example of this little faith consider the behavior of Israel after God had brought them out of Egpyt. That first generation did not believe that God could be counted on to provide for them and give them victory. They learned after 40 years that where God led them He would also protect and provide for them.
One important aspect of faith is believing that God is good and that he will be good and faithful to you. Accusing Him of doing you wrong is the antithesis of faith.
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Peter's Faith
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