Take Heart
Hi SMR family,
This week, I want to take a closer look at our gospel reading, Matthew 14: 22-33.
This passage tells us about a big storm on the sea, the disciples being afraid, Jesus walking on the water and Peter going out to meet him. I suspect for some of us, we know this story, we've heard it before. When we know certain Bible passages very well I wonder if can glaze over when we hear them again - ' ah yes, I've heard this before, I know what this is about...'
If you're anything like me the headline message or teaching from this passage is: Don't be afraid! As Jesus says to Peter 'You of little faith! Why did you doubt?' In other words, in faith I mustn't be afraid or doubt.
I'm not sure I agree with that anymore. If I can, I'd like to re-frame this account and offer another message- although please note, I'm not claiming what I write to be totally original!
Let's picture the scene. The disciples get into boat, as Jesus instructed, whilst He goes off to pray. It had got dark and the disciples were out on a boat in the sea and the worst happens- a storm starts to rage. Rain, high winds, boat sails flapping around, waves crashing in on the disciples. It wasn't until early morning, presumably the disciples had battled with this storm all night, that a figure appears on the water.
Let's pause here.
Who wouldn't be afraid? The storm is bad enough, but then to see a ghost like figure coming towards you on water- well, that might just finish me off. The disciples cry out in fear and 'immediately' as Matthew puts it, Jesus replies ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Jesus immediately reassures them that He is with them, He wastes no time in trying to comfort the disciples. As far we know 11 disciples say nothing, frozen with fear but Peter- brash, talk first think later, action over consideration, proposes a dangerous test to see whether it really is Jesus.
Peter walks out on the water and perhaps realising what he is doing, he begins to sink. Once again, Jesus 'immediately' reacts and reaches out to grab him. As Jesus gets him to the boat, the storm ceases and suddenly the disciples realise who Jesus is- the Son of God.
Two things i'd like us to consider:
Firstly, where else do we read about water and creation being tamed and controlled? Well, right back in Genesis 1:7, in the creation story, God controlled what was chaotic and pulled apart the water and land. And then later on with the story of Noah, God shakes up creation to start again. How did the disciples know Jesus was the Son of Man? Because, like God, like the Torah stories they would have known, Jesus was able to control the elements.
The account of Jesus walking on the water is, I think, far more about Jesus revealing himself as the Son of God, fully God and fully human, than it is about seemingly rebuking Peter. I wonder if we miss this because we know who Jesus is and read this account with that lens?
Secondly, the issue that Jesus and Peter have is not about Peter feeling fearful, it's about where fear leads him. Of course the disciples are scared! We've established it would be more strange to not be afraid. I think the issue is that Peter's fear leads to a mistrust in who Jesus is. Peter can't take Jesus' words of comfort at face value, out of fear, he questions who Jesus is and wants to have Jesus' identity proven to him so he has no doubt.
Gosh, isn't that relatable? When the going gets tough, I want certainty from God, I want to know a plan of what God is doing to get me out of the tough time. In my fear I forget a relationship with God is complex, deep and often full of juxtaposition. Yes, Jesus shows up in powerful and miraculous ways but He also in the Incarnation, showing up in subtle and quiet ways.
I wonder if Jesus says to Peter 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?' not because it was wrong for Peter to be afraid and scared but because his doubt made him request a foolish mission. In other words Jesus says, 'I told you who I was, I told you I was here, why did you need to test?'
So for this this week, I wonder if we need to know that Jesus, who is the Son of Man, is with us. Even when it's hard to see or trust, Jesus says ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’
Laura Verrall-Kelly
August 2023
