One of the most interesting stories in scripture is that of the miracle of Christ walking on water. It is described in the gospel of Matthew 14:21-33 and Mark 6: 45-52 and contains much meaning in just a few verses. We too often focus on just Peter’s attempt to walk and the subsequent doubt which made him sink, but if we look at the greater context of the events the story is so much richer.
Prior to walking on the water, Christ had just finished preaching and feeding the 5 thousand. Evening had approached and Christ asked his apostles to row to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to Bethesda, a distance of approximately 5 miles which should have only taken just over an hour. Being prior fisherman, this is likely a task they had much experience in and great confidence in acomplishing.
To their surprise and frustration, this seemingly simple task took them into tirelessly rowing against a headwind through the night to as late as 3-6am. Almost symbolically, these men were without Christ and struggling against the wind for what could have been over 7 to 8 hours, still confident they could muscle through it. Through all of it, Christ is watching them from a mountain.
At, what is quite literally the 11th hour or early morning, he decides to cross the sea by his own method. He would have finished his journey if it wasn’t for the apostles seeing him pass by and crying out in fear. It is at this point you can see the stark contrast, a calm and powerful Christ walking on turbulent waves next to frightened and weakened men tossed in a boat. Peter makes the attempt to cross the physical and spiritual chasm separating the two parties. As he takes his first few steps on the water we see that the miracles of Christ are not reserved to Christ alone but can be experienced by men. However, all power and knowledge of these miracles are through Christ and the moment Peter loses sight of that, and returns to his fearful state, he sinks back to his mortal limitation. Here, Peter calls for Christ to save him and he immediately reaches out. This was the first time on record that an apostle asked for Christ’s help during this storm and he immediately responded, in contrast to the long night of rowing by their own strength. Now when Christ physically pulls Peter back up, he reminds him that fear is the barrier to his miraculous capabilities.
When Christ returns to the boat, the storm ceases and they were amazed and worshipped Christ. It appears that Mark considered the apostles should not have been as “sore amazed” (Mark 6:51) if they only understood the miracles of the loafs which just occurred. An understanding that Christ’s way’s are much higher and he has power over this physical realm in which we live, that they perhaps did not need to toil with their devices of limited knowledge but look to and rely on a superior being with superior methods. Despite prior miraculous events, they had not internalized what it means to be the Christ and that walking on the water uniquely applied to their area skill and their struggle.
We see that Christ had possibly indented to create a learning experience for his apostles after they were not able to consider the first miracle of the loaves. He wanted to create a much more personal scenario in which the apostles struggled with their strength and understanding only to see Christ was the salvation to their obstacle. Quite likely we also have trials placed in our path, or more relevant, seemingly insurmountable obstacles for what should be an easy task, so we remember to turn to the Lord and let him show us a higher way.
In our life struggles as the were apostles tossed in sea, if we rely on our own strength, we may have to toil for much longer than need be. Think of taking a simple 1 hour task of which you are expertly familiar continue to extend over 7 hours. God will let us struggle in our stubbornness and pride and wait until we eventually call out in fear or exhaustion. As loving as God is it, it’s hard to think in all trials he is a last hour God letting us struggle alone while we call for deliverance. In this account, Christ came to the immediate aid of Peter when he called out. Even in the dire circumstances of Joseph Smith in Carthage jail, he immediately responded to his plea to avenge their wrongs. Not necessarily with deliverance from the storm, but with comfort and encouragement that he will overcome all. A call to come walk on water.
None of us will have to suffer what Christ had to suffer, which was at an hour of need on the cross the father withdrew his spirit. This was a burden that Christ alone was going to bear to know the full extent of all suffering. If we implore to have God’s spirit he will most surely be there. It is with reason why Christ said “that in me ye might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33) The apostles were in the world, with tribulation as their boat is tossed by the sea, but Christ overcame the world and rises above the troubled waters. He now calls to us to rise above with him.
This leads to another lesson, in spite of turbulent circumstances, we can overcome the elements. It was the same storm, same wind, and same tossing water in which Christ calmly walked while the apostles toiled. We can all experience swimming in water, but have we experienced walking on water? Imagine the frightening prospect of swimming in windy, stormy water in the middle of the night. It was precisely at this time that Christ showed you can overcome that terrible prospect and simply walk on it. The miracle was a real demonstration of this. The difference between sinking or walking, faith. Similarly, you can go through life and experience things how all people experience it, or you can go to a higher level by applying faith. We’re going through the same medium, but the experience we have with it can be struggling or elevated.
In Joseph Smith’s dire circumstances, God was not going to alleviate the storms of affliction which raged, but wanted Joseph to know he will triumph over all. So we can consider what struggles are in our life, and how, when we focus on Christ, he can pull us out of the water of temporal physical affliction and miraculously subdue it under our feet. I’ve often found in times of most affliction in my life I’ve discovered deep happiness and peace because I strived to be even closer to Christ. I’m sure those first few steps taken by Peter felt divine and swallowed up the storm’s affliction.
Lastly a final lesson from this story is that action is what proceeds any miracle. Peter had to leave the temporal security of the boat and faithfully place himself on the water. If you asked any of those apostles before they left on that boat if they had faith in Christ I’m sure all would confidently assure you they did. Yet, when they could not follow the simple command given by their master to cross the sea, they did not ask in faith “how” when it had reached the early morning and they were still not successful. So it is with us, we must demonstrate our faith, and humility, to ask upon Christ for even the simplest things to help us overcome and understand his way to solve it. We can then begin to live our lives with our eyes single to him and overcome all tribulations of the world.
