Sermon: The Boat

Walking on Water
Peter Koenig, 20th Century

Lectionary: Proper 14(A)

Text: Matthew 14:22-33

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water.[1]

Thus begins the Bible. The watery deep and the sea—ancient people feared them. They represented chaos. They represented the source and dwelling place of evil spirits and demons. The first Genesis creation story[2] is a story of God systematically calming the chaotic storm of primordial Earth and replacing it with order and peace.

The fear of the sea is attested to by several sea monsters identified in Ancient Near Eastern mythology. In the Ugaritic Baal Cycle, a sea serpent named Lotan is defeated by the storm god Hadad-Ba’al. In the Babylonian Enuma Elish, the storm god Marduk defeats Tiamat, who is both the cosmic ocean and was a deity in Babylonian mythology. And in the Hebrew scriptures, the God of Israel, Yahweh, defeats the sea monster Leviathan.[3]

The Christian scriptures, in Revelation, depicts a land where “the sea [is] no more.”[4] The theological and emotional significance of this detail for ancient audiences was that God had achieved complete victory over chaos and evil. Nothing would be left—no more large body of water—from whence chaos and evil could reemerge.

Furthermore, in the Hebrew scriptures, Yahweh is shown as one who walks above the waters and calms the waves.

He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.[5]

You walked through the sea; you passed through the surging waters, but left no footprints.[6]

You rule over the proud sea. When its waves surge, you calm them.[7]

These are some of the elements that provide context through which the audiences of Matthew’s gospel would have heard the story of Jesus walking on water through the storm and bringing calm to the waves.

Some interpretations of today’s gospel reading which we have probably heard or read include:

·        The miracle of Jesus walking on water and the winds being calmed show Jesus’ power. Therefore, we can have confidence in Jesus when we go through life’s storms.

·        Peter began to participate in Jesus’ miracle when he stepped out of the boat. But he let fear overcome his faith. But we can step out of the boat and face whatever challenges life throws at us, if we have courage and keep our eyes on Jesus.

·        At least Peter had the courage and faith to step out of the boat while the rest of the disciples stayed on the boat. We should be more like Peter.

·        Jesus allows storms to challenge us. But he shows up at the right time and is always near to save us.

While none of these interpretations are bad, I don’t think these are what the writer of Matthew had in mind. These interpretations are colored by our culture of individualism. When distilled down to their common theme, they are mostly about me, my challenges, and my faith.

As I frequently remind you, the cultural context in which the gospel was written and heard was that of collectivism. Community and relationships were the primary source of meaning and value for a person. Salvation was found primarily through belonging to the community of God. This is why Jesus emphasized the kingdom and belonging to it. Salvation was not something solely in the future but began here and now with how the community members treated one another.

Matthew’s gospel was probably put together toward the latter part of the first century CE. The audiences for this gospel were probably predominantly Jewish and located close to Jewish land.[8] However, these were Jews who had accepted Jesus as the expected Messiah. The response from their compatriots who did not were highly negative. Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed and many Jews killed by the Romans not very long ago. Jesus-following Jews were at odds with both their fellow Jews and Rome. Even without systematic persecution, their lives would have been uncertain and difficult. I think they would have identified with the boat in the story.

The boat may be just a vehicle (literally and metaphorically), but I was surprised by how central it is to this story. True, that the boat has no spoken lines and it does not act, but it is where all the characters and elements of the story come together. Jesus has the disciples get in a boat and tells them to go to the other side. The boat is buffeted by the wind and waves. Peter gets out of the boat. Jesus and Peter enter the boat. When they enter the boat, the wind ceases. And at the end, those in the boat worship Jesus.

The early church would have seen themselves as the boat. Following Jesus’ instructions doesn’t always mean they will make it to the other side without trouble, as they were keenly aware. It might even have felt like Jesus had sent them deliberately into the storm.

And where is Jesus in all this? Is he absent? This story peels the curtain back to show his followers that he is “up the mountain” praying to God, praying for his community and their mission. He is not ignorant of the church’s needs and predicament. His apparent absence does not mean he is not with them in spirit.

Like God’s spirit who moved upon the primordial waters of creation, Jesus is moving above the chaos and dangers facing his community. He is always near and his power is there to guide and assist.

But what do we do about Peter? Was Peter a hero or a fool? There is a 2001 book titled If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat.[9] But is this the only or best interpretation? Peter has some great insights, but in Matthew, he often has great stumbles almost immediately after the insights. Peter is even called out as Satan, tempting Jesus.

A contrary interpretation is based on how Peter’s begins to ask Jesus, “Lord, if it is you…”[10] This sounds awfully similar to how Satan tempted Jesus: “If you are the Son of God…”[11] Peter, like the devil, is asking Jesus to prove himself.[12] At least to Peter’s credit (or is it foolhardiness?) he does follow through on his own demand when Jesus says, “Come.”

Additionally, the language around Peter getting out of the boat and walking to Jesus is ambiguous. Most translators and interpreters go with Peter getting out of the boat and walking on water toward Jesus. But the language leaves open the possibility that Peter intended to do this but never made it onto the water; that his simply trying to get out of the boat was fearful enough, requiring Jesus’ rescue of him.

From our individualist perspective, what Peter tried might be judged commendable. But from a collectivist, communal perspective, it could be argued that what Peter demanded from Jesus was not.

Nevertheless, when Peter fails, Jesus is there to rescue. And together they enter the boat and return into community with the rest of the disciples. When Jesus enters the boat, there calm and peace come over the boat and the waves. The wind and the waves have been defeated. The chaos of the waters can no longer threaten the boat.

For the church for whom Jesus is present through the Spirit, the chaos and dangers outside don’t necessarily disappear. However, the church can experience peace and confidence as they listen to and follow Christ.

Here is where we come to the actual miracle that Matthew probably intended for his audience to discover and experience: that Jesus is not just a great prophet, not just a miracle worker, but he is the Son of God. For these early Jewish Christ-followers, the act of walking on water and calming the waves signified that Jesus was God incarnate. Jesus’ actions has echoes to the Spirit at creation. Jesus walked above the waters and calmed the waves as their prophets had written about Yahweh. Jesus’ reassuring words to the terrified disciples, “It is I,” is a phrase that would have evoked “I am that I am” spoken by God to Moses.[13]

The miracle is that the disciples, at least for a moment, recognized the true nature of Jesus.

The church can be seen as a boat in which we exist. We carry Christ’s presence within our community. Whatever dangers and uncertainties surround us, we can take courage and have peace, knowing the God is with us in community. When we are troubled, our help is found as we come together, not through trying to wade into the storm alone.

Now, I don’t think this means we must isolate ourselves or treat the church as a rescue boat into which we try to drag people. Rather it gives us a behind-the-scenes perspective of Christ’s relationship with us. I think it shows us how to have a broader perspective and a more community-oriented perspective as we seek to carry out his commands to bring the message of God’s peace and love to the world.

In the name of God the Creator,

In the name of God the Savior,

And in the name of God who challenges us to face storms with courage, Amen.

References

France, R. T. (2007). New International Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Garland, D. E. (2001). Reading Matthew: A Literary and Theological Commentary. Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing.

Heiser, M. S. (2018, July 4). What Walking on Water Really Means. Retrieved from Logos: https://www.logos.com/grow/walking-water-really-means/

Jarvis, C. A., & Johnson, E. E. (2013). Feasting on the Gospels--Matthew, Volume 1: A Feasting on the Word Commentary. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Van De Laar, J. (2026, July 30). Lectionary Reflection for Proper 14A on Matthew 14:22-33. Retrieved from Sacredise Your Life!: https://sacredise.substack.com/p/lectionary-reflection-for-proper-af9

Wikipedia Contributors. (2026, July 8). Lotan. Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotan

Wilson, W. T. (2022). Eerdmans Critical Commentary: The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Wilson, W. T. (2022). The Gospel of Matthew: Volume 2 (Matthew 14-28). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

 

 

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[1] Genesis 1:1-2, NET 2^nd Ed. (NET2)

[2] The second creation story begins at Genesis 2:4.

[3] (Wikipedia Contributors, 2026)

[4] Revelation 21:1

[5] Job 9:8 (NET2)

[6] Psalms 77:19 (NET2)

[7] Psalms 89:9 (NET2)

[8] Antioch of Syria is one city that is often suggested.

[9] Author: John Ortberg

[10] Matthew 14:32.

[11] Matthew 4:3, 6.

[12] To be fair, all the disciples think Jesus is a ghost. But extending this, why would an invitation to come walk on water prove that Jesus is who he says he is? Wouldn’t a ghost or a spirit be able to also give an invitation?

[13] Exodus 3:14.