Pentecost 10 – 2026
Matthew 14:22-36
Marian Free
In the name of God, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life- Giver. Amen.
“If God is a God of justice and not of power, then He can still be on our side when bad things happen to us. When God is not the source of our problems we can turn to God for help.”
These words in Richard Rohr’s reflection on the Book of Job during the past week caught my attention[1]. Not only are they wise, but they created a stark contrast to one of the sermon commentaries that I had read in preparation for today’s sermon. There the author suggested that Jesus had forced the disciples into the boat knowing that they would be tested by the storm and that when they were tested, they would turn to him for help. That Jesus would deliberately put the disciples in danger so that they could learn a lesson did not sit well with me.
Certainly, the Greek does say that Jesus compelled the disciples into the boat, but there is no suggestion in the text that his intention is that they should be out at sea when a storm strikes and that in their terror, they would lean on him for help. In fact, in the text it is only Peter asks for help and that is only when he has left the boat and is drowning!). The idea that God deliberately forces anyone into a situation of danger, grief or pain is alien to me. It arises from a view that God is an all-powerful, malicious entity who creates situations that ensure dependence on, and absolute obedience to him. The evidence all around us is that the God who shared human existence, and who did not save himself from the cross, is a far cry from a puppet master who delights in keeping us in a state of perpetual fear for some purpose of God’s own.
That Jesus compels the disciples to get into the boat is only one of the curious details in Matthew’s version of the storm on the lake.
Let me take you back to how the boat got to the shore in the first place. When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he got into a boat alone. That there is only one boat (which later necessitates Jesus’ walking on the water) suggests that the disciples saw the crowds and followed them by road to the deserted place. Once they arrive Jesus enlists their help and feeds the crowds. As evening falls it seems that Jesus can finally seize an opportunity to be by himself. So first of all, he sends the disciples away probably to ensure that he finally gets time to himself. That done, he dismisses the crowds.
By now it is evening and Jesus goes up the mountain alone to pray. Jesus must have prayed for a considerable time, because it is not until the fourth watch – 3-6 am that he makes his way across the lake the only way he could – by foot.
In the meantime, the disciples are still on the boat and further from their destination than ever. The journey, which was almost certainly across the top of Galilee, would normally find them close to shore and, given that the crowds got to the destination by foot, we can assume that they only had a short distance to travel. However, a storm has blown them a considerable distance out to sea, and they presumably have spent something like seven hours at sea battling a terrifying storm[2]. (The Greek word ‘basanizo’ literally translates “tormented” – they were tormented by the storm). We are told nothing about how the disciples feel, but if nothing else they must be exhausted from trying to keep the boat afloat and to keep to their course for hours on end.
(Interestingly, there is no suggestion that they pray, or that they call out to God or even that they express a wish that Jesus was with them. Even though they have been at sea for so long, they still seem to think that getting to shore is entirely dependent on their own skills and resource.)
It is no wonder, given their exhaustion and their self-absorption, not to mention the wind and the waves, that an approaching figure appears to them as a phantasm or spectre.
Jesus tries to reassure them, identifying himself as “I AM”, and using the words used by all divine figures in their interactions with humans: “Do not be afraid.” It is clear to the reader who this is, because we know these literary tropes. Peter, however, is not so sure but why, when the storm is raging about him, would he want to get out of the relatively safety of the boat and not wait for the figure to come to them? And why, having established that he can walk on the water, would he then falter?
We are not given the answer to these questions, probably because that is not the point of the story (which is recorded only by Matthew). Nor are we told what it was that Peter doubted, or more accurately, what caused him to be of two minds. What we are told is that Jesus is in the storm and that when Peter begins to drown and (finally) calls out to be saved, Jesus reaches out his hand and saves him!
When we examine the details of this story, we can all too readily recognise ourselves in the picture. Too often, when we find ourselves in difficulty, our first response is to try to solve the problem ourselves. There are many times when it is only when we are at our wit’s end that we acknowledge that our own resources insufficient and we, like Peter cry out: “Lord save us.”
God doesn’t create problems for us, but when problems arise, we can turn to God for help. We know only too well that Jesus doesn’t protect us from the storms of life, but Jesus is there in the midst of the storm if only we turn our eyes to him, call out to be saved and reach out to take his offered hand.
[1] Centre for Action and Contemplation, email, 5/8/2026.
[2] Assuming that it got dark (was evening) at 8pm and that Jesus reached the boat at 3am.
Swallowsrest 