Walking on the Water

The words

1. Alone

   Matthew describes Jesus praying alone on the mountain after sending the crowd away; Mark contrasts him alone on land with the disciples’ boat out on the sea.

   Matthew 14:23 (opens a new tab) · Mark 6:46–47 (opens a new tab)

2. Boisterous

   Strong and turbulent.

   Matthew’s KJV calls the wind boisterous when Peter notices it and becomes afraid; the NET says strong wind. The fear comes as he walks toward Jesus and begins to sink.

   Matthew 14:29–30 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 14:22-33 (opens a new tab)

3. Caught

   As Peter cries for Jesus to save him, Matthew says Jesus immediately reaches out and catches him; the question about little faith and doubt follows in the same verse.

   Matthew 14:30–31 (opens a new tab)

4. Constrained

   Made or strongly urged.

   Matthew and Mark say Jesus constrained the disciples to enter the boat and go ahead while he dismissed the crowd; NET Mark says he made them get into the boat.

   Matthew 14:22 (opens a new tab) · Mark 6:45 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Mark 6:45-52 (opens a new tab)

5. Contrary

   Blowing against them.

   Matthew and Mark describe the wind as contrary; Mark directly links it with the disciples’ hard rowing. The NET renders the wind as against them, explaining the older expression.

   Matthew 14:24 (opens a new tab) · Mark 6:48 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Mark 6:45-52 (opens a new tab)

6. Doubt

   Jesus asks Peter why he doubted after reaching out and catching him; Matthew places the question between Peter’s cry for help and their return to the boat.

   Matthew 14:30–32 (opens a new tab)

7. Fourth Watch

   The final night watch, about 3–6 a.m.

   Matthew places Jesus’s approach in the fourth watch, and Mark says about that watch; the NET notes explain this as roughly 3–6 a.m., near the end of the night.

   Matthew 14:25 (opens a new tab) · Mark 6:48 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 14:22-33 (opens a new tab)

8. Furlongs

   Ancient distance units, about 607 feet (185 m) each.

   John’s KJV gives about twenty-five or thirty furlongs of rowing before they see Jesus; the NET renders the distance as roughly 3–4 miles (5–6 km), using ancient stades.

   John 6:19 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 6:15-21 (opens a new tab)

9. Good Cheer

   Courage; reassurance.

   In Matthew and Mark, Jesus tells the frightened disciples to be of good cheer and identifies himself; the NET’s Have courage brings out the reassurance as he approaches the boat.

   Matthew 14:26–27 (opens a new tab) · Mark 6:49–50 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Mark 6:45-52 (opens a new tab)

10. Midst of the Sea

    Mark contrasts the boat in the midst of the sea with Jesus alone on land. Matthew’s KJV also says midst; its NET rendering places the boat far from land.

    Did you know?

    In Job’s speech about God’s power, Job 9:8 says God “treadeth upon the waves of the sea”—another biblical use of the image of walking on the sea.

    Mark 6:47 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 14:24 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 14:22-33 (opens a new tab) · Job 9:1–10 (opens a new tab)

11. Rowing

    Mark places the disciples’ rowing in an opposing wind while Jesus sees their struggle from land; John also describes rough water caused by a strong wind before the approach.

    Mark 6:47–48 (opens a new tab) · John 6:18–19 (opens a new tab)

12. Sink

    Matthew’s account includes Peter walking toward Jesus, becoming afraid of the wind and beginning to sink; his next words are a plea for Jesus to save him.

    Matthew 14:29–30 (opens a new tab)

13. Toiling

    Straining; working hard.

    Mark’s phrase toiling in rowing describes the disciples’ effort against the wind; the NET renders it as straining at the oars, before Jesus comes toward them on the water.

    Mark 6:48 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Mark 6:45-52 (opens a new tab)

14. Tossed

    Battered by waves.

    Matthew’s KJV describes the boat as tossed with waves because the wind is contrary; the NET says it was taking a beating from the waves before Jesus approaches.

    Matthew 14:24–25 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 14:22-33 (opens a new tab)

15. Willingly

    John’s KJV says they willingly received Jesus into the ship; the NET describes them wanting to take him aboard. Both then describe the boat reaching its destination immediately.

    John 6:21 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 6:15-21 (opens a new tab)