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What is the meaning of Jesus walk on water?
- Thread starter Nehemiah1
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G
Gorgias
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I can’t recall anyone saying that this is what it’s about. The “dominion over the elements” comes into play in the narrative of “calming the seas.”
The “walking on water” narratives seem to be more geared toward providing an opportunity for a teaching moment for the apostles.
The “walking on water” narratives seem to be more geared toward providing an opportunity for a teaching moment for the apostles.
M
Mintaka
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Habakkuk 3:15, praising God – “You walked on the sea.”
(Yes, I know most translations say “You trampled the sea,” but the actual Hebrew is “darakta,” walked, marched, trod.)
The other factor is that of course Moses and Joshua both were involved with miracles where the waters of the Red Sea and of the Jordan divided before the Israelites, and they walked through on land; but Jesus is even greater than Moses and Joshua. Same thing with Elijah and Elisha striking the water of the Jordan with the cloak – Jesus is greater.
(Yes, I know most translations say “You trampled the sea,” but the actual Hebrew is “darakta,” walked, marched, trod.)
The other factor is that of course Moses and Joshua both were involved with miracles where the waters of the Red Sea and of the Jordan divided before the Israelites, and they walked through on land; but Jesus is even greater than Moses and Joshua. Same thing with Elijah and Elisha striking the water of the Jordan with the cloak – Jesus is greater.
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V
VeryBlessed
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My thought only - he walks on the very things that terrify us. When we are filled with fear, he is perfectly at peace and fully in control.
M
Mintaka
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Yup, that’s true too. Isaiah 43:2 – “When you pass through waters, I will be with you.” And of course God is always portrayed as able to command all the elements, because He made them, and to be present during storms.
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Mintaka
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Oh, and there’s another one about God, in Job 9:8 – “He walks on the waves of the sea.”
With regard to the story about Jesus asleep in the boat during the storm:
Ps. 65:7 - “You Who stills the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves.”
Ps. 89:9 - “You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.”
Ps. 107:28-29 - “And in their trouble, they cry out to Yahweh… He calms the storm so that its waves are still.”
With regard to the story about Jesus asleep in the boat during the storm:
Ps. 65:7 - “You Who stills the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves.”
Ps. 89:9 - “You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.”
Ps. 107:28-29 - “And in their trouble, they cry out to Yahweh… He calms the storm so that its waves are still.”
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avemariagratiaplena
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The walking on the water/calming of the sea is probably my favorite indirect claim to divinity by Jesus due to these verses
M
Mintaka
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OP – I forgot to say that God’s dominion of the sea monsters and dragons/serpents, and of chaos in general, is connected in Middle Eastern religious thought to command of the elements and especially of the sea.
The sea is basically equated with chaos in a lot of the ancient Middle East, because controlling water (through dams, irrigation canals, etc.) and escaping flooding is one of the things that is really big in Mesopotamia, and in Israel too. At the same time, Israel, Phoenicia, etc. are really big on shipping in the Mediterranean, but it’s also risky and not able to be controlled by humans. Israel also had lots of ocean earthquakes, and hence seashore tsunamis did happen.
Monsters (both real ones, like whales and sharks, and imaginary ones or ones inspired by fossils) are sort of like chaos and fear of chaos, symbolically, as well as being very close to the original Serpent in terrifyingness.
But in the pagan world, monsters like Tiamat were actually creators of the world, or the earth was made out of their slaughtered meat; whereas God made everything, including any monsters, and Job is very clear that monsters have to obey Him.
OTOH, the Gospel passage about walking on the sea actually quotes the Septuagint translation into Greek of Job 9:8: “peripaton… epi thalasses”. Mk. 6:48 has “peripaton epi tes thalasses” and Mt. 14:25-26 has “peripaton epi ten thalassan” and “epi tes thalasses peripatounta.”
(Peripaton is a Greek word for walk, like pacing or wandering or striding. Greek philosophers who taught their disciples while walking around were called “peripatetics.” So it’s got teaching connotations.)
The sea is basically equated with chaos in a lot of the ancient Middle East, because controlling water (through dams, irrigation canals, etc.) and escaping flooding is one of the things that is really big in Mesopotamia, and in Israel too. At the same time, Israel, Phoenicia, etc. are really big on shipping in the Mediterranean, but it’s also risky and not able to be controlled by humans. Israel also had lots of ocean earthquakes, and hence seashore tsunamis did happen.
Monsters (both real ones, like whales and sharks, and imaginary ones or ones inspired by fossils) are sort of like chaos and fear of chaos, symbolically, as well as being very close to the original Serpent in terrifyingness.
But in the pagan world, monsters like Tiamat were actually creators of the world, or the earth was made out of their slaughtered meat; whereas God made everything, including any monsters, and Job is very clear that monsters have to obey Him.
OTOH, the Gospel passage about walking on the sea actually quotes the Septuagint translation into Greek of Job 9:8: “peripaton… epi thalasses”. Mk. 6:48 has “peripaton epi tes thalasses” and Mt. 14:25-26 has “peripaton epi ten thalassan” and “epi tes thalasses peripatounta.”
(Peripaton is a Greek word for walk, like pacing or wandering or striding. Greek philosophers who taught their disciples while walking around were called “peripatetics.” So it’s got teaching connotations.)
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J
John_Martin
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The pagan world de-evolved from the world descended from Adam, then Noah, who knew that Leviathan and all creatures were simply creatures like Adam himself and Noah himself. But Cain and Ham began the long de-evolution to scare people by the size and hiddenness of these large creatures, and scare people by all the created elements, of sun, of moon, of stars, of water, of the “deep”.
Jews knew the truth and so Jonah simply was swallowed by a “big fish” while the pagan sailors were terrified of the storm and sea and monsters.
Jesus, like at the creation (where he said, “Be, Light”, over the darkness that was over the face of the deep), here said, “Be, stillness”.
Jews knew the truth and so Jonah simply was swallowed by a “big fish” while the pagan sailors were terrified of the storm and sea and monsters.
Jesus, like at the creation (where he said, “Be, Light”, over the darkness that was over the face of the deep), here said, “Be, stillness”.
L
lwest
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And/Or all the elements of the universe are subject to Him. ?
F
fredystairs
Guest
^^This…And/Or all the elements of the universe are subject to Him. ?
There are a couple of miracles that are mentioned in the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. First, Jesus feeds the five thousand (verses 1-14). Then , Jesus walks on the water (verses 16-21). After those two miracles comes the Bread of Life discourse (verses 25-71). The way it was explained to me by one of my professors was that the first two miracles were to show that Jesus had the power to manipulate matter. He couple multiply the food and make the water hard enough to walk on. This was to provide credibility to his statement that He would give them his body to eat and blood to drink. If He could show he could manipulate matter then why couldn’t He give them His body and blood as food? Of course not everyone believed Him and left, but the Apostles stayed (except of course, Judas.)
Pax
U
umamibella
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It is about faith. Peter goes out to meet Jesus, and does well until he loses his faith and started sinking.
Jesus replies ‘you of little faith’
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Then later when Jesus appears after the Resurrection, Peter has to swim to him.
Jesus replies ‘you of little faith’
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Then later when Jesus appears after the Resurrection, Peter has to swim to him.
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S
Stephen_says
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Genesis 1:2 “And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters.“
K
kerberos
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Jesus walks on water, because JHWH does so:
Job 9:8
He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
Psalm 77:19
Your way was in the sea
And Your paths in the mighty waters,
And Your footprints may not be known.
One of several ways in which His Deity is indicated is, by showing Him do what JHWH God of Israel does.
His power over the Sea shows His power & control over Chaos and Destruction & the Underworld and all “anti-God” forces; and also identifies Him as the God of the Exodus Who saves His People.
Job 9:8
He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
Psalm 77:19
Your way was in the sea
And Your paths in the mighty waters,
And Your footprints may not be known.
One of several ways in which His Deity is indicated is, by showing Him do what JHWH God of Israel does.
His power over the Sea shows His power & control over Chaos and Destruction & the Underworld and all “anti-God” forces; and also identifies Him as the God of the Exodus Who saves His People.
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