Like a Rock
Among the three New Testament versions of the Lord’s walking on the water (Matt. 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52; John 6:16–21), Matthew’s is perhaps the most unique and distinctive, because he alone tells of Simon Peter attempting the same thing.
The apostles’ boat, going westward across the Sea of Galilee toward Gennesaret, about five miles away, encounters strong head winds that stir the tossing waves. Hour by hour the boat’s progress is very slow, and by the fourth watch of the night, between three and six o’clock in the morning, the apostles are still a great way from land.
Suddenly Jesus appears, walking on the sea. The startled apostles, conjecturing the figure before them to be an illusion [ phantasma], but nonetheless frightened at the sight, cry out in panic. In response, the voice of Jesus comes to them through the darkness, borne on the whirling courses of the wind: “Take heart, it is I. Be not afraid.”
THIS ARTICLE ONLY AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS.
FOR QUICK ACCESS:
Patrick Henry Reardon is pastor emeritus of All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois, and the author of numerous books, including, most recently, Out of Step with God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2019).
Get six issues (one year) of Touchstone PLUS full online access including pdf downloads for only $39.95. That's only $3.34 per month!
Get a one-year full-access subscription to the Touchstone online archives for only $19.95. That's only $1.66 per month!
bulk subscriptions
Order Touchstone subscriptions in bulk and save $10 per sub! Each subscription includes 6 issues of Touchstone plus full online access to touchstonemag.com—including archives, videos, and pdf downloads of recent issues for only $29.95 each! Great for churches or study groups.
Transactions will be processed on a secure server.
more from the online archives
24.6—Nov/Dec 2011
Liberty, Conscience & Autonomy
How the Culture War of the Roaring Twenties Set the Stage for Today’s Catholic & Evangelical Alliance by Barry Hankins
21.6—July/August 2008
Benedict XVI on the Crisis of Faith & Reason by Samuel Gregg
30.6—Nov/Dec 2017
Christ, Individualism & the Meaning of Cultural Diversity by Anthony Esolen
calling all readers
Please Donate
"There are magazines worth reading but few worth saving . . . Touchstone is just such a magazine."
—Alice von Hildebrand
"Here we do not concede one square millimeter of territory to falsehood, folly, contemporary sentimentality, or fashion. We speak the truth, and let God be our judge. . . . Touchstone is the one committedly Christian conservative journal."
—Anthony Esolen, Touchstone senior editor
