Matthäus 14:29

29 Er aber sprach: Komm! Und Petrus stieg aus dem Schiffe und wandelte auf den Wassern, um zu Jesu zu kommen.

Matthäus 14:29 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 14:29

And he said, come
This he said, partly to assure them who he was; for had he denied him, he and the rest might have concluded, it was none of Jesus; and partly to commend his love, and confirm his faith, by giving a further instance of his power, in enabling him to walk upon the water, as he did:

and when Peter was come down out of the ship;
as he immediately did, having orders from Christ; and being by this second speech fully convinced it was he

he walked on the water;
a little way, being supported and enabled by the power of Christ; for this was an extraordinary and miraculous action: for if it was so in Christ, it was much more so in Peter: Christ walked upon the water by his own power, as God; Peter walked upon the water, being held up by the power of Christ. The Jews ^F23 indeed, call swimming (Mymh ynp le hjyvh) , "walking upon the face of the waters": hence we read of a swimmer's vessel, which is explained to be what men make to learn in it, how (Mymh ynp le) (jwvl) , "to go or walk upon the face of the waters" ^F24; but then this is not going upon them upright, but prone, or lying along upon the surface of the waters, which was not Peter's case; he did not, as at another time, cast himself into the sea, and swim to Christ; see ( John 21:7 ) but as soon as he came down from the ship, standing upright, he walked upon the waters,

to go to Jesus;
not merely for walking sake, but for the sake of Christ, he dearly loved; that he might be with him, and be still more confirmed of the truth of its being he, and not a spirit.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 R. David Kimchi, Sepher Shorash. rad. (hxv) .
F24 R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel moed, fol. 78. 1.

Matthäus 14:29 In-Context

27 Alsbald aber redete Jesus zu ihnen und sprach: Seid gutes Mutes, ich bin's; fürchtet euch nicht!

28 Petrus aber antwortete ihm und sprach: Herr, wenn du es bist, so befiehl mir, zu dir zu kommen auf den Wassern.

29 Er aber sprach: Komm! Und Petrus stieg aus dem Schiffe und wandelte auf den Wassern, um zu Jesu zu kommen.

30 Als er aber den starken Wind sah, fürchtete er sich; und als er anfing zu sinken, schrie er und sprach:

31 Herr, rette mich! Alsbald aber streckte Jesus die Hand aus, ergriff ihn und spricht zu ihm: Kleingläubiger, warum zweifeltest du?