He… marked out the circle on the waters between light and darkness. Then he stilled the sea and smote Rahab the sea monster, and in poetic parallel, he made the heavens fair with his spirit and pierced the serpent (Job 26.12–13)… The Creator then set bounds for the proud waves of the sea (Job 38.8–11).
Walking on the Water
That same evening Jesus sends the disciples ahead across the sea and withdraws to the mountain to pray; the wind rises against them, and in the fourth watch he comes to them walking on the water. “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” Peter ventures out and, seeing the wind, begins to sink — “O thou of little faith” — and when Jesus enters the ship the wind ceases, and they worship him: “Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”
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The reading is the Covenant Christian Edition — the Joseph Smith Translation reading — carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the CCE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.
22And immediately Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him unto the other side while he sent the multitudes away. 23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray; and when the evening came, he was there alone.
24But the ship was now in the middle of the sea, tossed with the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit. And they cried out for fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I. Be not afraid. 28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, bid me come unto you on the water. 29And he said, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me! 31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said unto him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? 32And when they had come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Truly, you are the Son of God.
34And when they had gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased, 36and implored him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
45And immediately he constrained his disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side before him, unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. 46And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
47And when evening had come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land; 48and he saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them. And about the fourth watch of the night, he comes unto them, walking upon the sea, as if he would have passed by them. 49And when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit and cried out, 50for they all saw him and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them and said unto them, Be of good cheer, it is I. Be not afraid. 51And he went up unto them, into the ship, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered — 52for they considered not of the loaves, for their hearts were hardened.
53And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret and drew to the shore. 54And when they had come out of the ship, immediately the people knew him 55and ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. 56And wherever he entered, into villages or cities or country, they laid the sick in the streets and implored him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garments. And as many as touched him were made whole.
15When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. 16And when evening had now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 17and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 19So when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty furlongs, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near unto the ship, and they were afraid. 20But he says unto them, It is I; be not afraid. 21Then they willingly received him into the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land to which they went.
15When Jesus overheard that they wanted to force him to be their king, he walked away, going back up the mountain alone. 16That evening when some of the throng were leaving, his companions departed in a boat across the sea toward Capernaum. 17It was after dark and Jesus was not with them in the boat. 18At the time the sea became turbulent because of a strong wind. 19So when they had rowed about four miles, they saw Jesus walking upon the sea and approaching their boat; they were afraid. 20But he said, I am that I am, do not be frightened. 21They recognized this was another promised sign to identify the Messiah, and understood the meaning of his greeting, and then they were at their destiny.
The One Who Stilled the Sea and Bound the Proud Waves
For Barker, mastery over the sea is the Creator’s own signature: in the temple’s creation hymns the LORD stilled the chaos-waters and set bounds for the proud waves. The disciples, watching Jesus walk upon and quiet the sea, are watching the work of the Maker.
OCR spacing in Barker’s scanned text has been silently normalized; wording is unchanged.
- He could have stilled the wind from the shore; instead he comes walking upon the very sea that threatens them. Why meet the storm by walking on top of it?
- Peter walks on the water as long as he looks to Jesus, and sinks the moment he looks at the wind. What is the difference between the faith that walks and the fear that sinks — and how thin is the line between them?
- To the terrified disciples he gives only his name — “it is I,” which the Testimony of St. John renders “I am that I am.” Why is the Name itself enough to quiet the sea?