Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped him, saying, Of a truth you are the Son of God.
All Commentaries on Matthew 14:33 Go To Matthew 14
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Desiring to occasion a diligent examination of the things that had been done, He commanded those who had beheld the foregoing sign to be separated from Him; for even if He had continued present it would have been said that He had wrought the miracle fantastically, and not in verity; but it would never be urged against Him that He had done it in His absence; and therefore it is said, “And straightway Jesus compelled his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.”.
Again, the disciples suffer shipwreck, as they had done before; but then they had Him in the boat, but now they are alone. Thus gradually He leads them to higher things, and instructs them to endure all manfully.
But He suffers them to be tossed the whole night, exciting their hearts by fear, and inspiring them with greater desire and more lasting recollection of Him; for this reason He did not stand by them immediately, but as it follows, "in the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking upon the sea.”.
Teaching them not to seek a speedy riddance of coming evil, but to bear manfully such things as befal them. But when they thought that they were delivered, then was their fear increased, whence it follows, “And seeing him walking upon thesea, they were troubled, saying, It is a vision, and through fear they cried out.” For this the Lord ever does; when He is to rescue from any evil, Hebrings in things terrible and difficult. For since it is impossible that our temptation should continue a long time, when the warfare of the righteous is tobe finished, then He increases their conflicts, desiring to make greater gain of them; which He did also in Abraham, making his conflict his trial of the loss of his son.
Christ then did not reveal Himself to His disciples until they cried out; forthe more intense their fear, the more did they rejoice in His presence; whence it follows, “And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer, itis I, be not afraid.” This speech took away their fear, and prepared theirconfidence.On every occasion Peter is found to be theone of the most ardent faith. And with the same zeal as ever, so now, while the others are silent, he believes that by the will of his Master he will be able to do that which by nature he cannot do; whence it follows, “Peter answered and said unto him, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the water.” As much as to say, Do thou command, and straightway it will become solid; and that body which is in itself heavy will become light.
See how great his warmth, how great his faith. He said not, Pray and entreat for me; but “Bid me;” he believes not only that Christ can Himself walk on thesea, but that He can lead others also thereon; also he wishes to come to Him speedily, and this, so great a thing, he asks not from ostentation, but from love. For he said not, Bid me walk upon the waters, but, “Bid me come untothee.”And it seems that having shown in the first miracle that He has power over the sea, He now leads them to a more powerful sign; “He saith unto him, Come. And Peter, going forth of the boat, walked on the sea, that he might go to Jesus.”.
He bade not the winds to cease, but stretched forth His hand and caught him, because his faith was required. For when our own means fail, then those which are of God stand. Thento show that not the strength of the tempest, but the smallness of his faith worked the danger, “He saith unto him, 0 thou of little faith, why didst thoudoubt?” which shows that not even the wind would have been able to hurt him, if his faith had been firm. But as the mother bears on her wings and brings back to the nest her chick which has left the nest before its time and has fallen, so did Christ. “And when they were come into the boat, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the boat came and worshipped him, saying, Truly thou art the Son of God.”.
Observe how He leads all gradually to that which is above them; He had before rebuked the sea, now He shows forth His power yet more by walking upon the sea, by bidding another to do the same, and by saving him in his peril; therefore they said unto Him, “Truly thou art the Son of God,” which they had not saidabove.Psuedo-Aug., App. Serm., 72, 1: Mystically; The mountain is loftiness. But what is higher than the heavens in the world? And Who it was that ascended into heaven, that our faith knows. Why did He ascend alone into heaven? Because no man has ascended into heaven, but He that came down from heaven. For even when He shall come in the end, and shall have exalted us into heaven, He will yet ascend alone, inasmuch as the head with its body is One Christ, and now the head only is ascended. He went up to pray, because He is ascended to make intercession to His Father for us.
