Coming, as it does, immediately after the miracle of the loaves, Jesus' manifestation of power over the sea served to portray him in light of the God of the Jewish Scriptures. Like Yahweh who exercised power over the Nile in Egypt, and parted the Sea of Reeds so that the Israelites could pass through them to freedom and provided water from the rock in the wilderness, so also Jesus (Exodus 7:14:24; 14:10-31; 17:1-7). Similarly, like Yahweh who provided bread from heaven (manna) for the nourishment of the many, so also Jesus (Exodus 16:4-12; Matthew 14:13-21).

Matthew's account of Peter's foray upon the sea and his fearful foundering is unique to his gospel. Impulsively, Peter eagerly set out upon the water to meet Jesus but when he realized the gravity of his situation and the seemingly impossible nature of his adventure, he panicked. Still, even if his faith faltered for a moment, Peter had the good sense to trust in Jesus' power. His "Lord, save me!" is a lesson for us all. Even though he had the initial daring to brave the sea, he had not yet learned to translate that daring into a deliberate and daily spirituality of absolute and unquestioning reliance on Jesus. Nevertheless, he knew and believed that no difficulty or struggle was outside of Jesus' power to save.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (The Cost of Discipleship, SCM Press, LTD: Great Britain:1959), the Lutheran minister, theologian and author who was martyred during the Nazi regime, analyzed Peter's response to the powerful presence of Jesus in this way: "Peter had to leave the ship and risk his life on the sea in order to learn both his own weaknesses and the almighty power of his Lord. If Peter had not taken the risk, he would never have learned the meaning of faith. Before he can believe, the utterly impossible and ethically irresponsible situation on the waves must be displayed. The road to faith passes through obedience to the call of Jesus. Unless a definite step is demanded, the call vanishes into thin air, and if men imagine that they can follow Jesus without taking this step, they are deluding themselves like fanatics."

Today, we sail with Peter and the other disciples and all who believe in Jesus. We will be summoned by Jesus to venture forth into new and uncharted territories of human need and wantonness. When we dare to obey Jesus' call and risk the unknown sea, faith will deepen; when we falter and when fear threatens to overwhelm us, Jesus will be there. Somewhere between the daring and the doing, those who believe will always know his power and presence.

In another article on this gospel, Sanchez writes:

If a lesson in faith is to be learned from Peter, readers should take note of the process or sequence of actions that led him to proclaim, "beyond doubt, you are the Son of God". Readers should also be aware of the necessary connection between faith and obedience or, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer once put it: "Faith is only real where there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience." Had Peter stayed in the boat and refused to obey Jesus' command, "Come!" his faith would not have developed.

But Peter did obey, he ventured out upon the water; then fright took over and he began to sink. When he cried out to Jesus, he was rescued. This is not the story of a skeptic who has fallen into a habit of doubting; this is the story of a faithful follower who becomes overwhelmed by the circumstances surrounding him and who begins to panic when he discovers the enormity and gravity of the odds stacked against him. However, this is also the story of one of little faith growing in faith; this is the story of one who allowed that faith to well up within him and face down his fears. This is the story of one who was willing, in faith, to risk his very life and to take a leap into uncharted waters because of Jesus. In a word, Peter's story is the story of us all.

As I write these lines (in 2002), the bark of Peter that is the church, is being tossed about on the choppy waves of a scandalous sea. Accusations, justifiable accusations, like a great driving wind, are beating relentlessly against Peter's craft. Anger and frustration, outrage and disillusionment mingle in the air as faithful disciples are "tarred," as it were, with the same wide swath of public disgust and condemnation. Nevertheless, and despite the angry sea, Jesus remains present to his own. Just as he said to the disciples, long ago on the Sea of Galilee," Get hold of yourselves . . . Do not be afraid," so Jesus says to us. Just as he said to Peter, "Come!" so Jesus says to us. . And just as Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter when he had begun to sink, so does Jesus do for all who will risk all and leave all else behind to leap toward him and cling to him in faith.

A Story of Faith

In the middle of a dark winter's night, in a small Midwest farming community, the two-story home of a young family caught fire. Quickly, parents and children followed their well-practiced emergency plan and made their way through the smoke-filled home out into the front yard. There, the father quickly counted heads and realized that their 5-year-old son was not among them. Suddenly he heard a wail and looked up to see the boy at his bedroom window, crying and rubbing his eyes.

Knowing the dangers of reentering the house to rescue his son, the father called, "Jump, Son! I'll catch you!" Between sobs, the boy responded to the voice he knew so well. "But, I can't see you, Daddy!"

The father answered with great assurance. "No, Son, You can't see me, but I can see you! Jump!" At that, the boy jumped into the smoky darkness and found himself safely cradled in his father's arms.

The child's willingness to trust what he could not know for certain offers believers a lesson at once simple and profound, a lesson that ably illustrates the fact that faith is a risk.

Sanchez concludes:

Therefore, the challenge put before each member of the praying assembly today lies in: