Matthew 14:27
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus sends his disciples across the stormy Sea of Galilee while he stays behind to dismiss the crowds and pray. As night falls and a fierce wind arises, the disciples struggle to row, and in the dark, they see Jesus walking on the water towards them. Terrified, they cry out, mistaking him for a ghost, but Jesus immediately speaks to them, revealing himself and calming their fears.
After Jesus miraculously fed thousands, he sent his disciples ahead by boat across the Sea of Galilee while he went to pray alone. A fierce storm arose, tossing the boat and terrifying the disciples, especially when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them in the pre-dawn darkness, thinking he was a ghost.
Why would Jesus send his disciples into a storm, only to appear walking on the water?
Sometimes, God allows difficult circumstances, like the storm the disciples faced, not to punish us, but to prepare us.
A Training Ground
Matthew tells us Jesus constrained (or urged) the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead. Calvin notes they wouldn't have gone willingly. This suggests Jesus had a purpose in their discomfort. The storm wasn't random; it was allowed by God to "fix their attention more powerfully on the assistance which he brought to them," as Poole explains. It was a deliberate setup for a divine revelation.
Divine Design
Jesus himself was praying on the mountain while the disciples battled the waves. Henry highlights that Jesus, as Mediator, showed both his human affection (through prayer) and his divine power (by controlling the storm). This timing wasn't a lack of care, but a demonstration of his sovereignty over all things, including the terrifying elements.
The Blindness of Fear
The disciples’ fear blinded them to the possibility of Jesus' presence. Poole mentions their Sadducee background, but more importantly, their recent experience with the miracle of the loaves. They had seen Jesus’ power firsthand, yet fear distorted their perception, making them think Jesus was a ghost. This highlights how fear can prevent us from recognizing God's presence and provision even when it's right in front of us.
What is it about Jesus saying 'It is I' that conquers fear?
In moments of crisis, the most powerful antidote to fear isn't the absence of danger, but the presence of Jesus.
Anchored in His Being
Jesus’ words, “It is I,” are more than just identification; they are a declaration of His divine authority and power. Clarke points out that "Nothing but this voice of Christ could, in such circumstances, have given courage and comfort." His identity itself is the source of peace. When we recognize the One who commands the storms, our terror can subside.
Understand the original words
tharseō · Greek Verb
An imperative command to be of good courage, confidence, or cheer; often used by Jesus to urge trust in Him over human apprehension.
This event occurs shortly after the feeding of the 5,000, a miracle the disciples had witnessed but not fully grasped. Their fear and misunderstanding in this moment highlight their struggle to recognize Jesus' divine power even after such profound demonstrations.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus feeds the 5,000
Jesus miraculously feeds a crowd of over 5,000 men, plus women and children, with only five loaves and two fish. This event deeply impressed the crowds and disciples.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus sends disciples across the Sea of Galilee
After feeding the multitude, Jesus insists his disciples get into a boat and go ahead of him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, while he sends the crowds away.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus prays alone on a mountain
While the disciples are at sea, Jesus withdraws to a mountain to pray alone as evening falls.
c. AD 27-30
Disciples' boat is tossed by a storm
The disciples' boat is caught in a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee, making their journey difficult and frightening.
This passage speaks of God's presence with His people through danger, assuring them that He is with them and will protect them, mirroring Jesus' reassurance to the disciples in their moment of fear.
Job 9:8This verse describes God alone stretching out the heavens and treading on the waves of the sea, highlighting the immense power Jesus demonstrates when walking on water, a power that would awe and surprise the disciples.
Psalm 23:4The comforting assurance 'I will fear no evil, for you are with me' echoes Jesus' words, 'Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid,' emphasizing that His presence is the ultimate antidote to fear.
John 6:19-20This parallel account in John's Gospel includes Jesus' statement, 'It is I; do not be afraid,' directly after He walks on the water, reinforcing the disciples' initial terror and Jesus' immediate, calming intervention.
Mark 6:50Mark's Gospel records Jesus speaking similar words: 'Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid,' underscoring the disciples' astonishment and fear at seeing Him, and the significance of His calming presence.
calvinMatthew 14:22-33: "And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away."
- And immediately Jesus constrained his disciples to embark, and to go before him to the opposite bank, till he had sent away the multitudes. 23. And when he had sent away the multitudes, he went up into a mountain alone to pray; and when the evening came, he was there alone. 24. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tosse…
pulpitMatthew 14:27: "But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."
Verse 27. - But straightway Jesus spake unto them (ἐλάλησεν, not ἔκραξεν). He was evidently near them. Saying, Be of good cheer (θαρσεῖτε, Matthew 9:2); it is I; be not afraid. Encouragement, self-manifestation, recall from present terror. But the absence of θαρσεῖτε in John 6:20 suggests that it is, perhaps, a duplicate rendering of the Aramaic for μὴ φοβεῖσθε. For the LXX. commonly transl…
Jesus sends his disciples across the stormy Sea of Galilee while he stays behind to dismiss the crowds and pray. As night falls and a fierce wind arises, the disciples struggle to row, and in the dark, they see Jesus walking on the water towards them. Terrified, they cry out, mistaking him for a ghost, but Jesus immediately speaks to them, revealing himself and calming their fears.
After Jesus miraculously fed thousands, he sent his disciples ahead by boat across the Sea of Galilee while he went to pray alone. A fierce storm arose, tossing the boat and terrifying the disciples, especially when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them in the pre-dawn darkness, thinking he was a ghost.
After Jesus miraculously fed thousands, he sent his disciples ahead by boat across the Sea of Galilee while he went to pray alone. A fierce storm arose, tossing the boat and terrifying the disciples, especially when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them in the pre-dawn darkness, thinking he was a ghost.
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From Terror to Trust
Jesus spoke directly to their terror. Henry notes that their fear made them think Jesus was a ghost, but His voice instantly shifted their perspective. He wasn't just a figure in the dark; He was their Master, their Savior. This encounter is a model for how Jesus meets us: He doesn't just calm the storm; He reveals Himself, turning our dread into a foundation for faith. As Gill says, when Christ makes Himself known, fears vanish.
His Presence, Our Peace
Even though the storm continued for a time after Jesus spoke, the disciples were able to find courage because they knew who was with them. Ellicott suggests that this moment became a "watchword" for their lives: even when the "ark of Christ’s Church was tossed on the waters," they remembered His presence. His simple declaration, "It is I," is a profound assurance that His presence brings peace, regardless of the surrounding chaos.
Peter’s bold request highlights the tension between our desire for God and our fear of failure.
True faith isn't about never doubting, but about running to Jesus even when doubt creeps in.
A Leap of Faith
Peter's immediate response, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water," is a testament to his desire to be closer to Jesus. Calvin observes that Peter’s request, though perhaps not perfectly considered, sprang from a genuine desire. He wanted to move towards Jesus, not away from the terrifying apparition he initially perceived.
The Nature of Doubt
Jesus grants Peter's request, and he walks on water. But when the wind is boisterous, Peter begins to sink. Henry explains that when we "look off from Christ, and look at the greatness of opposing difficulties, we shall begin to fall." Peter’s faith wavered because his focus shifted from Jesus to the storm. Jesus rebukes him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" not because doubt itself is unforgivable, but because it hindered Peter from fully trusting the One who commanded him.
Called to Come, Saved to Rise
Even in his sinking, Peter cries out, "Lord, save me!" And immediately, Jesus stretches out his hand. This demonstrates that our faith doesn't need to be perfect for Jesus to save us. He is always ready to rescue us, even when our faith is weak. The miracle wasn't just Peter walking on water; it was Jesus catching him, showing that His grace is sufficient even for our moments of faltering.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus walks on the water
During the fourth watch of the night (around 3 AM), Jesus comes to the disciples, walking on the surface of the stormy sea.
c. AD 27-30
Disciples cry out in fear
Seeing Jesus walking on the water, the terrified disciples mistake him for a ghost and cry out in fear.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus speaks, calming the disciples
Jesus immediately speaks to them, revealing himself and commanding them to take heart and not be afraid.
"But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”" — Jesus sends his disciples across the stormy Sea of Galilee while he stays behind to dismiss the crowds and pray. As night falls and a fierce wind arises, the disciples struggle to row, and in the dar…
