Sure. I've known the story since I was a kid, heard and read it many times over the years. In order to get away from the huge criwds following him, Jesus sent the disciples away first by boat, then came to them later walking on the water. Nothing really unusual, I wouldn't think, for the Christ, the Messiah, the son of God. Then Peter said something like, "If it be you, Lord, bid me come to you." And Jesus said, "Come." So, Peter started to him, on the water, became afraid, amd began to sink. Jesus took him by the hand and helped him back into the boat. And that's the story.
This is probably how my thinking went when this episode was part of a sermon I heard a few weeks ago. But then, listening, it struck me. Peter walked on water. PETER WALKED ON WATER. Not just Jesus. Peter.
Let's read it.
Matt 14:23-32
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. (All the emboldening is my doing.)
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
KJV
As Peter began to sink, he cried, "Lord, save me," and Jesus did so. Note, though, that Jesus never told him something like, "Why did you look down? Never look down." Or, "Always lean into the wind." Of course not. They sound crazy, don't they. Nothing Peter did or didn't do would have changed anything at all.
Peter believed and did the impossible. Then he doubted. And he failed.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Who Wants to Inherit the Earth When You Can See God?
The meek shall inherit the earth while it's the pure in heart that shall see God. So, I'll forget about meekness for now and work on my pureness of heart.
There was a time I might have thought along these lines. A time when I thought the Beatitudes were literal statements of cause and effect. A time before I was aware of the nature of Hebrew poetry. A hallmark of it, Hebrew poetry, is parallelism, that is, saying basically the same thing twice (or more) using different words. David, for one, wrote this way a lot, including Psalm 51, his prayer of repentance. Verses 2-7 provide a good example.
Ps 51:2-7
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
KJV
A New Testament example could be this verse from Paul's letter to Titus.
Titus 2:13
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
KJV
Look at the Beatitudes now. Do these look like parallelism? Eight or nine lines of it? Is Jesus waxing poetic here, maybe listing traits of his followers and the benefits that follow? I think so.
Matt 5:2-12
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
KJV
We are (or will be) humble (poor in spirit), people who can mourn, meek, people that do hunger and thirst after righteousness( actually salvation would be a better translation), merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted for righteousness' sake, reviled for Christ's sake.
But our rewards are great. Now or in the future, we will be in the kingdom of heaven, be comforted, inherit the earth, be filled, obtain mercy, see God, be called the children of God.
There was a time I might have thought along these lines. A time when I thought the Beatitudes were literal statements of cause and effect. A time before I was aware of the nature of Hebrew poetry. A hallmark of it, Hebrew poetry, is parallelism, that is, saying basically the same thing twice (or more) using different words. David, for one, wrote this way a lot, including Psalm 51, his prayer of repentance. Verses 2-7 provide a good example.
Ps 51:2-7
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
KJV
A New Testament example could be this verse from Paul's letter to Titus.
Titus 2:13
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
KJV
Look at the Beatitudes now. Do these look like parallelism? Eight or nine lines of it? Is Jesus waxing poetic here, maybe listing traits of his followers and the benefits that follow? I think so.
Matt 5:2-12
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
KJV
We are (or will be) humble (poor in spirit), people who can mourn, meek, people that do hunger and thirst after righteousness( actually salvation would be a better translation), merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted for righteousness' sake, reviled for Christ's sake.
But our rewards are great. Now or in the future, we will be in the kingdom of heaven, be comforted, inherit the earth, be filled, obtain mercy, see God, be called the children of God.
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