HIS DISCIPLES SAW HIM WALKING ON THE WATERS

His disciples saw him walking on the waters.

By Fr. Felix (African Times Guest Writer)

The story of Jesus walking on the water can be read on two levels. On

the most obvious level it is a story of the disciples who have not yet

full trust in Jesus. They think he is merely asleep, uncaring and

unconcerned – like the prophet Jonah while the storm is raging, and

Jonah is asleep while the sailors panic and pray to their gods.

They have no confidence in him until he effortlessly calms the storm,

and then they can hardly believe it, and only wonder who he can be.

They are like us disciples when we lose confidence and fail to believe

that Jesus will rescue us in our mission.

At a deeper level the story is told in such a way that it reflects

Psalm 107(Greek 106).23-32. In this psalm the sailors are tossed around

by a storm, reeling like a drunkard. ‘They cried to the Lord in their

need and he rescued them from all their distress.’ Just so, the

disciples cry to Jesus, he rescues them and they rejoice because of the

calm.

To those who know the psalm, the similarity of the wording presents

Jesus as the Lord God, a quiet hint of his divinity. Distressed and

storm-tossed modern disciples may have full confidence in him too.