THE WIND WAS AGAINST THEM

A Helpful Look at a Powerful Story

The Sea of Galilee from Mount Arbel and the Plains of Gennesaret below

The disciples of Jesus rowed painfully throughout the night to navigate their ship. In the early morning hours their battered vessel was still some three miles from the shore. When night seems its darkest, the unthinkable gradually unfolded before their eyes. It was a ghostly figure moving upon the surface of the deep, and adult men (some of them seasoned commercial fisherman) became terrified and cried out in fear. Their screams were soon quieted by a familiar voice which said, “It is I—be not afraid.” Imagine their relief when Jesus finally entered the boat, but also their doubt. Their wearied bodies and sleep-deprived minds must have been challenged as they tried making sense of it all. How could anyone walk on the water? Was it really Jesus? Were their eyes and ears playing tricks on them?

Anyone who has ever attended Sunday school could tell you the rest of the story. The courage and boldness of Peter as he exited the boat and walked toward Jesus is a part of our collective memories? We also remember how Jesus rescued him as he began to sink while threatened by the wind and the strength of the waves? Undoubtedly, we are also familiar with the worship given to Jesus as he boarded the boat where the beleaguered disciples had—only moments before—cowered in fear.

This was a critical moment in the life of the disciples; an epiphany that Jesus truly was and is the Son of God! It is crucial for modern observers as well who are weighing the evidence for his Deity as confirmed by the testimony of witnesses like Matthew and John who saw with their own eyes Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee.

But, beyond the importance of this unparalleled theological truth, what else can we glean from the story? What additional faith building lessons can we ascertain by examining both the geography and context of this miraculous event? What are some things to observe which add color and reveal the drama of the moment?  

First, consider, the emotions described in the events leading up to Jesus’ walking on the sea of Galilee. As though this single startling event were not enough to capture the attention of the disciples (as well as modern-day readers), the writers used words like “terrified”, “fear”, and “exceedingly astonished” to highlight the heart pounding moment. 

Second, the boat ride was inordinately long. The disciples began their trip in the evening, but as the New American Standard Bible says, they were still “straining at the oars” at the fourth watch of the night (between 3:00 and 6:00 AM). If they had launched their boat at the natural made harbor near today’s Diamond Beach just north of Gergesa, it should have taken only an hour to reach their destination. This means they had been laboring out on the sea for at least 8 hours before encountering Jesus.

Major Ministry Towns associated with the Ministry of Jesus - Used by permission from www.biblemapper.com

Third, details in the text reveal that the disciples were thwarted in reaching their original destination. Mark tells us they were headed for Bethsaida (6:45), which is north.  John states they “came across the sea to Capernaum” which lies to the northwest (6:17), and Matthew says, “when they crossed over, they came to the land at Gennesaret” (14:34). What at first appears to be a contradiction is a commentary revealing their arduous journey filled with unexpected twists and turns. What began as a quest for the hometown of Philip, Andrew, and Peter at Bethsaida ended with their coming ashore on the western side of the sea. The wind truly was “against them” and created major changes in their efforts to reach the shore.

The Plains of Bethsaida along the Northeastern Shoreline of the Sea of Galilee

Fourth, the drama only intensifies when we read that the disciples encountered Jesus at about “25 or 30 stadia” from the land (the Greek word for furlong). Matthew’s account simply says “a long way from the land.” Based on the ancient historian Herodotus, we can estimate a Greek stadia to be about 606 feet in length. This means the disciples were approximately 3 miles from the shore and therefore near the center of this 7 ½ mile wide lake where it reached an ominous and frightening depth of 148 feet. 

So, in summary, we can see that the long hours, the fiercely determined wind, and the change in destination must have disheartened and wearied the disciples of Jesus. Their emotional defenses has been lowered. They were vulnerable and soon found themselves overcome with a terrifying fear at the sight of what they interpreted to be “a ghost” walking on the water. 

The Sea of Galilee from the Northwestern Shore looking East across the Sea

Each of these facts recounted by Matthew, Mark, and John not only convey what really occurred, but they also help us as readers to better understand the gravity of the moment. Each geographical detail was written with purpose and intent, allowing us to further identify with the people involved, and especially to know more of the one who came to rescue them. 

Now, while geographical elements coupled with a deeper examination of the text are essential, they should also serve in helping us to better understand and apply God’s word.  Without a doubt, the account of Jesus walking on the water has a greater purpose of helping us to see that he truly is the son of God (see Matthew 14:33).  But at the same time, we can learn another valuable lesson.

All of us, like the disciples in the boat, have been confronted with a change in itinerary or a difficult circumstance in life. Perhaps even now you are encountering "a wind" that is against you, and you are struggling to reach the shore.

It might be that you are having to row a lot harder and a lot longer than you anticipated.  Maybe the wind is presently carrying you away from a goal, threatening your safety, or unsettling you with fear. Perhaps you are wearied by the journey, and like the disciples, easily susceptible to anxiety, fear, or doubt.

If so, this is the time to not only remember the place and the events where Jesus walked on the water, and what it reveals about his Divine essence as the son of God, but more importantly the words he uttered while there. Above anyone else, Jesus can bring quietness to our lives and offer peace in troubling times.

To those he loved so much; to those who were weary, frightened, and struggling to reach the shore, Jesus spoke with an intensity and an emphasis placed squarely upon himself by saying, “It is I—be not afraid.”  He is the way to salvation. He alone has the power to rescue us from the deep.  This is what we should remember most when the wind is against us and we are struggling to reach the shore.

By John W. Moore