Have you considered how lucky we are to be able to call ourselves “21st Century Christians?” Right now, on whatever device you are using to read this, you have the capability to run word searches, read commentaries, study history, and listen to experts on any passage you want in the Bible. Imagine the thoughts of Origen, Chrysostom, or Martin Luther if they saw all that we had today!
But there is one major downside to being a Bible student in the 21st century and it is that we are in the 21st century, 20 centuries removed from Christ! We fail to see, hear, and think the way a first century disciple of Jesus would have. In many ways, our culture, language, time, scientific understanding, political view, and philosophical framework bar us from experiencing Scripture the way the original audience would have. Imagine how rich our studies would be if we were able to take time and explore the Word in their shoes.
To put this biblical study method to the test, let’s consider a story that is very well known: the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. This story (found in Matthew 14:22-33) takes on an entirely different significance when we force ourselves to experience it their way. In order to see the fullness of this story, we need to change the way we see something very simple: water.
Today, we drink it, cook with it, and generally do not think much about it otherwise. But in antiquity, water was something else entirely. The Israelites were brought up in a culture that feared the powers of the chaotic waters. People in the Ancient Near East believed that water was the chaotic home of great cosmological monsters that posed a threat to humanity. Israel had a bad case of aquaphobia (fear of water). Can you blame them? During antiquity, the Near East would have experienced seasons of flooding and severe storms followed by droughts. Additionally, many in this culture were seafaring and would have seen the damage that water can cause.
Over time, the Israelites began to embody thoughts like believing the waters held the dead (Job 26:5) and chaos monsters (Is 30:7, Ps 89:10; Job 9:13; Ps 74:14; Job 3:8: etc). It was water that was used to tempt Israel (Exodus 17:1-3), strike Judah (Jeremiah 14:1-7), and housed the Enemy (Psalm 69:15).
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God understood their fear and used water to show His own power. He reminds the Israelites that it was He who bound the waters to their place (Job 38:8-11) and makes the waters shake and tremble (Psalm 77:16). He was God even of the violent and chaotic waters.
Now that we understand their view, let’s reevaluate the way we interpret the story in Matthew 14. This is not simply another miracle of Christ–it is one of the greatest miracles of Christ. In this moment, the disciples knew that Jesus was undoubtedly the great and mighty Warrior-King promised throughout the Old Testament. This Divine Warrior was so great that he could “tread the sea” (Hab 3:15), make a “path through the great waters” (Psalm 77:19) and through the “surging waves” (Is 43:16). Jesus was undoubtedly and unequivocally seen as the living, powerful God.
But God’s power does not stop there. Jesus was so in control over the chaos that He was able to give this power to Peter. Today, I want us to take time to remember we serve a God who is over the chaos. God was over the most chaotic and fearful things in the time of Peter, and He is still today. Whatever storm you are in right now and whatever chaos is all around you, remember that your Warrior-King is walking above it. Remarkably, He offers you the chance to walk above it, too. In your storm, find Jesus. Find His peace, joy, and hope. Ask for His guidance and strength to walk above the storm with Him.
Bishop Darby
