present on the occasion would have used. In a dark niofht they could not possibly have spoken with precise accuracy. John waa there himself, and knew that excessive accuracy is sometiiies suspicious, and looks like a made-up story. John ii, 6 is a simi- lar expression.
Bengel says, " The Holy Spirit knew, and oould have told John precisely how many furlongs there were. But in Scripture he imitates popular modes of expression."
^ [They see Jesus walking on the sea, etc., etc.] This was undoubt- edly as great a miracle as any that our Lord wrought.
" Moses," says Theophylact, " as a servant, by the power of God divided the sea. But Christ, the Lord of all, by His own power walked on the sea."
For a sohd body to walk on the face of the water as on dry land, is an entire suspension of what are called the laws of nature. It was, of course, as easy for Him by whom the waters were first created to walk upon them as to create them. But the whole proceeding was so entirely supernatural, that we can tho- roughly understand the disciples being " afraid." Nothing is found to alarm human nature so much as being suddenly brought into contact with anything apparently supernatural and belonging to another world, and especially in the night. The feelings called forth on such occasions, even in ungodly and irreligious men, are one of the strongest indirect proofs, that all men's consciences recognize an unseen world.
That a mighty miracle really was wrought upon this occasion is the only reasonable account that can be given of the fact that we are told. St. Mark adds to St. John's account, that when Jesus came near the ship, " He would have passed by them." (Mark vi. 48.) St. Matthew adds another fact of even greater importance. He tells us that Peter said, " Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the wa^er. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesas." (Matt. xiv. 28, 29.) Such a fict as this cannot possibly be explained away. Not only did our Lord walk on the water Himself, but He also gave one of His twelve apostles power to do the same.
To say in the face of such facts as these, that there was in reality no miracle, — that the disciples were mistaken, — that our Lord was only walking on the shore near the vessel, — that tha superstitious fear of the disciples made them fancy that He was walking on the sea, — that they finally put to shore, and took Him on board, — to say such things as these pleases some persons who profess not to believe any miracles at all ! But such views cannot possibly be reconciled with the account of what really