The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 80

Vere. 22-83.-Peter walking on the sea. This time was a crisis in the life of ou_r Lord. Thousands of people had followed him into a secluded part of the country, and insisted that he should proclaim himself King. It would have been a lesson to leaders of men to have seen how he induced the huge mob quietly to disperse. But the strain was tremendous. He had to control not merely the clamouring, infatuated thousands, but himself also. What more -seductive to the human spirit than the being carried by acclamation to the place of highest influence, entrusted with power to work out one's own i<leas of what is for the welfare of men? Feeling, therefore, the difficulty of the conflict, he gave himself, as soon as the victory was gained, to prayer. He spent the night calming, steadying, fortifying his spirit by fellowship with the Father.- Thus prepared, he went to seek his disciples. Why did our Lord adopt at this time so extremely unusual a mode of action? He never did singular things, although he had power to do anything. His power was infinite, so were his sobriety of mind and self- control. His motive probably was the desire to rescue his disciples from difficulties into which he himself had brought them. For consider their probable state of mind. They had first met with the deep disappointment of hearing our Lord distinctly decline a crown; they had been made conscious that, so far from helping their Master, they were sometimes encumbrances to him. But, worst of all, they had been compelled, against their own will and judgment, to embark. They seemed to have very good reason for murmuring at their M86ter, and yet here on their own lake, in their owu boat, they do his bidding. And they had their reward. They kept on as he had told them, and therefore they wer-e overtaken by his presence and help. The disciples, then, could not fail to be imprBl!sed chiefly with <Jhriafs mindfulness of th!3m, Hie appear- ance showed them that no interests of his own, however distracting, could make him oblivious of them and their necessities; it showed them also that noth_ing could prevent him from bringing them the aid they required. ls it not likely that a great part of his prayer through the night was occupied with them and their individual temptations to deny him and go with the multitude? And it were well if we could attain to the knowledge they now acquired regarding Christ's mindfulness. We seem at times to be so entirely delivered over to UD11ympathetic and almost unintelligent agents and influences, that it seems impossible the help of one so spiritual can penetrate to us or avail us aught; but he can make himself understood by the dullest forces of nature, and can find his way to us through the wildest turmoil. The men who had taken the wild fury of wind and sea as a part of the day's work, and had without any quickening of pulse faced the dangers they were profeSBionally familiar with, are appalled at once and together by the single Figure that approaches them witbo_ut menace or :aoiso. They saw in it a whole world of unconceived poSBibilitiee,and comrng at that hour when already they were hard pressed, they concluded it came as the herald of doom: God's way of helping ue is often so different from the onr, we have planned, that when 1t comes oe. XIV.1-36.] THE GOSPEL ACOORDING TO BT. MATTHEW. 83