1 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:12,880 Hi, everyone. Welcome back once again to 2 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,480 Logical Bible Study. We're continuing to look at the 3 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:18,560 Gospel of Matthew, really diving into the text and seeing what 4 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,080 the riches are that are there on the literal level. 5 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:24,680 That's what we're all about in this podcast, helping you get at 6 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,720 the literal sense of the text. What does it mean on the most 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,840 fundamental level, which is where we're supposed to start as 8 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:32,439 Catholics when we're studying the Bible. 9 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,720 So we're looking today at Matthew, chapter 14, verses 22 10 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,960 to 33, and I think this will be a familiar passage for most of 11 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,120 you who are listening. But I think there's also some 12 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,280 things in here that you might have missed before as well. 13 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,550 So Matthew 14. Jesus made the disciples get 14 00:00:51,550 --> 00:00:55,710 into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he would 15 00:00:55,710 --> 00:00:59,750 send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away, 16 00:00:59,750 --> 00:01:02,550 he went up into the hills by himself to pray. 17 00:01:03,390 --> 00:01:08,230 When evening came he was there alone, while the boat, by now 18 00:01:08,230 --> 00:01:11,950 far out on the lake, was battling with the heavy sea, for 19 00:01:11,950 --> 00:01:16,150 there was a headwind. In the 4th watch of the night he 20 00:01:16,150 --> 00:01:20,750 went towards them walking on the lake, and when the disciple saw 21 00:01:20,830 --> 00:01:23,630 him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 22 00:01:24,230 --> 00:01:27,430 It is a ghost, they said and they cried out in fear. 23 00:01:28,670 --> 00:01:33,710 But at once Jesus called out to them saying courage it is I do 24 00:01:33,710 --> 00:01:37,590 not be afraid. It was Peter who answered. 25 00:01:38,070 --> 00:01:42,070 Lord, he said, If it is you, tell me to come to you across 26 00:01:42,070 --> 00:01:45,470 the water. Come, said Jesus. 27 00:01:46,620 --> 00:01:49,460 Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards 28 00:01:49,540 --> 00:01:53,260 Jesus across the water. But as soon as he felt the force 29 00:01:53,260 --> 00:01:55,900 of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. 30 00:01:56,660 --> 00:02:01,660 Lord save me, He cried. Jesus put out his hand at once 31 00:02:01,700 --> 00:02:05,180 and held him. Man of little faith, he said. 32 00:02:05,580 --> 00:02:08,699 Why did you doubt? And as they got back into the 33 00:02:08,699 --> 00:02:12,700 boat, the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down 34 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:18,860 before him and said truly you are the son of God, so this 35 00:02:18,860 --> 00:02:21,100 passage is very familiar to most people. 36 00:02:21,220 --> 00:02:23,500 Jesus walks on water. It's the miracle that a lot of 37 00:02:23,500 --> 00:02:26,660 people think of when we asked about Jesus. 38 00:02:26,660 --> 00:02:30,340 Miracles, and in a lot of ways it is quite a straightforward 39 00:02:30,340 --> 00:02:31,700 narrative. There's nothing in here that's 40 00:02:31,700 --> 00:02:35,180 particularly difficult to grasp. However, there's a few nuances 41 00:02:35,180 --> 00:02:38,700 that are worth looking at. So firstly, the context here is 42 00:02:38,700 --> 00:02:41,540 important. They've just fed the 5000 people 43 00:02:41,540 --> 00:02:45,130 by the Sea of Galilee. This is only minutes later this, 44 00:02:45,210 --> 00:02:47,090 that miracle is literally just happened. 45 00:02:47,090 --> 00:02:49,050 It's the same day. It's only minutes later. 46 00:02:49,810 --> 00:02:52,970 Verse 22, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat. 47 00:02:53,530 --> 00:02:55,690 So they have a boat that they've been using on the Sea of 48 00:02:55,690 --> 00:02:58,730 Galilee. Now Jesus is probably planning 49 00:02:58,730 --> 00:03:02,690 to do this miracle. He knows what is he's going to 50 00:03:02,690 --> 00:03:04,650 do tonight. So the timing is right for him 51 00:03:04,650 --> 00:03:07,570 to do this miracle. But for that to work, he needs 52 00:03:07,570 --> 00:03:10,410 for them to be in the boat and for him to not be in the boat. 53 00:03:10,610 --> 00:03:12,210 So he's setting up the situation. 54 00:03:12,710 --> 00:03:15,310 He tells them to go on ahead to the other side, while he would 55 00:03:15,310 --> 00:03:19,070 send the crowds away. Now, Mark's version is a bit 56 00:03:19,070 --> 00:03:22,470 more specific. Mark's version says that Jesus 57 00:03:22,470 --> 00:03:27,390 sent them across to Beth Seder. Now that's not very far from 58 00:03:27,390 --> 00:03:29,230 where they are. It's just on the other side of 59 00:03:29,230 --> 00:03:32,630 the lake, and the lake is only about 8 miles across. 60 00:03:33,670 --> 00:03:36,030 So it looks like the direction that he's sending them in, if 61 00:03:36,030 --> 00:03:39,430 they did the miracle on the eastern side of the Sea of 62 00:03:39,430 --> 00:03:41,990 Galilee, which it looks like they probably did, he's sending 63 00:03:41,990 --> 00:03:46,350 them across to the northwest side where Beth Seder is, which 64 00:03:46,350 --> 00:03:51,310 is actually near Capernum. So verse 23, after sending the 65 00:03:51,310 --> 00:03:54,310 crowds away, now, it's worth noticing that Jesus at this 66 00:03:54,310 --> 00:03:56,350 point actually tells the crowds to go away. 67 00:03:56,790 --> 00:03:59,870 We often miss that. So he goes up into the hills by 68 00:03:59,870 --> 00:04:02,190 himself. So the Sea of Galilee, even if 69 00:04:02,190 --> 00:04:04,710 you go there today, it's surrounded by these small 70 00:04:04,710 --> 00:04:06,910 rolling hills. There were actually hills 71 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,640 surrounding the sea, so he goes up into the hills by himself to 72 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:14,480 pray. This is one of these scenes 73 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,360 where Jesus goes to pray by himself, so he actually goes 74 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,560 looking for solitude. Remember that before the miracle 75 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,240 of the 5000, Jesus had actually been hoping to have some time by 76 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:25,840 himself. He was looking for some rest 77 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:29,600 time and now finally he gets it. Jesus often does this in the 78 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,000 Gospels. It's prayer is the source of his 79 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,290 energy and he's got this constant balance between work 80 00:04:35,570 --> 00:04:37,650 and rest. And he's telling the apostles 81 00:04:37,650 --> 00:04:40,610 that they need the same they need to work but pray as well. 82 00:04:41,570 --> 00:04:43,570 When evening came, he was there alone. 83 00:04:44,090 --> 00:04:46,610 Now given what happened in the feeding of the 5000, remember 84 00:04:46,610 --> 00:04:49,210 the apostle said to him it's getting close to evening and we 85 00:04:49,210 --> 00:04:52,210 need to feed them. And now it says when evening 86 00:04:52,210 --> 00:04:53,930 came. So it's probably not that long 87 00:04:54,210 --> 00:04:57,050 after Jesus has done the multiplication of the loaves. 88 00:04:57,050 --> 00:05:00,610 This all happens pretty quickly. The loaves are multiplied, the 89 00:05:00,610 --> 00:05:04,010 crowd gets fed, Jesus sends them away, and then he sends the 90 00:05:04,010 --> 00:05:05,970 disciples into the boat and he goes up the hill. 91 00:05:05,970 --> 00:05:10,090 This could have all happened within about an hour, verse 22, 92 00:05:10,090 --> 00:05:14,010 while the boat by now far out on the lake, so they're probably 93 00:05:14,010 --> 00:05:17,130 out in the middle of the lake, perhaps was battling with a 94 00:05:17,130 --> 00:05:18,930 heavy sea for there was a headwind. 95 00:05:20,370 --> 00:05:22,650 So this is the start of the evening, and already they're 96 00:05:22,650 --> 00:05:25,560 battling with a strong wind in the sea. 97 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:29,000 Now big storms were quite common in the Sea of Galilee because 98 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,760 wind would whip down the hills and it would cause these quite 99 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,640 significant storms. Now don't get confused between 100 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:39,240 this and another story. When Jesus calms the storm on 101 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,120 the Sea of Galilee, that also involves a boat, and that also 102 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,640 involves Jesus doing a miracle and the disciples being scared. 103 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:47,000 But it's actually a different story. 104 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,800 It's easy to get them confused. So that has already happened 105 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,080 earlier in Matthew. Here we're not talking about the 106 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:58,360 miracle of Jesus calming the storm, but still the disciples 107 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:00,360 here are caught in a storm and it's evening. 108 00:06:00,970 --> 00:06:03,930 Mark's version says the apostles here are worn out from rowing, 109 00:06:04,170 --> 00:06:06,130 so there's no sails on these boats. 110 00:06:06,130 --> 00:06:08,970 They have oars. So the apostles are trying to 111 00:06:09,090 --> 00:06:14,450 row against the wind apparently. So as I said, don't get this 112 00:06:14,450 --> 00:06:16,930 confused with Jesus calming the storm. 113 00:06:16,930 --> 00:06:20,170 So in the case we're looking at, there is a strong wind, but it's 114 00:06:20,170 --> 00:06:22,290 not life threatening. The apostles are not saying 115 00:06:22,290 --> 00:06:25,490 things like, Lord, we're going to die in this storm. 116 00:06:25,490 --> 00:06:28,170 We don't see that in this story. So it's not life threatening, 117 00:06:29,130 --> 00:06:30,730 but it is still a significant wind. 118 00:06:32,490 --> 00:06:35,410 Now Jesus is up on the hill. He probably can't see individual 119 00:06:35,410 --> 00:06:37,970 people on the boat, but he can probably see that the boat is 120 00:06:37,970 --> 00:06:39,690 not moving, that it's struggling a bit. 121 00:06:40,410 --> 00:06:42,970 Verse 25. Now the time skips a bit in the 122 00:06:42,970 --> 00:06:46,810 4th watch of the night. Now what does it mean by watch 123 00:06:46,810 --> 00:06:48,970 of the night? Well, according to the Roman 124 00:06:48,970 --> 00:06:52,730 system at this time, the 12 hours of the night from about 125 00:06:52,730 --> 00:06:56,650 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM were broken up into four watches. 126 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,520 The last watch would have been between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM. 127 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,400 So we're now at 3:00 AM. Remember that last time we saw 128 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,360 Jesus, he was going to pray and it was 6:00 PM, and now it's 129 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,760 3:00 AM. So apparently Jesus has been 130 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,880 praying for several hours, and the disciples have been battling 131 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,640 the storm for some time as well. It's 3:00 AM in the morning. 132 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:20,000 Now, verse 25. Jesus went towards them walking 133 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,940 on the lake. Now this is a miracle. 134 00:07:22,940 --> 00:07:25,540 Clearly it's a miracle. There's no magic going on here. 135 00:07:25,860 --> 00:07:28,220 People have tried to come up with natural explanations of how 136 00:07:28,220 --> 00:07:30,820 this could be done, but it's clearly presented as a miracle. 137 00:07:31,020 --> 00:07:33,340 We're not given an explanation of how Jesus does it. 138 00:07:33,500 --> 00:07:36,900 He just does it with his power. He walks on the water. 139 00:07:37,540 --> 00:07:40,780 It appears the reason he does this, considering that the 140 00:07:40,780 --> 00:07:44,300 apostles are not going to die in this case, they would be OK. 141 00:07:45,740 --> 00:07:48,860 The reason he walks in them on water is to display his power. 142 00:07:48,860 --> 00:07:52,190 He's doing this deliberately to show them or to get them to 143 00:07:52,190 --> 00:07:55,110 think about who he is. He wants his disciples to 144 00:07:55,110 --> 00:07:58,430 realize his identity and he believes the timing is now right 145 00:07:59,230 --> 00:08:01,790 to do this particular miracle. Maybe if he did it earlier they 146 00:08:01,790 --> 00:08:04,430 wouldn't be able to handle it, but he decides the timing is now 147 00:08:04,430 --> 00:08:06,030 right for him to walk on the water. 148 00:08:07,150 --> 00:08:08,670 So we don't know how Jesus does it. 149 00:08:08,670 --> 00:08:11,630 Maybe it's some sort of change in the water molecules or maybe 150 00:08:11,670 --> 00:08:15,230 a change in Jesus feet. CS Lewis actually has some 151 00:08:15,230 --> 00:08:17,750 really interesting comments about this miracle. 152 00:08:17,750 --> 00:08:21,030 He in his book called Miracles, there's a part where he talks 153 00:08:21,030 --> 00:08:23,710 about this miracle of Jesus walking on the water and he sort 154 00:08:23,710 --> 00:08:28,510 of frames it as like the water. The created water was waiting, 155 00:08:28,710 --> 00:08:32,270 just waiting for the creator to set foot on it so that then 156 00:08:32,270 --> 00:08:34,950 those water molecules could rearrange and accommodate their 157 00:08:34,950 --> 00:08:36,830 creator. And he's got quite beautiful 158 00:08:36,830 --> 00:08:41,390 language about this miracle. So Jesus walks on the water. 159 00:08:41,390 --> 00:08:44,830 Verse 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they 160 00:08:44,830 --> 00:08:48,150 were terrified and it says they thought he was a ghost. 161 00:08:49,660 --> 00:08:53,220 Now, Jews did believe in ghosts or disembodied spirits, and they 162 00:08:53,220 --> 00:08:55,540 believed that they were connected to the work of Satan. 163 00:08:55,540 --> 00:08:58,140 So if you saw a ghost, it was considered to be demonic. 164 00:08:59,140 --> 00:09:01,500 They probably don't think it's the ghost of Jesus because it's 165 00:09:01,500 --> 00:09:03,660 dark. They probably don't see that it 166 00:09:03,660 --> 00:09:05,900 looks like Jesus. They just see a ghost of some 167 00:09:05,900 --> 00:09:07,620 sort. It's dark and they can't see 168 00:09:07,620 --> 00:09:11,380 very far, so it's natural for them to say it must be a ghost. 169 00:09:12,180 --> 00:09:14,780 So they cry out in fear. They're actually freaking out. 170 00:09:16,060 --> 00:09:22,030 Verse 20 verse 27 Jesus says courage or take heart is what it 171 00:09:22,030 --> 00:09:24,190 more literally says. There He says it is. 172 00:09:24,190 --> 00:09:28,350 I do not be afraid. Why does he say that while 173 00:09:28,350 --> 00:09:31,430 they're freaking out. So Jesus, main reason here is 174 00:09:31,430 --> 00:09:33,270 stop freaking out. I'm not a ghost. 175 00:09:33,350 --> 00:09:37,550 It is I take heart, it's me. But there could be more going on 176 00:09:37,550 --> 00:09:41,870 here as well because it is I in Greek is ego. 177 00:09:41,870 --> 00:09:46,190 I me and that literally translate translates as I am. 178 00:09:46,430 --> 00:09:49,860 And of course that's God's name as revealed in the burning Bush 179 00:09:49,860 --> 00:09:51,540 and in other places in the Old Testament. 180 00:09:51,540 --> 00:09:55,420 So maybe Jesus here is actually saying I am as in I'm God. 181 00:09:55,740 --> 00:10:00,220 There might be some of that going on verse 28, it was Peter 182 00:10:00,220 --> 00:10:02,140 who answered. Now this is significant. 183 00:10:02,140 --> 00:10:03,860 It's none of the other apostles do this. 184 00:10:04,140 --> 00:10:06,340 Peter speaks up on behalf of the apostles. 185 00:10:06,780 --> 00:10:09,300 This is one of those verses that we often forget about. 186 00:10:09,300 --> 00:10:13,940 But it clearly shows that Jesus is the leader of the apostles 187 00:10:13,980 --> 00:10:17,180 and that he is prompted by God in a special way that the others 188 00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:19,780 aren't. So it's foreshadowing his future 189 00:10:19,780 --> 00:10:21,260 leadership of the church as well. 190 00:10:22,700 --> 00:10:27,060 He says Lord, if it was, if it is you, tell me to come to you 191 00:10:27,060 --> 00:10:29,860 across the water. Now this is actually a profound 192 00:10:29,860 --> 00:10:34,260 act of faith on Peter's part. He says if it if it is you, 193 00:10:34,300 --> 00:10:36,780 Jesus. And then he knows that Jesus 194 00:10:36,780 --> 00:10:39,700 will give Peter the ability to walk to him on water. 195 00:10:39,700 --> 00:10:41,100 So it's actually an act of faith. 196 00:10:41,540 --> 00:10:45,350 He's saying, Lord, I believe that you have the power to call 197 00:10:45,350 --> 00:10:47,470 me out, to walk on the water. Even me. 198 00:10:47,470 --> 00:10:50,990 I can walk on the water if you give me the power to, if it is 199 00:10:50,990 --> 00:10:54,350 you that I'm speaking to. So Peter is putting himself on 200 00:10:54,350 --> 00:10:56,630 the line here. He's willing to give it a try 201 00:10:56,630 --> 00:11:00,070 and walk out on the lake. There's actually profound level 202 00:11:00,070 --> 00:11:01,830 of faith going on here, if you think about it. 203 00:11:03,190 --> 00:11:07,710 So Jesus simply says one word to him, come, and that's quite 204 00:11:07,710 --> 00:11:09,710 beautiful. So Jesus accepts Peter's 205 00:11:09,710 --> 00:11:13,470 conditions, accepts the proposal, and he invites Peter 206 00:11:13,750 --> 00:11:15,590 to follow him out onto the water. 207 00:11:15,590 --> 00:11:18,870 And of course this, in a way you could say it foreshadows his 208 00:11:18,870 --> 00:11:25,590 future role as the first Pope. He's calling Peter to have faith 209 00:11:25,590 --> 00:11:29,790 and to follow him and to be in touch with the supernatural 210 00:11:29,790 --> 00:11:32,150 powers that would enable him to do these things. 211 00:11:32,150 --> 00:11:33,870 So there's some interesting things going on here. 212 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:38,120 So Peter gets out of the boat and starts walking towards Jesus 213 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,480 across the water. So clearly this is a 214 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,120 supernatural miracle. Peter doesn't have this ability 215 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,760 himself. Now the source of the miracle is 216 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,160 Jesus. Certainly Jesus makes the 217 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,800 miracle possible. However, as we'll see, it's 218 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,840 Peter's faith that allows the miracle to actually happen. 219 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,120 If Peter doesn't have the faith, it seems that this miracle would 220 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,800 not have taken place. So there's this interesting 221 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:05,800 theology in the Gospels of we need Jesus will and people's 222 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,880 cooperation in order for the miracle to happen. 223 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:09,840 We have to let God's grace work through us. 224 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:14,200 In other words, verse 30, as soon as he felt the force of the 225 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,320 wind, he took fright and began to sink. 226 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:20,560 So when Peter begins to doubt, the miracle becomes less 227 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:22,200 effective. Did you notice that as soon as 228 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,080 he starts to have unbelief, the miracle stops working? 229 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,200 And this reflects the Gospel's theme that Jesus cannot do 230 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,680 miracles in places where there's a lack of faith. 231 00:12:33,220 --> 00:12:37,140 The actual Greek here says that when Peter saw the wind, and 232 00:12:37,140 --> 00:12:41,140 that might imply to Matthew's readers that Peter took his eyes 233 00:12:41,180 --> 00:12:44,500 off Jesus and started to look at the wind because it actually 234 00:12:44,500 --> 00:12:47,460 says he is sore when when Peter saw the wind. 235 00:12:48,500 --> 00:12:52,100 Now often you'll hear sermons about what this means in terms 236 00:12:52,100 --> 00:12:55,420 of we shouldn't take our eyes off Jesus, all those sorts of 237 00:12:55,420 --> 00:12:57,260 things. There's probably not supposed to 238 00:12:57,260 --> 00:13:00,020 be a universal principle here about faith and miracles. 239 00:13:00,020 --> 00:13:02,380 This is a special one off miracle for Peter. 240 00:13:03,130 --> 00:13:06,250 There probably are spiritual applications of this text here, 241 00:13:07,130 --> 00:13:09,970 but we need to be careful because the literal sense it's a 242 00:13:09,970 --> 00:13:12,530 one off miracle involving Peter and Jesus. 243 00:13:13,450 --> 00:13:16,050 So he's sinking and he cries, Lord save me. 244 00:13:16,610 --> 00:13:19,930 So Peter is clearly afraid, but at least he has faith that Jesus 245 00:13:19,930 --> 00:13:22,970 can help him. Here Jesus put out his hand at 246 00:13:22,970 --> 00:13:26,730 once and held him. So Jesus immediately helps as 247 00:13:26,730 --> 00:13:30,070 soon as Peter asks for it. Notice that the language here he 248 00:13:30,070 --> 00:13:32,790 held him or he caught him. So it's quite a dramatic scene. 249 00:13:32,790 --> 00:13:36,550 You can imagine Jesus arm. So Jesus standing on the water 250 00:13:36,550 --> 00:13:41,030 still and his arm reaches down to Peter who's sinking and he 251 00:13:41,030 --> 00:13:45,030 literally grabs him and pulls him out of the water and he says 252 00:13:45,030 --> 00:13:48,230 to Peter, man of little faith, why did you doubt? 253 00:13:49,270 --> 00:13:51,590 So Jesus here says. Notice the implication. 254 00:13:52,150 --> 00:13:54,990 If Peter had not doubted. If Peter had maintained his 255 00:13:54,990 --> 00:13:59,090 faith, then Jesus would have helped him reach Jesus. 256 00:13:59,490 --> 00:14:01,810 So he would have been able to keep walking on the water if he 257 00:14:02,570 --> 00:14:04,090 if he hadn't have started doubting. 258 00:14:05,690 --> 00:14:08,850 Now Jesus is not angry here when he says man of little faith. 259 00:14:08,850 --> 00:14:11,250 Why did you doubt? It's actually a statement more 260 00:14:11,250 --> 00:14:13,410 of correction rather than condemnation. 261 00:14:13,770 --> 00:14:16,250 He wants to encourage Peter to have stronger faith in the 262 00:14:16,250 --> 00:14:18,210 future. So basically he wants him to not 263 00:14:18,210 --> 00:14:22,090 make the same mistake again. Verse 32. 264 00:14:22,090 --> 00:14:24,330 As they got into the boat, the wind dropped. 265 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,080 So presumably God stopped the wind in order to help the 266 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,840 disciple see that Jesus has power over nature. 267 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:35,600 Jesus has already done this once in chapter 8 in verse 23 to 27, 268 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,560 when Jesus actually calms the storm. 269 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:39,640 That's what Jesus did in that story. 270 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,960 He calmed the storm, but in that story he rebuked the wind, 271 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:44,320 whereas here he doesn't say anything. 272 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,080 The wind just stops. It dies down automatically. 273 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:51,360 When this happens, the men in the boat bowed down before him, 274 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:56,240 so the disciples apparently realize Jesus identity and they 275 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,520 start to worship him as soon as he gets into the boat and the 276 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:03,400 wind dies down and they say truly you are the son of God. 277 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,680 Now there's some debate here amongst scholars about what to 278 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:10,240 make of this because Mark's version, they don't say this. 279 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,080 They actually seem to be quite befuddled and confused about 280 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,680 what to make of this incident and doesn't say anything about 281 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,160 them worshipping Jesus. In fact, the implication we get 282 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,480 from Mark's version, Mark's version says that the apostles 283 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:27,440 minds were closed. So if we're to take these words 284 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,240 when they say truly you are the son of God, if we're to say that 285 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:33,360 they actually did say this on this occasion, then it must be 286 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,640 not genuine. They must not really understand 287 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:37,680 that he's the son of God. They may be just saying it out 288 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,880 of amazement, but they don't really understand who he is. 289 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,840 It's only later that they fully grasp Jesus identity, and even 290 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,490 then they seem to not quite get it. 291 00:15:47,490 --> 00:15:50,490 So there's some debate among scholars of did they say this on 292 00:15:50,490 --> 00:15:52,970 this occasion? How do we reconcile Mark's 293 00:15:52,970 --> 00:15:56,490 version where they seem confused about Jesus identity here, 294 00:15:56,730 --> 00:15:59,610 versus Matthew's version where they confess that he's the son 295 00:15:59,610 --> 00:16:03,250 of God and whether Matthew has inserted some words from a 296 00:16:03,250 --> 00:16:05,090 different occasion? And that's quite possible. 297 00:16:05,970 --> 00:16:09,010 So there's some debate about what the exact words that the 298 00:16:09,010 --> 00:16:14,890 apostles said here were. Now Jesus has just calmed the 299 00:16:14,890 --> 00:16:16,250 waves. He's calmed a storm. 300 00:16:16,250 --> 00:16:19,250 This might have echoes to some other passages in the Old 301 00:16:19,250 --> 00:16:22,050 Testament, particularly Psalm 107, which says this. 302 00:16:22,730 --> 00:16:26,330 God satisfies the thirsty, fills the hungry with good things. 303 00:16:26,890 --> 00:16:30,330 He spoke and roused a storm, wind it tossed the waves on 304 00:16:30,330 --> 00:16:32,970 high. He hushed the storm to a murmur. 305 00:16:33,210 --> 00:16:35,050 The waves of the sea were stilled. 306 00:16:36,210 --> 00:16:39,130 So interesting link there. And it's possible that for the 307 00:16:39,130 --> 00:16:42,990 disciples, and maybe also for Matthew's readers, when Jesus 308 00:16:42,990 --> 00:16:45,230 calmed the storm, they might have understood this as an 309 00:16:45,230 --> 00:16:47,190 action that only God can perform. 310 00:16:47,190 --> 00:16:50,390 So maybe they would have started to look the genuinely look at 311 00:16:50,390 --> 00:16:55,190 Jesus as God. So this is the end of chapter 14 312 00:16:55,190 --> 00:16:59,390 of Matthew, and there's a whole section at the start of Matthew 313 00:16:59,390 --> 00:17:02,390 15 which is the next part, but we never get to hear that in the 314 00:17:02,390 --> 00:17:04,710 lectionary. So it all gets a bit messy in 315 00:17:04,710 --> 00:17:10,829 the next bit here. So verses 1 to 2 and 10 to 14 of 316 00:17:11,170 --> 00:17:12,849 chapter 15, which is the next bit. 317 00:17:13,050 --> 00:17:17,369 They're read on Tuesday in week 18 of ordinary time, but only in 318 00:17:17,369 --> 00:17:22,530 year A, so verses 1 to 210 to 14 You'll only get to hear them on 319 00:17:22,530 --> 00:17:26,130 year A, not in B&C. Usually with most weekday things 320 00:17:26,130 --> 00:17:28,690 you hear them every year, but this is one of those ones that's 321 00:17:28,850 --> 00:17:33,770 only on a weekday in year A. Now verses 3 to 8, which is 322 00:17:33,770 --> 00:17:36,690 about the traditions of men, which is often used against 323 00:17:36,690 --> 00:17:40,100 Catholic teaching, actually. So verses 3 to 8 as well as 324 00:17:40,100 --> 00:17:42,580 verses 15 to 20. And that's the passage where 325 00:17:42,660 --> 00:17:46,060 Jesus says it is what comes out of the heart which defiles a 326 00:17:46,060 --> 00:17:48,860 man. So those two passages, which are 327 00:17:48,860 --> 00:17:52,060 also at the start of Matthew 15, they're never actually read in 328 00:17:52,060 --> 00:17:53,980 the electionary. So if you want to hear those 329 00:17:53,980 --> 00:17:57,940 missing parts of the start of Matthew chapter 15, which we'll 330 00:17:57,940 --> 00:18:00,620 be starting to look at in the coming days, if you want to hear 331 00:18:00,620 --> 00:18:03,460 those missing bits that you won't hear a mass, then we'll 332 00:18:03,460 --> 00:18:05,820 cover those as bonus episodes of the podcast. 333 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,200 And the idea is, if you become a Patreon supporter of the 334 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:13,400 Ministry, you can get access to all the bonus episodes and once 335 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:17,160 they're all released, you will have heard the entire text of 336 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,240 all four Gospels. You won't get to hear that 337 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,120 through the regular podcast. You get to hear most passages, 338 00:18:22,120 --> 00:18:24,800 but not all of them, because there's some which are never 339 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:26,920 read in the electionary. And if you want to hear those, 340 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,840 if you want to hear an exegesis or those missing verses, then 341 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:34,160 the way to do that is by coming a becoming a financial partner 342 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,510 of the Ministry. Even just $10 a month goes a 343 00:18:37,510 --> 00:18:40,390 long way to help the ministry reach more people. 344 00:18:40,590 --> 00:18:43,550 So please prayerfully consider doing that. 345 00:18:43,550 --> 00:18:45,710 And there's information about that in the show notes. 346 00:18:47,150 --> 00:18:49,430 Let's now turn to the catechism of the Catholic Church. 347 00:18:49,910 --> 00:18:53,630 Where does today's passage from Matthew 14 inform Catholic 348 00:18:53,630 --> 00:18:55,990 teaching? There's one place, and that's in 349 00:18:55,990 --> 00:18:58,110 the passage about the title Lord. 350 00:18:58,790 --> 00:19:02,270 It says very often in the Gospels, people address Jesus as 351 00:19:02,270 --> 00:19:04,870 Lord. This title testifies to the 352 00:19:04,870 --> 00:19:07,870 respect and trust of those who approach him for help and 353 00:19:07,870 --> 00:19:10,230 healing. At the prompting of the Holy 354 00:19:10,230 --> 00:19:13,670 Spirit, Lord expresses the recognition of the divine 355 00:19:13,670 --> 00:19:16,710 mystery of Jesus. In the encounter with the risen 356 00:19:16,750 --> 00:19:20,790 Jesus, the title becomes adoration, My Lord and my God. 357 00:19:21,150 --> 00:19:24,790 It thus takes on a connotation of love and affection that 358 00:19:24,790 --> 00:19:26,910 remains proper to the Christian tradition. 359 00:19:27,270 --> 00:19:30,350 It is the Lord. So this paragraph makes 360 00:19:30,350 --> 00:19:32,710 reference to a number of passages in the Gospels where 361 00:19:32,990 --> 00:19:35,350 people call Jesus Lord. And we hear that today when 362 00:19:35,350 --> 00:19:39,910 Peter is sinking, he says, save me, Lord, so we'll leave it 363 00:19:39,910 --> 00:19:41,630 there for today. I hope you've learned something 364 00:19:41,630 --> 00:19:43,270 new. There's always fascinating 365 00:19:43,270 --> 00:19:46,110 things to discover in the text of Matthew's Gospel, and we'll 366 00:19:46,110 --> 00:19:49,030 continue to look at chapter 15 in the coming days.