Matthew 14:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

While they awaited their salvation, their fear only intensified. The evangelist recounts that when the disciples observed Him walking on the water, they were alarmed, exclaiming, "It is a ghost," and they cried out in terror. The Lord often operates in this manner: when He seeks to alleviate a disaster, He allows other, deeper tribulations to arise. This was evident in this instance, where the sight of Christ was no less frightening than the storm itself. Christ did not dispel the darkness nor reveal Himself immediately to the disciples, as He aimed to fortify them through the persistence of their fear and to teach them endurance. This is reminiscent of Job’s experience; when God chose to end his trials, the final affliction was the most severe.

The disciples, bewildered by the unusual situation, believed they were seeing a spirit since they did not recognize His form, partly due to the darkness and their fear.

The final watch of the night marks the conclusion of darkness; each watch consists of a three-hour period. This signifies that at the culmination of the age, the Lord will reveal Himself, and He will be seen walking upon the waters. Even as the storm tosses the boat, it witnesses the Lord in His splendor, treading peacefully over all the tumultuous waves, symbolizing His dominion over the forces of this world. Previously, through the voice of His passion, He demonstrated the humility of the flesh; likewise, the sea's waves, to which He willingly surrendered Himself for our sake, bowed down in fulfillment of the prophecy: I have entered into the depths of the waters, and their swift current carries me away (Psalms 68:3). If Christ's body were merely a phantom, then He would be deceptive, and if He is deceptive, He cannot embody the Truth; yet Christ is the Truth. Therefore, His body was not a phantom.

As they boarded the vessel and faced the wind and the swelling waves, the Lord approached and made His presence known to them. However, they believed they were seeing a specter. They were certain that Christ donned a body bound by the law of gravity, leading them to conclude that a heavy form could not traverse the waters. Given this understanding, their fear was not unfounded. Yet, if it is true, as you claim, Marcion, that He lacked a physical body, then their astonishment at His ability to walk upon the sea would be understandable; for a spirit can easily walk upon water. So why their shock? If they recognized Him as incorporeal, their reaction would be misguided.

According to Marcion and Manichaeus, if our Lord did not come into the world through a Virgin birth and merely appeared as an apparition, then how do the apostles, in that moment, reveal their apprehension about the possibility of a spirit being present with them? Out of their fear, they exclaimed. Their cries of disorientation and their hesitant utterances serve as clear indicators of profound terror.

The initial fear of anticipation gave way to a subsequent fear that remained until they cried out, allowing them to strengthen their resolve in facing the challenges that followed one after another.

Even after His appearance to them, He was mistaken for a spirit, causing such fear that they cried out, despite His intent to save them. This situation mirrors what happened to ancient Israel: when the sea was poised to part miraculously and grant them escape, they found themselves in dire straits, threatened with destruction as they were encircled by foes. Today, during His presence, great turmoil often precedes the liberation of those freed from the demons that had tormented them; thus, not only are His acts of grace extraordinary, but they also remain vivid in the memories of those who have benefited from them.

A phantom appears to possess reality and an essence, yet it actually lacks true existence. Such a phantom is born from the imagination, compelling the senses to react in unusual ways. Throughout history, the Hebrews have been influenced by accounts like those of Pharaoh's seers and Saul's deceptive mediums, leading them to believe that these spectral visions are sometimes orchestrated by the tempter to lead humanity astray. This understanding aligns with the Apostle Paul's warning to the Corinthians that 'Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light' (2 Corinthians 11:14).

When the disciples observed Him walking upon the sea, they were filled with fear, exclaiming, "This is a phantom, a night terror that frightens people according to Jewish belief," and they cried out in fright, beseeching God for deliverance. God did not immediately manifest Himself to the disciples. It is beyond human capacity to withstand extended and intense temptations; thus, the Lord, desiring the righteous to grow stronger, intensifies their trials before the conclusion of their endeavors.

The fear experienced by the apostles; Peter's journey towards Jesus According to the Gospel of Mark, they perceived this figure as a specter moving past them, attempting to circumvent them (Mark 6:48). However, Jesus quickly reassured them, saying, "Be of good cheer; it is I, do not be afraid." Upon hearing His voice, the zealous Peter, who had also cried out in terror alongside the other apostles, hastened to Him and implored, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." Some commentators of the Gospel, such as Trench, suggest that Peter's plea to "command me" reflects his desire to distinguish himself from the others, similar to how he previously declared, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be" (Mark 14:29).

Finally, in their moment of greatest despair, they perceived a shimmer in the surrounding darkness: a formidable figure clad in flowing robes advanced towards them, seemingly poised to move past. Overcome with fear, they shouted out, believing they were witnessing a spirit adrift on the waters. Yet, amid the chaos and shadows, a heavenly voice pierced through, reassuring them: “it is I - do not be afraid!”

"Alarmed" means to be unsettled or terrified. When they saw a figure walking amidst the tumultuous waves on that dark night, fear gripped them. They believed he was a ‘phantom’—a mere shadow—reflecting the widespread ancient belief that the spirits of the deceased sometimes manifest as shadows, becoming visible to the living (cf. 1 Sam. 28ff.). "Christ purposely did not dispel the night, nor did He immediately reveal Himself to His disciples. Instead, by allowing their fear to linger, He aimed to fortify them and train them in the virtue of endurance" (Chrysostom).

During the fourth watch of the night, which occurs between three and six in the morning, dawn was beginning to break. The Lord observed that His disciples were experiencing hardship on their journey, so He came to their aid. After they had rowed approximately twenty-five or thirty stadia, they suddenly recognized Jesus walking on the water and mistakenly believed Him to be a spirit. All of them saw Him and were filled with fear, crying out in terror. However, He immediately reassured them, saying, "Take courage; it is I. Do not be afraid!"