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| The Disciples See Jesus -- H O Tanner |
To
the modern mind, powerfully influenced by the success of natural science, the miracles
recorded in the Bible present difficulties that previous eras simply did
not experience. They easily accepted, it seems, the regular occurrence of unnatural events. Our mentality has changed and left us asking: Can we honestly believe that such supernatural events
really happened? The question is especially acute when the events
involve Jesus, because the Gospel writers clearly think that his
miraculous powers were strong evidence of his divinity. The Gospel
passage for this Sunday contains just such an incident, and it is a very
puzzling one. The disciples encounter Jesus at dawn walking towards them
across the surface of a stormy sea. Peter tries to do likewise
but unsurprisingly sinks into the water -- until Jesus reaches out, and saves
him. At that point, wonderfully, the fierce wind dies down. Awestruck, the
disciples hail Jesus as truly divine.
Could
this be the record of something that actually happened? From one perspective, the
simple answer is 'Yes'. The Church teaches that Jesus wasthe true incarnation of the Creator of the cosmos. If so, even the most amazing
miracle must lie within his power. At the same time, the Gospels regularly warn against thinking of Jesus as an impressive miracle worker. His miracles,
however impressive, are not any sort of conjuring trick. The difference lies
in their meaning.
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| Jesus Walks on the Water _ Ivan Alvazovsky |
It is a commonplace that sometimes actions speak louder than words. Miracles are not
just amazing actions that we are expected to marvel at; they are also signs from
which there is something important to be learnt. To
grasp the meaning of Jesus’ miracles it is essential to see in them
what devout and faithful Jews witnessing them would have seen – the
connection
they forge between Christ's mission and the one true God revealed in the
Old
Testament. This is the God who ‘trampled the waves of the sea’
(Job
9:80), and whose 'path was through great waters, though his footsteps
were unseen’ (Ps 7:19), so it is hardly surprising that Christ's action
causes the disciples to declare ‘Truly you are the son of God’. The connection is unmistakeable.
In
the light of this truth, the episode with Peter incorporated within
this Gospel passage is especially instructive. Peter believes that his
deep devotion to Jesus will carry him across the water. The fact that he
starts to sink shows how mistaken it is to make
the strength of our own belief the ultimate test of our faith. Our will
for good, and for God, may be both resolute
and powerful. Yet the deep and uncomfortable truth is that however
sincere and committed, we cannot make ourselves the means of our own
salvation. Relying on our personal resources, we are likely, when things
turn out badly, to sink beneath
life’s waves. It is only the presence of Christ within our lives that
can save us.
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