This coming Sunday is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A.  Most often the first post in the series is “Context,” but given the nautical setting of the story, “getting our bearings” seemed more appropriate. After the collection of parables in Mt 13, the following chapter takes up what might well be a natural fall out of his teachings that are increasingly vague even as they point to coming judgment – weeds that will be burned and fish that will be discarded. People begin to wonder if Jesus is pronouncing judgment upon them or their “group.”

The inevitable push-back or rejection will become more and more present in the narrative or at least in its subtext.  Despite the push-back, Jesus must prepare the disciples. And so after teaching the disciples about the nature of the kingdom and why people do not necessarily believe (Mt 13), the Gospel reaches a pivot point in the telling of Jesus’ rejection at Nazareth, his native place (v.54).  As usual the people are astonished, but in the end they took offense at him (v.57).  Nonetheless Jesus continues to prepare disciples.

Where in Mt 13 he taught them via parables, in 14:12-21 he has a “hands on” lesson as he tells the disciples to give them some food yourselves as a prelude to feeding the people – and then shows them what they can accomplish through trust in the One whom God sent.  On the heels of the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, that brings us to this gospel passage where we encounter the narrative of the calming the seas, Peter’s walking upon the waters, and Jesus’ action to save him.

In the preceding chapters, Matthew draws heavily upon the biblical imagery of the prophets like Elisha and especially upon the role of Moses. This is part of Matthew’s fulfillment motifs: the promise of the great-prophet-like-Moses is coming to pass in the person of Jesus – yet there is something more. God presented the miracles to Moses as mediator to the people. Jesus presents the miracles directly to the people. What are they to make of these revelations? But in the even deeper miracle of walking upon the water, what are the Apostles to make to that revelation? This is one way the key Matthean themes of “who am I,” the making of disciples, and choosing/ conflict that continues in Matthew 14.

Image credit: Jesus and Peter on the water – Gustave Brion, oil, 1880 | Public Domain