WHY Jesus walked on the SEA, but Peter just on WATER?

WHY Jesus walked on the SEA, but Peter just on WATER?

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θάλασσαν VS ὕδατα

Was the vocative imperative command COME just for Peter or to ALL disciples?

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
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28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

47 Comments

  • Reply October 5, 2023

    Anonymous

    θάλασσαν VS ὕδατα John Mushenhouse William DeArteaga Isara Mo

    • Reply October 5, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day “sea” is a general overview of what the disciples saw from their boat and “water” is the immediate context in which Peter has to show his faith-obedience.

    • Reply October 5, 2023

      Anonymous

      Thangsan Hisfootstep BUT the disciples saw JESUS also in the immediate context though Philip Williams has stated this seeing silly

  • Reply October 5, 2023

    Anonymous

    Was the vocative imperative command “COME” just for Peter or to ALL disciples ???

    • Reply October 5, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day “to all disciples” but in view of discipleship (not in the exact situation of Peter there) that only a few like Peter will dare to response.

    • Reply October 5, 2023

      Anonymous

      Thangsan Hisfootstep well how do you mean then ?
      if we remove the verse where Peter tells Jesus to order him
      How would the dialogue differ then ?

  • Reply October 5, 2023

    Anonymous

    we do hope you can provide answers here from your in-depth greek studies Link Hudson Peter Vandever Ricky Grimsley Philip Williams

    • Reply October 5, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day silly

    • Reply October 5, 2023

      Anonymous

      I hope there is no preacher out there trying to preach a lengthy sermon on this one, like a folded napkin sermon if any of you have heard that. Sometimes two similar words are just used in the same context. We do that for variety in English.

      There might be something to the idea that if you see someone at a distance walking on the ‘sea’ of Galilee, you might have called it a sea, but if it’s up close where you can really see it’s water, then water? But it doesn’t look like some distinction for great theological meaning to me.

    • Reply October 5, 2023

      Anonymous

      Link Hudson how would you know if these 2 Greek words are similar or not? We do not see θάλασσαν VS ὕδατα in any similarity context in the NT – can you provide any Biblical examples to explain your stance?

    • Reply October 5, 2023

      Anonymous

      Philip Williams could be but you never noticed it until it was pointed out John Mushenhouse may provide a better contextual terminology

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day that was not my point.

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Link Hudson how would you know if these 2 Greek words are similar or not- θάλασσαν VS ὕδατα I am interested in your thinking process

      like do you get up in the morning and you just know this?
      do you pray in tongues and receive it as interpretation ?
      do you go to some secret gnostic website that tells you?
      I am just wondering how do you come up with your personal interpretations of the BIBLE, claim they are truly Pentecostal and then delete them?

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day sea and water have conceptual similarities, assuming the speakers have seen a sea, or lake in this case.

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Link Hudson not sure how you mean this about θάλασσαν VS ὕδατα but they do not have conceptual linguistic similarities or consistently similarities here The author uses them because of their difference

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day sea made out of water.

  • Reply October 6, 2023

    Anonymous

    Usually, Jesus Christ has been utilizing the cloud for His journey. As He is very far from the seashore, He has suspended the system of Gravity temporarily to show His disciples that they can do the same if they have faith. As per the Bible, “Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come, and when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus” (Matthew 14:26 & 27). When doubt comes, problems arise. Amen!

  • Reply October 6, 2023

    Anonymous

    Usually, Jesus Christ has been utilizing the cloud for His journey. Bible says, “And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night, and would have passed by them. He cometh unto them, walking upon the sea (Mark 6:47 & 48). As He is very far from the seashore, He has suspended the system of Gravity temporarily to show His disciples that they can do the same if they have faith. As per the Bible, “Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come, and when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus” (Matthew 14:26 & 27). When Peter doubts, problems arise. Amen!

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Rasiah Thomas why utilizing the sea now?

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day It implies that the sea is meant for this world. He will be able to empower us through the Holy Spirit. Amen!

  • Reply October 6, 2023

    Anonymous

    Because Jesus was fully man fully GOD and Peter was fully man fully man

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Isara Mo how do you mean this ?

  • Reply October 6, 2023

    Anonymous

    Rasiah Thomas the BIBLE never says JESUS suspended the system of Gravity temporarily
    This is something even Link Hudson has not read in his secret sources
    was Gravity temporarily suspended just for PEter
    Or for peter and JEsus as well?
    DOES GOD need to suspend anything to walk on the SEA?
    Neil Steven Lawrence Nelson Banuchi Isara Mo Joseph D. Absher Terry Wiles

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day we do not know if God suspended gravity, made water more dense, had angels hold them up or what.

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Link Hudson well Rasiah Thomas made this suggestion
      Did Jesus need to do ANYthing extra to walk on water?
      Dont think so
      Did he need to do anything extra for Peter to walk on water?
      Is this the difference between sea and water here?
      After all Jesus walked miles on the sea from the shore to the ship
      Peter walked one short distance on water ONLY with the purpose to go to Jesus – θάλασσαν VS ὕδαταis the KEY here

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day Nothig is required for our Lord Jesus Christ. However, His Chief Disciple has to walk like Him at sea level.

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day or coukd it the sea was made out of water?

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day
      If we could explain miracles fully, then they would not be miracles. I think it’s appropriate that an element of mystery remains.
      They are super-natural! 

      We have to get out of the enlightenment habit of thinking we have to explain everything in naturalistic terms for it to be valid. Christian apologetics helps people along the way, but you can only go so far.

      We could never cause people to believe we can only help them understand “that“ Yahweh is the truth, and Jesus is who he said he is. We can never caused them to believe “in“ Jesus. — that’s their job! 

    • Reply October 6, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day To the question, no, I don’t think so. He just Himself overrules it, not changes it. Does that make sense?

    • Reply October 8, 2023

      Anonymous

      Nelson Banuchi how do you mean IF you can elaborate pls

    • Reply October 8, 2023

      Anonymous

      Link Hudson come again ?

    • Reply October 8, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day I just now noticed, as I reread the OP, the two words being addressed as “sea” and “water.” Personally, I don’t see a difference between them. Jesus walked on the sea, which is comprised of water; and Peter walked on the water which body is called “sea.”

      And, to the question in the article, “Was the vocative imperative command COME just for Peter or to ALL disciples?”, it seems to me it was just for Peter without excluding future disciples if there is the need or God calls one to do so.

      As far as the question you asked, “DOES GOD need to suspend anything to walk on the SEA?”, I would say, not necessarily. Jesus can just leave everything humming as it does and still overrule it or, go over nature’s laws without changing nature’s laws. Like, for example, God moving in our hearts without necessarily, as far as the material, the physical is concerned, changing our hearts. I think Jesus can walk through a door without changing the door; He may have walked on the water without changing either the water or His material body, and the same with Peter.

      Not sure I can explain it any further.

    • Reply October 8, 2023

      Anonymous

      Nelson Banuchi for starters
      you do not see difference θάλασσαν VS ὕδαταis?
      They are not interchangeable you see
      I agree with GOD needs NOT to suspend anything!

    • Reply October 8, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day I don’t know Greek. But I didn’t say they were interchangeable. They were just two different words indicating the same thing in different ways, like saying, “I went fishing in the Atlantic,” and someone else saying, “Can I go fishing on the water with you? And, I didn’t say God suspended anything; I agreed that he didn’t. As I said, Jesus may have walked on the water without changing either the water or His material body, and the same with Peter.

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Nelson Banuchi OK then what difference do you see in θάλασσαν VS ὕδαταis?

      ALSO how does just seem to you that the vocative imperative command COME was just for Peter ???

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day Like I said, what the words tell us about Jesus and Peter’s demonstration of the miraculous, nothing. Jesus is walking on the sea (Sea?) that is, of course water; and Peter walked on a body of water called the sea (Sea?). And, again, I don’t know Greek so, maybe you can tell me what is the difference. Thanks!

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Nelson Banuchi a. The only other place Gr. ELTHE is used is for the Samaritan women who told the whole city COME and see…

      In fact the BIBLE does NOT talk about a sea here
      but about a fresh water lake … but who’s counting right ?

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day I’m not counting. And I still don’t understand what your point is. Sorry.

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Nelson Banuchi WELL my point is from the BIBLE
      It has become clear you dont get it
      Or you would have not keep on repeating things that are NOT in the BIBLE. Your humanistic philosophical wisdom dont fly well here

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Instead of putting me down, why don’t you explain what the point is. I don’t understand your rude response. Maybe it’s a sin to not understand?

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Nelson Banuchi not putting down just done explaining
      it says what it says and it means what it means
      it requires a little effort to get it though

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day And while I can read what it says, I don’t understand your interpretation expressing a difference between the the Greek for “sea” and “water.” Please clarify.

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Nelson Banuchi the text uses θάλασσαν VS ὕδαταis?
      it says what it says and it means what it means
      perhaps Neil Steven Lawrence John Mushenhouse can tell you more

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Troy Day okay… not sure what to thank you for… for directing me to those who know? Thanks!

    • Reply October 9, 2023

      Anonymous

      Nelson Banuchi 👍

  • Reply October 6, 2023

    Anonymous

    Your last question was the best. Faith is a more powerful force than gravity or water tension, the same way lift overcomes gravity in an airplane.

    • Reply October 8, 2023

      Anonymous

      Ken Van Horn Faith is a more powerful force than gravity

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