Simon Peter was known as being quick to action. He gets a bad reputation among modern Christians because his actions were not always theologically sound. When asked by Jesus, “Who do men say that I am?” Peter nailed it with, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). However, within moments of that declaration, he is strongly rebuked by Jesus, “Get thee behind me Satan” (Matt. 16:23)! He was one of the chosen to go up with Jesus on the mountain and see Him transformed. As Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah, Peter begins to make a statement lowering Jesus to the prophet status. He is quickly rebuked by God before he was able to finish speaking (Matt. 17:1-6). Even though he makes some ecclesial blunders, he is also the one that gets to do some amazing things.
The disciples were crossing the Galilean sea again. Jesus had sent them across the lake while he went up on the mountain to pray. In the night, Jesus began walking across the water. The disciples were about three miles into their travel and fighting against the winds in the fourth watch of the night, between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning. Mark tells us that Jesus would have passed them by, but they saw Him and thought Him to be a spirit (Mark 6:48-49). It is Matthew’s account that we have Peter calling out to Christ, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” (Matt. 14:28). We get to see Peter rise to the occasion only to fall when he sees the wind about him. He cries out to Jesus as he sinks, and the Messiah reaches forth and holds him up saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31-32). Jesus gets into the boat, and the waves stop. It is at this moment that Mark reveals something to us. When the wind stopped, they were “utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:52). That was the moment that they begin worshiping Him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matt. 14:33). So, when Jesus calls Peter’s faith into question, it wasn’t only for his faith in that moment but all of the disciples were still hard hearted toward what Christ was teaching and doing with the miracles.
This causes me to raise a question. How could men who were front row to the life and ministry of Christ, the Son of the living God, still not be completely onboard? Perhaps until now, everything Jesus had done they were able to explain away, or they saw Him as another prophet. Now, in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, they worshiped Him as the Son of God. It seems now that things are starting to come into focus for them. It would not be long after this event that Peter would make the good confession. It is our duty to hold onto that same confession, even if the wind and waves around us appear contrary.