Matthew 14:26

Saturday, 29 November 2025

 

And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. Matthew 14:26

 

“And the disciples, having seen Him walking upon the sea, they were agitated, saying that it is a phantasm. And from fear, they croaked” (CG).

 

In the previous verse, it was noted that Jesus walked on the sea to get to the disciples who were in the boat. Continuing that thought, Matthew next records, “And the disciples, having seen Him walking upon the sea, they were agitated.”

 

The words here clearly indicate that the words in the previous verse, which said that Jesus was “walking upon the sea,” were not a way of saying that He was walking along the shore. It meant that He was walking on the water across the sea.

 

The disciples are in the boat being hurled about by wind and waves. Even if they could see a person walking on the shore, their reaction would have been that there was a person simply walking upon the shore. Instead, their reaction is stated by Matthew. He notes that they were “saying that it is a phantasm.”

 

This is a new word, phantasma, a phantasm, specter, etc. The word is derived from phantazó, to make apparent or to appear. As such, it is specifically an appearing or a showing. It had been universally understood since the creation of the world that a human could not walk on water. Rather, when a person encounters water, he sinks into it.

 

Therefore, the logic is that whatever was walking towards them could not be a human. Of this, Bengel says, “We often take Christ for another rather than for Christ.” That is an unsound analogy for what is happening here. Being something absolutely unheard of, anyone at that point would miss what was happening.

 

Only in looking back on the event could we dare to think we would consider what occurred any differently. A natural assumption would be that whatever they were seeing was anything but Jesus. As such, it says, “And from fear, they croaked.”

 

People try to explain things that they cannot mentally process in various ways. They may claim they saw an angel, a vision of Mary, a UFO, or the boogeyman. If the unknown is close enough to us or heading in our direction, the natural reaction is one of fear and even crying out in fear.

 

Because of their own Scriptures, a story from their past that would have been remembered by any child would have been the account of the raising of the spirit of Samuel in 1 Samuel 28. When that occurred, it said –

 

“Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ And he said, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.’” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, ‘Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!’ 13 And the king said to her, ‘Do not be afraid. What did you see?’ And the woman said to Saul, ‘I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.’” 1 Samuel 28:11-13

 

Knowing from their own Scriptures that such things were possible, there is no reason to look down on their reaction here. However, the difference between what they think they are seeing and what they are actually seeing will be made evident to them.

 

Life application: Just because the Bible acknowledges that there are things such as the raising of Samuel’s spirit recorded there, it doesn’t mean that it is something we should be focusing on. That account describes what occurred, but it prescribes nothing.

 

We are admonished to keep our eyes on Jesus, not get involved in the world of the supernatural. There is nothing in the epistles that instructs us, for example, on casting out demons. Even if Jesus and the disciples did this, no further instruction is given to us concerning the matter.

 

And yet, some ministries focus a great deal of their attention on the realm of the supernatural. Others, like the Roman Catholic church, have set up rites and rituals to supposedly cast out evil spirits.

 

Such approaches to these things are unbiblical and have no bearing on reality. If someone is demon-possessed, tell that person about Jesus. A demon cannot possess what belongs to Jesus. If that person receives Christ, the demon must depart. This is why the epistles don’t address such things. The gospel is our tool for converting lives. Anything else is a waste of time, energy, and spiritual direction.

 

Lord God, help us to have the desire to tell others about the saving message of Jesus. Without it, all is futile in the human soul. But when it is received by faith, it can and will change even the greatest sinner and heal the greatest spiritual wounds. May we remember this and be willing to share this good news. Amen.