Walking on Water as an Epiphany and Confession of Jesus as the Son of God: An Exegetical Reading of Matt 14:22-33 in Light of Matt 8:23-27

ABSTRACT

This article argues that the narrative of “the walking on the sea” can be read both as a sea-rescue episode and as an epiphany. However, the sea-rescue motif serves to set the scene for the revelation of Jesus as the “Son of God”, thus rendering Matt 14:22-33 more of an epiphany. The author posits that Matt 14:22-33 is a response to Matt 8:27. This is because the interrogation of the disciples (Matt 8:23-27) about the person of Jesus – ποταπός ἐστιν οὗτος ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ ἡ θάλασσα αὐτῷ ὑπακούουσιν (Matt 8:27)–finds its response in Matt 14:33 where Jesus is acknowledged and worshipped by the disciples themselves as the Son of God (ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ). And lastly, discipleship is a prominent theme in the pericope.

AUTEUR : MATHEW BOMKI LAGHAI, SJ