Compare the disciples' fear in Matthew 14:26 with fear in other Bible passages. Setting the Scene: Matthew 14:26 “When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost!’ they said, and cried out in fear.” Why Were the Disciples Afraid? • Unexpected sight: a human form moving atop storm-tossed waves contradicted everything they knew about nature. • Nighttime vulnerability: between 3-6 a.m.; fatigue and darkness heighten alarm. • Incomplete revelation: they knew Jesus’ power, yet still misidentified Him. • Immediate response: fear poured out vocally—“cried out.” Fear at Sea: Matthew 14:26 and Mark 4:38-40 Matthew 14: disciples fear the unknown figure. Mark 4: “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”—fear of drowning. Shared thread: storm setting + Jesus’ physical nearness. Key difference: • Mark 4: fear stems from external danger (wind, waves). • Matthew 14: fear stems from misperception of Jesus Himself. Jesus answers both with His presence and a word: “Take courage; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) and “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39). Fear Before the Supernatural: Matthew 14:26 and Luke 24:37 Luke 24:37—“But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.” Both scenes: followers mistake the risen Lord for a ghost. Lesson: even believers can let cultural superstitions eclipse truth when confronted with the miraculous. Resolution: Jesus offers tangible evidence—walking to them on water; showing hands and feet after resurrection. Fear Facing Earthly Threats: Exodus 14:10-14 Israel sees Pharaoh’s army and “cried out to the LORD.” Parallel: instinctive cry, sense of entrapment. Contrast: • Disciples’ danger is imagined (ghost); Israel’s is tangible (chariots). • Both groups receive the same remedy—God’s word: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm…” (Exodus 14:13); “Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27). Fear Born of Sin: Genesis 3:10 “I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Adam’s fear arises from guilt and separation, not external threat. Pattern: sin produces hiding; redemption invites drawing near. In Matthew 14 Jesus closes the gap, stepping onto the waves toward His people. Other Snapshots of Fear • 1 Samuel 17:11—Israel “dismayed and greatly afraid” of Goliath. • 1 Kings 19:3—Elijah “arose and ran for his life” from Jezebel. • Luke 2:9—Shepherds “terrified” at the angelic glory. Across settings, fear surfaces when focus shifts: from God’s power to human limitation, or from truth to assumption. The Divine Remedy for Fear • Presence: “It is I” (Matthew 14:27); “I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). • Promise: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you” (Isaiah 43:1). • Peace: “Perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). • Power: “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). What We Learn About Fear and Faith Today • Fear flourishes where perception outruns faith. • Jesus meets His people precisely where fear peaks—storm, tomb, battlefield, wilderness. • His identity (“It is I”) dismantles terror more effectively than changed circumstances. • Choosing to look to Him, rather than to threats—real or imagined—transforms fear into worship, just as the disciples later “worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God!’” (Matthew 14:33). |
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