chapter

Peter Walking on the Water

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description: # Peter Walking on the Water ## Overview This entity is a chapter titled *Peter Walking on the Water*, extracted from a larger text document. It spans lines 1092 to 1201 of the source file and was created on January 26, 2026. The chapter is part of the [More Classics](arke:01KFXT0KM64XT6K8W52TDEE0YS) collection and consists of four text chunks ([Chunk 1](arke:01KFXVC16MMTZK8QACPY4GTTQF), [Chunk 2](arke:01KFXVC1433VG021386HJ0K5EC), [Chunk 3](arke:01KFXVC144HQ9T5TZ496JBCNKR), and [Chunk 4](arke:01KFXVC159ACQ7WRV906366RE3)) that together form a continuous narrative. The text is authored by James M. V of San Jose and centers on the biblical story of Peter walking on the Sea of Galilee. ## Context The chapter is situated within a digital collection focused on Western canonical works, suggesting a thematic emphasis on religious or moral literature. It was processed by automated systems under the [More Classics](arke:01KFXT0KM64XT6K8W52TDEE0YS) collection's workflow, with structural extraction performed by the user [Structure Extraction](arke:01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H). The content reflects a devotional and interpretive style, using personal reflection and historical analogy to explore character and faith. ## Contents The chapter recounts the author’s experience on the Sea of Galilee, drawing parallels between the sudden storms on the water and the biblical account of Jesus walking on the waves. It focuses on Peter’s impulsive request to join Jesus on the water and his subsequent failure, interpreting this as a lesson in humility and the limits of human presumption. The text analyzes Peter’s character as both impulsive and presumptuous, using modern analogies—such as a reckless student and a soldier who breaks formation—to illustrate the dangers of acting without judgment. It contrasts misguided faith with righteous action, citing Saint Cuthbert’s perseverance through stormy conditions as an example of faithful duty without theatricality. The chapter concludes with a moral: trust in God is valid only when aligned with obedience and humility, not personal ambition. The text also includes references to two images titled *PETER WALKING ON THE SEA* and spans pages 166 to 181 of the original document.
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description_title: Peter Walking on the Water
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text: 763 Peter Walking on the Water 764 765 By 766 James M. 767 V 768 San Jose  769 .  770 # PETER WALKING ON THE WATER 771 772 ![img-0.jpeg](arke:01KFXV92J54XEQNC0TWQTXZ9XQ) 773 774 ONCE spent a day in an open boat on the Sea of Galilee. For a while the water lay as smooth and as blue as if it had been a patch of the sky that had fallen. The high hills stretched themselves along the shore like sleeping giants guarding some sacred fountain. But suddenly the wind rose; perhaps I should say that it fell, for it seemed to tumble over the tops of the hills, and roll down the slopes, and dig the water into gullies, and pound it into spray, so that we were glad to get into a little cove and land. 775 776 Our boatmen shrugged their shoulders and said that this was only “a little breeze.” As we watched the water, ravelled into shreds, I thought what a turmoil there must have been here when old fishermen like Peter called it, as the  777 154 778 779 Bible says, “boisterous” and “contrary,” because of a “great wind that blew.” 780 781 The scene in the picture occurred at night. Did you ever watch a night storm at sea? No matter how dark it is the spray seems white, and hisses along the waves as superstitious people fancy ghosts glide about in their shrouds. But the disciples in the boat, as they peered through the gloom and tried to keep the bow “head on” to the waves, saw something which they knew was not a mere spray sprite, for it kept its shape, and came steadily towards them. They were afraid, and cried out, “It is a spirit!” 782 783 Then another wonder occurred. They say that a sweet musical note can be heard above a noise that is a great deal louder. The sound of the fife penetrates the roar of the guns and the shouts of the soldiers in the battle. 784 785 So the disciples heard a sweet voice that floated along the waves and above all the roar of the storm. It said: “It is I. Be not afraid!” They knew that it  786 155 787 788 was the voice of their friend Jesus, and they knew, too, that Jesus was God, for their Bible taught them that God “alone spreadeth out the heavens and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.” 789 790 No doubt they all felt like not speaking a word, for the Bible also says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” All must have been overcome by their awe of so great a miracle; all but one. He was Peter, who intruded upon the silence with the cry, “If it be Thou, bid me come to Thee on the water.” 791 792 This makes us think of two things we know about Peter. He was a very *impulsive man*. That is, he often acted without thinking much. Once he was fishing in his boat, and saw Jesus walking on the shore. He could not be patient and let the boat come to shore, but jumped into the sea and embraced the Master with his dripping garment. On another occasion he drew his sword and cut off the ear of a servant of the High Priest, without stopping to think that the  793 156 794 795 little band of disciples could be no match for the crowd of enemies by which they were surrounded, and that the Master did not want any such defence of himself. 796 797 Now we all like to see people act quickly from noble and brave impulses, provided that, at the same time, they show good judgment. But quick impulses without judgment often get us into trouble. I have in mind a boy who will make a grand man; but he will have to get some hard knocks to teach him more discretion. In the class-room, if a question is asked of another scholar, this fellow cannot help snapping his fingers and calling out the answer. In playing foot-ball, he cannot keep his own place, and guard against his proper antagonist, but rushes pell-mell after the ball, and often spoils some fine play that his side is making by getting in the way of better runners than himself. The teacher calls him the “Irrepressible.” The boys call him “Fresh.” I should call him “Little Peter.”  798 ![img-0.jpeg](arke:01KFXV94D2H4EWZYY5TMY3MTG0) 799 PETER WALKING ON THE SEA  800 .  801 159 802 803 During the war a company was ordered one night to move in perfect silence so as to secure a position of advantage without alarming the enemy. A soldier in advance, seeing some gray coats in the distance, but within range of his rifle, could not resist the impulse to fire. The noise, of course, put the enemy on guard and spoiled the plans of the general. He was a brave “Peter.” 804 805 A good engineer keeps his hand just as ready to use the air-brake as to pull the throttle and let on steam. A strong sense of propriety is the air-brake for an impulsive disposition. Unless you learn to use it you will be apt to jump the track. 806 807 But Peter was a *presumptuous man* as well as an impulsive one. He was officious, pushing, self-asserting, presuming that he was wiser, stronger, and of more consequence than he really was. While the other disciples looked with awe at the Lord’s miracle, so fitting the character of Him who came to represent the Godhead  808 160 809 810 to men, Peter presumed upon the propriety of his taking part in the stupendous deed. He, too, a man, would walk on the sea! He would add his little annex to the House Wonderful. 811 812 Our Lord did not suggest this; He only permitted Peter to try the experiment that He might teach him his folly. 813 814 And how miserably Peter failed! He not only could not walk on the water, but lost even his ordinary fisherman’s courage. I doubt if there was another man in the boat who would have been frightened if he had fallen overboard. But Peter, a strong swimmer, lost his presence of mind, became frightened, and cried out, “Lord, save me!” I wonder if some of the disciples did not whisper, “Served him right!” when they took him from Jesus’s hand and lifted him back into the boat? 815 816 Somebody who reads this will say, “If Peter had only had faith enough he might have walked on the water,” for Jesus rebuked him, saying, “O thou of little  817 161 818 819 faith!” True. But Jesus did not help him have any such faith. On another occasion he said to Peter, “I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.” This time He let it fail. 820 821 A man said that he was going to live alone by faith and prayer, so would not work. His clothes became seedy, his home was mortgaged, he began to sink financially and socially, and but for the “helping hand” of a friend, would have “gone under.” You see, this man was presumptuous in thinking that God would feed him, when God has said of everybody else, “If a man will not work, neither shall he eat.” Ravens fed Elijah when there was no other way of his getting food. And if you are doing God’s service, and come to want, He will help you through. But the only ravens that come to a man who will not try to earn a living are such ravens as come to men dying in the desert, to pick their bones. 822 823 A young man of my acquaintance was very fond of the company of a set of wild  824 162 825 826 and dissipated fellows. I advised him not to go with them, for the rule is, “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” But he said, “Oh, I am able to take care of myself wherever I am.” He was presumptuous. He sank in the waters of dissipation before he was twenty-five years old. 827 828 It is a grand thing to trust in God when you are sure you are doing a thing that is necessary, or that is on the line of his commandments. But it is a foolish thing to trust that He will help you carry out your mere whims or conceits. 829 830 Peter afterwards did things as wonderful as walking on the sea would have been; but they were things that were helpful to others, as when he healed the sick; or they were miraculous deliverances when he had got into trouble while doing his duty, as when the prison opened. Be afraid of nothing if you are sure you are humble and right. 831 832 One of the grandest characters in old English history was Saint Cuthbert. Once  833 163 834 835 when he was on his mission of mercy to the poor people, a storm drove his little boat on the coast. His comrades were disheartened, and cried: “The snow closes the road along the shore, and the storm bars our way over the sea. What shall we do?” The brave man replied, “There is still the way of heaven that lies open.” On they pushed, and somehow made their journey in safety. But if Cuthbert had tried to show how Heaven would help him to work a miracle by walking on the raging billows of the North Sea, the world would never have heard any more of him. Says the Psalmist, “Trust in the Lord, and do good.” But there is no use trusting in Him if you are doing anything else.  836 .  837 Mary in the Garden 838 839 Jaffa, Palestine.  840 ^{}[]
title: Peter Walking on the Water

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Version: 3
Created: 1/26/2026
Updated: 1/26/2026
Edited by: Description Service