Reading the Gospels Together The Multiplication of the Bread and Walking on Water – Part 3 As we turn to Matthew’s gospel we hear almost the same story as we heard from Mark. The story of the multiplication of the loaves is virtually identical to Mark. The story of Jesus walking on water is the place where Matthew puts his stamp on the story. Matthew drops Mark’s allusion to the thought that this is an attempt on the part of Jesus to make himself known by “passing his disciples by.” Though Matthew will still use the words “I Am” to convey Jesus words to his frightened disciples he has removed the revelatory nature of the story. Instead Matthew expands Mark’s story telling his readers that when Jesus spoke identifying himself as “I Am” Peter demands of Jesus that if he really is who he claims to be that he tell Peter to come to him on the water. There is a debate about whether or not this request of Peter is a positive thing or not. Was it a good thing that Peter gets out of the boat and begins to walk toward Jesus? Or should we understand Peter’s request to be a temptation of Jesus since Peter really doesn’t believe what he has heard and seen? It is significant that the only times in Matthew’s gospel that anyone says to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God …” it is during times of testing. Satan used those words in the testing scene we looked at earlier. Those taunting Jesus at the foot of the cross will also use those words. So, perhaps we should understand Peter as being in their company here. This is not a positive thing on Peter’s part. It is much better to stay in the boat! And when Jesus gets into the boat the wind seizes and all is well. As the scene comes to an end Matthew tells his readers that the disciples worshiped Jesus and said, “Truly you are the Son of God!” These are the same disciples who Mark has pictured in a boat being lambasted by Jesus because of their dullness and lack of understanding. Matthew and Mark have differing understandings of just what the disciples were like. Faithfully following Mark, Matthew tells his readers the second story of the multiplication of the bread. He also tells of the religious leaders seeking a sign when a great sign has just been done. And Matthew does follow Mark in bringing the disciples back out into the boat where they are warned about the Pharisees and Jesus does call them “men of little faith” because they fail to understand at first. But Matthew has removed most of the harsh words from Mark and as the scene come to an end he tells his readers that the disciples do finally understand. Matthew has not departed greatly from Mark. Yet, we might ask why he did the things he did. Why did Matthew add the incident about Peter? If we understand that to be a negative thing on Peter’s part then perhaps Matthew was attempting to teach his readers that remaining “in the boat” – “in the church” – is the way to live. After all in the boat they are able to recognize Jesus and worship him as the Son of God! Just so, in the church Jesus is recognized and worshiped as the Son of God. Matthew may well be speaking as much to his own community as he is telling what happened in the boat that day. And why did Matthew soften Mark’s upbraiding of the disciples on the part of Jesus? In general Matthew always softens Mark’s harsh and condemning words about the disciples. He has a far more positive view of them. And this is one more example of that.