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| Interpretation of the Details in the Narrative. Application Thereof to All Disciples.
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6.
Interpretation of the Details in the Narrative. Application
Thereof to All Disciples.
And then the disciples “having crossed over
came to the land Gennesaret,”5386
of
which word, if we knew the interpretation, we might gain some
assistance in the exposition of the present passage. And observe,
since God is faithful, and will not suffer the multitudes to be tempted
above that they are able,5387
in what way the Son
of God constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, as being
stronger and able to get as far as the middle of the sea, and to endure
the trials by the waves, until they became worthy of divine assistance,
and saw Jesus and heard Him when He had gone up, and to cross over and
come to the land Gennesaret; but as for the multitudes who, because
they were weaker, did not make trial of the boat and the waves and the
contrary wind, them He sent away, and went up into the mountain apart
to pray.5388
To pray for
whom? Was it perhaps to pray for the multitudes that, when they
were dismissed after the loaves of blessing, they might do nothing
opposed to their dismissal by Jesus? And for the disciples that,
when they were constrained by Him to enter into the boat and to go
before Him unto the other side, they might suffer nothing in the sea
nor from the contrary wind? And I would say with confidence,
that, because of the prayer of Jesus to the Father for the disciples,
they suffered nothing when sea and wave and contrary wind were striving
against them. The simpler disciple, then, may be satisfied with
the bare narrative; but let us remember, if ever we fall into
distressful temptations, that Jesus has constrained us to enter into
their boat, wishing us to go before Him unto the other side; for it is
not possible for us to reach the other side, unless we have endured the
temptations of waves and contrary wind. Then when we see many
difficulties besetting us, and with moderate struggle we have swum
through them to some extent, let us consider that our boat is in the
midst of the sea, distressed at that time by the waves which wish us to
make shipwreck concerning faith or some one of the virtues; but when we
see the spirit of the evil one striving against us, let us conceive
that then the wind is contrary to
us. When then in such suffering we have spent three watches of
the night—that is, of the darkness which is in the
temptations—striving nobly with all our might and watching
ourselves so as not to make shipwreck concerning the faith or some one
of the virtues,—the first watch against the father of darkness
and wickedness, the second watch against his son “who opposeth
and exalteth himself against all that is called God or thing that is
worshipped,”5389
and the third watch
against the spirit5390
| 5390 The conception
of Origen seems to be that opposed to the Divine Trinity there is an
evil trinity. Cf. book xii. 20. | that is opposed to
the Holy Spirit, then we believe that when the fourth watch impendeth,
when “the night is far spent, and the day is at
hand,”5391
the Son of God will
come to us, that He may prepare the sea for us, walking upon it.
And when we see the Word appearing unto us we shall indeed be troubled
before we clearly understand that it is the Saviour who has come to us,
supposing that we are still beholding an apparition, and for fear shall
cry out; but He Himself straightway will speak to us saying, “Be
of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”5392
And if, warmly moved by His “Be
of good cheer,” any Peter be found among us, who is on his way to
perfection but has not yet become perfect, having gone down from the
boat, as if coming out of that temptation in which he was distressed,
he will indeed walk at first, wishing to come to Jesus upon the waters;
but being as yet of little faith, and as yet doubting, will see that
the wind is strong and will be afraid and begin to sink; but he will
not sink because he will call upon Jesus with loud voice, and will say
to Him, “Lord, save me;”5393
then
immediately while such a Peter is yet speaking and saying, “Lord
save me,” the Word will stretch forth His hand, holding out
assistance to such an one, and will take hold of him when he is
beginning to sink, and will reproach him for his little faith and
doubting.5394
Only, observe
that He did not say, “O thou without faith,” but, “O
thou of little faith,” and that it was said, “Wherefore
didst thou doubt,” as he had still a measure of faith, but also
had a tendency towards that which was opposed to faith.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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