Catholic Bible Study: Matthew 14:22–15:9

Podcast: Catholic Bible Study
Host: Augustine Institute (Tim Gray & Dr. Michael Barber)
Episode Date: November 27, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tim Gray, president of the Augustine Institute, and Dr. Michael Barber, professor of scripture, delve into Matthew 14:22–15:9. The discussion explores Jesus’ walking on water, Peter’s faltering faith, the significance of tradition, and the importance of reading Scripture attentively. The hosts blend personal insights, scriptural context, and connections to Catholic doctrine, aiming to help listeners develop a profound understanding and devotion to the inspired Word of God.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jesus Retreats After the Miracle (Matthew 14:22–23)

• Jesus sends the disciples away: After the miracle of feeding the multitude, Jesus makes the disciples leave before He dismisses the crowd.
  • "Jesus tells Peter and the disciples, all right, get in the boat. Go to the other side. I'll catch up... And Jesus is thinking, I've got a shortcut, don't worry." (A, 00:35)
• Modeling humility and gratitude: Success and adulation threaten to induce “big headitis”—pride in the disciples.
  • "If we do not pray to the Father with deep gratitude immediately, then what happens is we take the success as our own, and that builds our pride." (A, 01:51)
• Jesus’ solitude in prayer: He models the importance of withdrawing to pray in thanksgiving after success, following His own Sermon on the Mount teaching.
  • "He models for us his own teaching in going off by himself to pray." (B, 02:51)

2. The Boat, the Storm, and First-century Detail (Matthew 14:24–27)

• Historical context: The Sea of Galilee’s geography and weather can strand fishermen; recent archaeological discoveries help visualize the scene.
  • "In the 1980s, there was ... a year of great drought for Israel... and they found an ancient fisherman's boat... carbon dated to the first century." (A, 05:47)
• Symbolism: Boat crafted from 12 different woods (echoing the 12 apostles) and the engineering marvels reflect the era’s sophistication. (A, 07:03)

3. Jesus Walks on Water – Revelations of Identity (Matthew 14:25–27)

• Jesus approaches at the “fourth watch”: Possible allusion to Daniel’s prophecy about the Son of Man and references to the sea.
  • “In the book of Daniel, the Son of man makes his appearance after the fourth beast has come in this vision that involves the sea.” (B, 09:00)
• Divine name revealed:
  • "'It is I' (ego eimi in Greek) – mirroring the divine name revealed to Moses: I am who I am." (B, 10:00)
• Assurance in fear:
  • "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." (Jesus quote, 10:53)
  • "On the one hand, it's me, I'm not a ghost, but at the same time, I am the Lord and I can take control of this situation." (B, 11:22)

4. Peter's Step—and His Faltering Faith (Matthew 14:28–33)

• Peter’s boldness and human frailty:
  • Attempts to walk on water but falters out of fear.
  • "He cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (B, 14:25)
• Scriptural connections:
  • Psalm 107 and Psalm 69 express distress at sea and God’s saving intervention; Job speaks of God's unique power to "walk upon the waves."
  • "'Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire...'" (Psalm 69, quoted by B, 14:25)
• Faith vs. fear:
  • "There's a really interesting dichotomy set up here between fear on the one hand and faith on the other." (B, 15:05)

5. Worship, Revelation, and the "Little Faith" Motif

• Disciples worship Jesus, acknowledging Him as Son of God:
  • "Truly, you are the Son of God." (Disciples, 16:01)
• Worship in Matthew’s Gospel: Reserved for God – proskuneo used here, signifying divine identity.
  • "Within the Gospel of Matthew, it is extremely significant that the one who's identified as Emmanuel—God with us—is the recipient of worship." (B, 16:03)
• "Little faith" repeated (four times in Matthew):
  • Moments on the sea and teachings on worry serve as lessons in reliance on God.
  • "It's not about smarts. It's really about how often you read the Word of God... it becomes familiar, and then all of a sudden you start noticing more and more detail." (A, 17:09)

6. Jewish Borders and Geography: The "Other Side" (Matthew 14:34–36)

• Political and cultural boundaries:
  • The crossing is less about geography, more about crossing into a different jurisdiction (Herod vs. Philip).
  • "Going to the other side meant going to the other side of jurisdiction." (A, 18:37)
• Jesus' strategic movement:
  • Avoids Herod’s grasp; exploits the small, interconnected locales to minister freely.
  • "It's perfect for Jesus because he can go back and forth between these two territories... it really is providential how that works out." (A, 20:45)

7. The Fringe of Jesus’ Garment: Faith and the Torah (Matthew 14:36)

• People seek healing by touching the fringe of his garment:
  • Direct callback to the healing of the hemorrhaging woman.
  • "That image reminds us of the healing of the hemorrhaging woman." (A, 21:24)
• Significance of the tassels (tzitzit):
  • Evidence of Jesus as a faithful Jew keeping Torah.
  • "The fact that Jesus has them shows us that he's a faithful Jew." (B, 21:57)
• Catholic connection:
  • "We get to do more than touch the hem of his garment. We get to touch Jesus' body, blood, soul and divinity... in the Eucharist." (A, 23:52)
• Catechism connection:
  • "Sacraments are powers that come forth from the body of Christ." (B, 23:56)

8. Tradition vs. Commandment: Pharisees Challenge Jesus (Matthew 15:1–9)

• Pharisees confront Jesus about ritual handwashing:
  • Matthew is precise—this practice is Pharisaic, not universal among Jews.
  • "Matthew's very precise in the way he's relating the story." (B, 24:35)
• Jesus exposes hypocrisy:
  • Points out how human traditions can undermine God’s commandments (e.g., neglecting parental care).
  • "What he doesn't like is the way the Pharisees have used traditions to violate the word of God." (B, 27:14)
• Tradition in Catholicism:
  • Distinction between “big T” (Apostolic Tradition) and “small t” (customs).
  • "Our traditions have Christ as the ultimate source of authority versus a particular rabbinic school of thought... a small t tradition for the Pharisees, a large T tradition [for Catholics]." (A, 27:32)
• Notable clarification:
  • "Jesus doesn't actually condemn tradition per se... it's the use of traditions in a way that abuses the word of God." (B, 27:14)

9. Heart and Ritual: The True Disposition of Faith

• Quoting Isaiah:
  • "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" (B via Matthew, 28:37)
• Warning against ritualism:
  • Outward practice without inner conviction is empty.
  • "We can outwardly do things that are expressive of our faith while inwardly not doing what the Lord really asks us to do." (B, 28:37)
• Relativizing secondary things:
  • Personal preference (e.g., Latin prayers) shouldn’t overshadow the heart’s disposition.
  • "It really doesn't matter what language you pray to God. What matters is exactly the point of this story. It's your heart." (A, 29:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On success and pride:

  • "If we do not pray to the Father with deep gratitude immediately, then what happens is we take the success as our own, and that builds our pride." (A, 01:51)

• On Jesus' identity:

  • "It is I" (ego eimi)—the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3, now applied to Jesus walking on the water (B, 10:00)

• On faith:

  • "There's a really interesting dichotomy set up here between fear on the one hand and faith on the other." (B, 15:05)

• On Old Testament context:

  • "Who is like God, who can walk upon the waves of the sea? And Jesus is doing that..." (A, 15:33)

• On tradition:

  • "Jesus doesn't actually condemn tradition per se… it's the use of traditions in a way that abuses the word of God." (B, 27:14)

• On devotion:

  • "It's not about smarts. It's really about how often you read the Word of God." (A, 17:09)
  • "What matters is exactly the point of this story. It's your heart and the disposition of your heart..." (A, 29:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:35 – Disciples sent away; Jesus retreats to pray; reflection on success and humility
• 05:47 – Story of the ancient fisherman’s boat; connection to apostles
• 09:00 – Jesus walks on water at the "fourth watch"; allusion to Daniel
• 10:00–11:22 – “It is I” as the divine name; reassurance in fear
• 14:25 – Peter’s attempt to walk on water; “Lord, save me!” and Jesus’ rescue
• 16:01 – Disciples worship Jesus; “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
• 18:37 – Explanation of “the other side” as a jurisdictional boundary, not geographic
• 21:24 – Healing by touching the fringe of Jesus’ garment; connection to Torah observance
• 24:35 – Pharisees’ handwashing traditions; distinction between traditions
• 27:32 – Catholic distinction between “big T” and “small t” traditions
• 28:37 – Quoting Isaiah: honoring God with lips vs. the heart
• 29:13 – Dangers of ritualism and the primacy of the heart

Tone and Language

Throughout the episode, the hosts blend warm humor ("Peter is going to be petrified," 08:49), deep scriptural reverence, and accessible scholarship. There is a friendly, inviting tone that encourages listeners—regardless of background—to see Scripture as rich, layered, and always worth revisiting.

Conclusion

This episode offers a rich exploration of Matthew’s narrative, connecting the dramatic events of Jesus walking on water with theological themes of faith, humility, tradition, and the necessity of an interior disposition toward God. Listeners are left with both practical insights for spiritual growth and a deeper appreciation for the living tradition of Christianity.