This is one of the Bible’s best-loved stories, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s easy for us to visualize the disciples struggling to get their small ship across the stormy Sea of Galilee, and their astonishment when Jesus comes to them, strolling atop the waves as if the water was a Roman road. We can sympathize with Peter, who in the flush of amazement goes onto the water himself, only to be struck with fear. And we can draw a clear spiritual message of trusting the Lord and believing in His power.

(References: The Apocalypse Explained 514 [21])

But is that all there is? Did Jesus walk on water just to amaze the disciples and to amaze the reader? Or did it have some deeper meaning?

According to the Writings, what the story illustrates the fact that the new church being launched by Jesus would bring spiritual life to the wide world, not just the narrow group of specific believers – and that the Lord works the same way in the world today.

One of the key symbols here is the sea, which represents those in the outskirts of the church. They have some spiritual knowledge and a great deal of natural knowledge, all of it fluid and turbulent. Another is the ship, which represents the specific beliefs held by the disciples, their doctrine. They sail that ship, alone, into the turbulence of the beliefs of the outskirts of the church. The waves show that they were attacked by arguments from natural ideas; the wind shows that their doctrine was not elevated enough to be truly aligned with the Lord’s power.

So Jesus comes to them at dawn – which means the beginning of His new church – walking on the water. This shows that in His perfect love and goodness He brings life even to those in external beliefs. At first the disciples don’t recognize Him and are afraid – the reaction of those in a lower spiritual state to the advance of a higher one. But Jesus reassures them, and Peter – who represents true ideas which spring from the desire for good – dares to walk on the water himself.

For a moment, buoyed by the belief in Jesus, it works. True ideas based on the desire for good can work without the support of a specific doctrinal system, even in the hurly-burly of natural thinking. But the disciples are not ready for this yet; Peter’s confidence fails him and Jesus has to deliver him back to the ship. The end result, though, is a spiritual advance for the disciples. The fact that the wind stops when Jesus boards the ship shows an elevation in their doctrinal ideas; they are more in accord with the Lord’s power (represented by the wind). And what is this difference? That’s illustrated by the fact that they bow and worship Jesus, calling him the Son of God.

So what does this mean to us? We are (hopefully, anyway) essentially disciples – people with some knowledge of the Lord and the desire to be good. What we can learn, then, is that the Lord’s love is not restricted to us or to those who believe as we do – it is for everyone, everywhere, in every reach of the sea. And we might want to work on trusting the Lord and believing in His power if we want to get out on the water and help the world.

(References: The Apocalypse Explained 514 [21])

38. The Lord is called Jehovah. This is apparent from the following:

...thus said Jehovah, your Creator, O Jacob, and your Maker, O Israel: “...for I have redeemed you.... ...I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:1, 3)

I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. (Isaiah 43:15)

Thus said Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker.... (Isaiah 45:11, cf. 45:15)

...that all flesh may know that I, Jehovah, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 49:26)

...that you may know that I, Jehovah, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 60:16)

...Jehovah...your Maker from the womb.... (Isaiah 49:5)

...O Jehovah, my rock, and my Redeemer! (Psalms 19:14)

Thus said Jehovah, your Maker, and your Former from the womb.... Thus said Jehovah, the King of Israel, and its Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts.... (Isaiah 44:2, 6)

Our Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 47:4)

“With everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you.” Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer. (Isaiah 54:8)

Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah of Hosts is His name. (Jeremiah 50:34)

Jehovah (God) is my rock, my fortress, and...the horn of my salvation..., my Savior.... (2 Samuel 22:2-3)

...said Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.... (Isaiah 43:14, 48:17)

Thus said Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One...: “Kings shall see....” (Isaiah 49:7)

I...am Jehovah, and besides Me there is no Savior. (Isaiah 43:11)

Have not I, Jehovah? And there is no other God besides Me, (and)...a Savior, there is none besides Me. Look to Me, that you may be saved, all you ends of the earth! (Isaiah 45:21-22)

I am Jehovah your God..., and...there is no Savior besides Me. (Hosea 13:4)

You have redeemed me, O Jehovah, God of truth. (Psalms 31:5)

Let Israel hope in Jehovah; for with Jehovah there is mercy, ...with Him is abundant redemption. He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities. (Psalms 130:7-8)

...Jehovah of Hosts is His name, and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He shall be called God of the whole earth. (Isaiah 54:5)

In these passages Jehovah is called Redeemer and Savior, and because the Lord alone is the Redeemer and Savior, it is the Lord who is meant by Jehovah.

[2] That the Lord is Jehovah, or in other words, that Jehovah is the Lord, is apparent also from the following:

A Rod shall come forth from the stem of Jesse, and an Offshoot out of his roots shall bear fruit. The Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon Him.... (Isaiah 11:1-2)

It will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him to save us. This is Jehovah, for whom we have waited; we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9)

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of Jehovah; make smoothe in the desert a highway for our God.... (For) the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it....” Behold, the Lord Jehovih is coming in strength, and His arm shall rule for Him. (Isaiah 40:3, 5, 10)

I, Jehovah...will...give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles.... I am Jehovah, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.... (Isaiah 42:6-8)

Behold, the days are coming...when I will raise to David a righteous offshoot, (who) shall reign as king and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.... And this is His name by which they will call Him: Jehovah Our Righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:5-6, cf. 33:15-16)

You, Bethlehem Ephrathah..., out of you shall come forth to Me One to be Ruler in Israel.... He shall stand and give pasture in the strength of Jehovah.... (Micah 5:2, 4)

...unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called...God, Hero, Father of Eternity...., upon the throne of David..., to establish it and found it with judgment and justice, from that time on and even to eternity. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Jehovah will go forth and fight against the nations.... And...His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem.... (Zechariah 14:3-4)

Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you doors of the world, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? Jehovah strong and a hero, Jehovah a hero of war. (Psalms 24:7-10)

In that day Jehovah of Hosts will become a crown of adornment and a miter of beauty to the remnant of His people. (Isaiah 28:5)

...I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great...day of Jehovah. (Malachi 4:5)

And so on elsewhere in places that mention the great and coming day of Jehovah, such as Ezekiel 30:3, Joel 2:11, Amos 5:18, 20, Zephaniah 1:7, 14-15, 18.