Matthew 14:22-36
Jesus Walks on the Water
Right away Jesus made the disciples get into the boat. He had them go on ahead of him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Then he sent the crowd away. After he had sent them away, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone. The boat was already a long way from land. It was being pounded by the waves because the wind was blowing against it.
Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to the disciples. He walked on the lake. They saw him walking on the lake and were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said. And they cried out in fear.
Right away Jesus called out to them, “Be brave! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, is it you?” Peter asked. “If it is, tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” Jesus said.
So Peter got out of the boat. He walked on the water toward Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind, he was afraid. He began to sink. He cried out, “Lord! Save me!”
Right away Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “Your faith is so small!” he said. “Why did you doubt me?”
When they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those in the boat worshiped Jesus. They said, “You really are the Son of God!”
They crossed over the lake and landed at Gennesaret. The men who lived there recognized Jesus. So they sent a message all over the nearby countryside. People brought all those who were sick to Jesus. They begged him to let those who were sick just touch the edge of his clothes. And all who touched his clothes were healed.
Matthew 15:1-9
What Makes People “Unclean”?
Some Pharisees and some teachers of the law came from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked, “Why don’t your disciples obey what the elders teach? Your disciples don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
Jesus replied, “And why don’t you obey God’s command? You would rather follow your own teachings! God said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) He also said, ‘Anyone who asks for bad things to happen to their father or mother must be put to death.’ (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9) But suppose people have something that might be used to help their parents. You allow them to say it is instead ‘a gift set apart for God.’ So they do not need to honor their father or mother with their gift. You make the word of God useless in order to follow your own teachings. You pretenders! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. He said,
“ ‘These people honor me by what they say.
But their hearts are far away from me.
Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me.
They teach nothing but human rules.’ ” (Isaiah 29:13)
