BIBLE PICTURES © Serge Ceruti and Gérard Dufour 2008

RETURN

You have chosen this picture

St Peter walking on the Water; Luis BORRASSà; 1411-13; tempera on wood; St Peter, Tarrasa, Spain

Web Gallery of Art

On the Lake: Jesus walking on the Water

TO UNDERSTAND THE SCENE

WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE...AND IN OTHER PICTURES

A man sinks into the water and holds out his hand towards another. He is Peter who drowns himself and is rescued by Jesus. The picture does not correspond exactly to the title or to the scene since it is Jesus who should walk on the water and who seems rather to stand on the shore. This is due to the fact that the scene is viewed from the boat where the apostles are.

The representation takes place after Jesus has already walked on the water and when Peter walks towards him in the same way. It is the moment when the apostle, frightened, shouts “Save me!”.

The spectator’s attention is thus drawn onto Peter who sinks into the waves and shouts towards Jesus. The latter comes to rescue him, generally by stretching out his arm.

The representation of Jesus is common; he is near the shore or quite visibly on the water of the lake on which he advances.

It should not be confused with

Quite a number of narratives in the Gospel take place on Lake Tiberias, a real interior sea with its storms, its boats and its fishermen, among them several apostles, Simon Peter in particular. All these representations have in common a fishing-boat on the lake.

The miraculous Draught of Fishes ; Gustave DORÉ; 1865; engraving from “The Holy Bible”

Education Environnement

The miraculous Draught of Fishes

In some representations of the miraculous Draught of Fishes, Jesus seems rather unreal and one does not understand whether he stands on the shore or walks on the water.

See the miraculous Draught of Fishes

Christ’s Appearance on Lake Tiberias; DUCCIO di Buoninsegna; 1308; tempera on wood; Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Milan.

Web Gallery of Art

The title is hardly explicit. Jesus holds out his hand to Peter but the latter already reaches the beach; he does not drown himself. This is the miraculous Draught of Fishes according to John’s narrative; that is to say after the resurrection of Christ. One characteristic detail: the fish Jesus has prepared on the grill.

Jesus asleep during the Storm; Julius Schnorr von CAROLSFELD; 1851 engraving from “Bibel in Bildern”.

World Mission Collection

The stilled storm

A fishing-boat is violently rocked by a strong storm on the lake; Jesus who was asleep stills the storm.

See the Stilled Storm

THE BIBLICAL NARRATIVE

St Peter walking on the Water; Luis BORRASSà; 1411-13; tempera on wood; St Peter, Tarrasa, Spain

Web Gallery of Art

On the Lake: Jesus walking on the Water

The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 14

The apostles have fished all night in their fishing-boat.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
And ...the disciples ... were troubled, saying: "It is a spirit" , and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spoke to them: "Be of good cheer; it is I; do not be afraid." And Peter answered him: "Lord, if it is you, command me come to you on the water." "Come", said Jesus. And when Peter had come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying: "Lord, save me ! "

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said to him: "O you of little faith, why did you doubt? " (Matthew 14:25-31)

Comment

The storm, the waters of the lake are symbols of death. As in the stilled storm. Jesus is the one who vanquishes the tempest and hence death. He is the Messiah. But in Matthew's narrative, the role played by Peter allows the reader to distinguish him from the other apostles while underlining his weakness.

SIMILAR PICTURES

On the Lake: Jesus walking on the Water

St Peter walking on the Water; Luis BORRASSà; 1411-13; tempera on wood; St Peter, Tarrasa, Spain

Web Gallery of Art

The way Peter sinks into the water makes the scene more or less dramatic. The stress is always put on the relation between the two men.

Christ appears on the Lake and saves Peter from drowning; miniature on vellum; manuscript KB 76 F 5; Koninklijke Bibiotheek, The Hague

Museum Meermanno

Jesus walking on the Water; Julius Schnorr von CAROLSFELD; 1851; engraving from “Bibel in Bildern”.

World Mission collection

This time, it is actually Jesus who walks on the water. But where is the view taken from? Whereas the biblical narrative mentions the apostles who, from the boat, see Jesus walk, the representation renders the miracle exterior.

Jesus walking on the Water; Gustave DORÉ; 1865; engraving from “The Holy Bible”.

Education Environnement

CLICK HERE TO CHOOSE ANOTHER PICTURE

BIBLE PICTURES © Serge Ceruti and Gérard Dufour 2008