Finally, here is my version of what happened when Jesus “walked on water”.
When considering Jesus’ own religious faith, one has to remember that it is entirely based upon the religion that is outlined in the Old Testament, and thus events of the OT were as important to Jesus as NT events are to Christians.
This is why one of the most important rituals acted out by Jesus and his followers was a dramatisation of the Flood Story. The idea was that people would enter the water and then be hoisted aboard the boat, as though they were being brought aboard the original Noah’s Ark. In doing this, they would receive their salvation, being baptised aboard the boat.
This is where the Christian symbolism of the fish originates. The men were brought aboard as though they were fish in a net, and the priest was thus referred to as the ‘fisherman’.
Now the priest had some pretty heavy flowing robes, and it would not have been good for him to have to wade through the water to the boat. Thus there was a jetty reaching from the shore to the boat that was exclusively for the priest to walk upon. Thus when it was said the Jesus walked on the water (on the jetty) it was miraculous only because Jesus was not a priest, but was claiming the right to priesthood by his actions.
Now the event with Peter having a lack of faith and thus sinking is clearly symbolic as well. He did not literally sink, but merely had doubts about whether or not Jesus could actually get away with acting as a priest in this manner.
Remember to also read my "Empire of the Jews" thread if you liked this one!
~ Org.
