Ice Walking!

We know something about ice up here in MN. We have many winter sports but walking on floating ice is not one of them. Can you imagine? Why would you need the miracle of walking on ice to take the place of walking on water?

Check out this report by Alan Cooperman of the Washington Post.

Combining evidence of a cold snap 2,000 years ago with sophisticated mapping of the sea of Galilee, Israeli and U.S. scientists have come up with a scientific explanation of how Jesus could have walked on water.

Their answer: It was actually floating ice.

All right, that explains how Jesus walked on water. Jesus is ice walking but what about Peter. Just for fun check out my slightly altered version of Matthew 14.24-31. Peter and the disciples are in a boat a long way from the land, beaten by the waves (and ice chunks), for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus came to them, walking on the sea (actually ice). But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea (ice), they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." (I’m just ice walking!) And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the (ice) water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the (ice) water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and with the ice beginning to melt 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?" (Matthew 14:24-31).

Here is an instance of the characteristic ardor and rashness of Peter. Beaten by the waves he didn’t even wait for a thick slab of ice. He was rash, headlong, incautious, really attached to Jesus, but he was walking on thin ice and prone to fall. He became fearful when in danger, and, sinking, cried out for help. Thus he was suffered to learn his own character, and his complete dependence on Jesus the original ice walker.

O you of little faith, why did you doubt?