"Of Little Faith" in the NT

Of Little faith: Part 4 - Doubtful Reasoning addressed:

Our study continues in what the Word of God teaches with the Greek word “Oligopistos” translated “of little faith,” found 5 times in the New Testament; four in Matthew and once in Luke. Recapping thus far: Part 1 examined how Jesus used this word to teach His followers about Care or Anxiety: “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye (Oligopistos) of little faith?” Matthew 6:3030 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

. A parallel passage, almost word for word, is found in Luke 12:2828 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

. There He instructed His followers to sell all they had and give to the poor, Luke 12:3333 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

, in faith God would provide their needs. Part 2 clarified a statement made in Part 1. In Part 3 Jesus addressed Fear or Doubt when He and His disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee during a ferocious windstorm with waves filling the boat while Jesus slept. The disciples awoke Him, afraid they were going to die “And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye (Oligopistos) of little faith? He rebuked the winds and sea; and there was a great calm.” Matthew 8:2323 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

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In our study today Jesus addresses what might be termed Doubtful Reasoning evidenced by Peter's faltering faith. Three Gospel writers record the basic incident, Matthew 14:24 - 3624 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;

36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

; Mark 6:47 - 5647 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,

55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

and John 6:16 - 2116 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

, and we learn different things in each about what happened. Jesus had just fed 5000 men, in addition to women and children with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes, after which 12 baskets of leftovers were collected, Matthew 14:16 - 2116 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

18 He said, Bring them hither to me.

19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

. He told His disciples to get into a ship and go to the other side while He sent away the multitude that had just been fed, Matthew 14:2222 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

. John adds that Jesus perceived the crowd wanted to take Him by force to make Him King so He went up to a mountain alone, John 6:1515 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

, where Matthew tells us He prayed, Matthew 14:22 - 2322 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

. Darkness fell and a storm came up tossing the ship about while the disciples rowed. At about the 4th watch (between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM) Jesus came walking on the water past the boat, Mark 6:4848 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

. The disciples where afraid and cried out, thinking He was a spirit. Jesus told them not to be afraid, Mark 6:49 & 5049 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

, and came into the ship. The storm stopped and they were immediately on land at their destination, Mark 6:5151 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

a and John 6:2121 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

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Only Matthew records what happened involving the Apostle Peter before Jesus entered the ship. When Peter saw Jesus he said “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” Matthew 14:2828 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

. Jesus said “come” at which Peter stepped out and walked on the water toward Jesus, Matthew 14:2929 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

. Before we continue with why Peter subsequently began to sink we will consider how the laws of nature were overruled or suspended allowing Peter to walk on water in the first place. The answer, of course, involves both the Word of God and faith. These studies have pointed out previously that the power to accomplish such acts as these reside in The Word of God. Men and/or woman act by faith on what the Word of God has said. For example: Abraham's wife Sarah was too old to bear a child but God told her she would. She believed, that is, she had faith and she conceived and bore a child. It was not Sarah's own power or ability that accomplished what was said, it was the power of the Word of God. Sarah had faith in God's Word, and it happened, Hebrews 11:11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

111 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

. Likewise, it was not within Moses' own power to save those who kept the Passover from the death angel that passed over Egypt killing the first-born. It was the power of the Word of God that saved, while Moses appropriated that power by faith in God's Word, Hebrews 11:2828 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

. Neither Moses nor the Children of Israel had power to part the Red Sea; it was the power of the Word of God that accomplished that miracle. Moses and the Israelites appropriated it by faith and walked through on dry land, Hebrews 11:2929 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

. It was not by the power of Joshua and the Israelites that the walls of Jericho fell down, it was by the power of the Word of God; the Israelites just walked around the city on 7 consecutive days, as instructed by God, and the walls fell, Hebrews 11:3030 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

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Faith is the substance (or foundation) of things hoped for, the evidence (or proof) of things not seen, Hebrews 11:1, and it is obtained or assimilated by hearing the Word of God, Romans 10:1717 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

. While here on earth, Jesus was the Living Word of God, John 1:1 & 141 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

, and He bid Peter come to Him, Matthew 14:29. The Word of God in this case was merely “come.” Peter heard and faith came by hearing. He walked on the water to Jesus, Matthew 14:29. Peter did not have the power to suspend the laws of nature so he could walk on water but the Word of God did. Peter acted by faith in God's word “come” and stepped out. But, ... he faltered when he took his eyes off the object of His faith and looked at the storm tossed sea. “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 unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matthew 14:30 & 3130 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

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Peter's human reasoning created doubt and he began to sink. Jesus' question “wherefore didst thou doubt” was rhetorical for the answer was that Peter had little faith. But, based on the pattern we have observed in the Gospel records so far, it doesn't appear Jesus was condemning Peter for his lack of faith, per se. Rather, Jesus statement was an objective observation of the state Peter and his fellow believers were in with regards to faith at that time.

Our next study will examine the 5th and last occasion the Greek word “Oligopistos” translated “of little faith,” is found in the Gospels. Then, we will make a number of observations about what Jesus was teaching with this word.