Jesus did not point it out to
him now. Faith was the only thing that would reveal that to him, as well as
cure him of it; and was, therefore, the only thing he required of him in
his rebuke. I suspect Peter was helped back into the boat by the eager
hands of his companions already in a humbler state of mind than when he
left it; but before his pride would be quite overcome, it would need that
same voice of loving-kindness to call him Satan, and the voice of the cock
to bring to his mind his loud boast, and his sneaking denial; nay, even the
voice of one who had never seen the Lord till after his death, but was yet
a readier disciple than he--the voice of St. Paul, to rebuke him because he
dissembled, and was not downright honest. But at the last even he gained
the crown of martyrdom, enduring all extremes, nailed to the cross like
his Master, rather than deny his name. This should teach us to distrust
ourselves, and yet have great hope for ourselves, and endless patience with
other people. But to return to the story and what the story itself teaches
us.
"If the disciples had known that Jesus saw them from the top of the
mountain, and was watching them all the time, would they have been
frightened at the storm, as I have little doubt they were, for they were
only fresh-water fishermen, you know? Well, to answer my own question"--I
went on in haste, for I saw one or two of the sailors with an audible
answer hovering on their lips--"I don't know that, as they then were, it
would have made so much difference to them; for none of them had risen much
above the look of the things nearest them yet.
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