We often picture Peter as bold and brash. He rushes in without hesitation, speaks before thinking, swings a sword when others freeze, and promises undying loyalty just hours before denying Jesus. But there is one moment that slips by quietly, and it tells us something more about him. Something honest and deeply human.
Peter could swim.
He was a fisherman by trade. His world was water and wind, nets and wooden boats, and the unpredictable moods of the Sea of Galilee. Swimming was not a luxury for him. It was part of life. If you worked that lake for a living, you knew how to move through the water. It was not optional.
And we see this clearly in John 21:7. After the resurrection, when Jesus stood on the shore and called out, “It is the Lord,” Peter did not hesitate. He put on his outer garment, jumped into the sea, and went straight to Him. The others stayed in the boat, pulling in the net full of fish. But Peter could not wait. He had to be near Him.
The text does not use the word swim, but it does not need to. The distance was about two hundred cubits, which is close to one hundred yards. Peter did not float or drift. He swam.
That small detail brings new light to another moment.
Back in Matthew 14, Peter does something no fisherman had ever done. He steps out of the boat and walks on water. Jesus is coming toward them across the waves, and Peter says, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You.” Jesus says come. So Peter walks. Not for long, but he walks.
Then the wind rises. The fear returns. His eyes shift from Jesus to the storm. And he begins to sink.
Remember now that Peter could swim. He could have kicked and floated and made his way back to the boat. But he does not. He does not try to save himself. He does not rely on what he knows. He cries out, “Lord, save me.” And Jesus reaches out and catches him.
Peter knew how to swim. But in that moment, he remembered something greater. He knew who to trust.
Many of us are skilled in our own ways. We know how to survive, how to fix things, how to keep moving. We are good at doing. But there comes a time when the Lord is not asking us to do more. He is asking us to trust more. To surrender the reflex to save ourselves. To let Him hold us instead.
Peter could swim. But when it truly mattered, he waited on the hand of Jesus.
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Excellent commentary. I so enjoyed. Yes... I can swim, but I'm much more sure of the Lord than my own skills. I agree and will sure try to put all my trust in HIm. God bless you.