THERE ARE VIOLENT FORCES that sweep through the sea of the soul. It is not coincidental that many fathers of the early church allegorize the various stories of the turbulent seas found in the bible. More than perhaps any other voice, the third-century Greek theologian Origen popularized the use of allegory in scriptural interpretation. According to him, the interpretation of scripture takes place at three different levels: that of the letter, that of the soul, and that of the spirit. Biblical allegory speaks the metaphor of the powers of the spirit over the soul of men, either to their despair, or to their rescue from the threat of drowning.
From the waters of creation, “darkness was over the surface of the deep” (Gen. 1:2); to “the beast coming out of the sea” (Rev. 13:1); and in every mention in between, commentators have given storied exposition and application to the inner life of man. And so we have the story of Jonah (cf. Jonah 1:4-17), thrown into the sea and swallowed by a whale. It is an incredibly powerful story of God’s purpose in and for a life, perhaps like ours, and the outworking of redemption that has not only metaphorical but in a real sense to that individual life as well as to the life of all mankind.
But we also have this story of Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee—God, the master of creation; the Perfect Man, always master of the seas of life. Jesus, wanting/needing to be alone with God, sent the disciples ahead of him across Galilee. “Later that night, the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’” (Matt. 14:23-28)
Perhaps this is the same, or is informed by, the story in Mark, “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’” (Mark 4:39). Here the disciples respond in amazement, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41) The allegory that speaks an other-world truth so powerfully to us here is about the complexities of sea of mankind, and how we might somehow, impossibly, stay above them. From Adam and Eve dealing with the Fall and Cain’s murder of Abel to the eight plus billion of us alive on the earth today, it is the upheaval of circumstances, emotions, consequences, hopes, and all our failed dreams that is the reality of our intermingled lives. Sinking like Peter, we cry out “Lord, save me!” (Matt. 14:30)
Jesus is the “Son of David” (Matt. 1:1), the one who fulfills the prophecy from Isaiah: “He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” (Isa. 9:7) And in him is perfected David’s own heart-cry for the kind of mastery over life that David, and you and I are so desperate for. “I call to you, LORD, come quickly to me.” (Psa. 141:1), says David. And he prays, “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psa. 141:3) In this regard we are mindful of James’ teaching: “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.” (James 3:2) Jesus’ own teaching on this matter is “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them. But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.” (Matt. 15:10-11, 18) All of our control, or lack of it, proceed from this center and out into our reality; our inner reality does much to bring our outer reality into existence.
Proverbs speaks succinctly to this, and we would do well to spend our lives in this endeavor. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Prov. 4:23-27)
This is all-encompassing. It is a radical shift of being that moves us from the carnal realm of the natural man to the ethereal realm of the spiritual man. And if we diligently keep our focus, there will be some days, when, like Peter, we will manage just a few incorporeal steps on the delicate fluid surface of the heaving seas. Just try not to look at the waves. Do not be dismayed by the regularity with which the surface tension breaks. The Lord is with us.
Q. How much influence do I give Newton’s laws of gravity over my Spirit?
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