And he said, come,.... This he said, partly to assure them who he was; for had he denied him, he and the rest might have concluded, it was none of Jesus; and partly to commend his love, and confirm his faith, by giving a further instance of his power, in enabling him to walk upon the water, as he did:
and when Peter was come down out of the ship; as he immediately did, having orders from Christ; and being by this second speech fully convinced it was he
he walked on the water; a little way, being supported and enabled by the power of Christ; for this was an extraordinary and miraculous action: for if it was so in Christ, it was much more so in Peter: Christ walked upon the water by his own power, as God; Peter walked upon the water, being held up by the power of Christ. The Jews w indeed, call swimming השיטה על פני המים, "walking upon the face of the waters": hence we read of a swimmer's vessel, which is explained to be what men make to learn in it, how על פני המים
לשוט, "to go or walk upon the face of the waters" x; but then this is not going upon them upright, but prone, or lying along upon the surface of the waters, which was not Peter's case; he did not, as at another time, cast himself into the sea, and swim to Christ; see
John 21:7 but as soon as he came down from the ship, standing upright, he walked upon the waters,
to go to Jesus; not merely for walking sake, but for the sake of Christ, he dearly loved; that he might be with him, and be still more confirmed of the truth of its being he, and not a spirit.
w R. David Kimchi, Sepher Shorash. rad. שחה. x R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel moed, fol. 78. 1.