The Meaning of Matthew 14:30 Explained

Matthew 14:30

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

YLT: but seeing the wind vehement, he was afraid, and having begun to sink, he cried out, saying, 'Sir, save me.'

Darby: But seeing the wind strong he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Matthew 14:30 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 14:22-36 - Help In The Hour Of Need
Jesus always comes in the storm. It had been a great relief to escape from the pressure of the crowd to His place of prayer, on heights swept by the evening breeze and lighted by the holy stars. But He tore Himself away because His friends needed Him. He is watching you also in the storm and will certainly come to your help.
He uses the element we dread as the path for His approach. The waves were endangering the boat, but Jesus walked on them. In our lives are people and circumstances we dread, but it is through these that the greatest blessing of our lives will come, if we look through them to Christ.
His coming is sometimes delayed. The gray dawn was already beginning to spread over the scene. The disciples' strength was spent. He was not too late to be of service, but just in time to save them from despair. Be of good cheer, and if Jesus bids you come to Him on the water, always believe that His commands are enabling. Keep looking to Him, not at the storm. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 14

1  Herod's opinion of Jesus
3  Wherefore John Baptist was beheaded
13  Jesus departs into a solitary place,
15  where he feeds five thousand men with five loves and two fishes
22  He walks on the sea to his disciples;
34  and landing at Gennesaret,
35  heals the sick who touch of the hem of his garment

Greek Commentary for Matthew 14:30

Seeing the wind [βλεπων τον ανεμον]
Cf. Exodus 20:18 and Revelation 1:12 “to see the voice” “It is one thing to see a storm from the deck of a stout ship, another to see it in the midst of the waves” (Bruce). Peter was actually beginning to sink It was a dramatic moment that wrung from Peter the cry: “Lord, save me” (Κυριε σωσον με — Kurie sōson me), and do it quickly the aorist means. He could walk on the water till he saw the wind whirl the water round him. [source]
He was afraid []
“Although,” says Bengel, “a fisherman and a good swimmer” (John 21:7). [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 14:30 mean?

Seeing now the wind charging he was afraid and having begun to sink he cried out saying Lord save me
βλέπων δὲ τὸν ἄνεμον ‹ἰσχυρὸν› ἐφοβήθη καὶ ἀρξάμενος καταποντίζεσθαι ἔκραξεν λέγων Κύριε σῶσόν με

βλέπων  Seeing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: βλέπω  
Sense: to see, discern, of the bodily eye.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἄνεμον  wind 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνεμος  
Sense: wind, a violent agitation and stream of air.
‹ἰσχυρὸν›  charging 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἰσχυρός  
Sense: strong, mighty.
ἐφοβήθη  he  was  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).
ἀρξάμενος  having  begun 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
καταποντίζεσθαι  to  sink 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: καταποντίζω  
Sense: to plunge or sink into the sea.
ἔκραξεν  he  cried  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κράζω  
Sense: to croak.
λέγων  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Κύριε  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
σῶσόν  save 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἐκσῴζω 
Sense: to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction.
με  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.