Image Details

Collection Musee d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva/Giraudon/Art Resource, NY

He of little faith. “Lord save me,” Peter cries out as he begins to drown when attempting to walk across the water from his fishing boat toward Jesus, as painted by Conrad Witz in about 1444. Jesus scolds him: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). It is not until they are all back in the boat, and the wind has died down, that Peter concludes, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33). In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tests and then reassures Peter, who serves as an example for any Christians whose faith is in doubt.