And; δέ, slightly adversative, because St. Peter's words were so contrary to what might have been expected. Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou ( εἰ σὺ εἷ). No doubt is implied (Matthew 4:3, note).
Bid me ( κέλευσόν με); jube me (Vulgate). He will only come at Christ's command. In this lies the difference—and it is a decisive difference—from the second temptation (Matthew 4:6). Come unto thee on the water.
Not "bid me walk on the water;" for he does not want to perform a miracle, but to come to Jesus. His request is not due to the hope of making a show, but to impulsive love. Observe, too, that he seems to have realized that the Lord would enable his followers to do as he himself did (cf.
Chrysostom). On the water; the waters (Revised Version); rough though they were. Had we any ether account of this incident, it would be interesting to see if it contained these words. They read very like an explanatory addition by the narrator.