So absolutely nothing does it avail to be near Christ, if not being near Him by faith .... Signifying therefore that not the assault of the wind, but his want of faith had wrought his overthrow, He said, "Wherefore did you doubt, O you of little faith?"
-St. John Chrysostom, Homily 50 on Matthew 14, 4th Century
So that if his faith had not been weak, he would have stood easily against the wind also. And for this reason, you see, even when He had caught hold of Him, He suffers the wind to blow, showing that no hurt comes thereby, when faith is steadfast.
-St. John Chrysostom, Homily 50 on Matthew 14, 4th Century
Let us, then, cry out loudly with Peter's words, "Lord, save us." And if we are willing to receive Christ into our ship; that is, to have Him dwell in our hearts; we shall immediately find ourselves at the land to which we are hastening. What land is that? Clearly, it is the promised land, heaven, the land of the meek, of them that refrain from evil. With them, then, may we also be vouchsafed to enter that land and be heirs of its good things; in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom be glory and dominion, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
-St. John Chrysostom, The Gospel Commentary, edited by Hieromonk German Ciuba, 2002, 4th Century