Mark 6:45-53

Jesus Comes to His Disciples in Their Need, Walking on the Water (6:45-53).

As ever in salvation history the blessing is to be followed by trial. Having been fed by God they must now learn that times can also be hard, and that He is trustworthy in the hard times also. In the future they would have to feed the people, but they would be feeding a people who would as well have to endure the problems of life. Christians are not sheltered from those. After their mountain top experiences they have to face the waves of hardship. They therefore needed to learn that the One In Whom they trusted would walk with them in that hardship and would bring them safe to shore.

Earlier we have seen the Apostles going out in triumphant faith and enjoying great success. Now we see them fearful and almost faithless in the face of the strong winds and the unexpected appearance of Jesus. They still have much to learn.

It is quite possible that Mark deliberately places these two great miracles (the loaves and walking on the water) after the achievements of the disciples in order to keep those achievements in perspective. Acting under His authority they had power, but their power did not compare with that of the Master Himself.

Here Jesus sent His disciples ahead of Him by boat to sail to ‘Bethsaida of Galilee' (John 12:21). He had revealed His power over natural things in the multiplying of the bread and He would now again demonstrate to them His power over the elements. What they experienced was intended to remind them of the Scripture which said, “Your way is in the sea, and your path in the great waters” (Psalms 77:19; see also Isaiah 43:16), words spoken to the Lord of creation. Jesus was about to demonstrate again that He was Lord of creation and could bestride the waves.

However, we must read what is said and not over-exaggerate the account. They met a contrary wind, not a storm, something they were well able to deal with even if it was hard work. This is not a further account of the stilling of a storm. All that is parallel with the other account is that they were in a boat at sea and the going was tough. Here there was a contrary wind, there there was a raging storm (a very different thing to experienced sailors). Here Jesus came walking on the water, there He was asleep in the boat. Here He saves them further effort, there He saved their lives. It is true that in both cases a wind ceases, but here it is a contrary wind that is a hindrance to rowing, and that is all, while there the violence of a destructive wind was combined with the raging of the boiling sea, and that was calmed as well. Those hardy sailors would have been amazed that people called the incidents at all similar. They are different at almost every point.

Analysis.

a And immediately He constrained His disciples to board the boat and to go before Him to the other side, towards Bethsaida (Mark 6:45).

b While He Himself sends the crowds away. And after He had taken leave of them He departed to the mountain to pray (Mark 6:46).

c And when evening was come the boat was well out at sea and He alone on the land, and seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night He comes to them walking on the sea. And He would have passed by them (Mark 6:47).

d But they, when they saw Him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost and cried out, for they all saw Him and were distressed, but He immediately spoke with them and says, “Be of good cheer. It is I. Do not be afraid” (Mark 6:49).

c And He went up to them in the boat and the wind ceased (Mark 6:51 a).

b And they were greatly amazed in themselves, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their heart was hardened (Mark 6:51).

a And when they had crossed over they came to the land to Gennesaret, and moored to the shore (Mark 6:53).

Note that in ‘a' H constrains the disciples to board the boat and make for the other side, and in the parallel they reach the other side. In ‘b' Jesus prays in confident faith, and in the parallel the disciples are amazed and flummoxed, because of their lack of faith. In ‘c' He sees them having a hard time against the prevailing wind and would have passed them by, and in the parallel He goes up to them in the boat and arranges for the wind to cease. Centrally in ‘d' what appeared at first to be a horror, turned out to be Jesus coming to meet them.