“He wanted to pass by them”
As usual, I have the Chinese meeting tonight. We will be reading the last part of Mark 6. My students have been amazing, curious, and continue to improve in their ability to discuss ideas about the text. I’m looking forward to tonight’s discussion.
Jesus has just sent the disciples to the “other side” of the Sea of Galilee while he sends a crowd away and then goes off to have some time alone and pray. Then we read,
“When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He (Jesus) was alone on the land. He saw them being battered as they rowed, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning He came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them.”
(Mark 6:47–48 HCSB)
On the surface, it looks like Jesus sees their struggle and is going to leave them to it—on the surface.
Nothing could be farther from the truth though. Like a good parent or a teacher committed to his students, Jesus had something else in mind. I’d like to share this new picture with you.
Jesus is out there walking on the water in the midst of a crazy storm. The disciples are in a boat headed for a destination assigned by Jesus. They are doing their best to get where Jesus wants them to be. Instead, they are getting nowhere. In the midst of their struggle, they look up and see this figure in the water.
Did Jesus wave and smile to them? Did He point to the distant shore and start to walk in that direction, to lead the way? The Greek text is clear—it really was not His intention to stop. He wanted to leave them in the boat to get on with their assigned task.
The disciples, having just left a crowd of people, and 12 baskets of leftovers from a meal whipped up quickly (two fish and five loaves of bread) that fed 5,000 men plus women and children, were now on assignment from their teacher to a new destination. They had already seen Jesus raise the dead, heal the sick, and forgive sins. Once they had awakened Jesus from a deep sleep—also in the midst of the storm—and Jesus had calmed the storm with a few words, “Peace, be still.”
Shouldn’t the disciples have seen Jesus out there, in the midst of the storm, and stopped being afraid? The worker of miracles was there, walking on the stormy waves. What could happen to them? He was the one in charge—not the storm.
That isn’t what happened. Superstition and fear flew into high gear and they were terrified. (That never happens to you or me, does it?). Despite Jesus being clearly visible, the disciples saw a ghost—not their Lord and Master. (That never happens to me or you, does it?)
I wonder if Jesus gave a silent internal sigh before we read the rest of the passage:
“Immediately He spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.”
(Mark 6:50–52 HCSB)
What a wonderful, merciful, and gracious teacher Jesus was to them (and is to us). He realized they still had some growing to do, and helped them with words of encouragement and intervention.
What a wonderful, merciful, and gracious Lord and Savior we have. He is still intervening in our lives today. He knows the areas of our lives that are still hard, despite our commitment to Him.
The day will come, when we, like the disciples, will get it. Jesus will be in the storm, wave, and keep on walking by, and we will stand tall in the winds and waves and get back to our given task. Fear will flee and we will love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, teach the unteachable, and suffer the insufferable.
I know this is so because He did that work in Peter, in Paul, in John, and so many others who have gone before us.
I know this is so because His spirit keeps urging me on, to yield in the little things to Him, as well as the big things.
I know this is true, because “He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:5–6 HCSB)
Photo: Jesus Walks on Water by Gustave Doré. David Lang, The Accordance Gallery of Bible Art, Accordance electronic ed. (Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2006), paragraph 626. (Accordance Bible Software)
