Background to passage: Since the end of chapter four, Jesus has been demonstrating his person and character through multiple miracles. He calmed a storm, cast out a demon, healed the sick, raised a little girl from the dead. Now, having fed the 5000+, Jesus sends them away and sends the disciples across the sea of Galilee, while he goes upon the mountain to pray (just a couple of comments about Jesus needing time to pray).
Mark 6:45–52 ESV
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Opening illustration: There was a song in the late 90’s that described this passage in scripture. It was from the perspective of the parallel passage in Matthew 14 where Peter goes out on the water with Jesus. It speculates on what was going on at the exact moment Peter went out. The bridge indicates that Peter was meant to dance and enjoy himself as his faith in Jesus was full, rather than sinking in a failure of faith. It was called Strolling On The Water. The focus was on Peter, which is unfortunately not where it is supposed to be.
We don’t know why Mark/Peter left that detail out his account, but Mark lines it all up together with the previous chapters to show the true aim of this passage, who Jesus is.
Main thought: This miracle was not a cool trick to show his disciples, but with a specific purpose, like the others, to reveal himself to the disciples. This miracle was about walking on the water.
1) God’s Will Includes Hardship (v. 47-48)
Mark 6:47–48 ESV
47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And
he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about
the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by
them,
Explanation: First thing we need to realize is that Jesus sent them into a dark sea alone,
knowing that a storm was coming. Different from the last storm in Mark 4, the disciples were
not afraid for their lives, but they were giving out from rowing so hard and long. It was a
wind that was coming at them from the other side of the lake. After sending them,
controlling the wind, he waiting until 3:00 in the morning. The bible fully expects us to be
tossed about by outside forces.
2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV
17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all
comparison,
Romans 5:3 ESV
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
Romans 8:18 ESV
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the
glory that is to be revealed to us.
James 1:2–4 ESV
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the
testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that
you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Illustration: Author after the VT shooting of 2007 when 32 students were shot down in a day.
“Why did God let this happen? That is the wrong question. Here’s a better one. Why do
people still believe in supernatural nonsense? The Bible was written by primitive men
approximately 1700 years before the invention of the flush toilet. It is internally inconsistent
and does not comport with reality. Yet millions still believe it and many will say their allpowerful
god could have stopped the Virginia Tech massacre but did not because he has
granted men free will. In other words, god did not want to interfere with the free will of the
gun-wielding maniac. But what about the free will of the 32 students who were massacred
and what about the free will of their decimated friends and family members? Would a loving and merciful god place the free will of a mad man above the free will of all these innocent people? Of course not. So, theologians will once again fall back on the inane “God’s mysterious ways” explanation. And as the bloody bodies are removed from the campus our faith-based president goes on national TV to urge us to fall on our knees and pray to our loving and merciful god. It is absolutely surreal.”
Application: Jesus ensures that we go through hardships and difficulties. We are assured that trials and tribulation with come into our lives. However, this story shows us what the rest of the bible testifies to: God is in control of danger, fear, harm, and suffering. From the falling of kingdoms to the falling of sparrows; from the casting of the dice to the casting of the spear; from the death of the body to the death of the soul, God oversees it all.
1) Don’t be surprised by suffering, as though some strange thing is happening.
1 Peter 4:12–13 ESV
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
2) Know that your suffering is not out of God’s control.
Matthew 10:29–30 ESV
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
3) Don’t believe that because you are suffering, you are out of God’s will, nor under his punishment
2) Hardship Includes Revelation (v. 48-51)
Mark 6:48–51 ESV
48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,
Explanation: There are some keys that point us to the meaning of this deliberate action by Jesus. Two are very obvious, and two are locked in the detail of this text and the OT. The main point of this miracle was to demonstrate to the disciples that he was God. Even after all the miracles, they still didn’t understand. First, only God could walk on water, defying the laws of nature. Secondly, Jesus calmed the seas, exercising control over nature. Again, something that only God does (and they had seen him do that before).
Thirdly, notice at the end of v. 48, we are told that he meant to pass by them. Theologians and scholars have handled this different ways, but the best way to see it is from the OT perspective. In the Gr OT, this word is used twice; once for God “passing by” Moses to allow him to see God, as much as a man can and live. The other time is when Elijah was whining about being the only person left who follows God. God told to Go to the cave and he would pass by him. Jesus was God passing by!
Finally, as the crown of this revelatory action, he greets the disciples with “It’s me,” same words as “I AM,” as in The Great I AM, the name of God himself. Lovingly, he does it not in rebuke, but in a comforting tone, unlike the previous storm, and the next failure to understand and believe. “Thus, Jesus not only walks in God’s stead, but he also takes his name.”
1 Kings 19:11–13 ESV
11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Illustration: the refiner is closest to the gold when the fire is the hottest.
Application: What this tells us is that 1) God reveals himself during hardships that he designed. Jesus wants us to see him as he is during hardship and during joy. During the most dire of circumstances, God has the greatest stage to show himself mighty. Like in this text, the main point was to pass by. In the OT texts God didn’t deliver out of a life-threatening situation. Remember, 2) our lives are not about deliverance, peace, freedom, happiness, but about knowing God. Sometimes that comes through pain, suffering, and loss. Some of you were at the funeral last Sunday, and you heard me get a little excited about losing my dad. I
came to know God more. 3) Even in our failures of faith, he still comforts and encourages us. He is faithful, even when we are not full of faith.
3) Revelation Includes Reaction (v. 51-52)
Mark 6:51–52 ESV
51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Explanation: When God reveals himself, people react differently. Miracles do not in and of themselves don’t produce faith. In this case it produced fear, astonishment, misunderstanding. Even here the disciples didn’t understand what had happened. Remember the townspeople from the area of the Gadarenes asked Jesus to leave after he cast out a demon. The pharisees charged him as a law-breaker because he healed on the Sabbath. Judas lived with Jesus for three years.
This gives us a window into the human condition as it reacts with the divine. Not automatic acceptance, but automatic anything but...
Mark writes of “hardened their hearts,” and one thinks of unbelief and hostility. However, this term can mean confusion and lack of understanding. So, as will other Jewish speakers (in this case, Peter), parallelism is common. Here and in Mark 8:17, their understanding is lacking. Even if you read the parallel passage in Matthew, it only makes sense if their expression of faith is marred with shallow and inadequate knowledge. Even so, this lack of spiritual perception is culpable/blameworthy. Basically, they should’ve seen it.
Mark 8:17–21 ESV
17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
Illustration: “We rarely see God walking past or recognize his blessing, bounty, or presence in our lives…we ought to reflect on similar experiences from our past where God met us but we were too dense to see it at the time. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we only
