Mark 6:45
And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship,; ...to enter into the boat--ASV; As soon as it was over he made his disciples embark--NEB; and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida,; and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida--RSV; and cross to Bethsaida ahead of him--NEB; and cross ahead of Him toward Bethsaida--Wms; while he sent away the people.; while he himself was dismissing the multitude--ABUV; while he dismissed the crowd--RSV; leaving Him behind to dismiss...--Wey;
And /straightway\ constrained he his disciples, to enter into the boat, and be going forward to the other side, unto Bethsaida,--while /he\ was dismissing the multitude.
And immediately he constrained his disciples to go into the boat, and to go before to the other side, unto Bethsaida, till he may let the multitude away,

TRNTyeagerV429,30 - Kai euthus Anagkasen tous mathAtas autou

embAnai eis to ploion kai proagein eis to peran pros

BAthsaidan, hews autos apoluei ton ochlon.

Kai (continuative conjunction).
euthus (adverbial).
Anagkasen (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of anagkazw, constative).
tous (acc.pl.masc.of the article in agreement with mathAtas).
mathAtas (acc.pl.masc.of mathAtAs, direct object of Anagkasen).
autou (gen.sing.masc.of autos, relationship).
embAnai (aor.act.inf.of embainw, complementary).
eis (preposition with the accusative of extent).
to (acc.sing.neut.of the article in agreement with ploion).
ploion (acc.sing.neut.of ploion, extent).
kai (adjunctive conjunction joining infinitives).
proagein (pres.act.inf.of proagw, complementary).
eis (preposition with the accusative of extent).
to (acc.sing.neut.of the article in agreement with peran).
peran (adverbial).
pros (preposition with the accusative of extent).
BAthAsaidan (acc.sing.fem.of BAthsaida, extent).
hews (conjunction introducing a definite temporal clause with the indicative).
autos (nom.sing.masc.of autos, emphatic, subject of apoluei).
apoluei (3d.per.sing.pres.act.ind.of apoluw, historical).
ton (acc.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with ochlon).
ochlon (acc.sing.masc.of ochlos, direct object of apoluei).
Translation: "And immediately thereafter He persuaded His disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead unto the other side to Bethsaida, while He himself sent the crowd away."
COMMENT: kai euthus - Mark's distinct approach. Jesus lost no time. As soon as the fragments of food had been gathered, Jesus, very much in need of rest and relaxation which He had sought for himself and His disciples when they came to the spot much earlier in the day, at last was free to be alone with His Father. He had suggested this short vacation when the Twelve came back from their first preaching mission (Mk.6:30,31). But before Jesus could retire to pray He had to get rid of the Disciples and the vast multitude who were still aghast at the great miracle. Anagkasen. The word implies a little more persuasion than an ordinary order. The disciples did not want to leave Him. The order is followed by two complementary infinitives. They were to get into the boat and to go ahead to the other side to Bethsaida. Meanwhile, as they were rowing across the Sea of Galilee He was going to dismiss the crowd. Note hews here in introduction of the definite temporal clause with the indicative in apoluei. Note Mark's use of the adverb peran here following to the article of the accusative of extent, following eis. There was less constraint in Jesus' order to the crowd (apoluei) than in His order to the disciples. The people were taught; those who were sick were healed; all had been fed. But their view of Jesus was not that of the disciples. Jesus sent them away. They left without an argument, and Jesus was at last alone. The Bethsaida to which the disciples proceeded was on the west coast. Lk.9:10 says that the feeding of the multitude was at a place called Bethsaida, which was on the northeast side of Tiberias.
R975 - Ews with the present indicative has the notion "while" (not "until") and it refers to a contemporaneous event (cf. B328).
BW159 - Clauses Introduced by Adverbial Particles. ... hews ... "Immediately he compelled his disciples...to go forth... while he dispersed the crowd. DM281 - The Construction in Temporal Clauses. Here.
Cham167 - Temporal Clauses...Introduced by a Conjunction. 1. 'When' or 'while.' a. ... b. hews. The usual meaning is 'until', but with the present indicative, it means 'while.' It may refer to a contemporaneous even: (here) 'while he dismesses the crowd'; ...
WMitNTearleI141,2 - Constrained. The verb is anangkazw, which basically means "compel," or "force." Jesus "made" (NASB, NIV) the disciples get into the boat. It may be that Jn.6:15 suggests the reason for this urgency. Jesus knew that the people intended to make Him king by force, and He did not want His disciples involved in this false political move.
MARKitGNTwuest136 - Translation: "And immediately, He compelled His disciples to go on board the boat and precede Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismesses the crowd."
TCGTC-MARKcranfield224,5 - Jesus Walks On The Water (45-52). The close connection between this section and the preceding makes the suggestion that we have here a displaced Resurrection appearance narrative most unlikely. The character of the detail with which the section abounds makes it also unlikely that the narrative is a pious legend or a symbolical story; it suggests rather the memory of an actual incident. When the third person plural is changed to the first person plural, the section reads like the vivid reminiscence of one of the Twelve. The sentence pantes gar auton eidan, which seems a little weak in Mark's narrative, becomes thoroughly natural when transposed into the first person. And vs.52 may well reflect Peter's humble confession as he looks back. It seems very likely that we have here Petrine reminiscence.
Anagkasen. Though the word is used in a weakened sense ... , it is still a strong expression and suggests a certain urgency. In Jn at this point (Jn.6:14f.) the departure of Jesus eis to oros is connected with the excitement caused by the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus withdrew by himself because he perceived that 'they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king'. So from early times (e.g. Origen) people have sought to explain Mark's Anagkasen by reference to this dangerous situation indicated in Jn.6:14f. Thus Latham wrote: "He hurried the disciples on board that they might not catch the contagion of the idea.' A more satisfactory explanation is that the crowd were not aware of the miraculous nature of the meal of which they had partaken (cf. p. 221: that Jn. was would not be at all surprising), but were nevertheless dangerously enthusiastic after this meal in the desert, and so Jesus hustled the disciples away to prevent them from adding a spark to the tinder by revealing to the crowd the meal's miraculous character.
BAthsaidan. Probably the important Bethsaida Julias. Some older scholars were led by Mark's eis to peran to conjecture the existence of another Bethsaida on the western shore of the lake, but this suggestion has now been generally given up. Others would get over the geographical difficulty by translating pros 'opposite to', but Taylor rightly doubts the possibility of this when pros is associated with a verb of motion. Taylor follows Burkitt in omitting eis to peran with p45 W fI q sys, regarding these words as an assimilation to Mt., though he admits the possibility that the omission should rather be explained as due to a sense of the geographical difficulty.
NTC-MARKhendriksen256,7,8 - When we compare Mark's account with that of Matthew (14:22-33), what at once strikes us is how much the two overlap. In both accounts Jesus orders his disciples to get into the boat and cross over to the other side. Alone he goes up into the hill to pray. On the sea the progress of the rowers is being curtailed by a ferocious head-wind. In the fourth watch of the night Jesus comes toward them. He is walking the waves. Failing to recognize him and taking him to be a ghost, the terrified men scream aloud. At once Jesus addresses them in the comforting words: "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." He climbs into the boat and the wind ceases. The disciples are filled with a feeling of astonishment (Mark) and worship (Matthew).
The story is not found in Luke but occurs also in John (6:15-21). Though that evangelist tells it in his own way, in all essential details the three accounts (Matthew, Mark, John) coincide. Nevertheless, each, without ever coming into conflict with the others, makes his own contribution.
Matthew most vividly pictures the storm. He is also the only one who narrates the story of Peter's venture upon the waters. He states that at the concluson of the entire incident the disciples confessed Jesus to be "God's Son" (14:33).
John mentions the reason - or one of the reasons - why Jesus withdrew into the hill. That reason was the attempt by the people to take him by force and make him king (6:15). He states that the disciples were heading for Capernaum (6:17). Broadly interpreted this is not in conflict with Mk. 6:45,53. It is also John who tells us that it was after having proceeded "twenty-five or thirty stadia" that someone who later on revealed himself to be Jesus appeared to the rowers. When they knew who he was they were willing to receive him into the boat, which then immediately landed. How it must be explained that neither Mark nor John duplicate Matthew's story with reference to Peter (14:28-31) cannot be determined, though there have been many conjectures.
Mark makes his own contribution. It was to Bethsaida and Gennesaret that Jesus sent his disciples. The boat was "in the midst of the sea" when the storm struck. Jesus saw the disciples "straining at the oars," and "was about to walk by them." He spoke "with" them. The miracle left the disciples "greatly astonished." Reason: their hearts being hardened, they had not grasped the full significance of the miracle of the multiplication of the rolls.
1. The disciples without Jesus. - Jesus dismissed the crowd. While he is doing this he orders his disciples by boat to go ahead of him to the western side of the sea.
Why did Jesus dismiss the crowd? The answer may be as follows - at least the following items deserve careful consideration - :
a. It was getting late, and many of the people were far from home.
b. The people were not eager to leave Jesus of their own accord.
c. They "wanted to take Jesus by force to make him king" (Jn. 6:15), which was exactly what he did not want (see Jn. 18:36).
d. Jesus desired to have time for private communion with his Father in heaven.
As to the question why Jesus dismissed his disciples, the need for private communion (point d) would also explain this. Besides, in connection with point c., Jesus knew that even his own disciples were not free from erroneous Messianic expectations (cf. Acts 1:6). We may assume that he was therefore also aware of the fact that it was best for them not to be influenced by the clamor of the multitude.
The Bethsaida to which Mark here refers was clearly on the western side of the sea, as was the plain of Gennesaret south of Capernaum (cf. Mk. 6:53; Jn. 6:17). For more on the two Bethsaidas see N.T.C. on John, Vol. I, pp. 216, 217, 225.


Mark 6:46
And when he had sent them away,; And after he had taken leave of
them--ASV; And after bidding them farewell--NASB; he
departed into a mountain to pray.; he went up on the
mountain to pray--Gspd; he went into the hills to pray--RSV;
And, bidding them farewell, he departed into the mountain to
pray.
and having taken leave of them, he went away to the mountain to
pray.

TRNTyeagerV430,1 - kai apotaxamenos autois apAlthen eis to oros

proseuxasthai.

kai (continuative conjunction).
apotaxamenos (aor.mid.part.nom.sing.masc.of apotassomai, adverbial).
bid farewell - Lk.9:61; Acts 18:21.
forsake - Lk.14:33.
send away - Mk.6:46.
take leave of - Acts 18:18; II Cor.2:13.
Meaning: A combination of apo and tassw. Hence, to set apart; to separate; to take leave of; to say goodbye to; to forsake. Jesus dismissed the people and sent them away - Mk.6:46. With reference to leaving others and saying goodbye - Acts 18:18,21; II Cor.2:13. Of one saying goodbye to his family to follow Christ - Lk.9:61. With reference to the decision to renounce the world - Lk.14:33.
autois (dat.pl.masc.of autos, indirect object of apotaxamenos).
apAlthen (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of aperchomai, constative).
eis (preposition with the accusative of extent).
to (acc.sing.neut.of the article in agreement with oros).
oros (acc.sing.neut.of oros, extent).
proseuxasthai (aor.mid.inf.of proseuchomai, purpose).
Translation: "And having said goodbye to them, He went away unto the mountain to pray."
COMMENT: Rather than use a purpose clause with hina and the subjunctive, Mark uses the infinitive. Jesus went up upon the mountain to pray. ...
MARKitGNTwuest136 - "When He had sent them away." The verb is apotassw and means "to separate one's self, withdraw one's self, to take leave of, bid farewell to."
"To pray." The verb is proseuchomai, which is used of prayer addressed to God, the prefixed preposition meaning "toward, facing," emphasizing the direct approach of the one who prays, in seeking God's face. It speaks also of the consciousness on the part of the one who prays, of the fact of God's presence and His listening ear.
Translation: "And having taken leave of them, He went off into the mountain to pray."
TCGTC-MARKcranfield225 - autois: i.e. the multitude (cf. Mt.14:23: tous ochlous); hardly the disciples.
NTC-MARKhendriksen258 - A very delightful and instructive book is that by R.E. Speer, The Principles of Jesus Applied to Some Questions of Today, New York, Chicago, Toronto, 1902. In this volume the writer points out that the purpose of Christ's coming to earth was, in part, "to displace legalism by the spirit of a true life, to supplant prescription by principle" (p. 10). Now prayer belongs to the very essence of this "true life." So in a passage that certainly also elucidates Mk. 6:46 Speer points out that prayer was Christ's very breath, namely, "unselfish prayer (Lk. 22:32), forgiving prayer (Lk. 23:34), earnest prayer (Lk. 22:44), submissive prayer (Matt. 11:26; 26:39, 54)" )p.20).
The picture of Jesus on the hill praying, as was his custom (cf. Jn. 17) for himself and also forothers, including his disciples, must not be separated from that of the disciples on the stormy sea:
TNICotNT-MARKlane234,5 - The second occasion when Jesus demonstrated his sovereignty over the sea, like the stilling of the storm (Ch. 4:35-41), is connected with the Sea of Galilee. The earlier event focused attention on the authority of Jesus' word; here his whole person is involved as he walks across the rough water. On both occasions the disciples fail to understand who Jesus is and experience stark fear and amazement. The incident is more firmly welded into the context than most of the paragraphs belonging to the Galilean ministry. The dismissal of the crowd, the hurried departure of the disciples under constraint, and the reference to the loaves in verse 52 inseparably link the narrative with the feeding of the multitude. When the thrid person plural of the narration is transposed to the first person plural of direct discourse the section reads like the excited report of one of the Twelve who had experienced terror upon seeing the Lord of the Sea.
The abruptness with which Jesus constrained the disciples to return to their boat and directed them to Bethsaida Julias in the territory of Herod Philip suggests a crises which is unexplained in the Marcan narrative. The wilderness plays a prominent role, however, in the several messianic uprisings of the first century, and Jn. 6:14 f. states that the people recognized Jesus as the promised eschatological Prophet (cf. Mk. 6:14f.) and determined to proclaim him king. The tension of messianic excitement was dangerously in the air after the meal in the desert. The hurried dismissal of the disciples prevented them from adding fuel to the fire by revealing to the people the miraculous character of the evening meal. Jesus remained to pacify and dismiss the unruly crowd. His retreat to the hillside for prayer and the subsequent withdrawal from Galilee are the direct result of the outburst of enthusiasm which followed the feeding of the multitude. Jesus refused to be the warrior-Messiah of popular expectations.
This analysis is confirmed when the reference to Jesus in prayer is seen in the context of Mark's structure. The evangelist speaks of Jesus' withdrawal to a solitary place for prayer after the excitement of the sabbath activity in Capernaum (Ch. 1:35-39), after the miracle of the loaves (Ch. 6:45f.), and following the Last Supper (Ch. 14:26-42). In each case it is night and Jesus finds himself in a moment of crisis prompted by the enthusiasm of the crowds or the impending passion. On this occasion it was the threat inherent in irresponsible excitement which prompted Jesus to retreat from the people. As in the beginning of his ministry (Ch. 1:12f.), Jesus' presence in the wilderness provoked the renewal of temptation: refusing the acclaim of the multitude he gave himself to a long period of solitude in order to affirm his obedience to the Father.


Mark 6:47
And when even was come,; And when evening came--ABUV; When it grew late--Phi; Twilight had already come--Knox; the ship was in the midst of the sea,; the boat was out on the sea-- RSV; and the boat was already well out on the water--NEB; the boat was half way across the Lake--Wey; and he alone on the land.; and he was alone...--ABUV; ...on shore--Gspd;
And <when /evening\ came> the boat was in the midst of the sea, and /he, alone\ on the land.
And evening having come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone upon the land;

TRNTyeagerV433,4 - kai ophias genomenAs An to ploion en mesw tAs

thalassAs, kai autos monos epi tAs gAs.

kai (continuative conjunction).
ophias (gen.sing.fem.of ophios, genitive absolute).
genomenAs (aor.part.gen.sing.fem.of ginomai, genitive absolute).
An (3d.per.sing.imp.ind.of eimi, progressive description).
to (nom.sing.neut.of the article in agreement with ploion).
ploion (nom.sing.neut.of ploion, subject of An).
en (preposition with the locative of place where).
mesw (loc.sing.masc.of mesos, place where).
tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with thalassAs).
thalassAs (gen.sing.fem.of thalassa, description).
kai (continuative conjunction).
autos (nom.sing.masc.of autos, emphatic, subject of An understood).
monos (nom.sing.masc.of monos, predicate adjective).
epi (preposition with the genitive of place description).
tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with gAs).
gAs (gen.sing.fem.of gA, place description).
Translation: "And when evening came the boat was in the middle of the sea and He Himself was alone upon the land."
COMMENT: Note the genitive absolute ophias genomenAs. When evening came it found the disciples in the boat half way across the Sea of Tiberias enroute to Bethsaida. Jesus had remained behind on the land. It had been quite a day. Jesus had gone up the hill to pray and now had returned to the shore, from which point He could see that the disciples were in trouble. They were going to need Him soon, not for food for their empty stomachs but for protection from the storm at sea that threatened to engulf them.
R686 - autos is emphatic in this verse, "he was alone."
MARKitGNTwuest136 - "When even was come." It was the second or late evening, 6 p.m., at sunset.
"He alone on the land." Jesus had come down from the mountain and had returned to the seashore. Apparently He stayed some hours on the beach, for John says (6:17), "It was now dark and Jesus had not come to them."
Translation: "And evening having come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He Himself alone upon the land."
TCGTC-MARKcranfield225 - opsias genomenAs. In vs.35 we had AdA hwras pollAs genomenAs. If the time referred to there was late afternoon, the time indicated here would probably be quite late in the evening. Opsios can refer to a time before or after sunset. So in 1:32 the less precise opsias genomenAs is more exactly defined by hote edusen ho hAlios. In Judith 13:1 opsios is used of the early night. Here it seems to be implied that it was light enough for Jesus on the high ground to see the disciples on the lake; but it was probably moonlight, for the general impression is that it must have been a good while after sunset since Jesus came to them in the fourth watch.
...
NTC-MARKhendriksen 258,9 - "In the middle of the sea!" John's Gospel informs us that the boat had proceeded twenty-five to thirty stadia, hence about three or four miles, a stadium being about 1/8 of a mile. Now if the distance between Bethsaida Julias (Lk. 9:10), the point from which the disciples began their return voyage, to Bethsaida of Galilee (Mk. 6:45; cf. Jn. 12:21), where they landed, was about five miles, as seems probable, then these men were now indeed "in the middle of the sea."
Then, evening having arrived, a storm arose. John states, "And the sea was getting rough, as a strong wind was blowing." Matthew adds, "The boat was...battered by the waves, for the wind was from the opposite direction." Mark in verse 48 presupposes rather than describes the storm. But he, as well as the others, stresses the time of the day - evening, hence darkness - , the place - the middle of the sea -, and the absence of Jesus: "he alone on land"; however, on land engaged in prayer (verse 46).
Put together these two scenes: a. Christ's prayer includingintercession, and b. the disciples' dangerous (humanly speaking) position! Result: their situation was actually not dangerous at all, for on yonder hill Chrsit's prayer must have included the petition that their lives might be spared so that they would be able to fulfil their mission. Does not this combined picture have many comforting applications for every time of trouble and distress; yes, for every "crises"? And has there ever been a period in the history of the church when there was no crises?
TNICotNT-MARKlane235 - By the time Jesus had finished praying it was the dark hours before dawn and the disciples were well out to sea. The observation that the boat was on the sea and Jesus was alone on the land seems labored until it is seen as an element in a recurring pattern in Mark. Whenever the master is absent from the disciples (or appears to be so, as in Ch. 4:35-41), they find themselves in distress. And each time they experience anguish it is because they lack faith (Chs. 4:35ff.; 6:45ff.; 9:14ff.). This is clearly the case in this episode where the physical exhaustion of the disciples was aggravaed by stark terror when they encountered what they believed to be a night spectre. Mark's notice indicates that the crowd has dispersed and brings into focus the principals in the drama which unfolded on the sea.


Mark 6:48
And he saw them toiling in rowing;; And he saw that they were distressed...--RSV; ...that they were straining at the oars--Gspd; for the wind was contrary unto them;; ...was against them--RSV; Due to a contrary wind--Nor; and about the fourth watch of the night; Somewhere between three and six in the morning--NEB; and toward morning--Gspd; And in the small hours--Phi; he cometh unto them,; he came to them--Knox; He came towards them--Wey; he went out to them-- Gspd; He started toward them--Wms; walking upon the sea,; walking on the sea--ASV; walking on the waters of the lake-- Phi; and would have passed by them.; and he was purposing to pass by them--Alf; and made as if to pass them by--Knox;
And <seeing them distressed in the rowing, for the wind was against them> /about the fourth' watch of the night\ he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea,--and was wishing to pass by them.
and he saw them harassed in the rowing, for the wind was against them, and about the fourth watch of the night he doth come to them walking on the sea, and wished to pass by them.

TRNTyeagerV434,5,6 - kai idwn autous basanizomenous en tw

elaunein, An gar ho anemos enantios autois, peri tetrartAn

phulakAn tAs nuktos erchetai pros autous peripatwn epi tAs

thalassAs. kai ethelen parelthein autous.

kai (continuative conjunction).
idwn (aor.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of horaw, adverbial, temporal).
autous (acc.pl.masc.of autos, direct object of idwn).
basanizomenous (pres.pass.part.acc.pl.masc.of basanizw, adverbial, circumstantial)
en (preposition with the locative of time point in a temporal clause, with the infinitive).
tw (loc.sing.neut.of the article, time point).
elaunein (pres.act.inf.of elaunw, time point, in a temporal clause).
An (3d.per.sing.imp.ind.of eimi, progressive description).
gar (causal conjunction).
ho (nom.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with anemos).
anemos (nom.sing.masc.of anemos, subject of An).
enantios (nom.sing.masc.of enantios, predicate adjective).
autois (dat.pl.masc.of autos, personal disadvantage).
peri (preposition with the accusative in a time expression).
tetartAn (acc.sing.fem.of tetartos, in agreement with phulakAn).
phulakAn (acc.sing.fem.of phulakA, time expression).
tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with nuktos).
nuktos (gen.sing.fem.of nux, description).
erchetai (3d.per.sing.pres.ind.of erchomai, historical).
pros (preposition with the accusative of extent).
autous (acc.pl.masc.of autos, extent).
peripatwn (pres.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of peripatew, adverbial, modal).
epi (preposition with the genitive of place description).
tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with thalassAs).
thalassAs (gen.sing.fem.of thalassa, place description).
kai (adversative conjunction).
Athelen (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of thelw, inceptive).
parelthein (aor.inf.of parerchomai, complementary).
autous (acc.pl.masc.of autos, direct object of parelthein).
Translation: "And when He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was blowing against them, about the fourth watch of the night He came toward them, walking about on the sea, and was thinking of passing them by."
COMMENT: The verse is full of interesting grammar. idwn is the temporal participle in the aorist tense. It was after Jesus saw them that he went out to help. The participle basanizomenous is also an adverb used here in a circumstantial way. Under what circumstance did Jesus see them? As they were being severely tested (the basic meaning of basanizw) as they tried to propel (the basic meaning of elaunw) the boat. Hence, in this context "rowing." hence our translation, "straining at the oars." The temporal clause consists of en tw and the infinitive and means "while" or "during the time that." Then comes causal gar as Mark tells us why the disciples were having such a hard time rowing. The wind was against them. Cf.II Pet.2:8 where Lot was buffeted by the opposing mores of a wicked city. Christians must always "toil at the oars" because we live in a social and philosophical environment that is unfriendly (Eph.6:12). The social, economic, philosophical and political winds are against us. Cf#698 for the winds of doctrine (Eph.4:4; Jude 12) which always oppose Christian theology and ethics. Cf.#1128 where enantios is used of spiritual opposition to Christians, e.g. Acts 28:17; 26:9; I Thess.2:15; Tit.2:8.
With the appropriate and much needed warning that symbolism in exegesis is always wrong unless what we see in symbol is exegetically clear elsewhere in scripture, we may point out that this story is rich indeed in symbolism. Having scripture, we may point out that this story is rich indeed in symbolism. Having been fed miraculously by Jesus upon the Bread from heaven (Jn.6:35) and ordered by Him to put out upon the troubled sea of man's sinful society (Mt.28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Mt.10:16; Jn.15:18; Mt.5:10-12; I Pet.4:12-16), we toil at the task of obeying Him. Our task is onerous because the winds of heretical dogma oppose us constantly. But Jesus, Who meanwhile is praying for us upon the exalted heights, is not unaware of our plight (Heb.9:24). Our Great Shepherd, the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls (Heb.13:20; I Pet.2:35), intercedes at God's right hand, far above the storms and contrary winds of earth's troubled sea (Eph.1:20-23; Phil.2:9-11; Col.3:1; I Jn.2:1,2). He knows about our struggles, prays for us and eventually will come to us (Heb.9:28; 10:37), contemptuously treading beneath His feet the waves that frighten us. Christians are in the gospel boat, obeying Him, toiling at the oars, resisting contrary winds. he will come! Cf. comments on Mt.24:33. Cf.#173 for other examples of peri in a time sense. tAs nuktos is description of phulakAn. The fourth watch of the night would be sometime after 2:00 A.M.
Jesus approached the boat with quiet and deliberate dignity. it was almost a saunter. He was "walking around on the sea." Now here, now there. Moving from one wave to another, like a gardener inspecting the flowers in his garden. He who had just indulged in direct creation of food was having no trouble overriding the law of gravity, since it was His law.
parelthein can be translated either as "coming near or along side" or as "coming by or coming parallel to" the boat. jesus was already near enough to the boat that the disciples could see Him, although they though that He was a ghost! If we take the verb to mean "bypass" we have an insight into a characteristic of Jesus, purely human and perfectly legitimate that is not often seen. he may have been teasing the disciples. Of course He did not intend to allow them to drown, but He may have though that it would be fun to amek them think that He was going on without them, thus to leave them to the tender mercies of the storm. He had already given them one demonstration of His authority over a tornado at sea (Mk.4:35-41). He who commands the winds and the waves that they obey Him was not concerned about this storm at sea, which had the disciples in jeopardy.
The violence of the wind can be gauged by the fact that from the onset of evening (ophias genomenAs in vs.47) until the 4th watch (eight hours later) they had got only halfway across. Jn.6:19 says that they had rowed about 25 or 30 furlongs - a little more than halfway across. The lake at that point is about seven miles wide. Three and one half miles in eight hours. Slow progress. Much windy opposition. Threatening waves Dispirited disciples. But a watchful Sovereign Lord, who may have been having alittle fun at their expense, but was certain not to let them drown.
M62 - Peri with the accusative has the sense of "about."
T146 - En tw elaunein menas "by the rowing" (cf. BD404[3]).
BW50 - The Adverbial Accusative. ... (8) The Substantive with the Prepostion peri. (here). peri tetartAn phulakAn tAs nuktos erchetai pros autous. "About the fourth watch of the night he came to them."
MARKitGNTwuest136,7 - "He saw them toiling in rowing." The verb is basanizw "to torture," used in the passive, "to be harassed, distressed."
"The fourth watch of the night." It was between three and six in the morning.
"Walking on the sea." The word "on" is epi which when used with the genitive case as it is here, signifies contact. Our Lord's sandals had actual contact with the water. He walked on the surface of the sea as we walk on a hard pavement.
"Would have passed by them." The word "would" is the translation of thelw "I desire." He desired to pass by them. The word "by" is para which means "beside." The word "passed" is erchomai "to go." The AV, leaves the impression that our Lord desired to pass them by. But He went out on that turbulent sea in order to go to their help. This preposition para when used in composition with a verb as it is here, denotes "situation or motion either from the side of or to the side of," and thus means "near, beside, by, to." The context points to the rendering. "He was desiring to go to their side." An instance of this use is found in Acts 24:7, where the AV, has "The chief captain Lysias came upon us," and the same verb is used, parerchomai has that meaning. But it also means "to come near." The context is decisive for the latter, in the judgment of the present writer, since the reason why Jesus went out to the disciples, was, not to pass by and leave them to their fate, but to come near and help them in their difficulty, which thing He proceeded to do.
Translation: "And seeing them constantly distressed in their rowing, for the wind was against them, sometime between three and six in the morning, He comes to them walking directly on the sea. And He was desiring to go their side."
TCGTC-MARKcranfield225,6 - idwn. It seems more natural to suppose that Jesus was still on the high ground than that he had already come down to the shore.
basanizomenous. The verb was used in vs.7. Here the participle could be either passive ('being buffeted') or middle ('toiling hard', 'exerting themselves').
peri tetartAn phulakAn. Mark follows the Roman custom of counting four night watches (cf.13:35). The Jews divided the night into three watches.
peripatwn epi tAs thalassAs. Epi + genitive can mean 'by' (cf. Jn21:1; Acts 5:23; Ex.14:2); but in view of the contrast with epi tAs gAs in vs.47 and the amazement of the disciples it is clear that Mark means 'on'. (That it was so understood by Matthew is abundantly clear.) Taylor thinks that the shore was quite near, but that in the darkness it could not be seen and Jesus 'wading through the surf near the hidden shore' seemed to the disciples to be walking on the water: they misinterpreted the incident as miraculous. But would not Jesus quickly have discovered their mistake-- and corrected it? The rationalization of the miracle is unsatisfactory. On Taylor's main objection that to accept the miracle would imply 'a docetic view of the person of Christ' see the concluding note on 1:29-31.
kai Athelen parelthein autous. Only in Mk. Perhaps the words are to be explained as recording the impression the disciples had at the time: the impression they got was that he intended to pass by them. Or perhaps thelw is here used as more or less equivalent to mellw. Some have suggested that his intention was to get to the other side before them, others that it was to test their faith. R.H.Lightfoot has suggested that though Jesus must needs go to help his disciples in distress, their lack of comprehension was so great a strain to him that 'He would have been glad to pass them by'; but this seems scarcely probable. Perhaps we should compare Lk.24:28; Jn.20:15.
NTC-MARKhendriksen259,60 - 2. The disciples with the unknown Jesus. Matt. 14:24 states that the boat was being "tortured" or "battered" or "harassed" by the waves. Mark here uses the same participle in connection with the disciples. Jesus saw them as they were being "harassed" in rowing, were straining at the oars. Both Mark (6:48) and John (6:19) refer to this rowing activity.
It was then that Jesus, in fulfilment of his promise (implied in verse 45) came to them. The time was "about the fourth watch of the night" (cf. 13:35). That watch covered the period from 3 to 6 o'clock A.M. Note the word "about." It may have been 3 o'clock, a little earlier or even somewhat later.
In spite of the fact that it is dark, Jesus sees his disciples laboring with great difficulty to drive their vessel forward. In spite of the fact that water is - at least is considered to be - by its very nature unfit to be walked on, he walks on it. In spite of tempestuous billows and buffeting head-winds he, without deviation, continues step by step to walk toward this boat. No, not all the way up to the boat but rather toward a place near or alongside of it; for Mark writes, "He was about to pass them by." Some have interpreted this to mean that it was the Master's intention to meet his disciples not now but a little later, after they had landed. But in view of the words "He came to them" a different interpretation is probably preferable; namely, he arrived to a place near the boat and then was about to continue onward past the boat, so as graciously to afford them an opportunity to invite him to come aboard. Without that glad welcome on their part he would have passed them by.
This is an important point. Divine disposition of events by no means rules out human action. Election is not inconsistent with exertion. See Phil. 2:12, 13; II Thess. 2:13. Besides,does not this interpretation of the thought of Jesus - "I shall give them an opportunity to welcome me aboard; andif they do not do this I shall pass them by" - find support in Jn. 6:21? For a somewhat similar action on the part of Jesus see Lk. 24:28.
The amazing manner in which the attributes of our Lord are here displayed merits special study. There is first his knowledge. The preceding context - see verses 46, 47 - leaves the impression that it was while Jesus was still "on land" that he through - or in spite of - the darkness saw these disciples! For more about the close connection between Christ's human and his divine nature, between his knowledge and his omniscience, see above, on Mk. 5:32, also Introduction III. And study such passages as Matt. 17:27; 21:19; 24:36; Mk. 2:8; 5:30; 11:13; Jn. 1:47,48; 2:23-25.
Next, consider his power. Mark has already related several events in connection with which this power was displayed in a most remarkable manner (1:25-27, 31-34, 39- 42; 2:8-12; 3:5,10,11; 4:39; 5:9-13, 34, 41, 42). Now here in 6:48 the One who was able to still the waves (4:39) shows that he is even able to make them a path for his feet. See Job 9:8.
Attempts have been made to escape this conclusion and to change "walking on the sea" to "walking by (or along) the sea." In the present context, however, this will not do. If the exactly similar expression in the preceding verse (6:47) means that Jesus alone was "on land," verse 48must mean that he actually walked "on the sea."
It would not be correct, in taking note of the Master's knowledge and of his power, to forget his love, as here revealed. That these men in distress were by no means perfect is shown in verses 49 (they were superstitious) and 52 (in a sense their hearts were hardened). Nevertheless, so tender is his compassion, so paternal his affection, that no darkness, tempest, or billows can keep him away from those who are very, very dear to his heart. When they need him he wants to be with them.


Mark 6:49
But when the saw him walking upon the sea,; ...on the water--Phi; they supposed it had been a spirit,; ...an apparition--Alf; they thought it was a ghost--RSV; and cried out:; and cried aloud--Rieu; and cried out with fear--Nor;
But /they\ <seeing him /upon the sea\ walking> supposed that it was /an apparition\, and cried out aloud;
And they having seen him walking on the sea, thought it to be an apparition, and cried out,

TRNTyeager436,7 - hoi de idontes auton epi tAs thalassAs

peripatounta edoxan hoti phantasma estin, kai anekraxan.

ho (nom.pl.masc.of the article subject of edoxan and anekraxan).
de (adversative conjunction).
idontes (aor.act.part.nom.pl.masc.of horaw, adverbial, temporal).
auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos, direct object of idontes).
epi (preposition with the genitive of place description).
tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with thalassAs).
thalassAs (gen.sing.fem.of thalassa, place description).
peripatounta (pres.act.part.acc.sing.masc.of peripatew, adverbial, circumstantial).
edoxan (3d.per.pl.aor.act.ind.of dokew, constative).
hoti (objective conjunction introducing an object clause in indirect discourse).
phantasma (nom.sing.neut.of phantasma, predicate nominative).
estin (3d.per.sing.pres.ind.of eimi, indirect discourse).
kai (adjunctive conjunction joining verbs).
anekraxan (3d.per.pl.aor.act.ind.of anakrazw, ingressive).
Translation: "But when they saw Him walking around upon the sea they thought that it was a ghost and they began to cry out."
COMMENT: de is adversative. The reaction of the disciples was not one of comfort. One would think that, pressed almost beyond endurance by the continued toil at the oars against the buffeting winds, the disciples would be delighted to see Jesus coming to their rescure. But He was walking around on the water! It should have been no problem for them since they had already seen so many of His miracles that they should have been surprized at nothing He did. But walking on the water?! Thus their reaction was in terms of something that their faith could handle. It was easier to believe in ghosts than to believe that Jesus could walk on the water, so they allowed their minds to follow the line of least resistance. They saw Him where? On the sea. Doing what? Walking around. Note that the verb is not patew - "to walk" but peripatew - "to walk around." And note that it is continuous present tense action. He was continuing to walk around. Strolling casually here and there, although His general line of progress was pros autous - "toward them." A direct line of march in the direction of the struggling disciples in the boat would be patew not peripatew. Thus our Lord strolls about, demonstrating His contempt for the storm by calmly treading its waves beneath His sovereign feet. Symbolically the lesson is that as we struggle against the world's opposition with its buffeting winds of doctrine, He calmly walks with us in the midst of our distress. (I Jn.4:4; Jn.1:5; Mt.28:20). Should we think it strange and imagine Him to be a ghost and shriek in fear? The reaction of the disciples was more natural than ours should be under the same circumstances. For them His death, burial, resurrection and ascension and Pentecost and the gift of the NT revelation was yet future. For us these events are history. Zeitgeist, "the spirit of the times" would dictate that we should not judge the disciples too harshly. On the basis of what they though they saw, the screamed! Who wouldn't?
MARKitGNTwuest137,8 - "They supposed it had been a spirit." The word for "spirit" here is not pneuma, referring to a disembodied individual who had died, but phantasma "an apparition, a specter." The word was associated with magic and charms, thus with the system of Satan. When Luke (24:37) reports the fact of our Lord's post-resurrection appearance to the disciples, he uses the word pneuma, for there they thought they had seen some person come back from the dead. But to have somebody walk on the sea, that would be magic to them.
"Cried out." The verb is anakrazw "to raise a cry from the depth of the throat, to cry out." It was a shriek of terror, a scream.
Translation: But having seen Him walking directly upon the sea, they supposed that it was an apparition. And they screamed."
TCGTC-MARKcranfield226,7 - phantasma: 'an apparition', 'ghost'. According to S.-B I, p. 691, Jewish popular belief often recounted the appearance of unusual appartions on the sea (examples given in support). Cf. Wisdom 17:3f., 15. Was it the fact that he Athelen parelthein autous that made them think he was a phantasma?


Mark 6:50
For they all saw him, and were troubled.; ...and were terrified-- Gspd; for all had seen him, and were full of dismay--Knox; And immediately he talked with them,; But straightway...-- ABUV; But immediately he spoke to them--RSV; and saith unto them, Be of good cheer:; and said to them, Take courage-- NASB; and said, All is well!--Rieu; he said to them, Take heart--Bas; it is I; be not afraid.; it is I, have no fear-- Mof; it is I; do not be alarmed--Wey;
for /all\ saw him, and were troubled. But /he, straightway\ talked with them, and saith unto them--
Take courage! it is /I\,--be not afraid!
for they all saw him, and were troubled, and immediately he spake with them, and saith to them, 'Take courage, I am he, be not afraid.'

TRNTyeagerV437,8,9 - pantes gar auton eidon kai etarachthAsan, ho

de euthus elalAsen met' autwn, kai legei autois, Tharseite,

egw eimi, mA phobeisthe.

pantes (nom.pl.mac.of pas, subject of eidon and etarachthAsan).
gar (causal conjunction).
auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos, direct object of eidon).
eidon (3d.per.pl.aor.act.ind.of horaw, constative).
kai (adjunctive conjunction joining verbs).
etarachthAsan (3d.per.pl.aor.pass.ind.of tarassw, ingressive).
ho (nom.sing.masc.of the article, subject of elalAsan and legei).
de (inferential conjunction).
euthus (adverbail).
elalAsen (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of lalew, ingressive).
met' (preposition with the genitive of fellowship).
autwn (gen.pl.masc.of autos, fellowship).
kai (adjunctive conjunction joining verbs).
legei (3d.per.sing.pres.act.ind.of legw, historical).
autois (dat.pl.masc.of autos, indirect object of legei).
Tharseite (2d.per.pl.pres.act.impv.of tharsew, entreaty).
egw (nom.sing.masc.of egw, subject of eimi).
eimi (1st.per.sing.pres.ind.of eimi, aoristic).
mA (qualified negative conjunction in a prohibition with the imperative).
phobeisthe (2d.per.pl.pres.mid.impv.of phobeomai, entreaty).
Translation: "Because they all saw Him and they were seized with consternation. So immediately He began to speak with them, and He said to them, 'Cheer up. I, I Am! Put away your fear.'"
COMMENT: Mark explains why they cried out, as gar is causal. They all saw Jesus and they were upset, confused and seized with consternation (ingressive aorist). Jesus birth had caused Herod and all Jerusalem consternation. Cf.Mt.2:3. Now He is confusing His own disciples. Peter later warned the saints not to be confused (I Pet.3:14) because of the "hard rowing" on the sea of sin and unbelief. It is easy for the Christian, surrounded as he is by the hellish winds and waves of unbelief, to be confused. Cf.Acts 15:24; Gal.1:7; 5:10, all of which use tarassw. Perfect love casts out fear and perfect knowledge banishes confusion. The disciples were not yet perfected. de is inferential. Jesus saw the need to comfort His friends, therefore He began immediately to speak to them.
Cf.#'s 66, 815. There may or may not be any fine distinction between these words in any given context. lalew seems in our passage to refer to the conforting solace of our Lord's cheerful and gentle voice. He comforted the disciples by the sound of His voice and He also comforted them by what He said (legei). Paul uses lalew and legw interchangeably in Rom.3:19 and I Cor.9:8. Or does he? There does seem to be a clear distinction in Heb.5:11, where the writer carefully uses legw in speaking of his difficulty in communicating with his audience. In any case, if lalew means sounds but not necessarily intelligible sound, while legw means intelligible speech, the distinction in Mk.6:50 is clearcut. While they were shrieking in fear and confusion, He euthus elalAsen - "He began to speak with them" (ingressive aorist). met' autown speaks of fellowship, while legei autois is the dative of indirect object. They may or may not have understood what Jesus said when He first began to speak with them (lalew). The wind was howling about them and the waves were roaring, but when He said clearly Tharseite, egw eimi. MA phobeisthe - that they understood. Cf.#780 for Jesus admonition for the saints to "Cheer Up!" In Mt.9:2, we have the Cheerio! of sins forgiven; in Mt.14:27; Mk.6:50, the Cheerio! of companionship in the storm, and John 16:33 we have the Cheerio! of victory over the world.
Egw eimi is the name of Him who spoke to Moses at the bush on fire (Ex.3:14). See it again in Jn.4:26; 8:12; 10:7; 11:25; 14:6; 18:5,6. It was the Great I AM who tread the waves that night. Who could fear in His presence? Hence His entreaty - "Do not go on fearing." Where Jesus is there can be no continued fear. (Ps.27:1).
B165 - The present imperative phobeisthe with mA forbids the continuation of the action already in progress.
WMitNTearleI142 - Troubled. Here we have the passive of the verb tarassw. A&G say that it means "be troubled, frightened, terrified'. It would seem that under the circumstances "terrified" fits best.
MARKitGNTwuest138 - "They all saw Him and were afraid." The words "were afraid" are tarassw "to agitate, trouble, to cause one inward commotion."
"He talked with them." Matthew and John use the simple dative, "talked to them." Mark's expression, "with them," is more familiar, and describes our Lord's words as more friendly and encouraging.
"Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid." "Be of good cheer" is from tharsew which also means "to be of good courage." That is exactly what the terror-stricken disciples needed. "It is I." The pronoun is used here for emphasis. Literally, "It is I and nobody else." "Be not afraid." The present imperative is used, forbidding the continuance of an action already going on. It is "Stop being afraid." They were afraid.
Translation: "For they all saw Him, and were agitated. But He immediately spoke with them; and He says to them, Be of good courage. It is I. Stop being afraid."
TCGTC-MARKcranfield227 - etarachthAsan: 'were terrified', 'dismayed'. The verb occurs eighteen times in the NT, but in Mk only here. Possibly we should compare the words expressive of amazement used in Mk referred to in the note on 1:22.
Tharseite. The command tharsei (or tharseite) occurs seven times in the NT--always on the lips of Jesus (in Acts 23:11 of the exalted Christ) except for Mk.10:49, where it is spoken by those who tell the blind man that Jesus is calling him.
egw eimi: the ordinary Greek for 'it is I'. It is conceivable that Mark intends his readers to be reminded of the OT use of the expression in Ex.3:14; Isa.41:4; 43:10; 52:6.
NTC-MARKhendriksen260,1,2,3 - With the boat heading southwest, the rowers must have been facing northeast. By the little light there was - coming perhaps from the pre-Passover moon intermittently peeping from between the dark clouds - they see, probably not far away from them, what looked like a man coming toward them from the direction of Bethsaida Julias. Of course, the mysterious form could not really be a man, for human beings cannot walk on water! Of this the boat's occupants are sure. They do not realize how wrong they are. So, thoroughly frightened, they thought that what they saw was a ghost.
By no means is it true that Herod Antipas was the only superstitious person mentioned in the New Testament (Mk. 6:14). The disciples, too, were still being influenced by deeply rooted irrational beliefs. Cf. Acts 13:15.
Even today there are people, including church members, who consult media in order to find out what the stock market is going to do; and who, on Friday the thirteenth, when a black cat has just crossed their path, would shrink back in horror from walking under a ladder on their way to room No. 13 - assuming that there is even such a room! - , and there spill a generous amount of salt! They refuse all the more emphatically to do this if their horoscope marks the day as being "unlucky" for them.
How small was the faith of The Twelve! They were looking at their Lord and Savior but thought that what they saw was an infernal, haunting specter, a "phantasm" or "ghost." Let everyone make his own application!
So they screamed (literally "cried up"). All were "scared to death," to use a colloquial expression. Mark reports that they all saw him and "were shaken," "were terrified." Among the entire group there was not one disciple, no not even Peter, who being himself courageous was able to impart courage to his companions. See also the parallel passage Matt. 14:26.
The verb used in the original to indicate this condition of panic and alarm is very descriptive. In Matt. 2:3 it is used to describe Herod the Great's horror when he heard about the birth of a "king of the Jews." In the active voice it means to shake, stir up, trouble, agitate, as when Egypt's king is said to resemble a monster that troubles the waters with his feet, polluting them (LXX Ezek. 32:2). Figuratively it refers, in the active, to upsetting heart and mind throwing them into confusion and alarm; in the passive to being thus terrified or frightened. Here in Mk. 6:50a and Matt. 14:26 the picture is one of violently shaken men who during the darkness and the storm utter a loud and frantic cry because of their fear that a malevolent specter is catching up with them, intent on doing them harm.
What should be done about such fears? Somewhat later, during the memorable night of the institution of the Supper, Jesus, addressing his disciples in the Upper Room, gave the answer. Using the same verb - "be troubled" - he said in lines that have a rhythmic flow, a soothing and consoling tenderness:
"Let not your hearts any longer be troubled.
Continue to trust in God, also in me continue to
trust" (Jn. 14:1).
3. The disciples with Jeus, whom they now recognize because he speaks with them. The response of Jesus is immediate. In a friendly and affectionate manner he begins to speak "with" them. He says exactly what was needed to abolish their alarm borne of superstition. As far as the record shows, in the New Testament, with a single exception, the only one who says "Take courage" or "Be of good cheer" (A.V.) is Jesus. In addition to Mk. 6:50 see also 10:49 (the one exception); Matt. 9:2,22; 14:27; Jn. 16:33 and Acts 23:11. "It is I," says Jesus; hence, it is the very Master who has chosen you to be his disciples, has been guiding you step by step, and has already given you so many proofs of his power and love. Jesus therefore adds, "Do not be afraid." The disciples must stop being alarmed; rather, they should take courage and be filled with joy.
When Jesus spoke the words, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid," he must have momentarily shocked his disciples. But the immediate shock became a tremendously glad surprise. For other glad surprises see Gen. 13:14-18; 14:1ff; 17:1-21; 18:1-8; 22:10b-19; 26:23-25; 28:10-22; 45:1ff; Exod. 3:1-12; 14:15; 33:14; 34:6,7; 40:34, 35; Josh. 5:13ff.; 10:12-14; I Kings 18:38-40; Isa. 37:36; Jer. 39:16- 18 (cf. 38:7-13); Matt. 28:1-10; Mk. 16:1-8; Lk. 14:30-32; Jn. 20; 21; Acts 2:1; 4:31; 12:7ff. And see especially I Cor. 2:9 (cf. I Kings 10:6,7).
TNICotNT-MARKlane235 - The reason that Jesus came to the disciples across the rough sea about 3:00 A.M. was that he had seen his disciples exerting themselves against a strong wind which blew presumably from the north or northeast and drove them off their course. Because the text stresses that Jesus' coming to the disciples was the direct result of his preceiving their distress,the explanation that "he meant to pass by them" seems enigmatic, if not alien to the context. Among the several proposals that have been offered three are worthy of serious consideration. (1) The words record the impression that the disciples had at that time that the spectral figure intended to pass by them. The complex of verses 48-50 becomes intelligible when transposed into the first person: "He meant to pass by us, but when we saw him walking upon the sea we thought it was a ghost, and cried out; for we all saw him and were terrified." (2) The several modern translations, which create the impression of an independent and more or less isolated statement, fail to represent Mark's intention. The text should be rendered, "for he intended to pass their way." The initial particle is to be understood in an explicative sense rather than as a coordinating conjunction; it introduces a subordinate clause clarifying why Jesus came walking on the water. Verse 48 thus forms a composite whole: when Jesus saw that the disciples were wearing themselves out, he already felt the desire to reveal his presence to them by passing their way. This proposal is grammatically feasible and introduces cohesion and balance into the account. (3) For Mark the event is a theophany, a manifestation of the transcendent Lord who will "pass by" as God did at Sinai before Moses (Ex. 33:19,22) or on Horeb before Elijah (I Kings 19:11). The text simply uses the language of theophany familiar from the Septuagint. It is possible that the evangelist intends his readers to recognize an allusion to Job 9:8,11: "he walks upon the waves of the sea...If he goes by me, I will not see him, and if he passes by me, I will not recognize him." In this instance the divine appearance occurred for the very purpose of being seen. In wonderful fashion Jesus put his authority at the disposal of the disciples and passed by to assure them of his presence with them.
The disciples reacted to Jesus' appearance with terror, convinced that they had encountered a water spirit. The popular belief that spirits of the night brought disaster is illustrated by a tradition preserved in the Talmud: "Rabbah said, Seafarers told me that the wave that sinks a ship appears with a white fringe of fire at its crest, and when stricken with clubs on which is engraven, `I am that I am, Yah, the Lord of Hosts, Amen, Amen, Selah,' it subsides. When Jesus perceived the terror of the disciples he allayed their fears and corrected their delusion with a summons to courage. The emphatic "I" in verse 50 is ambiguous. It can be understood as a normal statement of identity ("it is I, Jesus"), but it can also possess deeper significance as the recognized formula of self-revelation which rests ultimately on the "I am that I am" of Ex. 3:14. Not only the immediate context of the walking upon the water but the words with which the emphatic "I" is framed favor the theophanic interpretation. The admonitions to "take heart" and to "have no fear" which introduce and conclude the "I am he" are an integral part of the divine formula of self- revelation (e.g. Ps. 115:9ff.; 118:5f.; Isa. 41:4ff., 13ff.; 43:1ff.; 44:2ff.; 51:9ff.). In the darkness, when the disciples are deceived by their eyes, Jesus affirms his identity with the words "I am he; fear not." But the emphatic overtone should not be missed and is confirmed by the evangelist's continuation in verse 51f.



Mark 6:51
And he went up unto them into the ship;; And he got into the boat with them--RSV; And he climbed aboard the boat with them-- Phi; and the wind ceased:; and the wind dropped--NEB; ...stopped--NASB; And the wind fell--Gspd; and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure,; And they were greatly amazed in themselves--ABUV; And they were utterly astounded--RSV; But they were scared out of their wits--Phi; and wondered. (15) - [Now recognized as not adequately supported by original manuscripts.]
And he went up unto them, into the boat, --and the wind lulled. And /exceedingly, within themselves\ were they astonished;
And he went up unto them to the boat, and the wind lulled, and greatly out of measure were they amazed in themselves, and were wondering,

TRNTyeagerV439,40 - kai anebA pros autous eis to ploion, kai

ekopasen ho anemos. kai lian (ek perissou) en heautois

existanto,

kai (continuative conjunction).
anebA (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of anabainw, constative).
pros (preposition with the accusative of extent).
autous (acc.pl.masc.of autos, extent).
eis (preposition with the accusative of extent).
to (acc.sing.neut.of the article in agreement with ploion).
ploion (acc.sing.neut.of ploion, extent).
kai (continuative conjunction).
ekopasen (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of kopazw, constative).
ho (nom.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with anemos).
anemos (nom.sing.masc.of anemos, subject of ekopasen).
kai (inferential conjunction).
lian (adverbial).
(ek) (preposition with the ablative of comparison).
(perissou) (abl.sing.masc.of perissos, comparison).
en (preposition with the locative, with plural pronouns).
heautois (loc.pl.masc.of heautos).
existanto (3d.per.pl.imp.mid.ind.of existAmi, progressive description).
Translation: "And He climbed up with them into the boat, and the wind ceased; therefore they were frightened out of their wits."
COMMENT: Mark's Greek is hard to translate smoothly into English. The parenthetical ek perissou means that their fright was of an intensity that defied measurement. The prepositional phrase en heautois means that all of the disciples were smitten. The verb means "out of their wits" or "beside themselves."
Jesus had to do His own climbing as He entered the ship. The disciples were so smitten that no one gave Him a hand. The wind had had experience with Jesus before (Mk.4:39) and had learned its lesson well. There was no more wind that night. lian, the adverb is emphasized to give strength to existanto. Cf.#992 for the meaning of existAmi. The disciples were beside themselves - almost mentally deranged, so great was their astonishment. Again we point out that by this time they should have expected unusual behavior out of Jesus. Why, then, their astonishment? Mark explains in the next verse.
MARKitGNTwuest138 - "The wind ceased." The verb is kopazw "to grow weary or tired," hence, "to cease from violence, cease raging." The noun form means "beating, toil, weariness;" Vincent says; "a beautiful and picturesque word. The sea sank to rest as if exhausted by its own beating." The words "and wondered" are not in the Nestle text.
Translation: "And He went up to them into the boat, and the wind ceased its violence. And exceedingly beyond measure, in themselves they were amazed."
TCGTC-MARKcranfield227 - kai ekopasen ho anemos. Cf. 4:39. Does Mark regard this also as miraculous? Perhaps he regards it as natural, but feels its special appropriateness at this point and sees in this appropriateness a symbolical paraenetic significance.
lian ek perissou en heautois. There are several unimportant variants: some authorities omit lian, others ek perissou, while some transpose ek perissou and en heautois.
NTC-MARKhendriksen262,3 - The Peter episode (Matt. 14:28-31) probably took place about this time. As Jesus now climbed into the boat to be with his disciples his cheering presence banished the last remnant of their earlier superstitious panic. And when the storm in their hearts abated, so did the literal storm: "the wind fell," as had happened also on a previous occasion. (4:39).


Mark 6:52
For they considered not the miracle of the loaves:; for they understood not concerning the loaves--ASV; for they had not understood the incident of the loaves--NEB; for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves--NASB; for their heart was hardened.; but their hearts were hardened--RSV; their minds were closed--NEB; but their minds were blinded--Gspd; Even that miracle had not opened their eyes to see who he was--Phi;
for they understood not by the loaves,--but their /heart\ had been /hardened\.
for they understood not concerning the loaves, for their heart hath been hard.

TRNTyeagerV440,1 - ou gar sunAkan epi tois artois, all' An auttwn

hA kardia pepwrwmenA.

ou (summary negative conjunction with the indicative).
gar (causal conjunction).
sunAkan (3d.per.pl.aor.act.ind.of suniAmi, culminative).
epi (preposition with the locative, occasion).
tois (loc.pl.masc.of the article in agreement with artois).
artois (loc.pl.masc.of artos, occasion).
all' (alternative conjunction).
An (3d.per.sing.imp.ind.of eimi, pluperfect periphrastic).
autwn (gen.pl.masc.of autos, possession).
hA (nom.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with kardia).
kardia 9nom.sing.fem.of kardia, subject of pepwrwmenA).
pepwrwmenA (perf.pass.part.nom.sing.fem. of pwrow, pluperfect periphrastic).
blind - Rom.11:7; II Cor.3:14.
harden - Mk.6:52; 8:17; Jn.12:40.
Meaning: From pwros - "hard skin." Hence, prop. to cover with a hard skin. To harden. Metaphorically in the NT. To be made obdurate. To stiffen one's resistance against persuasion. To resist acceptance of a person or a theory. With reference to Israel and her refusal to accept Jesus as Messiah in all NT references.
Translation: "Because they did not come to a logical conclusion about the loaves, but their heart had been made obdurate."
COMMENT: This is Mark's explanation as to why the disciples reacted as they did to Jesus' miraculous performance of walking on the water. They had not thought through about the miracle of the feeding of the multitude which had occurred only a few hours before. ... The disciples had not put it all together. They had not arrived at a logical conclusion about Jesus. If He could feed the multitude with five loaves and two fish, there was no reason to doubt that He could do whatever comes within the powers of the Creator of the universe, which certainly would include the small matter of defying the law of gravity long enough to walk upon the water. When we think in a structured fashion, we are said in modern parlance to be "getting it all together." Had the Twelve done that they would not have been frightened, but rather, might have shaken their heads in amusement and said, "What next?!"
On the contrary (alla) "their heart had been made hard". The construction An...pepwrwmenA is a pluperfect periphrastic, consisting of the imperfect of the verb eimi and the perfect participle. it denotes a decidedly durative present condition as a result of a past action. At this point in the spiritual development of the disciples they chose to ignore the implications of the ministry of Jesus and thus, with it put out of their minds, they backslid to a purely natural outlook.
Mark omits the episode of Mt.14:28-31 about Peter trying to walk on the water to Jesus, his failure and Jesus' rescue. Jn.6:21 says that the disciples wanted to take Jesus into the boat, doubtless in reaction to Jesus' pretended attempt to pass them up (Mk.6:48). In order that we understand all of the elements of the story, in an attempt to understand how the disciples felt and why, all of the elements of the three gospel accounts (Luke does not mention it) must be put together. ...
R604 - The sense of epi with the dative here wavers between occasion and time, "they did not understand about."
MARKitGNTwuest138,9 - They considered not the miracle of the loaves. The verb is suniAmi "to set or bring together, to set or join together in the mind," thus "to understand." (To put 2 & 2 together). The literal Greek is; "They did not join together on the basis of the loaves." That is, when considering the miracle of Jesus walking on the water, they did not reason upon the basis of the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. They should have reasoned that if our Lord had the supernatural power to feed five thousand people by multiplying five loaves and two fish, He could also exert that supernatural power to quiet the wind, still the sea, and walk on the surface of water.
"For their heart was hardened." The verb is pwrow, in the passive "to grow hard or callous, become dull, lose the power of understanding." The word "heart" here refers to the entire inner man, his reason, affections, will.
The second word "for" is the translation fof alla, a strong adversative conjunction. it could best be translated here "in fact." "Was hardened" is a periphrastic perfect, emphasizing a settled state of dullness, callousness, and lack of understanding.
Translation: "For they did not reason upon the basis of the loaves. In fact, their heart was in a settled state of callousness."
TCGTC-MARKcranfield227,8,9 - explains their utter astonishment. They had not understood about the loaves: though they must have realized that a miracle had been wrought, they had not grasped its significance as a pointer to the secret of Jesus' person. They had not believed, and so it had not been for them a luminous 'sign' (in the Johannine sense, but merely a 'marvel'. Thus their reaction was not joy and confidence, but faithless panic--an attitude that might have been expected of those who did not know 'the mystery of the kingdom of God'.
ou...sunAkan. The same expression (mA suniwsin) is used in 4:12 with reference to hoi exw. Here the Twelve themselves come within its scope. Schniewind notes the striking contrast with all Hellenistic hero-worship and Jewish veneration of the pious. The Mt. parallel here departs radically from Mk--apparently in order to spare the Twelve and at the same time underline the doctrinal significance of the miracle.
An autwn hA kardia pepwrwmenA. See 3:5.
With the whole verse cf. 8:17. There is no need to see in the use of pepwrwmenos here or in 8:17 the influence of Paul. It is intrinsically likely that Jesus pondered on such passages of the OT as Isa.6:9-10; Jer.5:21; Deut.29:4; 32:28. And, as far as the apostles were concerned, how else could they regard their slowness to understand, when after the Resurrection and Pentecost they looked back on it, but with amazement and penitence? (On Wrede's use of this feature see 1:25.) Schlatter's comment here is to the point: 'It is part of the summons to repentance which the Gospel addresses to us, that alongside the riches of Jesus it shows us the poverty of the disciples and makes clear for all by their case how much kindness and patience He must show to us, before we will believe in Him.'
On this miracle generally see the concluding note on 4:35-41. But this incident has some special features which must have seemed to Mark and his first readers to bear a message to the Church. (i) Anagkasen: if it is as a result of obedience to Christ's command that the Church or the individual Christian is in a situation of danger or distress, then there is no need for fear. (ii) This section shares with 9:14-29 the feature of Jesus returning to his disciples after a period of separation. Mark and his readers in Rome will hardly have missed the parallel between the situation of the disciples separated from Jesus and that of the Church awaiting his Parousia. But the Church also expects him to come in the meantime in Word and Sacrament and also in the meantime to exercise his kingly power for the deliverance of his disciples. So the section contains a promise, 'Behold, I come', whose rich variety of meaning of the Church's prayer, Marana tha. (iii) But the Church will often have to cry 'How long?' with regard both to the Parousia and also to Christ's help in the meantime. Though he indeed comes quickly, yet the time of waiting is long. The Church which must expect him every moment (cf. 13:33-37) must also reckon with the fourth watch! (iv) When he comes, whether in his intermediate comings or his final coming, it is with fullness of divine power (cf.Job 9:8; 38:16), the Lord of winds and waves.
NTC-MARKhendriksen263,4 - Result: the disciples were greatly astonished. What had been the reason for their hysterical alarm a moment ago, and what was the reason for their bewildered amazement now? Answer: If they had fully understood the significance of the miraculous feeding (6:35-44), they would have known that it implied Christ's power to bend the material universe - including not only the product of the soil (bread) but also the billows of the sea and the currents of the air - to his wishes. The trouble was with their hearts.
In Scripture the heart is the fulcrum of feeling and faith as well as the mainspring of words and actions (Matt. 12:34; 15:19; 22:37; Jn. 14:1; Rom. 10:10; Eph. 1:18). It is the root of man's intellectual, emotional, and volitional life, the core and center of man's being, his inmost self. "Out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). "Man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart" (I Sam. 16:7). When Mark says that the heart of these disciples were "hardened," this probably means that the obtuseness of The Twelve, their inability to draw the necessary conclusions from the miracles of Jesus, was the result of sinful neglect to ponder and meditate on these marvelous works and on the nature of the One who performed them. Amazement, so that in their exhilaration these disciples would even ascribe deity to their Master, as happened even at the present occasion (Matt. 14:33), did not prevent them from falling into a kind of spiritual torpor or sluggishness; that is, they failed to ask themselves what could be expected of such a divine Being. Again and again they needed to be aroused out of their spiritual drowsiness. On the other hand, this hardness of heart must not be confused with the callousness and imperviousness of the scribes and Pharisees. That attitude was the result of unbelief and hatred. The disciples, on the contrary (Judas excepted), were men of faith...little faith.
The fact that faith should be sufficiently wide awake to derive legitimate conclusions from firmly established premises is the lesson which Scripture teaches (Matt. 6:26- 30; Lk. 11:13; Rom. 8:31,32), but which is not always taken to heart.
TNICocNT-MARKlane237,8,9 - Jesus assured the disciples with his word and his presence. When he joined them in the boat the wind suddenly died down. Since the abatement of the wind may be ascribed to natural causes it is unnecessary to find here an additional demonstration of Jesus' sovereignty. The disciples, however, were utterly astonished. They were undoubtedly physically drained from their rowing against a strong head-wind and emotionally drained from their experience of terror. They had no categories for understanding Jesus' presence with them in the boat. Mark alone explains that they had failed to understand about the loaves and that their hearts were hardened (vs. 52; cf. Ch. 8:17). The disciples certainly realized that the multitude had been fed with five loaves and two fish, but they had failed to grasp that this event pointed beyond itself to the secret of Jesus' person. Because they were not truly open to the action of God in Jesus they had missed the significance of the miracle of the loaves for them, and saw only "a marvel." That is why they displayed not confidence and joy in Jesus' unexpected presence but faithless panic. Mark's concluding explanation is important in three respects: (1) it indicates that some events in Jesus' ministry are "parabolic" in that they provide the key to other events. If the disciples had understood the miracle of the loaves they would have recognized Jesus' identity as the sovereign Lord who walks upon the waves of the sea. (2) The problem of understanding is not intellectual, but existential; it is a matter of faith. The disciples did understand Jesus' incidental instructions and they understood that the multitude had been fed. But their confused reaction to Jesus indicates that they failed to recognize that God was acting in history through him. Their misunderstanding reflects unbelief. (3) The disciples' reaction to Jesus' actions (as well as his teachings) throughout Mark's Gospel is characterized by non-undertanding. In tracing this lack of understanding to "hardness of heart" Mark indicates that at this stage in Jesus' ministry the disciples are not essentially different from his opponents, who also fail to recognize his unique character and exhibit hardness of heart (cf. Chs. 3:5; 10:5).
The proper framework for understanding this unusual episode is provided by the OT. There the power of the Lord over seas and rivers, storms and wind, is repeatedly proclaimed. As the creator of the sea God subdues it and treads upon the waves in demonstration of his majesty. Because he is the Lord men do not need to be afraid no matter how the sea may rage or the wind blow. Jesus' appearance on the Sea of Galilee must be appreciated as a reality and a sign that the living God has come nearer to men in the revelation of the Son. Jesus had no intention of simply passing by his disciples in a display of enigmatic glory. His walking upon the water proclaimed that the hostility of nature against man must cease with the coming of the Lord, whose concealed majesty is unveiled in the proclamation "I am he." At an early date this episode was interpreted as a pledge of Christ's aid; it provided the martyrs with the assurance of Jesus' saving nearness to all who believe and obey him.
MARKj&d183,4,5 - COMMENT
TIME - Spring of A.D. 29.
PLACE - The sea of Galilee - near Bethsaida.
PARALLEL ACCOUNTS - Matt. 14:22-36; Jn. 6:15-21.
OUTLINE - 1. Jesus urged His disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to Bethsaida, vs. 45. 2. Prayer in the mountain, vs. 46. 3. The boat was in the midst of the sea - The disciples rowing for their life - Jesus came to them walking on the water, vs. 47,48. 4. They saw Him and were afraid. He calms their fears and the sea, vs. 49- 51. 5. They should have understood His powers - but they did not, vs. 52.
ANALYSIS
I. JESUS URGED HIS DISCIPLES TO GET INTO THE BOAT AND GO BEFORE HIM TO BETHSAIDA, vs. 45.
1. He remained alone.
2. He sent the multitude away.
II. PRAYER IN THE MOUNTAIN, vs. 46.
1. Said farewell to disciples.
2. Alone in prayer.
III. THE DISCIPLES IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA ROWING FOR THEIR LIFE - JESUS CAME TO THEM WALKING ON THE WATER, vs. 47,48.
1. At night.
2. Came to them three hours before daylight.
3. Wanted to pass by - (so they could see him).
IV. THEY SAW HIM AND WERE AFRAID - HE CALMS THEIR FEARS AND THE SEA, vs. 49-51.
1. They cried out in fear because they thought He was a ghost.
2. He comforts them with "Be not afraid it is I."
3. When He stepped into the boat, the wind ceased - astonishment.
V. THEY SHOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD HIS POWER, BUT THEY DID NOT, vs. 52.
1. The loaves and fishes should have taught them of His power.
2. Their hearts were dull.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
"The effect of this miracle upon the minds of those present was very great. So mighty and wonderful an exhibition of power, reminding them, perhaps, of the feeding of their fathers in the wilderness by Moses, led them to say, "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world." We can scarce doubt from the context that they meant the Messiah, for so great was their enthusiasm that they proposed among themselves to take Him by force and make Him king (jn. 6:14, 15). It is said by Pressense: "The multitudes are ravished, enthusiastic; now, indeed, they believe that they have found the Messiah after their own heart." Thus, the effect of the miracle was to confirm them in their false Messianic hopes, for they interpreted it as a sign and pledge of the highest temporal prosperity under His rule, who could not only heal the sick of all their diseases, but feed five thousand men with five loaves of barley bread. Hence, He must immediately dismiss them. It appears from Matthew and Mark that He sent away the disciples first, perhaps that the excitement of the multitude might not seize upon them. That they were unwilling to leave Him, and that He was obliged to "constrain" them to depart, is not strange, if we remember that they knew no way by which He would rejoin them but by a long walk along the shore; and this in the solitude and darkness of the night, for it was evening when they left the place. (compare Matt. 14:15,23, where both evenings, the early and late, are distinguished.) Aside from their reluctance to leave Him alone at such an hour, there may also have been fear upon their own part of crossing the lake in the night, remembering their great peril from which he had a little while before delivered them (Matt. 8:24) and perhaps also, seeing signs of an approaching storm.
After His disciples had departed, the Lord proceeded to dismiss the multitude, perhaps now more willing to leave Him that they saw His special attendants had gone. So soon as all had left Him, He went up into the mountain alone to pray - the secondinstance mentioned of a night so spent; the first being the night prior to the choice of Apostles (Lk. 6:12,13), and both marking important points in His life.
We assume that the place where the people were fed was the southern angle of the plain of Butaiha, where the mountains meet the lake. From this point the Apostles, to reach Capernaum, would pass near Bethsaida at the mouth of the Jordan; and as Jesus proceeding along the shore must necessarily pass through it, we find no difficulty in supposing that they directed their course toward it with the design of stopping there, and taking Him with them into the boat when he should arrive. This is plainly intimated by Mk. 6:45, and is wholly consistent with Jn. 6:17. This latter passage is thus translated by Alford. "They were making for the other side of the sea in the direction of Capernaum.' He adds: "It would appear as if the disciples were lingering along shore, with the expectation of taking in Jesus; but night had fallen and He had not yet come to them, and the sea began to be stormy." "The great wind that blew" and the tossing waves made all their efforts to reach Bethsaida useless. Nor could they even make Capernaum. In spite of all their endeavors, they were driven out into the middle of the lake and southerly, down opposite the plain of Gennesaret.
Thomson (ii. 32), referring to this night voyage of the disciples, says: "My experience in this region enables me to sympathize with the disciples in their long night's contest with the wind. I spent a night in that Wady Shukaiyif, some three miles up it, to the left of us. The sun had scarcely set, when the wind began to rush down toward the lake, and it continued all night long with constantly increasing violence, so that when we reached the shore next morning, the face of the lake was like a huge boiling caldron. The wind howled down every wady, from the northeast and east, with such fury that no efforts of rowers could have brought a boat to shore at any point along that coast. In a wind like that, the disciples must have been driven quite across to Gennesaraet, as we know they were. We subsequently pitched our tents at the shore, and remained for three days and nights exposed to this tremendous wind. No wonder the disciples toiled and rowed hard all night, and how natural their amazement and terror at the sight of Jesus walking on the waves. The whole lake, as we had it, was lashed into fury; the waves repeatedly rolled up to our tent door, tumbling on the ropes with such violence as to cary away the tent pins." The width of the sea opposite the plain of Gennesaret is about six miles, and the disciples, who"had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs" when Jesus met them, were thus something more than half the way over. As this was "about the fourth watch of the night" (Mk. 6:48), or from 3-6 A.M., the disciples must have been struggling against thewind and waves some eight or ten hours.
The incident respecting Peter's attempt to walk on the water to meet Jesus is mentioned only by Matthew. That after he had been rescued they entered the ship, is expressly said: "And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased" (Matt. 14:32). In like manner Mark (6:51): "And He went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased." But with this John's narrative has been thought by some to be in contradiction (6:21): "Then they willingly received Him into the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land wither they went" (R.V., "They were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat"). It is said that the disciples willed or desired to take Him into the ship with them, but did not, because the ship immediately came to the shore. Tholuck, however, defends the translation of Beza, "they received Him with willingness," which is the same as our English version. "John mentions the will only, assuming that every reader would understand that the will was carried into effect" (M.and M.) Some deny that the ship came to the shore by miracle, but suppose that it came rapidly in comparison with the earlier part of the voyage, the wind having subsided and the sea become smooth. On the other hand, Luthardt and most rightly regard it as supernatural." (Samuel J. Andrews)
MARK-Barclay162,3 - After the hunger of the crowd had been satisfied Jesus immediately sent His disciples away before He dismissed the crowd. Why should He do that? Mark does not tell us, but most probably we have the explanation in John's account of this incident. John tells us that after the crowd had been fed there was a move to take Jesus, and, even against His will, to make Him king. That was the last thing Jesus desired. It was that very way of power that once, finally and for all, He had rejected at the time of His temptations. He could see it coming. He did not want His disciples to be infected and caught up in this nationalistic outburst. Galilee was the hotbed of revolution. If this movement was not checked there might well emerge amongst the excitable people a rebellion which would wreck everything, and which could only lead to disaster for all concerned. So Jesus sent away His disciples lest they too should become inflamed by this movement, and then He calmed the crowd and bade them farewell.
When He was alone He went up into a mountain to pray. Thick and fast the problems were descending upon Him. There was the hostility of the orthodox people; there was the frightened suspicion of Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee; there were the political hotheads who would make Him a nationalistic Messiah against His will. At this particular time there was many a problem on Jesus' mind and many a burden on His heart.
So for some hours He was alone amidst the hills with God. As we have seen this must have happened about mid- April, and mid-April was the Passover time. Now the Passover time was deliberately fixed for the full moon, as Easter time still is. The Jewish night ran from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and it was divided into four watches - 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., 9 p.m. to 12 midnight, 12 midnight to 3 a.m., and 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus looked from the mountainside out across the lake. The lake was only four miles across, and in the light of the moon it lay stretched out before Him. The wind was up, and there He saw the boat, with His men in it, having a hard struggle to reach the other side. See what happened. Immediately Jesus saw His friends in trouble His own problems were set aside; the moment for prayer was past; the time for action had come; He forgot Himself and went to the help of His friends. That is of the very essence of Jesus. The cry of human need to Him surpassed all other claims. His friends needed Him; He must go.
What happened we do not know, and will never know. The story is cloaked in mystery which defies explanation. What we do know is that He came to them and their storm became a calm. With Him beside them nothing mattered anymore.
When Augustine was writing about this incident He said, "He came treading the waves; and so He puts all the swelling tumults of life under His feet. Christians - why afraid?" It is the simple fact of life, a fact which has been proved by countless thousands of men and women in every generation, that when Christ is there the storm becomes a calm, the tumult becomes a peace, the undoable becomes doable, the unbearable becomes bearable, and men pass the breaking point and do not break. To walk with Christ is for us also the conquest of the storm.