Jesus walking on the water

Jesus walking on the water

 

 

After witnessing Jesus' miracle of feeding about 5,000 men with two fish and five loaves of bread (Mark 6:30-44; Matthew 14:15-21; Luke 9:11-17; John 6:1-15), the crowd, realizing that Jesus had performed such a miracle, wanted to force Him to become their king.  Knowing this, Jesus sent the crowd away and went up to a mountain by Himself to pray, remaining there alone even as the evening came (Mark 6:46; Matthew 14:23; John 6:15, Korean Modern Bible).  As evening fell, the disciples went down to the shore, boarded a boat, and started crossing over to the other side, to Capernaum.  It was already dark, but Jesus had not yet returned to them.  At that time, a strong wind began to blow, and the waves started to rise (John 6:16-18).  As a result, the boat the disciples were in was in the middle of the sea, and the wind was tossing it around, making it hard for the disciples to row (Mark 6:48; Matthew 14:24).  When they had rowed about 4-5 kilometers (John 6:19, Korean Modern Bible), Jesus, who had been alone on land, saw the disciples struggling with the oars and walking on the water, He went out to them around 4 a.m.  The disciples thought He was a ghost and were terrified, crying out, "It's a ghost!" (Mark 6:49; Matthew 14:26).  Then Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, "Take courage! It is I.  Don't be afraid" (Matthew 14:27).  At that point, Peter responded, "Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You on the water."  Jesus said, "Come."  So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he became afraid and began to sink, crying out, "Lord, save me!"  Jesus immediately reached out His hand, caught him, and said, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down (Matthew 14:28-32).  The disciples were amazed and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly, You are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33, Korean Modern Bible).  Reflecting on this passage, including Mark 6:45-52, Matthew 14:22-33, and John 6:15-21, I would like to consider a few thoughts.

 

(1)      The reason the crowd, who witnessed Jesus' miracle of feeding about 5,000 men with two fish and five loaves of bread, wanted to force Him to be their king (John 6:15) is that, from their perspective, if they made Jesus, who had such amazing power, their king, they could gain political freedom from the ruling Roman government, economic prosperity, and social justice, expecting a better life in all aspects (Ref: Se-yoon Kim).

 

(2)      After Jesus knew their intentions, He sent the crowd away, and after that, He went up to the mountain to pray and stayed there alone, even though it was already getting dark (Mark 6:46; Matthew 14:23; John 6:15).  The lesson from this is that, although many people may want to elevate us to fulfill their worldly, physical, and social needs, we should follow Jesus' example by retreating to a quiet place to pray to God, saying, "Not my will, but Your will be done" (Mark 14:36, Korean Modern Bible).  Even though we might desire God to take away the "cup of suffering" that He has given us, and wish to be exalted as many people want, if God's will is for us to receive that cup of suffering, we should be obedient to His will and, like Jesus, come before God and pray.

(3)      When I meditate on the passage that says, "The strong wind blew, and the waves began to rise" (John 6:16-18, Korean Modern Bible), the boat the disciples were in was in the middle of the sea, and because the wind was so strong, the boat was being battered by the waves, and the disciples were struggling to row the boat (Mark 6:48; Matthew 14:24), I am reminded of the story of the prophet Jonah.  He was trying to escape from God by disobeying God's word, and the ship he was on was almost broken apart by a great wind that God caused to blow over the sea, resulting in a violent storm (Jonah 1:1-4).  Eventually, Jonah, who was chosen by lot, admitted to the unbelieving captain and sailors that he was fleeing from God.  As the storm grew more fierce, the sailors asked Jonah, "What should we do to make the sea calm for us?"  Jonah replied, "Throw me into the sea." However, the sailors tried their best to row the boat to the land, but because the waves kept growing fiercer, they could not do it (vv. 10-13).  Right now, the boat we are in is in the middle of this world.  However, the sinful winds of this world are raging, and the boat we are in is being battered by the waves of sin.  We are doing our best to row, but the waves of this sinful world keep growing stronger, and we cannot bring our boat to the land.  We no longer have the strength to row.  Yet, the fierce storm continues.  Therefore, at this moment, we have lost all hope for salvation (Acts 27:20).  We are gradually losing hope that we will survive (v. 20, Korean New Translation).

 

(4)      Jesus is watching our situation (Ref.: Mark 6:48).  And Jesus comes to us (Ref.: Matthew 14:25).  When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, thinking He was a ghost, they were all afraid and cried out, "It’s a ghost!" (v. 49; Matthew 14:26).  But Jesus said to them, "Take courage!  It is I.  Don’t be afraid" (Matthew 14:27).  To us, who are afraid, Jesus says, "Do not fear, for I am with you.  Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).

 

(5)      In fact, just as Jesus promised in Isaiah 41:10, He got out of the boat, walked on the water, and when Peter began to fear the waves and started sinking, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him (He saved him) (Matthew 14:29-31, Korean Modern Bible).

 

(6)      And Jesus said to Peter, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31, Korean Modern Bible).  But to the doubting Thomas, He said, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe" (John 20:27, Korean Modern Bible).

 

(7)      As Jesus got into the boat with Peter, who had little faith and doubted (Matthew 14:31-32), the wind immediately stopped (Mark 6:51), which makes me think of the time when the sailors threw Jonah into the sea, and the raging sea instantly became calm (Jonah 1:15).  Even if the strong winds of life cause a great storm, turning the sea we are heading toward into a raging sea that threatens the boat we are in, we can sing with confidence, "Though tempests may threaten the craft and the crew, And wide gape the jaws of the deep for me, too, With Christ at the oar I am safe in His will, And Jesus my Savior is my Pilot still.  I nothing can fear!  I nothing can dread!  For Jesus keeps watch here, and by Him I'm led.  My seas may be rough, but when voy'ges are past," (Hymn “With Christ as My piolet," verse 2 and refrain).

 

(8)      Jesus' disciples were greatly amazed and didn’t know what to do, and the reason for this was that they had not understood the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, and instead, their hearts had become hardened (Mark 6:46-52).  The reason our hearts become hardened is due to "dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life."  Therefore, Luke 21:34 says: "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap."

 

(9)      When Jesus got into the boat with Peter and the wind stopped, the disciples in the boat worshiped Jesus, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33, Korean Modern Bible).  As I reflect on this confession of faith, I think of the confessions of Nathanael and Thomas in the Gospel of John: (Nathanael) "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel" (John 1:49, Korean Modern Bible), (Thomas) "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28, Korean Modern Bible).