COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 72
“ Mark 6:49 But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 50 For they all saw Him, and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. 51 And He went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”
(Mark 6:49-52; Matthew 14:26-33; John 6:19-21)
JESUS CALMS THE SEA, #2
INTRODUCTION
We are being exposed to the real Jesus, and to how He interfaces with His disciples. In this case, He sent them to the other side of the lake at night, without His perceptible presence, and into an imminent storm. All of the circumstances that would attend their journey were not divulged to them before they started their journey. He did not tell them He would be watching them from afar, and He did not tell them He would come to them on the very storm that was making it difficult for them to fulfill His command. Whatever we may think of following Jesus, being His disciple, and obeying His word, these things are done primarily by faith, not by information. Answers are not always supplied at the beginning of the work, and we should not be surprised when we face things that are difficult and even frightening. Faith, of course, is equal to all of these challenges. It will move us to think properly, not forget former Divine workings, and be persuaded that the Lord will not leave us or forsake us. We must also remember that, while these Gospel accounts are a record of the disciples in their formative state and prior to Christ’s enthronement, they do provide us with a vivid portrayal of the deficiencies of “the flesh,” and the marvelous benefits of genuine faith. Here we are seeing the Divine nature confronting the human nature.
THE TROUBLING PRESENCE OF JESUS
“ Mk 6:49 But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 50 For they all saw Him, and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.”
Seeing Jesus was not always a pleasant experience. In order for pleasantness and comfort to accompany the sight of Him, it was essential that Jesus be recognized – and that is not automatic. Men do not always know when they are confronting Deity or heavenly powers – as when Jacob wrestled with a holy angel (Gen 32:30), or the two on the road to Emmaus confronted the risen Christ (Lk 24:15). This is because the Lord can come along in “another form” that appears common to men (Mk 16:12). Or, as in this text, the circumstances can appear so dominant that men do not recognize a Divine visitation.
THEY SAW HIM. They were in a storm, toiling in rowing – yet they were perceptive of what was around them: “they saw Him walking on the sea.” John says that after rowing three or four miles, “they see Jesus walking on the sea.” It was night, and a storm was raging, yet their vision penetrated the darkness, and, however faintly it was, they saw a figure walking on the sea toward them. Jesus was making Himself known, faintly, but surely.
THEY SUPPOSED. Although they had no doubt been subjected to the teaching of the Sadducees, the disciples knew there was such a thing as spirits, which the Sadducees denied (Acts 23:8). Matthew says, “And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear” (Matt 14:26). John says they saw Him “drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid” (John 6:19). Mark says “they ALL saw Him, and were troubled.” Now their situation appeared to be further complicated, even while they were in the very heart of the will of Jesus, doing what He had told them to do.
How often supposition complicates life, when we “suppose,” think, or reckon according to appearance. The word “supposed” means “to be of the opinion, to determine, or judge.” STRONG’S This is how they thought about the matter: “a spirit” was coming to them, walking on the water, and drawing close to their ship. What else could it possibly be!
HE TALKED WITH THEM. Mark says “immediately He talked with them.” Matthew says, “straightway Jesus spake unto them” (Matt 14:27). John says, “He saith unto them” (John 6:20). It ought to be noted that Jesus came to the disciples during “the fourth watch” (Matt 14:25; Mk 6:48). That is the final watch – the first being from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM, the second from 9:00 PM until 12:00 AM, the third from 12:00 AM until 3:00 AM, and the fourth from 3:00 AM until 6:00 AM.
This is like a commentary on the nature of trials, which are technically the “trial of your faith” (1 Pet 1:7). While we may prefer brief trials that swiftly end, such tests do not serve the purpose of uncovering the depth of our roots and the stability of our faith. It should not surprise us when God “bears long” with us (Lk 18:7), and calls upon us to have “patience” while we do “the will of God” (Heb 10:36). Jesus may not speak with us for, what appears to be, a long time. However, His eye is upon us, and He is coming to us. Of that you may be sure.
BE OF GOOD CHEER. Both Matthew and Mark record this word: “Be of good cheer.” An alternate reading is “Take courage,” NASB or ”Take heart,” NRSV and “Be of good comfort.” GENEVA He was saying “Do not be afraid of the storm!” “Do not be afraid of Me!” This saying is equivalent to “Fear not: believe only” (Lk 8:50). How can those who are afraid suddenly become courageous? The answer is in the Word of the Master, which brings grace and power with it to the hearer.
IT IS I. Jesus does not identify Himself by name. He only says, “It is I!” Matthew, Mark, and John all include this word. It is the language of the Shepherd to the sheep, and the sheep “know His voice” (John 10:4,27). They recognize it just as surely as Mary, who thought she was being confronted with the gardener when she came to the empty tomb. Yet, when the Master spoke her name, she knew who He was (John 20:15-16).
Here is an aspect of hearing the One who “speaketh from heaven” that is especially refreshing (Heb 12:25). Jesus will identify Himself to the attentive heart that remains alert to Him, even during the storms and difficulties of life. The awareness that the Lord is with you, even while the storm is raging, is sufficient to calm the heart.
BE NOT AFRAID. Sometimes, not being afraid is equivalent to “Take up your bed and walk,” or “Lazarus, come forth.” To be “afraid” is to be terrified, put to flight, and seized with alarm. It is a time when all fleshly strength and wisdom fail. How is it that when these conditions prevail, when men are “troubled” and “cry out for fear,” that their hearts can suddenly become more calm? Is that something men can cause to happen within themselves? Indeed not! The effectiveness of the words “Be not afraid” is strictly owing to the Lord who spoke them. They reveal that His dominion extends to the human soul and spirit as well as to the elements of creation. Before Jesus works, fear must first be overcome.
JESUS ENTERS THE SHIP AND THE WIND CEASES
“ 51 And He went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.”
THE EPISODE WITH PETER. Although excluded by Mark and John, Matthew provides an additional part of this account: the episode with Peter. Upon hearing the words of Jesus – “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” – Peter responded, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water” (Matt 14:28). What a bold request, indeed. The storm is still raging, and the weaves are still dashing against the bow of the ship. I assume the disciples were still “toiling in rowing.” Jesus responds with a single word: “Come!” Yet, all of the grace and power to do what He says accompanies His word, for it is “with power” (Lk 4:32).
No sooner had Jesus said the word than “Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus” NRSV (Mat 14:29). Faith is the grand enabler, for “all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mk 9:23). But, alas, faith does not perpetuate itself. The person who owns it must fight to keep it (1 Tim 6:12). No sooner did Peter start walking on the water than “he saw the rind boisterous.” Being distracted by what he “saw,” he “was afraid,” and immediately found himself “beginning to sink” in the very waters on which he was triumphantly walking (Matt 14:30). What happened? What caused him to cease walking on the stormy waters, and instead begin to sinking in them. It is what he saw! What he saw caused him to walk on the waters, and what he saw caused, him to begin sinking in them. The storm had not changed. Jesus had not changed. The only thing that changed was his focus! Suddenly, the storm supplanted Jesus as being the main thing. As powerful as the word of Jesus is, it will not sustain a person who shifts his gaze to the circumstances of life. It is no wonder that we are admonished to run the race “looking unto Jesus” (Heb 12:1-2).
Peter also had presence of mind to shift his attention back to Jesus. He did not, however, automatically rise to the surface of the stormy waters to again walk upon them. Those once rescued, should they begin to sink in the waters that once held them up, must be rescued again! Therefore Peter cries out, “Lord, save me!” (Matt 14:30). No sooner had the words fell from his lips than “Jesus stretched forth his Hand, and caught him,” keeping him from being swallowed up by the raging foam. But Jesus did not simply raise him to the surface again. He said to him, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matt 14:31). Jesus never overlooks the smallness of faith or the presence of doubt. Men may pretend as though they are not present, but Jesus will draw our attention to them, even while He is in the process of answering our sudden prayers.
HE WENT UP UNTO THEM. Having been brought to the surface of the waters again, Peter accompanied Jesus to the ship. We do not know how far they walked, but “ when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased” (Matt 14:32). Mark simply says Jesus “went up unto them into the ship.” John says, “they willingly received Him into the ship” (John 6:21), no longer afraid and thinking him to be “a spirit.”
THE WIND CEASED. As soon as Jesus was in the ship, “the wind ceased.” John says, “immediately the ship was at the land whither they went” (John 6:21). They were only half-way across the sea, with three or four more miles to row – but the presence of the Master brought the trip to an abrupt conclusion. Without Jesus, they “toiled in rowing,” making little progress with great difficulty. With Jesus being “willingly received,” they arrived at their destination suddenly, and without any human effort.
Those who have called upon the name of the Lord have surely experienced the abrupt conclusion of circumstances that have been very troubling – perhaps even life-threatening. There is no way to account for such a termination of adversity apart from the presence of the “Lord of all”Acts 10:36). Trouble does not simply run its course, finally wearing out with time. Nor, indeed, is the course of life driven along by fate or unintelligent destiny. No person who is identified with the Lord of glory can afford to look at life as though it is driven by happenstance, and difficulties are resolved by impersonal laws and cycles of nature.
THE DISCIPLES RESPONSE. The disciples had been with Jesus for nearly two years, but they still had not grown accustomed to Him in their flesh. This whole experience left them “amazed in themselves beyond measure,” or “completely amazed.” NIV Matthew says they “came and worshipped Him saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God” (Mat 14:33).
Surely, this will be a satisfactory conclusion to this whole episode. It appears as though everything is back in synch now. The disciples are worshiping the Lord. They are not afraid any longer. They have even confessed that they now perceive that Jesus is “the Son of God.”
What more can possibly be said about the whole matter? The Holy Spirit will now remind us that there is much more to this whole incident than meets the eye. This occasion was a test, and the disciples did not pass it. They had witnessed the mighty working of Jesus on the previous day, and their failure to consider what they saw will be noted by the Lord.
THE EFFECTS OF A HARDENED HEART
“ 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”
FOR. What follows is the explanation for “they were sore amazed beyond measure, and wondered.” Men may consider this to be a “natural response,” or something that “we all do.” But this is not the Divine assessment!
THEY CONSIDERED NOT. Other versions read, “they had not understood,” NKJV “they had not gained any insight,” NASB “they did not understand,” NRSV “it was not clear to them,” BBE “they had not seen what . . . meant,” NJB “they still didn’t understand the significance,” NLT “they had not learned the lesson taught,” WEYMOUTH and“For they failed to consider or understand [the teaching and meaning of].” AMPLIFIED
The matter that was not understood, in which no insight had been gained, and the lesson which had not been learned was “the miracle of the loaves.” That miracle was not merely providing food for the hungry. It was more than an exhibition of Divine mercy and compassion. It involved more than meeting human need and caring about the condition of the people. Something was in that miracle that the disciples should have been able to associate with the experience through which they had just past.
Somehow, the disciples had not connected the feeding of the 5,000 with the extraordinary – at least not in the same sense as Jesus walking on the water, bidding Peter come to Him, and the storm ceasing as soon as He got into the boat. They had witnessed Jesus breaking the bread and fish, and feeding the vast throng with it. They had themselves gathered up the fragments, with each disciple gathering more than the original source of the food. Why had they not marveled and concluded that Jesus was “the Son of God” from that occasion?
Perhaps it was because the sight of hungry people and five loaves and two fishes really served to neutralize the marvelous work that Jesus did in the feeding of the 5,000. Although the supply of food was relatively meager, it had somehow served to make it more difficult to see the Son of God. An abundance of leftover fragments had somehow neutralized the greatness of the work that had been done.
There is a certain diminishment of understanding that can come when we think we have something to start with – a kind of beginning with which the Lord can work. Too, when we are left with more than we started, we can be deceived into thinking our situation was really not as bad as it seemed at first. That is the delusive power of the visible, when we look more at what can be seen than at what cannot be seen (2 Cor 4:18).
The failure of men to “consider” what the Lord has done is not a minor dereliction. The Lord does nothing without a cause – without having a certain purpose in the matter. Speaking through Ezekiel, the Lord spoke of this Divine quality: “And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezek 14:23).
When men fail to see the cause, there has been no lasting advantage served by the work. What is more, all of God’s causes are interrelated, and their meaning transports over to any other area where the Lord is working. There was a connection between Jesus walking on the water and calming the storm, and the feeding of the 5,000. Both proved that He was the Son of God, for both were really impossible with men. Howbeit, at the time, the disciples were only able to associate the dramatic and glaringly obvious with their own personal circumstances.
THEIR HEART WAS HARDENED. The observation is certainly arresting: “their heart was hardened,” or “their minds were closed,” NJB or “their hearts were blinded,” TNT or “their minds were dull,” WEYMOUTH or “[in fact] their hearts had grown callous [had become dull and had lost the power of understanding].” AMPLIFIED They were not hard against Christ, like the Pharisees, but were spiritually dull and stupid. They did not learn quickly, but rather quickly lapsed into dullness, even though they were exposed to the mighty power of God. Such qualities as being “slow of heart” (Lk 24:25) having “little faith”(Matt 8:26) possessing “doubt” (Matt 14:31), and being “dull of hearing” (Heb 5:11) are not excused by the Lord as though they were unavoidable human traits. They will keep us from “considering” the works of the Lord, and failing to “consider” what the Lord has done will only serve to harden our hearts.
It is no wonder that we are solemnly warned, “To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb 4:7). And again, “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:13). And again, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Heb 3:12). And how do such things happen? How do hardening and unbelief rise in the hearts of those who have been exposed to the works of the Lord? It comes because what is seen is not duly considered, pondered, probed, and weighed. There is more to the works of the Lord than what is seen on the surface, and if we do not see beneath the surface, we will not do well in the storms of life, nor will we respond properly when we are delivered.