There are those mythical moments in sports when a great athlete does something no one’s ever seen before. They don’t just show up but show off.
Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in a single NBA game. Twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods wins the Masters…TWELVE STROKES! Bob Beamon breaks the world record in the long jump…BY TWO FEET!
You Remember Where You Were
Maybe you were lucky enough to be there in the stands. Maybe you happened to watch it on TV. Maybe you’ve only seen highlights on the internets. One thing for sure, there was never any further doubt about the greatness these athletes after what they had done.
Chances are we’ll never forget those times when the great ones didn’t just show up but really showed off.
Near the Top of the List
There’s one particular moment Jesus did something so spectacular, it was burned into the brains of His followers forever. There’s no doubt that His miracles are way too many to list. But there’s one occasion that stands near the top.
Mark’s bio of Christ tells the amazing story (Mk 6:45-52). It’s after 3am. The boys are in a boat fighting a losing battle against wicked headwind on the Sea of Galilee. The next thing they see is the Savior walking on the waves past them.
Going the Extra Mile
When they couldn’t get where they were going, Jesus has gone the extra mile and come to them. He meets them in the middle of their struggle. Not only that, the Lord wants them to get a good, long look. He wants to reveal exactly who He is.
The Son of God shows up in order to show off.
After Dinner
We pick up the action after dinner. And not just any dinner. Jesus has just used His crew to feed almost 20,000 people using only a couple of fish sandwiches (Mk 6:33-44). As they gather the leftovers, the sun is going down and it’s time to leave.
Christ wastes no time. “Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that His disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while He sent the people home” (v45).
All about Action
If you’re a fan of Mark’s writing, you know he’s all about action. There are times in his story of Jesus when he drops the accelerator and you simply hang on for the ride. So buckle up one more time.
One way he does that is through his use of the Greek word ευθυς/euthus, which the NLT translates here “immediately.” Mark uses some form of this term 40-plus times. Like I said. It’s one of his go-to terms.
When Jesus Insists
You’ll also see that the Lord isn’t taking no for answer when telling His team to leave. “Jesus insisted” (v45) that the boys take the boat and leave. The word the NLT translates as “insisted” (Gr. αναγκαζω/anagkazo) means to demand, dictate, force, or compel.
Paul uses the same verb when describing how he would torture Jesus’ followers in order to force them into recanting and throwing their Savior under the bus (Acts 26:11). Yeah, Saul of Tarsus was a seriously bad dude before Jesus blindsided him outside of Damascus.
How radically was Paul’s transformation? He would eventually get in the Apostle Peter’s grill when the former fisherman for racial prejudice against non-Jews. “Why are you now trying to make (Gr. αναγκαζω/anagkazo) these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?” (Gal 2:14).
No Other Choice
Apparently His disciples want to stick around. Maybe to bask in the glow of their role in the stunning all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. Maybe because it’s getting late. But Jesus gives them no other choice.
There are times when the Lord insists you and I do what He says. And why not? He knows what’s best for us. He’s not some sort of cosmic killjoy who’s keeping us away from the fun. Our willing obedience to His commands actually unlock the “rich and satisfying life” He provides (Jn 10:10).
Back in the Boat
They get back in the same boat that brought them there in the first place (Mk 6:32). What kind of watercraft are we talking about? A recent archaeological discovery is a huge help.
Back in 1986, a couple of modern day Israeli fishermen found what some call the “Jesus Boat” on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Right around where Jesus lived. Radiocarbon dating puts it between 50 BC and 50 AD. Right around when Jesus lived.
This boat is about 27 feet long and seven feet wide. The boat could carry about 15 people. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m NOT saying this is THE boat our Savior used. But there’s a good chance it was one a lot like it. As a matter of fact, we’ll see soon that Jesus didn’t really need a Jesus Boat.
House of Fish
Christ sends His crew to Bethsaida while He thanks the big crowd for coming. The disciples shove off for the short trip to Pete, Andy, and Phil’s hometown (Jn 1:44). It should come as no shock that these three commercial anglers are from a town who’s name literally means “House of Fish.”
When the Chaos Turns into Crickets
Once everybody’s gone, the Son of God has one more thing to do. “After telling everyone good-bye, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray” (v46). The Twelve have sailed away. Five thousand men and their families have gone home.
The chaos of the crowd has suddenly turned to crickets. Jesus is all alone. And that’s a good thing. A VERY good thing. After an incredibly busy day, the Son of God heads for the hills to get alone with His Dad.
Jesus’ Prayer Life
Prayer is a regular part of the rhythm of Christ’s earthly life (Lk 5:16). We see Him praying at His own baptism (Lk 3:21). He spends the night in prayer before drafting the Twelve (Lk 6:12-16).
Later the Lord teaches His team how to pray (Mt 6:5-15; Lk 11:1-13). He takes His inner circle with Him for intercession (Lk 9:28). Whenever the disciples can’t find Him, they know to look for Him hanging out with His Heavenly Father (Mk 1:35-37).
Deep and Passionate Prayer
He takes He spends a HUGE chunk of His last night before His death talking in prayer. He pleads with Dad on behalf of His disciples after dinner in the upper room (Jn 17:1-26).
Where does Jesus spend His final few hours before His betrayal and arrest? In such deep and passionate prayer with God the Father. Prayer so heated and intense that He actually bleeds from His sweat glands (Lk 22:44).
Christ wrestles with what’s ahead. He begs His Dad to find some other way. Eventually He willingly submits to His Father’s will to suffer and die so that we would never have to (Mt 26:36-44; Mk 14:32-39; Lk 22:39-46).
Jesus Prays for You and Me
Get this. Did you know the Bible talks about how Jesus prayed for you and me (Jn 17:20)? And even now that He’s back home in heaven, He’s still praying for you and me (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25)!
Allow me to play the role of Captain Obvious. If the one and only Son of God needed to pray, shouldn’t we? Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m as convicted when I type those words as anyone.
Alone at Nightfall
Mark updates us on everyone’s location after nightfall. “Late that night, the disciples were in the boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land” (v47). One of the boys on the boat tells us they’re three or four miles from the shore (Jn 6:19).
That’s when Christ noticed the disciples’ desperation. “He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the waves” (v48). Wait a cotton pickin' minute. He saw them? It’s the middle of the night. They’re three miles apart. It’s not like they had lights on their boat.
Looking for a Phone Booth?
For the longest time, I had this image of Jesus as some sort of Superman disguised as Clark Kent seeing His team in trouble. He takes off His glasses, runs to the nearest phone booth to save the day.
There’s just one little problem. That’s NOT how this went down. While we don’t exactly understand how our Savior detects His disciples in trouble, there’s a good chance it’s connected directly to prayer. These intimate times with the Father help us to have supernatural eyes.
Under Pressure
The camera zooms in on the small ship on the big lake. The Twelve are “in serious trouble” (v48). The author picks a Greek verb here (Gr. βασανιζω/basanizo) which means to be harassed or afflicted.
It actually comes from a root word describing a stone used to test the purity of metals. It’s the idea of applying pressure to see what something or someone is made of. Our struggles in the storm continually test our faith in Jesus.
Sudden Storms
Because of its geography, extreme weather on the Sea of Galilee can escalate quickly. This large freshwater lake sits 696 feet below sea level and is surrounded by mountains. As a result, violent downdrafts and windstorms pop up out of nowhere.
The disciples face a nasty nighttime squall just like they did once before (Mk 4:37-41). Only this time Christ isn’t in the boat with them. Not yet anyway. “About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them walking on the water. He intended to go past them” (v48).
That’s when Jesus shows up and shows off.
Fighting a Losing Battle
Maybe you’re wondering why I would say something that sounds so out of character for Christ. Hang in there. Let me explain. I think you’ll see that our Lord did what He did in order to show exactly just who He is to a group of knuckleheads who just don’t get it.
Sometime between 3-6am, what the Romans liked to call the “fourth watch of the night” (v48 NIV), here comes Jesus. Remember, after praying with His Heavenly Dad, He saw they were fighting a losing battle with the weather.
Water Skiing without a Boat
The Savior does for them what He still does for us. He sees their need and heads their way. Just like King David sings, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Ps 34:18). Never forget that God with Us means God is ALWAYS with us (Mt 1:23)!
Jesus isn’t just water skiing without a boat simply because He can. He wants the disciples to connect the dots between who He is and Almighty God. He doesn’t just come to their rescue. Even better. He comes to reveal His true divine identity.
Marching on the Waves
When Mark writes about how the Lord “came walking (Gr. περιπατεω/peripateo) toward them on the water” (v48), he uses the VERY SAME WORD we read in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible known as the Septuagint. Job announces that God alone “marches (Gr. περιπατεω/peripateo) on the waves of the sea” (Job 9:8).
But Jesus doesn’t simply come to their rescue and make a beeline for their boat. Don’t miss what Mark says. “He intended to go past them” (v48). It’s easy to read this and picture waving to the terrified Twelve from the passing lane. But that’s NOT what He’s doing.
When God Passes by
Once again, Christ connects His late night water walk with the God of Moses. Once again, the author of the second Gospel uses the VERY SAME WORD found in an important story in the Greek OT.
In Exodus, Moses begs Almighty God to give him just a little glimpse of His divine glory. Yahweh tells him, “As My glorious presence passes by (Gr. παρερχομαι/parerchomai), I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by (Gr. παρερχομαι/parerchomai)” (Ex 33:22).
A Clear View
Jesus comes to them walking on the waves like the God of the OT. He intends to pass by them like the God of the OT. He’s NOT ignoring them. Not in the least. Instead He passes by them in order to give them a clear view of exactly what He’s doing so they can see who He really is.
Seeing a Ghost
There’s just one little problem. The disciples are too freaked out to realize what He’s doing. As a matter of fact, things in the boat go from bad to worse. “But when they saw Him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking He was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw Him” (v49-50).
Instead of God in the flesh, the guys think they’re seeing a ghost! Mark uses the word (Gr. φαντασμα/phantasma) where we get “phantom.” It means an apparition or something that doesn’t seem real.
What is THAT?!?!?
Grab a seat in the boat with the boys for just a second. Better hang on. It’s dark. The wicked wind is whipping. Water stings your face. Waves wash into the boat. Suddenly somewhere off to the side you see something.
You squint against the storm and rub your eyes. Please tell me you see it too! It’s NOT just you. Every single one of you sees it!! Every single one of you freaks out!!
Screaming Like Schoolgirls
Despite many of these men making their living on the lake as fishermen, they’re screaming like little girls. When we see that they “cried out in terror” (v49), the original language selects a rarely used word here (Gr. ανακραζω/anakrazo).
It carries the idea of screaming so loudly that it hurts your ears. These men are acting less like disciples Jesus will use to change the world and more like teenage girls at a One Direction concert.
What They See on the Sea
Just in case you’re not buying the level of panic among the Twelve, Mark doubles down. “They were terrified when they saw Him” (v50). This particular Greek verb we translate as “terrified” (Gr. ταρασσω/tarasso) means to agitate by swirling, stir up, shake up, cause an uproar, or throw into confusion.
The storm causes terrible turbulence in the boat and Jesus’ appearance causes even worse turbulence in their hearts. They’re absolutely shaken by what they see on the sea!!
The Real Hero of the Story
So here’s one of those moments that prove to me that what we read in the Gospels in true. If this is some story the apostles manufactured or heavily edited, I certainly wouldn’t include the parts that make me look like I’m shaking in my sandals.
But that’s EXACTLY what we see in this scene. Remember, the earliest followers of Jesus believed Mark’s story is actually Peter’s eyewitness account of Christ. Pete and the rest of the guys come off more like bumbling cowards than courageous men of God.
That’s because Jesus is the Hero of the story. Not the Twelve. He’s also the Hero of your story. And my story. So we can all relax and let Him handle it.
Cheer up! I Am!
The Lord doesn’t make fun of them. He doesn’t see this as the perfect opportunity to scare them even more. He hopes to calm them down by telling them who He is. EXACTLY who He is.
“But Jesus spoke to them at once. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ He said. ‘Take courage! I am here!’” (v50). Once again, the Greek pulls helps us understand what’s going on. We can literally translate Jesus’ greeting to the guys, “Cheer up! I am!! Don’t be afraid!!!”
Is That a Typo?
You might be thinking there’s a typo in what you just read. It’s easy to think I left something out when Jesus says, “I am.” But I didn’t. And He didn’t either!
“I am,” or as it reads in the original language εγο ειμι/ego eimi. Once again, Jesus connects Himself with God in the story of Moses. The kids might say it’s Straight Outta Exodus. Flip back to the scene at burning bush on the backside of beyond.
I Am Who I Am
When God drafts the Big Mo to free His people from slavery, the 80-year-old shepherd says people will want to know who sent him. The Almighty responds by telling him His name. “I Am Who I Am” (Ex 3:14).
It’s the Hebrew name we often see translated as Yahweh or Jehovah. This very simple name has all sorts of beautiful implications. Chew on these for a few moments…
I Will Be Who I Will Be.
I Always Am.
I am the Self-Existent One.
I Am the Uncaused Cause.
I Am God of the Present Tense.
Bad Grammar and Great Theology
This is far from the only time Jesus self-identifies as Yahweh. Twelve different times in John’s Gospel, He goes out of His way to say He is I Am (Jn 6:20, 35, 48, 51; 8:12, 24, 28, 58; 9:5; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1; 18:5).
My personal favorite is when Christ’s critics call Him a liar for claiming that even the great Abraham couldn’t wait for His coming. “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!” (Jn 8:58). People are so offended they pick up rocks to stone Him…and it’s NOT because of bad grammar!
Making the Same Claim
Jesus makes that very same claim to the disciples who believe they’re about to sink like rocks to the bottom of the lake. He connects it directly to the command to not being afraid. Christ shows up in order to show off. There’s no reason to fear when Almighty God is here!
He gives the same orders to Joshua (Dt 31:6; Josh 1:5-9). He calls His chosen people to not fear while under the boot of the enemy) (Is 41:13; 43:1-2). It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re up against.
Don’t fear when God is here. And He’s ALWAYS here!
Don’t Fear when God Is Here
So it should come as no shock the Son of God loves to say the very same thing. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).
Don’t fear when God is here. And He’s ALWAYS here!
A Storm IN the Boat
When Jesus hops aboard the storm dies down. “Then He climbed into the boat and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed” (v51). Mark carefully chooses a verb here (Gr. εξιστημι/ezistemi) meaning to amaze beyond comprehension to the point of being freaked out and fearful.
Jesus stills the storm on the lake and it stirs up another one onboard the boat. The disciples are in a state of shock and awe. Despite all they’ve seen Jesus do, they still don’t know who He really is.
Missing the Boat on the Miraculous
Just to make sure we don’t miss his point, Mark makes that clear for us. “For they still didn’t understand the significance of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in” (v52).
In other words, because the boys completely missed the boat on the miracle back on the beach (Mk 6:35-44) and now miss the miracle while they’re in the boat! He has supernatural power over both the loaves and the lake.
SPOILER ALERT! It’s going to happen again. Once again, Christ will cater lunch for thousands (Mk 8:1-9). Once again, the will disciples miss the point while leaving by boat (Mk 8:14-21).
Rocks in Our Chest
Rock hard hearts are a huge problem. The Pharisees had such crusty hearts that they actually try to ambush and murder Jesus (Mk 3:1-6). But here we read how it can happen to the closest followers of Christ.
The disciples may have rocks in their chest at the moment, but God has a way of treating the toughest cardiac cases with a supernatural transplant (Ezek 36:26-27). And post-op, we need to do everything we can to keep it soft and tender (Prov 4:23).
Don’t Miss the Miracle
If not, there’s a good chance we’ll miss the miracle. We can let our hearts grow hard when we think He can’t really help us. Sure, Jesus may do miracles in the lives of others but He would never do anything big for me. Wrong.
Don’t be so hard hearted and hard headed. Because when He shows and shows off, we don’t want to miss the miracle.
©2018
Jay Jennings
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