In this passage we find the disciples encountering yet another storm. This
time Jesus was not with them. He only came walking towards them in the midst of
their struggles with the storm. This event took place after the feeding of the
5,000. Having ate the miracle bread it was highly unlikely that the people
would let Jesus out of their sight. In the same incident, John 6:14-15, tell us
that the people concluded that Jesus was the Prophet (the one whom Moses said,
God Himself would raise) and they were bent on taking Him to make Him king. So
in verse 45, Jesus quickly got his disciples into the boat to go ahead of Him to
Bethsaida, while He remained behind to dismiss the multitude. When the disciples
had left, He then went up to the mountain to pray.
When evening came, the boat was already in the middle of the lake. This
was about six to seven o’clock in the evening. Mark tells us that Jesus was
alone on the land. Remember He had sent the disciples off and He was now up in
the mountain praying. Verse 48 tells us that He saw them struggling at the oars
as they encountered a counter wind. Here is a hint that even as Jesus was
praying His eyes were on them. Isn’t it comforting to know that the Lord will
never take His eyes off us as He intercedes for us! It was as early as six or seven o’clock in the evening they were already
experiencing some difficulties with the wind. But it was not until the fourth
watch that the Lord came walking to them. What time is the
fourth watch? This is about three to six o’clock in the early morning. It was the
darkest time of the night. It was at this point that the disciples were
struggling with the fiercest howling wind and straining hard at the oars, and
their strength could not have hold any longer. It was precisely at the hour when they needed Him most that the Lord came
walking toward them on the water. It’s good to know that even in our long
lonely hours of struggles that He will always be on time.
At first the
Lord appeared as if He was about to pass by them, and they supposed He was a
ghost and they cried out. This whole episode was intended for the disciples to
recall and understand the significance of it for years to come. It is also in
the scriptures for us to know that the waves that were created by the storm in our life would
be the very path that He would tread upon to reach us. Look at it this way, the
storms of life do come every now and then into our
lives, and they would threaten to take us under. This episode tells us that however fierce
the storms may be, they are all under our Lord’s feet.
It will
help us to know that the fourth watch was the Lord’s way of telling us that no
matter how dark the storm that covers our plight, the Lord can see through
them. And His walking toward the disciples indicates that He would also come into
the struggles we encounter in life. And He always wants us to know and experience
His presence at that right moment, as He whispers His timely words, “Take
courage it is I, do not be afraid.”
How did the story end? Mark
said that when Jesus got into the boat with them the wind stopped and they were
astonished. Verse 52 indicates to us why the storm was necessary. It’s because
they failed to recognize from the incident of the loaves that Jesus is the Son
of God. How do we know? Matthew 14:33 supplies us with the concluding piece of
the puzzle. It says, "And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!" Remember that storms are
the very means that will help us recognize the nearness of Christ
and also to recognize Him for
Who He really is.
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