John 6:16-25 – Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 In addition, the sea began getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He *said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 So they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. 22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there except one, and that Jesus had not gotten into the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had departed alone. 23 Other small boats came from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats and came to Capernaum, looking for Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
“So they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” The Apostles were terrified when they first saw Jesus walking on the water but once Jesus told them that it was He walking on the water their fear left them.
The Gospels of John and Mark do not mention the famous story of Peter, who after knowing it was Jesus walking on the water, asking Jesus to command him to also walk to Him on top of the water. Peter was obviously excited seeing Jesus yet again doing the impossible. Jesus said to Peter “Come.” And Peter got out of the boat and by the authority of Jesus Peter walked on the water toward Him. However, seeing the great wind and troubled waters Peter became afraid and began to sink and he quickly called out to Jesus “Lord, save me!” Jesus then immediately reached out His hand and saved him and said to him “You of little faith, why did you doubt. (Matthew 14:32) Now these Apostles were men specifically called by the Lord to be in the most elite group of humans in the history of Christendom. Not that they were anything other than human, the same as all of us. But the Lord called each of them for specific reasons that would bring glory to Jesus and also to minister to the myriad of mankind. Though these became men of great faith, at this point they were still learning who He was, what was His mission on earth and what He would have to suffer through in this world. At this point in time, just in the Gospel of John, the Apostles had witnessed John the Baptist identify Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” and Father God, the Holy Spirit and John the Baptist identify Jesus as God with the title given to the Messiah of Son of God. (John 1:1) And they really did not even understand what most mature Christians today do. (Of course we have the benefit of what they grew to know and passed on to us.)
Other proofs of Jesus which they had seen in John up to chapter six was Jesus revealing that He supernaturally knew Nathanael before Nathanael even met Him (John 1:47-47), also the miracle at Cana (Water to wine)(John 2:1-11), Jesus knowing the life story of the woman at the well in Samaria before she had met Him (John 4:2-29), He had told the woman at the well that He could give Living Water to her which God had described as something only He could give. (Jeremiah 2:13) John 4:26 Jesus revealed to the woman that He Himself was the Messiah that people had been waiting for. (John 4:26) Furthermore they saw Jesus heal a man who had been paralyzed for thirty eight years. (John 5:8-9) The Apostles heard Jesus make statements that enraged the Jewish leaders because the statements Jesus made of Himself equated Himself with God. Just before this incident of Jesus walking on the water they had seen Jesus multiply five loaves and two fish into enough food for over five thousand people to supply with enough food to satisfy the over five thousand people and to have twelve baskets of leftover food. After the personal teaching all of them had received from Jesus, and after all they had seen, it is recorded in Matthew that they had not gained insight even from the miracle of the loaves in fishes because they still had hardness in their hearts. (Mark 5:52)
After all that the Apostles had seen and heard, how their knowledge and faith not become stronger than it was? Why didn’t they know that Jesus, whom had chosen them, did not save them to let them perish? Why didn’t they know that the image walking on the water was Jesus? It would seem that their thought of who was walking on the water was that it was Jesus coming to save them. Why didn’t they shout in union “look Jesus is coming to rescue us!” After having seen Jesus walking on water and how Peter had also been allowed to do so, how He stilled the wind and after seeing how Jesus had instantly transported them and their boat to the destination, and after all they had previously seen Jesus do, why didn’t they know who Jesus was? David knew God would provide the victory before He gave David the victory over Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:45-47) Daniel completely trust God enough to, in faith, step into the lion’s death. (Daniel 6:16-24) Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stepped into the fiery furnace before God kept them safe. (Daniel 3:19-28) How did the Apostles not yet know that Jesus would save them? When we are in trials, why don’t we know that God will deliver in any of multiple ways?
After Jesus rescued them on the sea the Apostles worshiped Him saying “You are truly God’s Son.” Mark notes that the reason they were astonished by all this was that they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. Let us look with grace upon how the Apostles reacted. Don’t we also too often look with faith upon what the Lord God is doing in our lives? Too often we fear instead of trust. We ought not to fear but to boldly rely on the promises of God. Expect miracles as we live in faith in the love of God. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.