Text: John 6:16-27 (see below)
This story of Jesus walking on the water appears in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John. The account given here in the Fourth Gospel is the shortest of the three and certainly the most concise. This is a miracle story. The disciples had finished their work and were heading back to Capernaum, the base of operation for the ministry in Galilee. Darkness had enveloped the land and sea (an important image for John) and the disciples were having trouble crossing the sea for a storm had come upon them.
After nearly four hours of rowing and trying to harness the wind, the Master of the Universe came walking on the water towards disciples in the boat. “It is I: do not be afraid.” Jesus’ words are the key to understanding this miracle. The Greek phrase for “It is I” is ego eimi which properly translated means “I AM”. In John’s account of the life and work of Jesus, this is a VERY important saying. It identifies Jesus to his disciples with the divine name, “I AM” (Think back to Moses and the burning bush or the seven I AM identifications that Jesus makes in this Fourth Gospel). God is present in the midst of this turmoil on the sea.
Jesus follows his declaration with “Do not be afraid.” Now, this phrase is fairly standard in most theophanies. So, here is Jesus declaring to his disciples that he is indeed divine and encouraging them not to be afraid for the divine one is with them. When Jesus is brought into the boat immediately they reach the other side of the sea safely. The miracle in this particular story is not about Jesus stilling the storm – save that one for Mark’s account. The miracle in John’s Gospel underscores for me that with Christ in our “boat” we can face any adversary with confidence.
The question is: Have you invited Jesus into your boat?
Love One Another – Brian
A Song Every Day
Abraham Joshua Heschel
This is one of the rewards
of being human:
quiet exaltation,
capability for celebration.
It is expressed in a phrase
which Rabbi Akiba offered to his disciples:
A song every day,
A song every day.
Source: The Wisdom of Heschel
John 6:16-27
When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.
The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’
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