John 6:15-2515When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. 16And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 17And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. 18And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 19So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. 20But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. 21Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. 22The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 25And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? (John 6:15‑25)
After the Lord Jesus fed the multitude of people on the grassy plains near the shore of the sea of Galilee, the disciples started across the sea in a boat to go to the town where some of them lived, But Jesus stayed on the mountain near to pray.
The sea of Galilee is large and deep and often has stormy winds to disturb the water. That night after the diiples started across, a sudden wind came up and was “contrary” or against them and the big waves tossed their boat.
The men rowed hard, but at tile fourth watch, which was toward early morning, they had gone only a few miles on their way. Suddenly they saw Jesus coming near them, walking upon the water. They were very frightened and cried out, thinking Him not real but a spirit.
Jesus spoke to them and. His voice stopped their fear. He said,
“Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid.”
It is told by Matthew that Peter asked the Lord to tell him to come to Him on the water, and the Lord Jesus said, “Come” Peter got out of the boat and started to walk on the sea, but he looked at the high waves and was frightened and cried to Jesus to save him.
The Lord put out His hand and saved Peter from sinking, and at once they were by the boat and taken on board. Then right away they were to the shore where they wanted to be, though that must have been a distance of some miles.
The disciples were filled with wonder that Jesus had come to help them that He could walk on the water; they seemed to them an even greater miracles than that He had fed the multitude the afternoon before. This proved to them that He was the Son of God. No man of earth could control the waters, He was the Creator of the water all things, as we read in the first part of this book of John: “All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.”
Jesus had power to walk upon the water, and could cause Peter to do so also while he trusted Him. He has taken the form of a man to feel the sorrows of earth and to give up His life for the sins of all, yet He had the knowledge and power of earth’s Creation.
The people whom Jesus fed with barley loaves were very surprised the next day that Jesus had come across the sea. They seem to have gone to that place by the sea, expecting Him to be there, because they knew the disciples had started without Him in the evening, and there was no other boat to go in. When He was not there and some boats came to that shore they went in them to Capernaum, to look for Him.
ML 08/25/1946