Jesus Walks on Water

Right away. “Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida” (6:45). Jesus had just fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fish (6:41-44). Sending the crowd home. Jesus Himself “sent the multitude away” (6:45). John tells us the people were about to take Jesus by force to make Him king (John 6:15). Jesus is the King, but He had not come to be the kind of king they wanted. He came to be the Savior. Time with His Father. “He departed to the mountain to pray” (6:46). After a long, busy day, Jesus went off alone to pray. If the Son of God made time to be alone with His Father, we need that time too. Alone on the land. “Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land” (6:47). The disciples were far out on the lake, and Jesus was not in the boat with them. Wind on the way of obeying. The disciples were in that boat because Jesus sent them. Trouble does not always mean you have done something wrong. Sometimes the wind blows against us while we are doing exactly what Jesus said. Jesus prays for us. Jesus still prays for His people today. He “always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Intercession means praying for someone else. What we learn. Jesus was never too busy to pray, and He never forgets His friends. When you are in a hard place, you can know that Jesus is praying for you.

Sent away quickly (6:45). Jesus “made” His disciples get into the boat. He insisted, and He did it immediately. John gives the reason: the crowd was “about to come and take Him by force to make Him king” (John 6:15). The wrong kind of king. Many in that crowd most likely hoped for a king who would keep feeding them and drive out Rome. Jesus is the true King, but He came to give His life for His people, not to grab a throne. He would not let the excitement of the crowd turn His disciples away from that. Bethsaida (6:45). Bethsaida was a fishing town on the north shore of the lake, the hometown of Peter, Andrew and Philip (John 1:44). The disciples were heading toward familiar country. To the mountain to pray (6:46). Jesus prayed at the great turning points of His work: before dawn in Capernaum (Mark 1:35), here after the feeding, and in Gethsemane before the cross (Mark 14:32-36). Prayer was not an extra for Jesus. It was His life with the Father. Alone on the land (6:47). “The boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.” For several hours the disciples rowed without Jesus beside them. Yet they were never out of His sight (6:48). Obeying and still facing wind. The disciples were exactly where Jesus had sent them, and the wind still came against them. Following Jesus does not promise smooth water. It does promise that He sees us on the water. The praying Savior. While they rowed, Jesus prayed. That is still true for every believer. Christ is “even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:34). He “always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Application. Before a hard day, follow Jesus' pattern and spend time alone with the Father. In the middle of the hard day, remember that Jesus is praying for you by name.

Jesus had just fed a huge crowd with a little bread. Right away He sent His followers across the lake. Then Jesus sent the people home. He went up on a mountain all alone to pray. Jesus had been busy all day long. He still made time to talk with His Father. That night the wind blew hard against the boat. The followers were not lost, and they were not being bad. They were doing just what Jesus told them to do! Hard times can come even when we obey Jesus. But Jesus never forgets His friends. He is praying for His people right now.

Jesus sent His friends ahead in a boat. Then Jesus went up a hill to pray. Jesus prays for us too. Jesus loves to pray.

Straining at rowing. “Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them” (6:48). Straining means pulling with all their strength. They worked hard and got almost nowhere. Jesus saw them. It was dark, and they were in the middle of the lake. Jesus was on the land, but He saw them. Nothing in your life is hidden from Him. The fourth watch. “Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them” (6:48). That was between three and six o'clock in the morning. They had been rowing for most of the night. Walking on the sea. Jesus came to them “walking on the sea” (6:48). Long ago Job said that God “alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea” (Job 9:8). Jesus did what only God can do. About to pass by. He “would have passed them by” (6:48). Jesus was not ignoring them. He came close enough for them to see Him, so that they would know He had come. A ghost? “And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out” (6:49). Tired and afraid, they did not know Him. What we learn. Jesus sees you when you are working hard and getting nowhere. He comes to you, even when you do not expect Him.

Straining (6:48). The Greek word basanizō (say: bah-sah-NEED-zoh) means tormented or tested hard. The disciples were battered by the wind and worn out at the oars. John says they had rowed “about three or four miles” (John 6:19). He saw them. From the mountain, in the dark, Jesus saw them. He did not lose sight of His disciples for a moment. He saw their struggle long before they saw Him. The fourth watch (6:48). The Romans divided the night into four watches. The fourth ran from about three to six in the morning. Jesus let them row for hours, and then He came at the time He chose. Walking on the sea. Job 9:8 says that God “alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea.” Jesus walked where only God walks. His friends were about to learn that the One who fed the crowd is the Lord Himself. “Would have passed them by.” The verb is parerchomai (say: par-ER-kho-my), to pass by. Many Christians hear an echo of Exodus 34:6, where “the Lord passed before” Moses and told him His name. Jesus was not leaving His friends behind. He was showing Himself to them as the Lord. A ghost (6:49). “They supposed it was a ghost, and cried out.” Exhausted and afraid, they saw Jesus and did not know Him. Fear makes us expect the worst, even when the Lord is the One coming toward us. Application. When you are straining and getting nowhere, Jesus has not lost sight of you. He may come in a way you do not expect, but He comes.

Rowing against the wind is very hard work. The followers pulled and pulled, but the boat hardly moved. Have you ever worked hard and still felt stuck? Jesus saw His friends, even in the dark. Nothing is hidden from Jesus. He knew exactly how tired they were. Then Jesus came to them, walking on the water! Long ago the Bible said only God can walk on the sea. So Jesus showed that He is God's Son. The followers were scared and did not know Him. Sometimes we do not see Jesus helping us right away. But He sees you, and He comes to help.

The wind blew hard all night. Jesus saw His tired friends. He came to them on the water! Jesus sees you too.

Troubled. “For they all saw Him and were troubled” (6:50). Every one of them was scared. Right away. “But immediately He talked with them” (6:50). Jesus did not leave them in their fear for one minute longer. Be of good cheer. Jesus said, “Be of good cheer!” That means take courage, or be brave. It is I. Jesus did not need to say His name. Hearing His voice was enough. The One they thought was a ghost was their Lord and friend. Do not be afraid. Fear is real, but Jesus is greater than anything we fear. “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3). Into the boat. “Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased” (6:51). Ceased means stopped. When Jesus came in, the wind stopped. Peter on the water. Matthew 14:28-31 tells us more. Peter asked Jesus to tell him to come, and he walked on the water toward Jesus. When he saw the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. He cried, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus caught him. What we learn. Jesus comes to us in our fear and speaks peace. Having Him with us is what we need most.

Troubled (6:50). “For they all saw Him and were troubled.” This was not one nervous disciple; every one of them was shaken, even the fishermen who knew this lake well. Immediately. Jesus spoke at once. He did not let their fear run on. Be of good cheer. The Greek word tharseō (say: thar-SEH-oh) means take courage. Jesus used the same word the night before the cross: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). “It is I.” The Greek is egō eimi (say: eh-GOH ay-MEE), I am. In everyday speech it means, It is me. But Jesus said it while walking where only God walks (Job 9:8). Many Christians also hear the name God gave Moses at the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). “Do not be afraid.” When the Lord tells His people not to fear, He gives the reason in who He is: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1). Jesus' “It is I” is the reason for His “do not be afraid.” The wind ceased (6:51). “Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased.” John adds that “immediately the boat was at the land where they were going” (John 6:21). Peter (Matthew 14:28-31). Peter said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” He walked toward Jesus, began to sink when he saw the wind, and cried, “Lord, save me!” Jesus “stretched out His hand and caught him.” Application. Fear shrinks when we know who is with us. When you are afraid, go back to Jesus' own words: take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.

The followers were terrified, but Jesus spoke to them right away. He did not wait until the wind stopped. He said, “Have courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.” Jesus wanted them to know who was with them. When Jesus is near, we do not have to stay scared. The Bible tells us that Peter walked on the water too. When Peter looked at the wind, he began to sink. Peter shouted, “Lord, save me!” Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. Feeling scared is not a sin. We can bring every fear to Jesus. You can call to Him too.

Jesus said, “Have courage! It is I!” Jesus got into the boat. Then the wind stopped.

Amazed beyond measure. “And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled” (6:51). They could hardly believe what they had seen. The reason. “For they had not understood about the loaves” (6:52). Just hours before, Jesus had fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fish (6:41-44). What they missed. The feeding showed that Jesus is no ordinary teacher. He does what only God can do. If they had understood that, they would have known that He could help them on the lake too. A hardened heart. “Because their heart was hardened” (6:52). A hardened heart is like skin that grows thick and tough and cannot feel much. Their hearts were slow to see who Jesus is and to trust Him. Even His friends. These were Jesus' own disciples. They had left their homes and work to follow Him. Even people who love Jesus can be slow to trust Him. Jesus did not give up. Jesus still got into the boat with them. He kept teaching them, and after He rose from the dead they understood. Remembering helps. Each time Jesus helps us, it is a reason to trust Him the next time. Forgetting what He has done makes us afraid all over again. What we learn. Ask God to give you a soft heart that remembers what Jesus has done and trusts Him.

Beyond measure (6:51). “And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.” Their amazement was complete. Yet amazement is not the same as faith. The loaves (6:52). “For they had not understood about the loaves.” The feeding of the five thousand in a deserted place should have taught them who Jesus is. Long before, God had fed Israel in the wilderness: He “fed you with manna which you did not know” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Now Jesus had done what God did. Putting it together. They had seen the bread multiply in their own hands, but they had not drawn the conclusion. If Jesus could do that, He could meet them on the lake. Seeing a miracle does not change a heart by itself. A hardened heart. Hardened means made thick and dull, like a callus. Jesus' enemies had hard hearts toward Him (Mark 3:5), and now His own disciples' hearts are called hardened too. Their problem was not that they hated Jesus. Their hearts were slow and dull toward what He was showing them. Worship and slowness. That same night they “came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God’” (Matthew 14:33). They worshiped Him, and they still had much to learn. Faith often grows step by step. Grace for slow hearts. Jesus did not leave them on the lake. He climbed into the boat. He kept teaching them, and after He rose from the dead He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). Application. Hard hearts grow when we forget what God has done. Keep a list of the ways Jesus has helped you and answered your prayers, and read it when you are afraid.

The followers were greatly amazed. Just hours before, they had seen Jesus feed a huge crowd. He made lots of bread from only five loaves! But they did not understand what that meant. Their minds were closed. Jesus can do anything, because He is God's Son. They could have trusted Him out on the lake. Sometimes we forget what Jesus has done for us too. Then we get scared all over again. Jesus was patient with His friends. He kept on teaching them, and later they understood. Jesus will help you know Him better too.

The friends were amazed. But they still did not understand. Jesus was patient with them. Jesus helps us know Him.