John 6:15-21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?
This passage is a very interesting passage in the middle of the narrative that we are in. Between Jesus feeding the 5,000 and teaching on how He is the bread of life, we get this account of Jesus walking on water. Some go to the point of arguing whether or not this should really be in the text here, but the vast majority of scholars agree that it is here with intention. Before we get into that, let's just see what the text is even saying.
Beginning just after the account of feeding the 5,000, we have Jesus slipping away and getting alone. I think this stands out as an important lesson, but I am getting ahead of myself. In Jesus being alone, His disciples departed over the sea to Capernaum. Given the distance they had traveled over the course of the night, it would seem that they were relatively close to their destination. Looking out, they were met with a daunting sight. A man atop the waters walking toward them.
Admittedly, I am not one for horror movies. Apart from a moral issue I have with them, I do not like to be scared. But I can really picture this one. I have done a decent amount of fishing from boats out in the middle of lakes. It could be my own parents in the middle of the day and it would still terrify me. All the more reason, it is likely that over the cover of night, they could not recognize who was there. They simply saw a figure of a man approaching them while they are still in the middle of the waters. It could be a spirit of some kind! Then this figure speaks.
"It is I; do not be afraid."
-John 6:20
From this, their response immediately changed. No longer out of fear, they willingly received Him in the boat. Then, they arrived at shore. Quite the conclusion! But I believe it is full of depth and meaning.
What observations are you making about the passage?
Beginning just after the account of feeding the 5,000, we have Jesus slipping away and getting alone. I think this stands out as an important lesson, but I am getting ahead of myself. In Jesus being alone, His disciples departed over the sea to Capernaum. Given the distance they had traveled over the course of the night, it would seem that they were relatively close to their destination. Looking out, they were met with a daunting sight. A man atop the waters walking toward them.
Admittedly, I am not one for horror movies. Apart from a moral issue I have with them, I do not like to be scared. But I can really picture this one. I have done a decent amount of fishing from boats out in the middle of lakes. It could be my own parents in the middle of the day and it would still terrify me. All the more reason, it is likely that over the cover of night, they could not recognize who was there. They simply saw a figure of a man approaching them while they are still in the middle of the waters. It could be a spirit of some kind! Then this figure speaks.
"It is I; do not be afraid."
-John 6:20
From this, their response immediately changed. No longer out of fear, they willingly received Him in the boat. Then, they arrived at shore. Quite the conclusion! But I believe it is full of depth and meaning.
What observations are you making about the passage?
Posted in John
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