“When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got
into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and
Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was
blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking
on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to
them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the
boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” (John
6:16-21, ESV)
Three of the four gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, and Luke)
are referred to as the Synoptic gospels. This is because they share many
characteristics in common including material covered, language used, and order,
whereas the gospel of John seems to be much more reflective in nature. Synoptic
means of the same eye or same vantage point, and they seem to share this in
common. It is very easy to lose sight when working through any of the gospel
records that the events accounted from in one may be accounted for in others as
well. This is particularly true of the synoptic ones. As I have been reading through
the gospel of John I have, to a significant degree, relied on the information
which John has provided with limited regard to the other records. Realizing
that all of these gospels were written by men through whom the Holy Spirit brought
these things to mind so that they would accurately record them (John 14:25-26;
1 Peter 1:21), we see in comparing them that each of the men also was moved in
different ways by the Spirit to emphasize certain aspects of an event over
others.
We see this in comparing this particular event of Jesus
walking on the water, which is also found in Matthew 14:22-33 and Mark 6:45-53,
but not mentioned by Luke. Both Matthew and Mark give a great deal more detail
as to the actual details, with Matthew including Peter calling out to Jesus and
briefly walking on the water before he turned his eyes to what he was doing and
not to Christ and began to sink. Not one of these accounts in in conflict, but
we do see that each had some aspect which stood out to them maybe more than
another.
John seems to really be much more contemplative, being focused
on the miraculous signs of Jesus and the responses of the people involved. He
also knits together other events which tie the greater work of Christ together
into a very personal narrative as opposed to a historical record of what
transpired. Even in this passage he continues with a focus on the demonstration
of miracles by Jesus. This time He showed His power over the laws of nature by
walking on water. Reading from Matthew and Mark we know that this occurred
immediately following the feeding of the 5,000. When Jesus withdrew to the
mountain He sent His disciples away ahead of Him so that He might have a time
alone of prayer. When evening came they went down to the sea and got into a
boat in order to cross the sea to Capernaum. As they went out it grew dark and
Jesus still had not caught up with them.
Progressing along the wind started to blow strong and the
sea became very rough. Our translation says that they had gone about three or
four miles, but the actual original distance was measured in stadia, saying
that they had gone twenty-five or thirty of them which would amount to about
600 feet each. This would have been quite a way out, but it was also still away
from their destination. Other than possibly another boat they had no
expectation of seeing anyone or anything until they saw a form moving across the water which they presumed it
to be a ghost, and they were very frightened. Of course, John tells us that it
was Jesus who was coming near the boat, but they had no idea who or what it
could be. As their fear grew Jesus spoke to them saying, “It is I; do not be
afraid.”
Having been startled before and even having a vivid
imagination about the things lurking in my dark closet as a kid I can only
imagine the mixture of anxious emotion and relief that they felt when they
realized it was Him. Still learning who He was, they must have been amazed at
His ability to just walk out on the water even though He had already done some pretty
amazing things in their presence. But the greatest relief came when they could
rest in the joy of being reunited with Him even in these most unique of ways.
Our passage tells us that they were glad to take Him into the boat.
The other accounts tell us that they continued across to the
destination where they arrived in Gennesaret and moored their boat. For John,
the moment Jesus stepped on the boat the miracle was accomplished and they
reached their destination. Reflecting back on the account and all of the
miracles of Jesus I can just imagine him in later days remembering the impact
of those moments when Jesus appeared to him, entered the boat, and the winds
were calmed. Nothing else on this adventure mattered beyond the recognition of
what Jesus had done.
As I think about the nature of John’s record as opposed to
the others I try to picture the special relationship that existed between him
and Jesus such that John would say of himself that he was the “disciple whom
Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7, 20). Sure, Jesus loved them all because
He told them so, but John saw the relationship between himself and Jesus as
particularly close. And as I read the gospel of John his love for Jesus rings
loud and clear.
Thinking of the great love that John expressed in his
writings my mind was taken to his briefer letters and in particular 1 John in
which love is a major theme. There we read in 1 John 4:7-12 and 19, “Beloved,
let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born
of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God
is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his
only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love,
not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the
propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love
one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us
and his love is perfected in us.” … “We love because he first loved us.” (1
John 4:7-12, 19, ESV)
It is such an encouragement to know that God loves us with
an infinite love and that He sent His Son, His only Son, to bring us back into
that relationship through forgiveness which only comes through faith—faith
which also comes from Him. Even today we get to taste His love in many
different ways knowing that one day we will get to experience it fully in His
presence.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to
us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. …” (1 John 3:1,
ESV)
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