Adrift
John 6:16-27
So why didn't anyone else see Jesus walking on the water?
Photo by Preston Pham on Unsplash
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 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 toward which they were going. The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea 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 sea, 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." - John 6:16-27
There must have been other boats on the sea. Some boats came from Tiberius to the place where Jesus gave the loaves and fishes. Didn't they see him?
The timing may be off or the distance too great. I can grant them that.
This is not a John story, but one that originated in Mark, so John may have had to include it. Usually, John has Jesus expound on the meaning of the sign, but here, he doesn't.
It is as if he has to mention it but doesn't know why Jesus chose to walk to the boat.
All Jesus says is that the others were looking for him because he fed them the bread and fish. That doesn't answer their question about how he got there.
If we look back at the crossing itself, Jesus must have moved quickly, catching up with the boat four miles out and then immediately bringing them to shore.
That may be the meaning of this for us to digest.
Jesus is there for us and will come to us in our hour of need. Nothing will prevent him from being by our side.
The part of the original story that John does not include is when Peter gets out of the boat and walks toward Jesus. That says something different. It tells us with Jesus we can do anything, but that is not the message John wants us to get.
He wants us to believe in Jesus fully.
And the fact that Jesus doesn't answer the question is evidence that how Jesus got there isn't what is important. What is important is that he is always with his disciples.
We should remember that when we find ourselves lost at sea.
More to come...