What is the significance of Jesus intending to pass by the disciples in Mark 6:48? Immediate Narrative Setting The miracle follows the feeding of the five thousand (6:30-44). Jesus dismisses the crowd, sends the Twelve ahead, and prays alone on the mountain—an echo of Moses on Sinai. The storm arises in the fourth watch (3-6 a.m.), the darkest part of the night. Mark records that the disciples “were utterly astounded, for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (6:51-52). The walking-on-water scene therefore continues the revelation begun with the loaves: Jesus is Yahweh in their midst, yet unseen. Old Testament Theophanic Background: God ‘Passing By’ 1. Exodus 33:19,22 : “I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you…when My glory passes by…” 2. 1 Kings 19:11: “Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” 3. Job 9:8,11: “He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea…When He passes me, I cannot see Him.” In each scene Yahweh’s “passing by” is a revelation of divine glory, yet also a veiling that protects human observers. Mark deliberately evokes this OT language to present Jesus as the very God who once passed before Moses and Elijah. Divine Self-Identification: “It Is I” Verse 50: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” The Greek ἐγώ εἰμι is the Septuagint form of the divine name (Exodus 3:14). Combined with the passing-by motif, Jesus openly identifies Himself with Yahweh. The storm does not cease until He enters the boat, underscoring that His presence is the locus of peace. Christological Significance 1. Authority over Creation: Job 9:8 links walking on the sea exclusively to God. By fulfilling this description, Jesus asserts His creator-lordship (Colossians 1:16-17). 2. Continuation of the Exodus Pattern: As Yahweh led Israel through chaotic waters, Jesus now leads the Twelve—the nucleus of the new covenant people—through the Sea of Galilee’s chaos. 3. Revelation and Recognition: Jesus “intended” to pass by, not to ignore but to reveal. The purpose was an epiphany demanding recognition; the disciples’ misunderstanding highlights human blindness without divine illumination. Purpose of Testing and Faith Formation Mark notes the disciples were “straining” (βασανιζόμενοι, lit. “tormented”). The episode illustrates sanctifying testing. Scripture pairs divine self-revelation with human trial (Deuteronomy 8:2). The storm exposes weakness, then invites faith. Modern behavioral studies on resilience affirm that crises, when interpreted through meaning frameworks, accelerate maturity—a pattern pre-encoded in biblical pedagogy. Symbolic Lessons for the Church • Boat = nascent Church amid cultural opposition. • Night = present age before consummation. • Wind = spiritual opposition (Ephesians 2:2). • Jesus walking unimpeded = sovereign lordship despite apparent chaos. The account assures believers that Christ is never absent; He sees, approaches, reveals, and ultimately enters His people’s circumstances. Historical Reliability Multiple independent lines affirm the historicity of Jesus’ miraculous works: • Early creedal material (e.g., Acts 10:38-41) speaks of signs “in Galilee.” • Non-Christian sources (Pliny, Tacitus) report early believers’ unwavering testimony to Christ’s divine power. • Archaeological work at Magdala and Bethsaida situates the narrative in recognizable first-century locales, reinforcing the concreteness of the Gospel setting. Miracle and Intelligent Design Jesus’ dominion over natural laws corroborates a theistic worldview wherein the cosmos is intelligible yet contingent upon its Designer. Walking on water is not capricious but purposive, fitting a universe where the Creator can, for redemptive intent, supersede secondary causes without contradiction. Patristic Witness Augustine (Sermon 75) links Mark 6 to Exodus 33, stressing that Christ “passes by” so that faith may follow. Chrysostom (Hom. XLIX on Matthew) notes the pedagogical motive: “He allowed them to be tossed, that they might learn endurance.” Practical Applications 1. Worship: Recognize Jesus as the incarnate Yahweh worthy of adoration. 2. Courage: Storms are occasions for Christ’s epiphany, not evidence of His absence. 3. Mission: As soon as Jesus steps into the boat, “they reached the shore” (John 6:21); partnership with Christ accelerates kingdom advance. 4. Expectation of Glory: One day the partial ‘passing by’ will give way to face-to-face vision (1 John 3:2). Conclusion Jesus’ intention to “pass by” the disciples is a calculated theophany. It reveals His divine identity, tests and grows faith, and prefigures the ultimate deliverance of God’s people. The narrative stands on firm textual, historical, and theological ground, calling every reader to acknowledge, like the disciples in Matthew’s parallel, “Truly You are the Son of God.” |
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