Picture the disciples rowing across the Lake of Galilee to their destination on the other side, a distance of maybe 6 or 7 miles. They had started out before dark in the late afternoon, and normally this might have taken about 2 or 3 hours. But the winds turned against them, and several hours later when it was evening they had only made it half way. By the fourth watch of the night (3-6 a.m.), they were still out in the middle, straining at the oars against the wind. I calculate they’ve been rowing for ten or twelve hours. Not to mention having had no sleep. And here comes Jesus… walking on the water!
They were terrified at this sight, but Jesus said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” And He got into the boat with them and the wind stopped; and they were completely astounded. (No kidding!)
And why were they astounded? Well, because Jesus is walking on the water, and then when He gets in the boat the wind and waves stop immediately! Who wouldn’t be astounded at that?
But at this point in the story, Mark adds an interesting comment about the reason for their astonishment: for they had not understood about the loaves. Oh, yes, that’s right. Just a few hours ago Jesus had multiplied the loaves to feed the 5,000. And that miracle alone (but especially in conjunction with all the others!) should have let them know He was divine. And therefore they should not have been astounded at Jesus exhibiting further mastery over nature. Christ could “bend the material universe–including not only the product of the soil (bread) but also the billows of the sea and the currents of the air–to His wishes.” *
And Mark isn’t done commenting. He also tells us why it was they didn’t understand about the loaves: because their hearts were hardened. Their spiritual obtuseness and inability to draw the necessary conclusions from the miracles of Jesus “was the result of sinful neglect to ponder and meditate on these marvelous works and on the nature of the One who performed them.” * They failed to consider what could be expected of such a divine Being. For if they had, they would not have been astounded, but rather expecting Jesus to act as the Son of God in all these things, and celebrating and delighting in Him as such. +
And now we come to the hard part:
- identifying the ways in which we also fail to connect the dots about Christ’s authority and power. If we say He’s supremely in charge, why do we have areas of our lives where we act as if He isn’t? Would we be astounded if in those areas of our lives He were to suddenly display the power we say He has? If so, we’re guilty of “not having understood about the loaves.” [Some examples may be: worrying over bad developments, working ourselves to exhaustion to make ends meet, despairing over governing authorities’ actions, erupting in anger when someone else’s mistake or failure impacts us negatively. Each of these responses refutes the truth that Christ is absolutely and benevolently in control of every circumstance and outcome.]
- putting our finger on where our hearts are hardened. If we are not able to transfer to our own lives the lessons taught by the miracles of Jesus in Scripture, we also are spiritually obtuse. We see but we don’t perceive; we hear but we don’t understand. We have dull, hardened hearts.
The remedy for a spiritually dull, insensitive heart is to think often about Jesus’ miracles, to meditate deeply on who He must be to have done such amazing things. To delight in His divine power. To ask and expect Him to display that power in our day and time for His glory and to advance the message of salvation. And to celebrate Him when He does.
Oh, friends, may the Lord deliver each of us from the condition of a hardened heart.
^ Artist Abraham Hunter ‘s work Never Forsaken depicts Jesus walking on the water
* William Hendriksen, Gospel of Mark, 6:52.
+ R.C.H.Lenski, Interpretation of Mark, 6:52.