Mark 6:51 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,

NIV: Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,

NASB: Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished,

CSB: Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded,

NLT: Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed,

KJV: And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

NKJV: Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

The Twelve are headed to Capernaum after going to Bethsaida to get their boat. They have rowed about three or four miles (John 6:19), roughly half the distance to Capernaum. They have recently spent some time paired up, traveling through Galilee, performing miraculous healings and exorcising demons (Mark 6:7–13), and perhaps even raising the dead (Matthew 10:8). They have seen Jesus calm a violent storm (Mark 4:35–41). Now they strain against the wind. Yet they don't stop to think that the same power and authority that granted them the ability to heal like Jesus might also allow them to control the wind like Jesus.

At least four of the Twelve are seasoned fishermen. They know this lake and all its personalities. They have faced strong winds before, and they know how to struggle as they row toward their destination. We can be the same when working on a problem we have experience with. We tend to value hard work and dedication to the point of stubbornness, but human effort is vanity if we don't invite God into our work.

We sometimes forget that our loving Father wants us to pray about everything that concerns us (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We pray for the big things, like cancer, but don't always think to give Him the little things, like a cold. Or we may give Him the sacred, like our kids' salvation, but neglect the banal, like that He will let them have a good day at school. Our heavenly Father loves us. He wants to bless us. It's okay to pray for a sunny day or favor with the boss or that we won't be too sore after a workout. Our requests may not be in God's plan for us, but simply by praying we recognize that these things are under His control and we are dependent on Him. By praying, we live the truths that we trust Him and He loves us.

Mark 6:45–52 continues to escalate the scope of Jesus' miracles. From healing illnesses and injuries (Mark 1:33–34) to raising the dead (Mark 5:35–43). From exorcising one demon (Mark 1:23–26) to expelling a horde of them (Mark 5:1–15). From calming the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35–41) to this account, where Jesus walks on its waters. Still, the Twelve continue to misunderstand who Jesus is and what He has come to do. They think He will be king and save Israel from the Romans. By sending them ahead of Him, He shields them from the crowd who believe the same. This miracle is also found in Matthew 14:22–33 and John 6:16–21.

Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, but the people there are faithless and skeptical. As a result, Jesus performs no more than a few minor miracles. He then assigns His twelve apostles to travel in pairs, preaching repentance and healing various conditions. Mark then takes a brief detour to explain the death of John the Baptist, beheaded after Herod Antipas is tricked by his wife. The focus then returns to Jesus, explaining His miraculous feeding of thousands of people, walking on water, and healing people in Gennesaret.

Even as the Twelve are given opportunity to wield some of Jesus' power and authority, they still struggle to understand. They misinterpret who He is, what He has come to do, and how much He will ask of them. They fear Jesus' display of deity, but seem to dismiss the murderous rejection of His hometown and the death of John the Baptist. It's easy to have faith in a prophet who seems poised to rescue Israel from foreign rule. It is still beyond them to understand that He is actually God.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.