In my preparation for this morning’s sermon (Sunday, July
22, 2012) from Mark 6: 30 - 56
I was struck by one sentence in particular – and for a long time I really didn’t know what to do with it.
Jesus had dismissed his disciples to leave while he finished speaking to the crowds. The disciples left in the boat and made their way across the lake. Jesus said goodbye to the crowd and then, as he does so often, went off to pray by himself. Then, very early in the morning, he went out to them, walking on the water. The disciples were still in the boat, rowing frantically against strong storm winds.
And then Mark drops this easily overlooked sentence: He was about to pass by them (Mark 6:48).
I was struck by one sentence in particular – and for a long time I really didn’t know what to do with it.
Jesus had dismissed his disciples to leave while he finished speaking to the crowds. The disciples left in the boat and made their way across the lake. Jesus said goodbye to the crowd and then, as he does so often, went off to pray by himself. Then, very early in the morning, he went out to them, walking on the water. The disciples were still in the boat, rowing frantically against strong storm winds.
And then Mark drops this easily overlooked sentence: He was about to pass by them (Mark 6:48).
Wait… what? Jesus’
disciples are straining against the storm, in serious danger of being shipwrecked
or drowning and he’s just going to walk right on by them? I mean, what the heck, Jesus?
Did he just not see them?
Or perhaps he didn’t care?
But before we try to understand this little (but curious) statement, it helps to back up a bit.
In the previous verses Jesus has demonstrated his mighty power by performing miracle after miracle. He calmed storms, cast out demons, healed women, and raised the dead. Then Jesus entrusted this power and authority as well as his message and mission to his disciples. He sent them out in pairs with the authority to cast out unclean spirits and the power to cure the ill, commissioning them to proclaim the gospel and to call men to repentance.
Mark then gives us a brief interlude with a flashback to the death of John the Baptizer (the only non-Christocentric story in his gospel).
But before we try to understand this little (but curious) statement, it helps to back up a bit.
In the previous verses Jesus has demonstrated his mighty power by performing miracle after miracle. He calmed storms, cast out demons, healed women, and raised the dead. Then Jesus entrusted this power and authority as well as his message and mission to his disciples. He sent them out in pairs with the authority to cast out unclean spirits and the power to cure the ill, commissioning them to proclaim the gospel and to call men to repentance.
Mark then gives us a brief interlude with a flashback to the death of John the Baptizer (the only non-Christocentric story in his gospel).
When the narrative picks up the disciples have returned and
are excited to tell Jesus all that they had done. They’d come back with stories about those
that they’d healed, and the lives that they’d seen restored to wholeness. Jesus, being a good leader, recognized that
his disciples needed some time to regroup, to talk about their successes and
their failures, to share experiences.
But the crowds of people recognized them. Them.
Mark is very careful to let us know that the crowds recognized and
followed them – the disciples. (6: 33)
The people of Galilee were all stirred up by this band of men who
followed Jesus - and they ran ahead to
meet Jesus and his disciples in the lonely place.
Now, instead of being frustrated with crowds, instead of
gritting his teeth and asking why they can’t just leave him alone for ten
minutes, Jesus saw the crowd as sheep without a shepherd and he had compassion
for them. He sat down with them and began to teach them as well. But as the day stretched into late afternoon
and early evening, the disciples pressed Jesus to dismiss the crowd so that
they could go into the surrounding towns to get something to eat.
Jesus, rather nonchalantly, told the disciples to take care of it. You feed them. To which the disciples looked around at each other and said, ‘with what? We could easily spend 200 denarii feeding them…’
Jesus, rather nonchalantly, told the disciples to take care of it. You feed them. To which the disciples looked around at each other and said, ‘with what? We could easily spend 200 denarii feeding them…’
Jesus suggested that they figure up how much food they have
among them. It wasn’t much – five loaves
of bread and 2 small dried fish.
Nevertheless, Jesus thanked God for this bounty, broke the bead and
distributed the food among the people.
And, as we know from our Sunday school lessons, there was enough for
everyone to eat – with leftovers.
At this point Jesus dismisses his disciples to go on ahead of them in the boat saying that he’d catch up with them after sending the crowd home. And this is when Jesus is ready to walk right on by the disciples as they’re straining against the storm.
At this point Jesus dismisses his disciples to go on ahead of them in the boat saying that he’d catch up with them after sending the crowd home. And this is when Jesus is ready to walk right on by the disciples as they’re straining against the storm.
But instead of just passing them by, Jesus got into the boat
with them, calmed their fears and the storm ceased. And Mark tells us that they were amazed
because they did not understand about the loaves. (6:52) Never mind the storm. Never mind the wind. Forget the rain and lightning. Ignore their terror. They were amazed because they did not
understand about the loaves.
Soon after the boat made landfall, and immediately the crowds of people recognized him – Jesus. Earlier the crowds recognized and ran to follow them, the disciples. But now, after their failures, the crowds ignore the disciples.
So what does it mean? Why was Jesus perfectly content to let his disciples flounder in the boat as he walked right on by them?
Those who are parents know that they can’t continue to do everything for their children. When they’re infants we feed them, bathe them, dress them, carry them – but eventually they grow and begin to feed themselves, clean themselves (except boys… boys can’t seem to get it…) dress themselves, and walk on their own legs.
And we have to let them do these things – on their own.
When they begin to learn how to ride a bike we run along behind them holding the seat to help them balance – but if we’re still holding them upright on their bikes when they’re 30 years old then something is seriously wrong with us and with them.
We have to let them learn to ride their bikes without us – even though we know it means that they will fall and will skin their knees and scuff their elbows. We let them grow up.
Soon after the boat made landfall, and immediately the crowds of people recognized him – Jesus. Earlier the crowds recognized and ran to follow them, the disciples. But now, after their failures, the crowds ignore the disciples.
So what does it mean? Why was Jesus perfectly content to let his disciples flounder in the boat as he walked right on by them?
Those who are parents know that they can’t continue to do everything for their children. When they’re infants we feed them, bathe them, dress them, carry them – but eventually they grow and begin to feed themselves, clean themselves (except boys… boys can’t seem to get it…) dress themselves, and walk on their own legs.
And we have to let them do these things – on their own.
When they begin to learn how to ride a bike we run along behind them holding the seat to help them balance – but if we’re still holding them upright on their bikes when they’re 30 years old then something is seriously wrong with us and with them.
We have to let them learn to ride their bikes without us – even though we know it means that they will fall and will skin their knees and scuff their elbows. We let them grow up.
And I think that is why Jesus was going to pass right on by
them as they rowed against the winds and waves.
He was trying to let them grow up a bit.
After all, he’d already given them his power and his authority. They’d gone throughout the countryside healing the sick, restoring the broken and proclaiming the arrival of the kingdom of God. They’d come back with stories of the wonders they’d seen and the wonders they’d performed themselves.
But when Jesus asked them to feed the crowd, they balked. We can’t do that.
We can’t do that? Really? They had just returned from a short term missionary trip during which they themselves had performed mighty deeds – but they were unable to feed the crowd.
I think that Jesus was giving them an opportunity to try it on their own. They’d already demonstrated that they really could do it. But they still needed help. And so, like a parent who follows behind the child on the bicycle, when he saw them wobbling and about to fall, Jesus reached out to catch them.
After all, he’d already given them his power and his authority. They’d gone throughout the countryside healing the sick, restoring the broken and proclaiming the arrival of the kingdom of God. They’d come back with stories of the wonders they’d seen and the wonders they’d performed themselves.
But when Jesus asked them to feed the crowd, they balked. We can’t do that.
We can’t do that? Really? They had just returned from a short term missionary trip during which they themselves had performed mighty deeds – but they were unable to feed the crowd.
I think that Jesus was giving them an opportunity to try it on their own. They’d already demonstrated that they really could do it. But they still needed help. And so, like a parent who follows behind the child on the bicycle, when he saw them wobbling and about to fall, Jesus reached out to catch them.
Jesus was going to walk on by them- was going to let them do
it on their own… but they still needed his help. Perhaps he was disappointed, but he calmed their
fears and comforted them - despite their lack of understanding and their hardened
hearts.
Sometimes I think that Jesus still wants to pass us by as we’re rowing into the storms. He’s given us what we need, he’s given us the model, he’s given us the power, and he’s given us the authority…. Will we use it? Or will we, like infants, still clamor for Jesus to fix everything for us, to make it all right?
Sometimes I think that Jesus still wants to pass us by as we’re rowing into the storms. He’s given us what we need, he’s given us the model, he’s given us the power, and he’s given us the authority…. Will we use it? Or will we, like infants, still clamor for Jesus to fix everything for us, to make it all right?
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