This weekend at Rver Valley Community Church, the journey through the Gospel of Mark continues with this passage:
"Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd. Mark 6:45
After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Mark 6:46
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. Mark 6:47
He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, Mark 6:48
but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, Mark 6:49
because they all saw him and were terrified. ¶ Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Mark 6:50 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,
Mark 6:51 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. Mark 6:53
As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. Mark 6:54
They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Mark 6:55
And wherever he went — into villages, towns or countryside — they placed the sick in the marketplaces.
They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed." Mark 6:56
What questions do have about this passage?
What strikes you as strange or unusual?
Comment...and I'll try to address your questions this Sunday
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5 comments:
I think it is interesting that in verse 48 "He was about to pass by them". Do you suppose that if they had not seen Him and flipped out thinking it was a ghost that He would have just kept on going?
First of all, great idea for a post (or series?).
1. This appears to be the same occurance of Jesus walking on water found in Matthew 14 and John 6... if that is the case I find it interesting that the instance of Peter walking on the water only appears in Matthew.
Also to that end... in John it seems to indicate that He ( Jesus ) withdrew to the mountain in order to escape from the crowds while Mark points out that Jesus sent the disciples ahead while he dismissed the crowd and then went to the mountainside to pray.
2. Mark 6:56. "the edge of his cloak" = zsit-zsit ?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Sunday,
-Roogles
I figured Eli would be the one to point out that we don't hear about Peter walking on the water with Jesus. :) Do you think that Mark did not feel that tidbit was relevant or was he jealous, are we feeling some of Mark's own humaness in the story here...
I find it interesting that Jesus sent the disciples on ahead and was there ALONE to dismiss the crowd. Jesus being the only one, how did he escape the crowd to the moutainside? How did he assure his privacy? I imagine these crowds were desperate and relentless. At this point, were only the sick coming out to hear him, only because they might be healed, not to hear the good news? How frustrating was this to Jesus?
Why a ghost? At this point they were very familiar with Jesus, they obviously knew what he looked like, I understand why they woudl freak out about him walking on water, but why be terrified of seeing Jesus himself? Did He look different?
Mark 6:50... They were completely amazed,
Mark 6:51 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
Because of their own confusion about the loaves, they couldn't understand the walking on water too?
1) he was going to pass them? to go where?
2) i think it's funny that his disciples, who knew him well, didn't recognize him, and yet, when they arrived in Gennesaret, people who may have never seen jesus before recognized him immediately.
3)i wonder what was going through jesus's head. did he walk on the water because god told him to or was it more like a father would do to save his children?
Jesus sends the disciples away so He can get some alone time on the side of a mountain. With all the stuff He's got going on - HE (JESUS) still feels the need/desire to fill His tank at the OMNI gas station!!
another thing i wonder after reading these verses is - why were the disciples so freaked out ("amazed in themselves beyond measure") by the sight of Jesus walking on the water? didn't Jesus calm the storm and still the waters in chapter 4?. Peter, James, and John were present when Jesus raised the girl from the DEAD!!! when are they going to get it???
also - in order to prove your points this sunday - don't try what this guy tried -
"It was reported on August 30, 2006 that Evangelist preacher Franck Kabele told his congregation he could repeat the biblical miracle. Kabele walked out to sea from a beach in the capital Libreville in Gabon, west Africa and drowned."
found in W I K I pedia
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