The next day, the crowd which was still across the sea, realised that there had only been one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone aboard the boat with his disciples, but only his disciples had left. (Some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.)So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they boarded the boats and went to Capernaum, looking for Jesus.
And finding him on the other side of the sea they said to him ‘Rabbi, since when did you come here?’
Jesus answered them: ‘Truly, truly I say to you, you look for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the breads and were full up.’
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
2 responses to “John 6:22-26”
What is the explanation for Jesus walking on the sea? I can’t find a spiritual answer in-the Hendriksen commentary ?
Hi Moya – good question as many commentators are rather evasive. It is clear that there are Old Testament ‘prototypes’ e.g. Isa 43.16, Isa 43.2 ,Isa 51.10 and the Exodus story. I think those who want to ‘spiritualise’ it as ‘John’s theological reflection’ would be on stronger ground if it was not in Matthew and Mark (and not an intrusion into John’s narrative flow). It seems to me that he included it where he did because that is where he found it in Matthew or Mark (or in a common tradition), he thought it happened and was too good to miss out. First century people knew about water and Matthew and Mark even have the disciples being sceptical (thinking Jesus is a ghost)! So being hard to believe, I think it is in their books because the gospel writers believed Jesus somehow walked on the water. And they are the best witnesses that we have.