Two stories are featured prominently in Mark’s Gospel (4:35-41; 6:45-52) whereby Jesus and his disciples are seeking to cross the sea to get to the other side; but a chaotic tempest rages against their attempts, trying to deter, frustrate, and ultimately drown their efforts. Both stories revolved around dual emphases of Christology and discipleship.
The sea was viewed by many Jews to be a source of evil and chaos that could only be conquered by the Creator God who brings order (Genesis 1). It was the place from which destructive, monstrous empires arose (Daniel 7) and returned (Exodus 14). It was an abode of the Satan, evil spirits and his minions. Despite our affinities for beach vacations, this helps explain why there will be no sea in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1).
In the first account (Mark 4:35-41) it is clear that the calming of the storm imprints the indelible image of the Creator God engaging in an apocalyptic battle against the forces of darkness. The disciples’ fearful response, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” is an allusion to Psalm 89:8-9 (see also Psalm 107:28-29):
O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
You rule the swelling of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.
The disciples find themselves in the presence of the incarnate Creator God, who demonstrates his rule over the forces of evil.
Prior to the rebuking and stilling of the waters, the disciples are fearfully flailing around trying to stay afloat, while Jesus ostensibly is on the vessel asleep. Jesus poses them a twofold question regarding their cowardliness/fear and their lack of (“not yet”) faith: “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” (4:40) Whereas our immediate knee-jerk reaction is to view this as a cognitive understanding, might faith, as in many other instances, be more properly glossed faithfulness?
Could it be that the disciples are not engaging and entrusting themselves to the Creator God’s mission, because the fear of death is consuming them? Should they forget that the giver of Life is in the boat with them, or that he has commissioned them as his cavalry (Mark 1:16-20; 3:13-19) on this endeavor? They have not yet shown faithfulness in their fearful actions and efforts.
He will bring them to the other side, the Gentile territory of Gerasenes, where he’ll have to show them how to rebuke and drive out the forces of darkness, which will, in turn, retreat back into their place in the sea (5:1-20).
In chapter six we see the disciples empowered two-by-two to engage successfully in the mission of God (6:7-13). Jesus is not with them on this missionary trip. As they are trying to escape to debrief, the crowds surround Jesus. He feels compassion towards them, and puts the retreat on hold.
The people must be sent away to find sustenance, and it is getting late. But, Jesus challenges the disciples, “You give them something to eat!”
The disciples have successfully proclaimed the gospel of God, healed people, and cast out demons. Will they now continue their faithfulness in helping feed this huge crowd?
Jesus then asks for loaves and commands the disciples to go find some. They come back with five loaves and two fish. Jesus instructs them how to arrange the people, and then blesses the bread and fish and miraculously feeds the 5,000.
What is often overlooked is the fact that the disciples participated in this feeding. They were the agents through which Jesus fed the masses.
This all precedes the next voyage into the chaotic seas. Jesus, this time, sends the disciples by themselves to go across the sea, while he went to the mountain to pray. Apparently, when the tempest arose, they were tormented (βασανιζομενους) in their rowing, they freaked out and didn’t use their power to subdue the seas. Jesus comes to save them and they even mistake him for a ghost (additionally, Greco-Roman views included sea gods; Mark’s audience could have been composed of many Gentiles). They failed in this mission, whereas they were formerly successful (6:13 episode).
Mark adds an important cue: “they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.”
How did their hardened hearts relate to the loaves? In the feeding incident, Jesus challenged the disciples to feed the multitude; despite their perplexity, they were still full participants in the feeding (6:41-44). Jesus empowered them to feed the 5,000. Sure enough, in these back-to-back episodes we see Jesus viewed as the Lord of the elements (land and water), and thus the Lord of the cosmos. He has extended his power and authority to his disciples to manifest and evidence this, but the disciples failed to show up on the cosmic battlefield. Not only did they fail to recognize Jesus’ identity, but they also misappropriated their power by cowering in fear.
Thus, just as they had received power to distribute the loaves in the feeding, Jesus was expecting them to go ahead of him to the other side as faithful, authorized agents who could claim God’s dominion over the chaotic seas. The disciples failed to realize this.
Might this be a lesson for us today? Where are we not trusting the Lord and not being faithful? Are we failing to realize how we’ve been empowered to embark upon his mission? Are we wailing in fear that we will perish instead of faithfully forging ahead to the other side? Those with ears to hear, let them hear.
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