Breaking the Word

Then he made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were (completely) astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.  (Mk 6:45-52)

Jesus went to the mountain to pray. He did not take the disciples to pray with him as he did in Gethsemane. This prayer was after the great miracle of feeding the five thousand. Did he go to thank (pray) the father? Prayer had been very personal. He did not want the people also to be with him during prayer for he dismissed them before prayer. Prayer is between God and the individual.

Jesus walked on the water. He had control over the wind. In short he had control over nature. Only God had power over nature. The Jews believed that nature and history is the arena where God works. God had done in Exodus where he changed the history of the people who were slaves and to do it he showed his control over nature. Here Jesus is beginning a new Exodus and he has power over nature and history.

He got into the boat and he travelled with his disciples. A boat that was tossed by wind has safe journey. Jesus was ready to travel with the disciples who were in trouble. Jesus who had power over wind and water could have eased the situation and gone on his way. But here he came down to be with the disciples to feel with them and to be with them and to travel with them. Jesus traveled with the disciples.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already very late.  Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat."  He said to them in reply, "Give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Are we to buy two hundred days' wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?"  He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out they said, "Five loaves and two fish."  So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.  Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to (his) disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all.  They all ate and were satisfied.  And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate (of the loaves) were five thousand men. (Mk 6: 34-44)

Jesus was moved with pity. The people were waiting for his arrival. They might have heard about him. In Mark’s gospel, so far what has gone before this incident were his healing of people from their illnesses and his teaching of the kingdom of God. People were aware of his ministry and people wanted to listen to him and be healed by him. People waited with expectation and hence Jesus had pit on them.

He began to teach them for they were sheep without a shepherd. Jesus knew that there were teachers of the law and there were models of life for the people (Pharisees) yet people were not moved by these. People would not listen to them or follow them. They longed for teachers who were trustworthy and true. Jesus also knew that they were not guided properly by these lawyers; that is why he felt that they were sheep without shepherd and he began to teach.

His teachings were accompanied by mighty deeds (miracles). The authors present these stories to show that Jesus not only preached the kingdom and the values of the kingdom by the also made visible the kingdom values through actions. His life was one of preaching and doing the kingdom. Kingdom was a reality in him not just mere words.