Breaking the Word

When it was evening, his disciples went down to the sea, embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum. It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid." They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading. (Jn 6:16-21)

This chapter of John’s gospel takes place in the context of exodus and particularly of Passover. So we are obliged to read this event of walking on the water also on the background of exodus. Israelites started their life of freedom by coming through the Red Sea. Moses parted the Red Sea and led them to the wilderness while they were chased by their pursuers.

Here in this story the crowd has just declared Jesus to be the prophet who has come into this world. The prophet, that is like Moses. Sea, in general, was chaos for the Jews. It was evil and an untameable force.  They always celebrated God as the king over mighty waters. The fishermen also were afraid of the Sea of Galilee. This sea would suddenly become rough and frightening.

Except Luke, the three gospel writers place this event of walking on the water just after the feeding of the five thousand. The disciples see him walking on the water and the crowd sees him and are surprised to see him (Rabbi when did you come here). Jesus said to the disciples;’ It is I. Do not be afraid’. This reminds them of Gods presence among them as in the case of Exodus. As he is there with them then they are on the shore of Capernaum. He led them to the other side of the sea.   

After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee (of Tiberias). A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"…

"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number… (Jn 6:1-15)

Something is happening at Passover time. The feeding of the five thousand takes place at this time. The author wants us to see the connection between the Passover and the feeding of the five thousand by Jesus. Passover is the time when God liberated the Israelites from Egypt, and led them through the wilderness to the Promised Land.  During the wandering in the wilderness he fed them with Manna (bread from heaven).

Feeding of the five thousand, which is narrated by all the four Evangelists, takes place in the wilderness. No city or village is nearby for the people to go and buy food for themselves. So food was not bought and given. Again Philip says that there was not enough money to buy food for all. So physically it was impossible for them to provide food. And what the boy is having is just sufficient for one but the crowd is too big to be fed by one man’s share. So the scene created in such way that it was totally, humanly impossible to provide.

Only God could do; and he has done it in the past. He has done it; that is why the reminder of Passover. God has done it again now through Jesus. God is active in and through Jesus. Jesus is the prophet (godly person). They are about make a jump in their mental conception of Jesus as to be a Messiah (king). Jesus is God sent and God is active in Jesus.