In the Gospel of John, Jesus performs seven signs which give hints about who he is and the needs he’s addressing. Note that they’re not called “miracles,” but “signs.” Beyond being extraordinary acts, they’re also messages to us about Jesus, and we’ll visit a different sign each Wednesday in Lent. This week, we’ll take a look at…
Walking on Water (John 6:16-24)
By comparison to the version of this story that appears in other gospels, John’s telling of Jesus’s walking on water has always struck me as a little underwhelming. Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s still miraculous. It still shows Jesus’s mastery over the elements and all that. We just don’t get the same character drama with Peter trying to walk out to him and all that. Still, as with the other signs in John, this act tells us a little more about the kind of savior Jesus is.
After Jesus’s feeds the multitude and the sun sets, the disciples board a boat and row ahead toward Capernaum. As the wind picks up and the water grows rough, they get nervous, and then they see a figure walking toward them on the waves.
Okay, that’s pretty freaky, right? How many ghost stories involve the arrival of a mysterious figure— especially one who seems to bend the laws of nature? Plus, this is a group of people who believed all kinds of spirits and demons resided in the wilderness outside their cities and settlements, and here comes this robed figure toward their boat in the night. The disciples are completely justified in freaking out!
Once Jesus speaks to them, they recognize him, and he repeats the classic angelic refrain: “Don’t be afraid.” While this exchange shows Jesus’s mastery of the water, and his ability to comfort the disciples seems a little uncanny too, it’s this phrase that grabs my attention. So many other places, we hear this phrase spoken by angels and burning bushes and various heavenly emissaries. Here it is spoken by Jesus himself, tipping a hat to his divine nature.
“Don’t be afraid.”
Many of the signs up to this point have showcased Jesus’s humanity. He shows empathy and compassion toward the hungry and hurting. He feeds people and serves people and reaches out to the overlooked and downtrodden. Here though, we’re reminded of Jesus’s divinity.
“Don’t be afraid.”
The creator of the universe dwells within the creation. The Son of God walks among us, and his very name, Immanuel, means God With Us. The disciples are in awe. The crowds who later deduce what has happened are in awe. Truly, this man is the Son of God, and he comes to us with the promise:
“Don’t be afraid.”
Next week, we’ll see Jesus reject the idea of inherited sin and clash with the Pharisees for once again healing on the Sabbath…