It is time to get back on track. It is time to continue this series of the 7 signs of Jesus in the Book of John with sign number 5. Just as a refresher, the first 4 signs were:
Sign 1: Water to wine (John 2:1-11)
Sign 2: A Nobleman’s Son healed (John 4:43-54)
Sign 3: Healing by the Water (John 5:1-15)
Sign 4: Feeding of the Five Thousand (John 6:1-14)
Our 5th sign is found in John 6:16-21.
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
As in Matthew and Mark, the fourth sign, the feeding miracle, is followed by the account of Jesus walking on water (6:16-21; Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:47-51). This fifth sign recalls the Passover-Exodus scene of Moses leading Israel through the water (Exodus 13 – 15). As Yahweh demonstrated his mighty power over the sea, so Jesus reveals divine authority over nature. When Jesus walks toward the storm-tossed boat, he calls out, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” The phrase “It is I” (Greek: egb eimi, “I am”) appears often in John and recalls God’s self-description in the Exodus account as the “I AM”, the self-existent LORD of all (Exodus 3:14). This self-identification by Jesus will be made even more explicit in 8:58.
The Sea of Galilee lies six hundred feet below sea level, and the prevailing winds still blow from the west. According to John, his disciples went down to the lake. But both Matthew andMark specify that Jesus sent his disciples away. We see here a lesson in authority for the disciples. Several of them were fishermen, and this east-west route across the lake toward the town of Capernaum would not have been unfamiliar. But it was dark and the waters were treacherous. This miracle also appears in Matthew 14:22-33 and Mark 6:45-52. Presumably, Jesus had set a time and perhaps even a place where he would meet them on the west coast of the lake.
The distance across the northern end of the Sea of Galilee is about five miles, so they were more than half way across when they saw Jesus walking on the water. He knew their problems with faith and fear; Mark tells us he had been watching them (Mark 6:48). This was no ghost, no mystical apparition brought about by their terrified emotions. His words are so like the Lord: It is I; don’t be afraid.
This miracle revealed Jesus’ authority to the disciples and his purpose of ministry to the crowds. The requirements for help in their distress were simple enough, recognize their own need and take Jesus into the boat. That has not changed much in our day. But just seeing Jesus and recognizing him were not enough; they had to take him into the boat. As we shall see in our continuing study of this chapter, intellectual assent must be accompanied by spiritual appropriation and personal commitment to gain eternal life, or as in this case, to gain physical safety.