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JOHN vi. 16-18.
"And when even was now come, His disciples went down unto the sea
and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And
it was now dark, and Jesus was not come unto them. And the sea arose
by reason of a great wind that blew."
1. CHRIST provideth for the good of his disciples not only when
He is present in the body, but also when far away; for having
abundance of means and of skill, He effecteth one and the same end by
contrary actions. Observe, for instance, what He hath done here.
He leaveth His disciples, and goeth up into a mountain; and they,
when even was come, went down unto the sea. They waited for Him
until evening, expecting that He would come unto them; but when even
was come, they could no longer endure not to seek their Master; so
great a love possessed them. They said not, "It is now evening,
and night hath overtaken us, whither shall we depart? the place is
dangerous, the time unsafe"; but, goaded by their longing, they
entered into the ship. For it is not without a cause that the
Evangelist hath declared the time also, but by it to show the warmth
of their love.
Wherefore then doth Christ let them go, and not show Himself? And
again, wherefore doth He show Himself walking alone upon the sea?
By the first He teacheth them how great (an evil) it is to be
forsaken by Him, and maketh their longing greater; by the second,
again, He showeth forth His power. For as in His teaching they
heard not all in common with the multitude, so in the case of the
miracles they saw them not all with the mass of people, since it was
needful that they who were about to receive in charge the presidency of
the world, should have somewhat more than the rest. "And what sort
of miracles," saith some one, "saw they by themselves?" The
Transfiguration on the mount; this on the sea, and those after the
Resurrection, which are many and important. And from these I
conjecture that there were others also. They came to Capernaum
without any certain information, but expecting to find Him there, or
even in mid passage; this the Evangelist implies by saying that "it
was now dark, and Jesus was not yet come to them."
"And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew." What did
they? They were troubled, for there were many and various causes
which forced them to be so. They were afraid by reason of the time for
it was dark, of the storm for the sea had risen, of the place for they
were not near land; but, Ver. 19. "Had rowed about five and
twenty furlongs."
And, lastly, by reason of the strangeness of the thing, for,
"They see Him walking upon the sea." And when they were greatly
troubled, Ver. 20. "He saith unto them, It is I, be not
afraid."
Wherefore then appeareth He? To show that it was He who would make
the storm cease. For this the Evangelist hath shown, saying,
Ver. 21. "They were willing to receive Him, and immediately the
ship was near the land."
He not only gave them a safe passage, but also one with a fair wind.
To the multitude He showeth not Himself walking upon the sea, for
the miracle was too great to suit their infirmity. Indeed, even by
the disciples He was not seen long doing this, but He appeared, and
at once retired. Now this seems to me to be a different miracle from
that found in Matthew xiv.; and that it is different is clear from
many reasons. For He worketh often the same miracles, in order to
cause the beholders not merely to count them very strange, but also to
receive them with great faith. "It is I, be not afraid." As He
spake the word, He cast out fear from their souls. But at another
time not so; wherefore Peter said "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me to
come unto Thee." (Matt. xiv. 28.) Whence then was it that at
that time they did not straightway admit this, but now were persuaded?
It was because then the storm continued to toss the bark, but now at
His voice the calm had come. Or if the reason be not this, it is
that other which I have before mentioned, that oftentimes working the
same miracles, He made the second to be readily received by means of
the first. But wherefore went He not up into the ship? Because He
would make the marvel greater, would more openly reveal to them His
Godhead, and would show them, that when He before gave thanks, He
did not so as needing aid, but in condescension to them. He allowed
the storm to arise, that they might ever seek Him; He stilled the
storm, that He might make known to them His power; He went not up
into the ship, that He might make the marvel greater.
Ver. 22. "And the people that were there saw that there was none
other boat there save the one into which the disciples had entered, and
that Jesus went not into the boat, but His disciples." And why is
John so exact? Why said he not that the multitudes having passed over
on the next day departed? He desires to teach us something else,
namely, that Jesus allowed the multitudes if not openly, at least in
a secret manner, to suspect what had taken place. For, "They
saw," saith he, "that there was none other boat there but one, and
that Jesus went not into it with His disciples."
Ver. 24. And embarking in boats from Tiberias, they "came to
Capernaum seeking Jesus." What else then could they suspect, save
that He had arrived there crossing the sea on foot? for it was not
possible to say that He had passed over in another ship. For "there
was one," saith the Evangelist, "into which His disciples
entered." Still when they came to Him after so great a wonder, they
asked Him not how He crossed over, how He arrived there, nor sought
to understand so great a sign. But what say they?
Ver. 25. "Master, when camest Thou hither?"
2. Unless any one affirm that the "when" is here used by them in
the sense of "how." But it is worth while also to notice here the
fickleness of their impulses? For they who said, "This is that
Prophet"; they who were anxious to" take Him and make Him a
king," now when they have found Him take no such counsel, but having
cast out their astonishment, they no longer admire Him for His former
deeds. They sought Him, desiring again to enjoy a table like the
first.
The Jews under the guidance of Moses passed over the Red Sea, but
that case is widely different from this. He did all with prayer and as
a servant, but Christ with absolute power. There when the south wind
blew, the water yielded so as to make them pass over on dry land, but
here the miracle was greater. (Ex. xiv. 21.) For the sea
retaining its proper nature so bare its Lord upon its surface, thus
testifying to the Scripture which saith, "Who walketh upon the sea
as upon a pavement." (Job ix. 8.)
And with reason, when He was about to enter into stubborn and
disobedient Capernaum, did He work the miracle of the loaves, as
desiring not only by what took place within, but also by the miracles
which were wrought without the city, to soften its disobedience. For
was it not enough to soften even any stone, that such multitudes should
come with great eagerness to that city? Yet they had no such feeling,
but again desired food for the body; for which also they I are
reproached by Jesus.
Let us then, beloved, knowing these things, give thanks to God for
things of sense, but much more for things spiritual; for such is His
will, and it is on account of the latter that He giveth the former,
leading in, as it were, by these the more imperfect sort, and giving
them previous teaching, because they are yet gaping upon the world.
But when such persons having received these worldly things, rest in
them, then are they upbraided and rebuked. For in the case of him
that had the palsy, Christ wished first to give that which was
spiritual, but they that were present endured it not; for when He
said, "Thy sins be forgiven thee," they exclaimed, "This man
blasphemeth." (Matt. ix. 2.) Let us not, I entreat you, be
so affected, but let us make more account of those (spiritual)
things. Wherefore? Because when spiritual things are present with
us, no harm ariseth from the absence of fleshly things; but when they
are not, what hope, what comfort, shall then remain to us? wherefore
it is for these we ought always to call upon God, and entreat Him for
them. And for such hath Christ also taught us to pray; for if we
unfold that Prayer, we shall find that there is nothing carnal in it,
but all spiritual, and that even the small portion which seemeth to
relate to sense, becometh by the manner spiritual. For to bid us ask
no more than our "successive," that is, our "daily," bread,
would mark a mind spiritual and truly wise. And consider what goeth
before that, "Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will
be done as in heaven so on earth"; then, after naming that temporal
(need), He quickly leaveth it, and bringeth us again to the
spiritual doctrine, saying, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive
our debtors." Nowhere hath He put in the Prayer riches or glory or
dominion, but all things contributing to the benefit of the soul;
nothing earthly, but all things heavenly. If then we are bidden to
refrain from the things of this present life, how could we help being
wretched and miserable, asking from God those things which even having
He biddeth us cast away, to free us from care about them, and for
which He biddeth us take no pains. This is the "using vain
repetition"; and this is why we effect nothing by our prayers. "How
then," saith some one, "do the wicked grow rich, how the unjust and
impure, plunderers and covetous?" Not by God's giving; (away
with the thought!) but by plundering, and taking more than their
due. "And how doth God allow them?" As He allowed that rich
man, reserving him for greater punishment. (Luke xvi. 25.)
Hear what (Abraham) saith to him; "Son, thou in thy lifetime
receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now
he is comforted, and thou art tormented." Therefore that we also
come not to hear that voice, by living softly and idly, and gathering
together for ourselves. many sins, let us choose the true riches and
right wisdom, that we may obtain the promised good things; to which
may we all arrive, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom, to the Father and the Holy
Ghost, be glory, now and ever and world without end. Amen.
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