마가복음 6:50 주석

A great variety of observable passages we have, in this chapter, concerning our Lord Jesus, the substance of all which we had before in Matthew, but divers circumstances we have, which we did not there meet with. Here is, I. Christ contemned by his countrymen, because he was one of them, and they knew, or thought they knew, his original (Mar 6:1-6). II. The just power he gave his apostles over unclean spirits, and an account given of their negotiation (Mar 6:7-13). III. A strange notion which Herod and others had of Christ, upon which occasion we have the story of the martyrdom of John Baptist (v. 14-29). IV. Christ's retirement into a desert place with his disciples; the crowds that followed him thither to receive instruction from him; and his feeding five thousand of them with five loaves and two fishes (Mar 6:30-44). V. Christ's walking upon the sea to his disciples, and the abundance of cures he wrought on the other side of the water (Mar 6:45-56).

And he went out from thence,.... From Capernaum; and came into his own country; or "city", as the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, the city of Nazareth; so called because it was the place where Christ was conceived, and where he was educated; for which he had a regard, and was willing it should partake of the benefit of his doctrine and miracles: and his disciples follow him; as they did wherever he went; and which is a true characteristic of a disciple of Jesus.

And he went up unto them in the ship,.... That is, after Peter had desired he might be bid to come to him upon the water, and having got leave, made an essay; but the wind being boisterous, and beginning to sink, he cried out for help; when Christ stretched out his hand, and saved him; and then he, together with Peter, went up into the ship to the rest of the disciples, as is related by Matthew, Mat 14:28, though omitted by this evangelist: and the wind ceased; from blowing; it was laid at once, as soon as ever Christ entered the ship: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. The Ethiopic version adds, "at him"; they were astonished, when they found it was Christ, and not a spirit; and they were more amazed at his walking upon the sea; and they marvelled still more abundantly, when they observed that the wind ceased upon his coming into the ship; their amazement was beyond expression, and therefore many words are made use of to signify it by.

(v. Chrys. Hom. in Matt. 50) As soon then as they knew Him by His voice, their fear left them.

Thus I by my loquacious tongue From the heaven of silence am led Into perils unknown and dark. Not as Peter, disciple true, Confident in his virtue and faith, I am as one whose unnumbered sins Have shipwrecked on the rolling seas.… How easily can I be shipwrecked, One untaught in seafaring arts, Unless you, almighty Christ, Stretch forth your hand with help divine.

(ubi sup.) The disciples indeed, who were still carnal, were amazed at the greatness of His virtue, they could not yet however recognise in Him the truth of the Divine Majesty. Wherefore it goes on, For their hearts were hardened. But mystically, the toil of the disciples in rowing, and the contrary wind, mark out the labours of the Holy Church, who amidst the beating waves of the world, and the blasts of unclean spirits, strives to reach the repose of her celestial country. And well is it said that the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on land, for sometimes the Church is afflicted by a pressure from the Gentiles so overwhelming, that her Redeemer seems to have entirely deserted her. But the Lord sees His own, toiling on the sea, for, lest they faint in tribulations, He strengthens them by the look of His love, and sometimes frees them by a visible assistance. Further, in the fourth watch He came to them as daylight approached, for when man lifts up his mind to the light of guidance from on high, the Lord will be with him, and the dangers of temptations will be laid asleep.

And immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. The first aid to those trembling and in danger is to banish fear struck into their hearts. The second is to quench the fury of the storms with the power of His presence. Nor is it to be wondered at that, when the Lord ascended into the boat, the wind ceased. For in whatever heart God is present by the grace of His love, soon all the battles of vices, and the opposing world, or evil spirits, are repressed and calmed.

But notice also another circumstance, namely that before ending the danger, He casts them into even greater fear; for when they saw Him, they cried out in fright, thinking it was a ghost. Then the Lord immediately encourages them with His voice, saying: "Do not be afraid"; then, entering the boat, He gives them complete calm, because the wind suddenly ceased. To walk on the sea is a great miracle and belongs to the one true God alone; and the fact that there was confusion among the disciples and a contrary wind makes the miracle all the more exalted.

See again how Christ, though He was about to put an end to their dangers, puts them in greater fear. But He immediately reassured them by His voice, for it continues, And immediately he talked with them, and said unto them, It is I, be not afraid. Then by entering into the ship, the Lord restrained the tempest. For it continues, And he went up unto them into the ship, and the wind ceased.

And He says to them, Be of good cheer, it is I, because we shall see Him as He is.

Our Lord's countrymen are astonished at his wisdom and mighty works, and are offended at him, Mar 6:1-4. He works few miracles there, because of their unbelief, Mar 6:5, Mar 6:6. He sends forth his disciples by two and two to preach, etc., Mar 6:7-11. They depart, preach, and work miracles, Mar 6:12, Mar 6:13. Different opinions of Christ, Mar 6:14-16. Account of the beheading of John Baptist, Mar 6:17-29. The disciples return, and give an account of their mission, Mar 6:30. He departs with them to a place of privacy, but the people follow him, Mar 6:31-33. He has compassion on them, and miraculously feeds five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, Mar 6:34-44. He sends the disciples by sea to Bethsaida, and himself goes into a mountain to pray, Mar 6:45, Mar 6:46. The disciples meet with a storm, and he comes to them walking upon the water, and appeases the winds and the sea, Mar 6:47-52. They come into the land of Gennesaret, and he works many miracles, Mar 6:53-56.

THE SYROPHœNICIAN WOMAN AND HER DAUGHTER--A DEAF AND DUMB MAN HEALED. ( = Mat 15:21-31). (Mar 7:24-37) And from thence he arose, and went into the borders--or "unto the borders." of Tyre and Sidon--the two great Phœnician seaports, but here denoting the territory generally, to the frontiers of which Jesus now came. But did Jesus actually enter this heathen territory? The whole narrative, we think, proceeds upon the supposition that He did. His immediate object seems to have been to avoid the wrath of the Pharisees at the withering exposure He had just made of their traditional religion. and entered into an house, and would have no man know it--because He had not come there to minister to heathens. But though not "sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Mat 15:24), He hindered not the lost sheep of the vast Gentile world from coming to Him, nor put them away when they did come--as this incident was designed to show. but he could not be hid--Christ's fame had early spread from Galilee to this very region (Mar 3:8; Luk 6:17).

For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: It is I; be not afraid--There is something in these two little words--given by Matthew, Mark and John (Mat 14:27; Mar 6:50; Joh 6:20) --"It is I," which from the mouth that spake it and the circumstances in which it was uttered, passes the power of language to express. Here were they in the midst of a raging sea, their little bark the sport of the elements, and with just enough of light to descry an object on the waters which only aggravated their fears. But Jesus deems it enough to dispel all apprehension to let them know that He was there. From other lips that "I am" would have merely meant that the person speaking was such a one and not another person. That, surely, would have done little to calm the fears of men expecting every minute, it may be, to go to the bottom. But spoken by One who at that moment was "treading upon the waves of the sea," and was about to hush the raging elements with His word, what was it but the Voice which cried of old in the ears of Israel, even from the days of Moses, "I AM"; "I, EVEN I, AM HE!" Compare Joh 18:5-6; Joh 8:58. Now, that Word is "made flesh, and dwells among us," uttering itself from beside us in dear familiar tones--"It is the Voice of my Beloved!" How far was this apprehended by these frightened disciples? There was one, we know, in the boat who outstripped all the rest in susceptibility to such sublime appeals. It was not the deep-toned writer of the Fourth Gospel, who, though he lived to soar beyond all the apostles, was as yet too young for prominence, and all unripe. It was Simon Barjonas. Here follows a very remarkable and instructive episode, recorded by Matthew alone: Peter Ventures to Walk upon the Sea (Mat 14:28-32). Mat 14:28 : And Peter answered Him, and said, Lord, If it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water--not "let me," but "give me the word of command"--"command," or "order me to come unto Thee upon the waters." Mat 14:29 : And He said, Come--Sublime word, issuing from One conscious of power over the raging element, to bid it serve both Himself and whomsoever else He pleased! And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked upon the water--"waters." to come to Jesus--"It was a bold spirit," says BISHOP HALL, "that could wish it; more bold that could act it--not fearing either the softness or the roughness of that uncouth passage." Mat 14:30 : But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid: and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me--The wind was as boisterous before, but Peter "saw" it not, seeing only the power of Christ, in the lively exercise of faith. Now he "sees" the fury of the elements, and immediately the power of Christ to bear him up fades before his view, and this makes him "afraid"--as how could he be otherwise, without any felt power to keep him up? He then "begins to sink"; and finally, conscious that his experiment had failed, he casts himself, in a sort of desperate confidence, upon his "Lord" for deliverance! Mat 14:31 : And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?--This rebuke was not administered while Peter was sinking, nor till Christ had him by the hand: first reinvigorating his faith, and then with it enabling him again to walk upon the crested wave. Useless else had been this loving reproof, which owns the faith that had ventured on the deep upon the bare word of Christ, but asks why that distrust which so quickly marred it. Mat 14:32 : And when they--Jesus and Peter. were come into the ship, the wind ceased.