Mark:6:45-56

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rwp @Mark:6:45 @{To Bethsaida } (\pros B ˆthsaidan \). This is Bethsaida on the Western side , not Bethsaida Julias on the Eastern side where they had just been (Luke:9:10 |). {While he himself sendeth the multitude away } (\he “s autos apoluei ton ochlon \). strkjv @Matthew:14:22 | has it "till he should send away " (\he “s hou apolus ˆi \) with the aorist subjunctive of purpose . Mark with the present indicative \apoluei \ pictures Jesus as personally engaged in persuading the crowds to go away now . strkjv @John:6:41f .| explains this activity of Jesus . The crowds had become so excited that they were in the mood to start a revolution against the Roman government and proclaim Jesus king . He had already forced in reality the disciples to leave in a boat {to go before him } (\proagein \) in order to get them out of this atmosphere of overwrought excitement with a political twist to the whole conception of the Messianic Kingdom . They were in grave danger of being swept off their feet and falling heedlessly into the Pharisaic conception and so defeating the whole teaching and training of Jesus with them . See on ¯Matthew:14:22 ,23 |. To this pass things had come one year before the Crucifixion . He had done his best to help and bless the crowds and lost his chance to rest . No one really understood Jesus , not the crowds , not the disciples . Jesus needed the Father to stay and steady him . The devil had come again to tempt him with world dominion in league with the Pharisees , the populace , and the devil in the background . rwp @Mark:6:47 @{When even was come } (\opsias genomen ˆs \). The second or late evening , six P .M . at this season , or sunset on . {He alone on the land } (\kai autos monos ˆpi t ˆs g ˆs \). Another Markan touch . Jesus had come down out of the mountain where he had prayed to the Father . He is by the sea again in the late twilight . Apparently Jesus remained quite a while , some hours , on the beach . "It was now dark and Jesus had not yet come to them " (John:6:17 |). rwp @Mark:6:48 @{Seeing them distressed in rowing } (\id “n autous basanizomenous en t “i elaunein \). See also strkjv @Matthew:8:29 | for the word \basaniz “\, to torture , torment (Matthew:4:24 |) with a touch-stone , then to distress as here . Papyri have \dia basan “n \ used on slaves like our third degree for criminals . \Elaunein \ is literally to drive as of ships or chariots . They drove the boat with oars . Common in Xenophon for marching . {About the fourth watch of the night } (\peri tetart ˆn phulak ˆn t ˆs nuktos \). That is , between three and six A .M . The wind was {contrary to them } (\enantios autois \), that is in their faces and rowing was difficult , "a great wind " (John:6:18 |), and as a result the disciples had made little progress . They should have been over long before this . {And he would have passed by them } (\kai ˆthelen parelthein autous \). Only in Mark . He wished to pass by them , _praeterire eos_ (Vulgate ). Imperfect tense \ˆthelen \. {They thought } (\edoxan \). A natural conclusion . {And cried out } (\anekraxan \). {Cried up }, literally , a shriek of terror , or scream . rwp @Mark:6:50 @{It is I } (\ego eimi \). These were the astounding words of cheer . They did not recognize Jesus in the darkness . They had never seen him or any one walk on the water . His voice reassured them . rwp @Mark:6:51 @{They were sore amazed in themselves } (\lian en heautois existanto \). Only in Mark . Imperfect tense picturing vividly the excited disciples . Mark does not give the incident of Peter 's walking on the water and beginning to sink . Perhaps Peter was not fond of telling that story . rwp @Mark:6:52 @{For they understood not } (\ou gar sun ˆkan \). Explanation of their excessive amazement , viz ., their failure to grasp the full significance of the miracle of the loaves and fishes , a nature miracle . Here was another , Jesus walking on the water . Their reasoning process (\kardia \ in the general sense for all the inner man ) {was hardened } (\ˆn pep “r “men ˆ\). See on ¯3:5 | about \p “r “sis \. Today some men have such intellectual hardness or denseness that they cannot believe that God can or would work miracles , least of all nature miracles . rwp @Mark:6:53 @{And moored to the shore } (\kai pros “rmisth ˆsan \). Only here in the New Testament , though an old Greek verb and occurring in the papyri . \Hormos \ is roadstead or anchorage . They cast anchor or lashed the boat to a post on shore . It was at the plain of Gennesaret several miles south of Bethsaida owing to the night wind . rwp @Mark:6:54 @{Knew him } (\epignontes auton \). Recognizing Jesus , knowing fully (\epi \) as nearly all did by now . Second aorist active participle . rwp @Mark:6:55 @{Ran about } (\periedramon \). Vivid constative aorist picturing the excited pursuit of Jesus as the news spread that he was in Gennesaret . {On their beds } (\epi tois krabattois \). Pallets like that of the man let down through the roof (Mark:2:4 |). {Where they heard he was } (\hopou ˆkouon hoti estin \). Imperfect tense of \akou “\ (repetition ), present indicative \estin \ retained in indirect discourse . rwp @Mark:6:56 @{Wheresoever he entered } (\hopou an eiseporeueto \). The imperfect indicative with \an \ used to make a general indefinite statement with the relative adverb . See the same construction at the close of the verse , \hosoi an h ˆpsanto auton \ (aorist indicative and \an \ in a relative clause ), {as many as touched him }. One must enlarge the details here to get an idea of the richness of the healing ministry of Jesus . We are now near the close of the Galilean ministry with its many healing mercies and excitement is at the highest pitch (Bruce ).

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