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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - John 6:16 - 6:21
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_6:16-21
16Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
Joh_6:17 "Capernaum" This was Jesus' headquarters during His Galilean ministry because of the unbelief in His hometown of Nazareth (cf. Luk_4:28-29).
Joh_6:19 "they had rowed about three or four miles" They were approximately halfway across the lake when Jesus came walking to them on the water. Matthew expands this narrative to include Peter walking to Him on the water.
▣ "they were frightened" These disciples were still estimating Jesus by earthly standards. The disciples' fear is expressed in Mar_6:49. The collective weight of these "signs" forced them to reassess who He was.
Joh_6:20 "It is I" This is literally (egô eimi) "I Am" (cf. Joh_4:26; Joh_8:24; Joh_8:28; Joh_8:54-59; Joh_13:19; Joh_18:5-6) which reflects the covenant name of God in the OT, YHWH of Exo_3:12-15. Jesus is the visible "I Am," the full self-revelation of God, the incarnate Logos (word) of God, the true and only Son. See D in the Special Topic following.
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Joh_6:21 "and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going" This apparently was another miraculous occurrence (cf. John 22-25) since Mark's Gospel indicates that they had rowed about half way across the lake (cf. Mar_6:47). However, it is not mentioned in the other Gospels (i.e., Mat_14:32 or Mar_6:51).