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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar_6:47-52
47When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. 49But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." 51Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, 52for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.
Mar_6:48 "Seeing them" It is uncertain whether this was (1) physical sight or (2) supernatural knowledge.
▣ "straining at the oars" This comes from Greek into English as "torture." It was hard rowing against the wind.
▣ "about the fourth watch of the night" In Roman time this would be 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
▣ "He came to them, walking on the sea" This was another nature miracle of Jesus for the purpose of strengthening the disciples' faith. They witnessed His power and authority in many different ways. But they still did not understand; they were still afraid (cf. Mar_6:49-50) and amazed (cf. Mar_6:51).
It is possible that this miracle was meant to fulfill Job_9:8; Job_38:16; Psa_77:19; and Isa_43:16. Jesus was acting out divine acts from the OT (cf. Mar_6:52).
▣ "He intended to pass by them" This does not seem to fit the context unless it means to link up with Job_9:8; Job_9:11! In the TEV footnote it has "join them." This verb does have this connotation in Luk_12:32; Luk_17:7.
Mar_6:49 "a ghost" This is literally the term "phantom" as in Mat_14:26. This is a strong term used of "mental and spiritual agitation and confusion" (cf. The Greek-English Lexicon of Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, and Danker, p. 805).
Mar_6:50 "'Take courage'" This is a present active imperative used so often by Jesus (cf. Mat_9:2; Mat_9:22; Mat_14:27; Mar_6:50; Mar_10:49; Joh_16:33; Act_23:11).
▣ "'do not be afraid'" This is a present middle (deponent) imperative also used so often by Jesus (cf. Mat_14:27; Mat_17:7; Mat_28:10; Mar_6:50; Luk_5:10; Luk_12:32; Joh_6:20; Rev_1:17). This may link Jesus again to Moses (cf. Exo_14:13; Exo_20:20). Jesus was the new Moses or the new divine spokesman (cf. Gen_15:1; Jos_8:1).
Mar_6:51 Noticeably absent is the account of Peter walking (and sinking) on the water (cf. Mat_14:28-31). A. T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament, vol. 1, p. 319, has "Perhaps Peter was not fond of telling that story."
Mar_6:52 "for they had not gained any insight" They were slow learners. Jesus was patient with them. This is so encouraging to me!
▣ "their heart was hardened" This is a perfect passive participle. This is a difficult theological concept. Does this imply (by the passive voice) that God or the Spirit closed their minds? Probably it is idiomatic for their own biases and Jewish traditions blinding them to the truths so obvious in Jesus' deeds and words (cf. Mar_8:17-18). This "man" just did not fit into any of the categories they knew (cf. Mar_4:13; Mar_4:40; Mar_7:18). This is a recurrent theme in Mark. See hyperlink at Mar_2:6.