Jesus’ Deity: Daily Thoughts from Mark (Mark 6:45-52)

Do you have to believe that Jesus is God in order to be saved?

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But 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. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:45-52, ESV) 

Jesus sends his disciples back to a more habitable part of the Sea of Galilee shoreline via boats, while he stays behind to have some alone time with God.  Once again, however, the waters of the lake are difficult and his disciples are having to strain against the wind to make headway.  So Jesus walks to them on the water.

Is this a miracle that anyone could have done by the power of the Spirit?  I suppose so.  But to this point no such event had ever been recorded and I know of no one since who has claimed it.  And his intending to pass them by is reminiscent of Yahweh passing by Moses in answer to Moses’ request to see God’s glory (Exodus 33) and of His passing Elijah by as he is shielded in the rock (1 Kings 19).  He wants them to see him or he could have walked a further distance from them.  And what they witness does not seem to register with them.

Mark says their hearts were hardened.  They had just seen him multiply bread and fish, a clear miracle of creation.  They should not be astonished that he can walk on water.  They should see this as an evidence of deity.  But they don’t.  It is hard to imagine that if the gospels were a product of men who wanted power and influence and took a historical figure and elevated him, that they would not more explicitly say here that he is God nor that they would show themselves to be so dimwitted.

It was admittedly hard for them to see Jesus as God.  This went against everything they had been taught.  Jesus doesn’t press the issue with them verbally but keeps demonstrating his nature over and over.  He treats us with the same careful and patient nudging as he seeks to show us who he is and how we can live if we believe that.

But now that all has happened that has happened, now, on this side of the crucifixion and resurrection, the deity of Jesus is more readily apparent.  Though a person might get saved before they understand that Jesus is God, it cannot follow to long behind that they acknowledge this truth.  God will see to it that they do.