Mark 6:47

Verse 47. The ship was in the midst of the sea] See all the parts of this wonderful transaction considered, on Mt 14:22-33.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

47. in the midst of the sea] With all their efforts and the toil of the entire night they had not in consequence of contrary winds (Joh_6:18) accomplished more than five and twenty or thirty furlongs, i. e. scarcely more than half of their way, the Lake being forty or forty-five furlongs in breadth, when one of the sudden storms, to which the Lake is subject, rushed down from the western mountains. See above, Mar_4:37.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he saw them toiling in rowing,.... He saw them either with his bodily eyes from the mountain on which he was; or he perceived in his Spirit, he knew, by virtue of his omniscience as God, what distress his disciples were in; being tossed about with the waves of the sea, and were labouring with all their might and main against the wind: and were vexed and tortured, as the word signifies; they were in the utmost pain and uneasiness of mind, as well as fatigue of body, assisting the men in rowing; for the ship they were in was no other than a vessel managed by oars; and hard work it was to keep it from being overset:

for the wind was contrary unto them; it blew from the other side they were making to, full in their face, hard against them; so that it was with great toil and difficulty, that they got any thing forward:

and about the fourth watch of the night; or three o'clock in the morning: so that it is very likely, that as the evening when they took to the vessel was sun setting, or about six o'clock, they had been nine hours at sea, and had got but twenty five or thirty furlongs from shore; See Gill on Mat 14:25;

he cometh unto them walking upon the sea: being in this distress, Christ came down from the mountain to the sea side; and then, by his divine power, as the mighty God, that treadeth on the waves of the sea, he walked upon the surface of the waters of it; "as on dry land", as the Persic version adds:

and would have passed by them; that is, he made as though he would; see Luk 24:28. By the course he steered, by the swiftness of his motion, and his seeming negligence of them, it looked as though he intended to have gone by them, and said nothing to them, though this was far from his real design.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

Ver. 47. {See Trapp on "Mat 14:23"} {See Trapp on "Joh 6:18"} {See Trapp on "Joh 6:19"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See Poole on "Mat 14:24", and following verses to Mat 14:33. By the sea here is meant the lake of Gennesaret.

The fourth watch of the night was after four in the morning. The foregoing part of the night our Saviour had spent alone upon the mountain in prayer.

They were sore amazed in themselves, and wondered. For they considered not, &c. Had they diligently considered by what power five loaves and two fishes were multiplied to a quantity to feed five thousand men, besides women and children, they would not have been amazed, either at the sight of Christ safely walking upon the water, or at the wind ceasing when he came into the ship; but these things had not made that due impression upon their hearts which they ought to have done. The time was not yet come when Christ would have his Divine nature fully revealed to them, and till he opened their eyes, and wrought in their hearts a full persuasion of that, it was not in their power so to apprehend it, as to give a full assent to it, and to act accordingly. This is that which is here called hardness or blindness of heart.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And when even was come. It was now advancing onwards into night; the wind was rising and blowing against them. Then it was that the Lord left his place of prayer on the mountain, that he might succor his disciples in their difficulties.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jesus walking on the sea:

v. 47. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.

v. 48. And He saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them. And about the fourth watch of the night He cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

v. 49. But when they saw Him walking upon the sea; they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out;

v. 50. 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.

v. 51. And He went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased. And they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

v. 52. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves; for their heart was hardened.

In the late afternoon the disciples had left the eastern shore, and when night came on, they had not yet crossed the lake, for they were obliged to battle with contrary winds. And He alone was on the land. He knew their plight; He was with them every inch of the way; but He did nothing to help them. It is often good for the believers to be buffeted by adverse winds of life. It is only by overcoming difficulties and by conquering in the hard places that Christian character is formed. Until the fourth watch of the night, according to Roman reckoning, between three o’clock in the morning and sunrise, He prayed, although the eye of His omniscience and the reassurance of His omnipresence was with them during all these hours. But now He came walking on the water as man otherwise steps along on dry land, He, the Master of all creation, that can make all things serve His will. He was about to pass by the boat, when the disciples saw Him. And then ensued a time of panic. Superstition, the fear of ghosts and specters, was still living in their hearts. And so the unwonted appearance of a human figure striding along over the waves set them to crying and wondering and fearing. But His voice stayed the panic and slowly brought confidence into their hearts. He then climbed over the side of the boat into their midst, whereupon the wind immediately stopped. The effect of this double miracle on the disciples, wrought up as they had been by their fear, was such as to bring them almost out of their senses for astonishment. For, as the evangelist here confesses, doubtless at the suggestion of Peter, the miracle of the loaves had not been understood by them, it had not entered into their hearts, its meaning had escaped them, and their hearts were still far from being in a condition to accept, at their right value, the miracles of the Lord. In like manner, the great deeds of the Lord which pass review before us in Scriptures often do not make the impression upon our hearts that they should; but the Savior has much patience with us, renewing and repeating His teaching until we understand.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

47. ὀψίας γενομένης. It was late in the day (Mar 6:35) when arrangements for the Feeding began, and now the brief twilight was ending in darkness.

ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης. See on Joh 6:17.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

47. ὀψίας—evening.1 It was already evening (Mt.), or late (Mk.), or the decline of day (Lk.), when the question of feeding the multitude came up. That was, therefore, the early evening, from three to six o’clock, and this the late evening, from six o’clock till night.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.