Chapter 6:45-52 Jesus Walks on the Water

6:45 And straightway He constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people.

The dispersing of the assembly; Christ constrained His disciples to go before by ship to Bethsaida, intending to follow them, as they supposed, by land.

6:46 And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray.

Christ departed into a mountain to pray. 

Observe, 1. He prayed; though He had so much preaching-work upon His hands, yet He was much in prayer; He prayed often, and prayed long, which is an encouragement to us to depend upon the intercession He is making for us at the right hand of the Father, that continual intercession. 

2. He went alone, to pray; yet, to set us an example, and to encourage us in our secret addresses to God, He prayed alone, and, for want of a closet, went up into a mountain, to pray. 

A good man is never less alone than when alone with God.

6:47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.

and he alone on the land; upon the mountain - This is observed, partly to show what distress the disciples were in, in the midst of the sea, having a hard gale of wind, and their master not with them; and partly to show that there was no way, humanly speaking, of Christ's getting to the ship, in order to go over; and is an illustration of the following miracle, of walking so many furlongs, as He must, upon the water, in a stormy, blustering night, to get to it.

6:48 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.

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; He cometh unto them walking upon the sea -: being in this distress, Christ came down from the mountain to the sea side; and then 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 He saw them - For the darkness could veil nothing from Him. And would have passed by them - That is, walked, as if He was passing by.

6:49 But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

They were frightened at the sight of Him, supposing Him to have been an apparition.

6:50 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.

He encouraged them, and silenced their fears, by making Himself known to them; He talked familiarly with them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid.
Note, (1.) We know not Christ till he is pleased to reveal Himself to us.
(2.) The knowledge of Christ, as He is in Himself, and near to us, is enough to make the disciples of Christ cheerful even in a storm, and no longer fearful.

6:51 And He went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

and the wind ceased; from blowing; it was laid at once, as soon as ever Christ entered the ship:
and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

6:52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

For they considered not the miracle of the loaves - Which they had seen but the day before; they did not attend to it, nor learn from it, as they might, the wonderful glory of Christ, and the greatness of His power; which was as much an act of omnipotence, as either His walking upon the water, or causing the wind to cease, or more so.

Their heart was hardened - And yet they were not reprobates. It means only, they were slow and dull of apprehension.