Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 12
Verſe 16. And when even was now come, his diſciples went down unto the Sea.
17. And entred into a ſhip, and went over the Sea, toward Capernaum: and it was now dark, and Jeſus was not come to them.
18. And the Sea aroſe, by reaſon of a great wind that blew.
Followeth, to ver. 22. the ſecond part of the chapter, containing a ſecond miracle, of Chriſts walking on the Sea, to come to the diſciples in their need, with the antecedents and conſequents thereof The antecedents thereof are recorded, ver 16, 17, 18. the miracle it ſelfe, ver. 19.—and the conſequents of it, ver.—19, 20, 21.
In theſe verſes we have the antecedents of this miracle, that the diſciples, at his command, go to Sea without him, and being at Sea in the night time, they are toſſed with a violent tempeſt and contrary winde, as is obſerved, Matth. 14.24. It is here ſaid they went toward Capernaum, where the ſucceeding Sermon was preached, ver. 59. yet Matth 14.34. they came into the land of Geneſareth; and Mark. 6.45. they are commanded to go unto Bethſaida. But this is eaſily reconciled; for their way was toward, and by Bethſaida, and Geneſaret was the name of the Country whe…e Capernaum ſtood, and though he landed not at the City, yet he ſtayed not till he came to it. Doctrine. 1. It is not unuſual, that upon the back of ſweeteſt refreſhments and manifeſtations of Chriſt, the people of God meet with a ſtormy and ſharp exerciſe; Such was the lot of the diſciples after this miracle; for. 1. A conſtant gale of ſweetneſſe is not eaſily born while we are within time, but we muſt be exerciſed with changes. 2. It is meet that he take proofe of our preficiency by former manifeſtations, as being given not only for preſent delight, but for a future uſe; as here he tries how the diſciples faith was ſtrengthened by the former miracle, and ſo is marked, Mark 6.51, 52. 3. It is by theſe changes that men get new proofes of their own weakneſſe, and new proofes of his goodneſſe, for the confirmation of their faith. All which they would want, if they had not renewed exerciſe. Doctrine. 2. As men ſhould be clear of a calling from God to any thing they undertake, that this may ſupport them in what they may meet with, (as the diſciples were conſtrained to this journy by Chriſt; Matth. 14.22.) So they ought not to judge of the rightneſſe of a way, by what they meet with in it; Seeing ſharpeſt trials may meet men in Gods own way, and in the way of their duty; for, when they are going over the Sea toward Capernaum, at Chriſts command, the ſtorme ariſeth. 3. The Lords people may expect, that their trials will be meaſured out according to their grouth, and according to the time which they have had, wherein to make proficiency; for, whereas before this, the deſciples had a tempeſt, Matth. 8.23, 24, &c. yet this is now a ſharper trial; Then, Chriſt was with them, though a ſleep, now he is away; Here it is dark night, which we read not of there; Here they have not only a ſtorme of winde, as there, Mark. 4.37. but a contrary winde, Mark. 6.48. They are alſo not neere the ſhore, but in the midſt of the Sea, ver 19. Matth 14.24. And it is long ere Chriſt come to them, Matth. 14.25. with which they are not tried in the other ſtorme. 4. In the trials of the Lords people, they may expect that all circumſtances will concurre, that may ſharpen the trial, and make the exerciſe deep: And trials may be compleatly dreadful, wherein yet the Lord will give a good iſſue; for, ſo was this trial ordered in every afflicting circumſtance before marked. See Lam 2.22. 5. It is a ſad addition to the trials of the Lords people, that ordinarily they are attended with much confuſion, darkneſſe, and perplexing irreſolution, ſo that they cannot ſee through their troubles, nor what to do under them; So much may be gathered, by analogy, from this circumſtance, that it was now dark, when the ſtorme aroſe, ſo that they could not know where they were. And frequently trouble gets the name of darkneſſe, as the ſaddeſt ingredient in it. 6. It is Gods way ſo to order his dealing with his people, as eaſie and ſucceſſeful-like beginings may have a very hard procedure, before the way and work be ended; for, here they entred at even, and it is ſtill faire till dark night, and that they are far in. By this, Chriſt on the one hand, doth train on and engage his people in his way, and on the other hand, he tries them being engaged, and warnes them to be humble and ſober, when all things inwardly or outwardly ſucceed well with them. 7. It is alſo a great addition to trouble, when Chriſt is abſent, or hides or withdraws himſelfe; The want of him may raiſe a ſtorme in the greateſt calme, and his preſence can make a calme in a ſtorme, and therefore it muſt be ſad when both they are in trouble and miſſe him; So much may be gathered from this circumſtance, and Jeſus was not come unto them. It is true the text ſpeaks of his bodily preſence, which did not alwayes hold off a ſtorme, Matth. 3.23, 24. But if the want of that was ſad to them, how much more muſt it be ſad, when his ſpiritual preſence by faith is wanting in trouble? Yet as he is not alwayes abſent, when he is not ſeen, ſo it is needful ſometime to be exerciſed with that in trouble, becauſe otherwiſe trials would not be trials. 8. They who, through abundance of enjoyments, are but little ſenſible of their own mercy, or tender of the need of others, are juſtly put to eſſay the caſe of ſuch in their own experience, that they may know the hearts of ſtrangers; for, the diſciples, who through conſtant enjoying of Chriſts company, were oft-times little ſenſible of the caſe of poor ones, who got but now and then an opportunity to meet with him, and who even at the laſt miracle would have had the people ſent away, Mark. 6.35, 36. are now put to know what it was to want his company in a time of need, that they might love it the better, and pitie others the more. 9. When a people are in a very deſolate and low condition in their own eyes, it may be, they are yet ſo far from iſſue, that harder and ſadder trials are yet to come; for, when they are diſconſolate by reaſon of the dark night and Chriſts abſence; and that before the ſtorme came (as appeares from the order of the narration;) Chriſt, inſtead of coming, ſends a ſad ſtorme, to adde to their bitter condition by the tryſting of all theſe together, and the Sea aroſe, &c. See Jer. 14.19. 10. The Lords people may expect in troubles, that though they will not be drowned nor ſwallowed, yet they will have ſad and fearful toſſings, before they ſee an outgate; for, the Sea aroſe, whence the ſhip was toſſed with waves, Matth. 14.24. And this is a fit Embleme of the condition of the Church, and the Lords people in it. For. 1. As Mariners are often tempeſt-beaten, by reaſon of the unſettledneſſe of the Element wherein they travel; ſo this world is ſo uncertain and unſettled, and there are ſo many raging luſts of wicked men in it, that it is a wonder if the Church get but one hour for breathing in it. 2. Tempeſts do ſo toſſe Mariners, that they ſtagger, and are put to their wits end, Pſal 107.27, and ſo are the Church and godly, in their afflictions, oft-times ſtaggering and like to fall, toſſed, and put from all their reſolutions, Pſal. 109.23. Iſa. 54.11. 2 Cor 7.5. 3. Tempeſts are dreadful in this, that preſent death is before men, and but very little betwixt them and it, even a poor thin veſſel, and it much beaten: And ſo alſo may afflictions purſue the Lords people, as there will be little betwixt them and death in their own account, and they may have deliverance to ſeek betwixt the jaw bones of death, Pſal. 9.13. Yet in all this, it is ſweet that it is the Lord who raiſeth the ſtorme, and hath the winds in his fiſts. Doctrine. 2. It is yet a ſad addition unto trouble, when the Lords people are not only afflicted under their preſent lot, but there is a ſtrong courſe and ſtreame of providence meeting them in the teeth, and cruſhing, and making ineffectual, all their endeavours to help themſelves; for, ſo much may be gathered from this, that there was a great winde that blew, which not only cauſed the ſea to ariſe, but was contrary to them in their courſe, Matth. 14.24. as if heaven were oppoſing any courſe they ſhould eſſay in this extremity, See Pſal. 80.4.