Week 67 | Sections 73, 74
Intro text
Scripture:
Section 73
[one_third last=”no”]Matthew 14:22-23
22 Immediately1 Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray.2 When evening had come, he was there alone. [/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]Mark 6:45-46
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida,3 while he himself sent the multitude away. 46 After he had taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to pray.4[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]John 6:14-15
14 When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, “This is truly the prophet who comes into the world.” 15 Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.5[/one_third]
Section 74
[one_third last=”no”]Matthew 14:23-33
23 After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.
24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 In the fourth watch of the night,6 Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It’s a ghost!” and they cried out for fear.7
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.” 28 Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.” 29 He said, “Come!” Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]Mark 6:47-52
47 When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
48 Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he would have passed by them, 49 but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them, and said to them, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.”
51 He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled; 52 for they hadn’t understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]John 6:16-21
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea. 17 They entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing. 19 When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia,8 they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.
20 But he said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 21a They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat.
21b Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.[/one_third]
Group Dialog:
- a
- b
- c
Learning Objectives:
Prayer, faith, life-long learning, faith-filled response
Photo:
- After feeding the five thousand, even more people were becoming convinced that he was the Messiah, and some would have liked him to be their temporal king, delivering them from Roman rule and providing for them much better. However, Jesus knew his mission and would have none of it, he hurried them away, and slipped off to pray alone.
- This is one of four instances in which we read that Jesus went along to pray (Mt 14:23; Mk 1:35; Lk 9:18; Lk 22:39-41). But he instructed his disciples to always be in prayer, he himself also prayed in public (Jn 11:41-42; Jn 12:27-30), before meals (Mt 26:26; Mk 8:6; Lk 24:30; Jn 6:11), before important decisions (Lk 6:12-13; Mt 26:36-44), and when healing others (Mk 7:34-35; Lk 5:16)
- They went across the Sea of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) from Bethsaida toward Capernaum, or perhaps nearer to the land of Gennesaret.
- there are no less than 25 passages in which we read an account of Jesus praying (not counting twice where instances included by more than one Gospeler. We also know from passages such as (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; Heb 9:24; 1 Jn 2:1) that He is still making intercession on our behalf.
- This was most likely another hilltop (mountain) near where he sat and taught his disciples in Section 72b (John 6:3) because it appears that that was the same spot where he fed the 5,000. Interestingly going up on a mountain to pray was yet another of Jesus’ violations of the Jewish canons which instructed Jews “not stand, neither upon a throne, nor upon a footstool, nor in any high place and pray, because there are no high places before God” as seen in Psalms 130:1.
- The first watch was from 6-9pm; the second from 9pm-midnight; the third was from midnight-3am; and the fourth was from 3-6am.
- We too have our fears, troubles and Jesus is ready to be there with us, encourage us, and allow us to find strength through faith in Him.
- A stadia is 186 meters, so they were out about 2.8 miles.
