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Faith is never unalloyed (Mark 6:45-56)
Have you ever listened to someone's testimony, been thrilled by the unfolding story of God's grace in their lives, and then been taken aback by some remark or observation that causes you to doubt whether they have really grasped the gospel, or entirely left their old thinking behind? I spoke to a good friend, a Christian believer, who had suffered a burglary and lost some precious jewellery that had belonged to her mother. She was clearly very upset about items of relatively little intrinsic worth but of enormous sentimental value. In the middle of expressing her consolation in knowing that her faith kept her in all this she told me that she had consulted a fortune -teller who had assured her that the items would be returned.
The truth is that our faith is never entirely unalloyed. We are touched by the culture in which we live and bring with us so many of the superstitions, inappropriate human aspirations, and worldly thinking with which we are all too comfortable. Such is the case in this section of Mark's gospel.
A King
John's account tells us that after seeing the miraculous sign of the
bread and fishes the people wanted to make Jesus king (John 6:14-15).
This reminds us of the children of Israel demanding that Samuel "appoint
a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have" (1 Sam.8:5).
They wanted to be like everyone else and have a king and all the trappings,
prestige and power that goes with a visible sovereignty. Just as in
the story of Israel so in John's gospel account we see that the people
had their own agenda, a very worldly agenda, that did not square with
God's plans for them.
Jesus, knowing that hey intended to come and
make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (John
6:15)
A Water Sprite
Now we need to be careful here that we are not judgmental. We are all
capable of mixing in our agenda with God's agenda as well as our cultural
mores and superstitions with God's pure truth. In this instance, on
seeing Jesus walking towards them on the water, "they
thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and
were terrified." It was a popular Jewish superstition that the
appearance of spirits in the night brought disaster. Some have speculated
that the disciples may have thought what they saw was a water sprite
rather than a ghost as we understand that word. Either way, it was their
custom and culture that informed them rather than their recent experience
of Jesus' power and authority. Indeed, Mark tells us:
Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take
courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with
them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they
had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
A main Chance
When Jesus and his disciples reached the shore we are told, "As
soon as they got out of the boat, people recognised Jesus." Celebrity
status is not a new thing and for people who are desperate a man with
power is very attractive.
They ran throughout the whole region and carried
the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went
- into villages, towns and countryside - they placed the sick in the
marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his
cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
The story ends as it begins, with people seeking Jesus for what they can get. Yet Jesus' compassion is such that he healed many as he went. It is true of us all that, while we speak of the world to come, we go to great lengths to hold onto the life we have. Its trappings and solid appearance reassure us even as we know one day it will pass away. Even while we look to Jesus to save us and bring us to God we find ourselves bringing our little lives to him just like a child bringing a grazed knee to a heart surgeon. Yet he has compassion. Just like the disciples we mix truth with popular lore that we have picked up from goodness knows where. Yet Jesus is patient because he knows we understand so little. Just like the people on that hillside we can seek him for the wrong reasons. Yet Jesus still calls out:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for
I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matt.11:28-30).
When we recognise our mixed motives; when the world is too much with us; when we find ourselves caught up with the worldly when we should be yearning for the heavenly; when we want to want him for who he is but find ourselves motivated by what we might get, we should remember that even those who saw him in the flesh and walked, ate and slept with him were slow to understand and very petty at times.
Let's draw near to him and lay at his feet our burden of mixed motives,
worldly thinking and selfish, superstitious ways and ask him to help
us, even as he helped them, enjoy the rest only he can give.