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.
Jesus could see his disciples struggling hard against the wind, fighting to row their boat forward. Around 3 AM, he came walking across the water toward them, and it looked like he was just going to walk right past them.
Even when you're struggling in the storm, Jesus sees you and he's coming.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of the Gospel of Mark, this verse occurs shortly after Jesus miraculously fed a crowd of five thousand people and then sent His disciples ahead by boat across the Sea of Galilee while He went to pray. The disciples were struggling against a strong headwind in the dark of night, and the "fourth watch" refers to the Roman division of the night into four parts, roughly from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., highlighting the exhaustion and isolation they faced. This event underscores Jesus' supernatural authority over the natural world as He approaches them walking on the water.
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