Our Jehovah-Nissi

𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐋 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏: 𝐀𝐜 𝟔:𝟏-𝟕

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟑𝟑:𝟏-𝟐, 𝟒-𝟓, 𝟏𝟖-𝟏𝟗 “𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐉𝐍 𝟔:𝟏𝟔-𝟐𝟏

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞: “𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐈; 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝.” (𝐯.𝟐𝟎) 

           Today’s Gospel reading in 𝐉𝐍 𝟔:𝟏𝟔-𝟐𝟏 is a very interesting passage to reflect upon. The disciples saw what Jesus did to feed the 5,000 that were gathered outside of Bethsaida. The crowd also witnessed it and by this time, they have made up their minds to start a movement to make Jesus the King.

           I’m sure some of the disciples silently welcomed this opportunity to become famous and powerful since by association they were the closest to Jesus than anyone else. Judas was probably thinking he would be named the Treasurer of the Kingdom and perhaps Peter would be named Prime Minister.

           But this was not the plan of God and Jesus broke up the meeting before it turns into a movement and Jesus compelled his disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake.            

This scenario of Jesus walking on the water that some regard as a miracle appears not only in 𝐉𝐍 𝟔:𝟏𝟔-𝟐𝟏 but also in 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝟏𝟒:𝟐𝟐-𝟐𝟑 and in 𝐌𝐤 𝟔:𝟒𝟓-𝟓𝟐. Only Luke did not bother to write about this event, and he must have a reason for it and we will reflect on why Luke omitted this in his gospel some other time.

          And in all the three Gospel (Matthew, Mark and John) that we mentioned there was one verse that was present in all three accounts as all three gospel writers recorded and wrote what Jesus said: “𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐈; 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝.” (𝐯.𝟐𝟎)

          We have heard this passage many times over in the Liturgy of the Word during the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist but many do not realize that this was one of the most amazing stories in the New Testament such that if we can only find the time to really dig deeper into this event we will come to know not only its significance but what Jesus was like.

          This event happened right after the feeding of the 5,000 at Bethsaida Julias and the question many would probably ask is why Jesus was not on the boat with his disciples on their way back to Capernaum since they were together when they came to Bethsaida.

          Remember that Jesus went up higher into the hills when some of the 5,000 that were fed wanted to seize him and make him king (𝐉𝐧 𝟔:𝟏𝟓) and John only wrote that the disciples got into the boat and left for Capernaum (𝐯𝐯.𝟏𝟔-𝟏𝟕) and we will see why they left without Jesus in Mark’s account where Jesus sent the disciples ahead (𝐌𝐤 𝟔:𝟒𝟓) while Jesus tried to convince the crowd to go home.

          As the disciples rowed their way across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus must have walked along the shore on his way back to Capernaum where he intends to link up with his disciples. Though it was not mentioned in the three gospel accounts, it was probable that there was a small group of disciples who walked with Jesus.

          Understandably so because the boat could not possibly carry all his disciples unless they brought two or more boats and the other reason was that Rabbis often travel with their disciples in tow and it was also customary in those days that Rabbis would normally teach their disciples while they are on the road.

          As for the storm, any fisherman who fish in the Sea of Galilee knows that strong gusts of wind often whip up into a storm-like condition because the Sea of Galilee is 650 feet below sea level and is 150 feet deep. It’s more like a large lake that has a width of four miles and is surrounded by hills. With this kind of topography, high waves form because of the windstorms and the fear that raced through the disciples on the boat was to be expected.

           This isn’t just a physical storm the disciples experienced. In our lives, there are moments in life when God seems absent or delayed, and we feel that circumstances have spun out of control ant we are left to struggle on our own strength.

Like the disciples, when storms appear in our lives the first reaction is fear. This tendency is very human, and God comes to us in ways we don’t recognize right away. What is meant to save us can initially frighten or confuse us.

          What makes this event wonderful was the three realities that highlight the true character of Jesus, and this was what John and the other disciples saw and which we now see as we reflect on the three gospel accounts related to this passage.

          One was that Jesus was watching his disciples even if he was not on the boat. From the shore he could see what was happening to his disciples and this is the same with us in the here and now.

Jesus is also watching over us as our lives are buffeted by the strong winds of despair, frustration, sin, temptation and discouragement. Regardless of the kind of situation we are in, Jesus keeps us under his watchful eye even during the times we are fighting our own battles in life.

          The other reality is that Jesus will come when the going gets tough as he did when the disciples on the boat were gripped with fear. Jesus does not watch over us and leaves us alone as we go through the storms in our lives. What he does is he comes to give us strength when he sees we are about to raise the white flag.

          More importantly, Jesus not only watches over us and comes to us when we are about to give up but he helps us get back on our feet when we fall. Mark wrote the wind stopped when Jesus got into the boat (𝐌𝐤 𝟔:𝟓𝟏) and in 𝐉𝐧 𝟐𝟎:𝟏𝟗, Jesus greeted his frightened disciples at the Upper Room by saying: “𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮” and peace filled them.

          What Jesus did to his disciples then, he is doing it to us now as he alone can bring peace to our troubled hearts and minds. Like the disciples of Jesus on the boat and when they hid in fear following the crucifixion and death of Jesus we too will experience fear, trials, challenges in our lives but in whatever circumstance we may be in, we will arrive at our destination if we will just allow Jesus to come into our lives (𝐯.𝟐𝟏). 

          Life is not always easy as there will be more battles to fight and while Jesus will leave us to fight our own battles, we can be sure that he is watching over us and will not leave us like orphans as he assures us that he will come to us when we are in need of his help (𝐉𝐧 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟖).

           When Jesus spoke and said: “𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐈; 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝.” (𝐯.𝟐𝟎), these may just be simple words, but they are powerful. In Greek, the words "𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐈" is strikingly similar to God’s own divine name - "𝐈 𝐀𝐌".

           Such is not just a reassurance of God’s saving presence, but it is a revelation as if Jesus is saying: 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮" and fear begins to fade when we recognize His presence in times of turmoil.

           And when Jesus got into the boat, the Gospel says they immediately reached the shore. It is the same with our life’s situation for when we receive Christ our journey finds its direction and fulfillment. What may seem long and difficult circumstances in our lives is brought to completion by grace.

          In this Gospel passage, Jesus assures us that there is no need for us to fear but we need to put our complete trust in him and not doubt his great love for us. The beauty of the Sacred Scriptures is that we can learn from it because it is in the Scriptures that we will come to know who Jesus was, who is and who is to come. After all, Jesus is our Yahweh-Nissi, our banner who will carry us to victory. (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘈𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘭 18, 2026)