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Mark 6:45-52 (ESV)
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Who is Jesus? We may say he is a prophet, a miracle worker, a revolutionary. The church declares Jesus to be part of the trinitarian mature of God. Is this simply the church distorting the message of the first Christians? The pure message of the kingdom of God being shaped and moulded by greek philosophy to produce a complicated trinitarian doctrine. No I think that a high Christology, of Jesus as the embodiment of YHWH with his people, is present within the first Christian doctrines. Within this passage we see ‘for those who have ears’ a subtle reference to Jesus action as being a revelation of God. In this passage the phrase ‘he meant to pass by them by'(καὶ ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς ) is used. This reference for those who were familiar with the scriptures has a close resemblance to the presence of YHWH in Exodus 33:19-23,
19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by (ἡνίκα δ̓ ἂν παρέλθῃ μου ἡ δόξα )I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
and also Exodus 34:6
6 The Lord passed before him(καὶ παρῆλθεν κύριος πρὸ προσώπου LXX) and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Mark it seems is wanting to use the language about YHWH to signify the identity of Jesus. This passage not only shows Jesus power over nature but also shows, possibly, that Mark wants to identify Jesus as YHWH. This is backed by by the words ‘Take heart! It is I’ (ἐγώ εἰμι· μὴ φοβεῖσθε. )for this is identical to the words spoken to Moses by YHWH.
Exodus 3:6 (ESV)
6 And he said, “I am the God of your father(καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου)
, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
And Ex 3:14.”God said to Moses, “I am who I am “(καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν)
If we put these two observations together.
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Jesus passes by the boat which could possiblybe an allusion to YHWH’s presence in Exodus
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Within the same passage Ἐγώ εἰμι is used which could allude to the revelation of YHWH to moses
Putting them togther we can say that Mark shows that he believes that Jesus in some sense sembodies the presence of YHWH. He has power over nature, he can forgive sins. He is Lord.
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