Mark gives an accurate, yet seemingly contradictory presentation of the miracle that happened between the feeding of the five thousand at the unknown desolate area and the multitude of miracles at Gennesaret. This was a turning point in Jesus’ ministry to the disciples. Jesus sent the crowds home after they fed them and withdrew to pray while the disciples got in the boat to go to Bethsaida. Upon seeing them on the Sea of Galilee struggling with the wind, he crossed the water on foot.

“…when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, ‘Take courage; it is I [literally I AM], do not be afraid.’ Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened” (Mk vv. 6.49-52).

The disciples were astonished because previously they had no faith in the power of Jesus to provide and protect his people. It was not a supernatural provision, rather a supernatural authority which enabled them to believe.
At this point in Jesus’ ministry it is difficult to believe that the disciples would be astonished by his miracles, but in fact they were astonished by Jesus’ ability to walk on water and calm the seas. MacArthur (2005) argues that it may not be just because of the “impossibility of such an act,” but also because of “their fatigue and fear in the stormy conditions” (p.1219). As this may have been a contributing factor, it is more reasonable to believe that they were astonished because they had not witnessed the authority of God, but simply the grace of God. They had certainly witnessed many healings and various other miracles which were physical in nature, however to calm the seas required authority over all creation, which even the disciples in this time were likely to have recognized.

It is likely that in spite of whom they believed Jesus to be, they may still have seen him as a magician or simply as a prophet. It was a minor miracle to feed the five thousand because that was simply power over provision, parlor tricks compared to the power they had just witnessed (authority over creation). It was over this act that their hearts were hardened because it was not enough for them to believe, not over the calming of the sea. The seaming contradiction comes in Matthews account when Jesus got into the boat and “the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘You are certainly God’s Son!’” (vv. 14.32,33). This shows the turning point in Christ’s ministry to the disciples. For the first time they recognize that Jesus is God and not simply sent by God, as the Hebrew understanding of God’s son would have been no less than God himself. This is their confession of faith.

By nature man believes in the supernatural, but cannot of his own accord believe fully in God, complete faith. Understanding of the authority of Jesus, therefore, is required for salvation as that is God’s demonstration to mankind of His authority over creation. It is only this type of understanding that will allow man to fully trust in Jesus. Boyce (2001) says, “True faith…involves fiducia [Latin for trust or confidence], which is an actual trust in Jesus as the Son of God and Savior” (p. 274). The disciples were happy to believe in the supernatural (for example, a ghost) but previously refused to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, but upon this demonstration of faith, they were saved.

This is not to say that God will remove Christians from difficult situations. There was no clear threat to the lives of the disciples on the sea, but still Jesus saved them and for a purpose. This account was the milk that formed spiritual babies in the disciples. And that is the point. It is like the parable of the soils (Mk vv. 4.1-20). To believe in Jesus as a worker of miracles sent by God is to be the rocky soil, those who do not truly understand. But to believe and follow him as the Son of the living God is to be the good soil, hearing and accepting and producing an abundant crop.

References
Boyce, J. M. (2001). The Gospel of Matthew (Volume 1). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Publishing Group.
MacArthur, J. (2005). The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc..

Jesus' Disciples Faith Demonstrated on the Sea of Galilee