Sermon Tone Analysis

Have you ever listened to a speaker, preacher, friend, as they reflect on a passage and they bring in all this other stuff that you never saw before?

Have you ever read a passage in the bible and thought to yourself, “I’ve seen that somewhere before and yet I know there’s more?”

This morning’s passage is exactly one of those kinds of passages.

John 6:15-21 is a familiar passage to us, and yet it feels like it’s missing something.

Let’s take a look at it, and then we’ll try and figure out what John is saying to us.

First, let’s open in prayer.

[PRAYER]

Walking on Water

Three of the four Gospels tell of Jesus walking on the water.

Matthew, Mark, and of course what we’re reading here, John.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus walking on the water.

And if you are familiar with that you probably listened to this passage and thought, what about Peter?

Peter walking on Water can be found in Matthew 14:22-33 - within that narrative we have the disciples rowing the boat, Jesus walking on the water, the disciples are terrified, Peter walking on the water, the conversation with Jesus on the water, Jesus gets into the boat, the winds cease and the disciples worship Him.

In Mark’s telling we have Jesus walking on the water, the disciples are terrified, Jesus gets into the boat, the winds cease and the disciples are astounded, vs. 52 “for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

In today’s reading John tells us: Jesus is walking on the water, the disciples are frightened, they take him into the boar, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

In all three accounts Jesus says, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

John’s Audience

As we study John, it’s important that we remember that his original audience consisted of both Jews and Gentiles int he larger Greco-Roman world, in Ephesus and around that area.

Because of this he will often explain Jewish customs and the geography of the area.

His awareness of his audience also prompts him to continually point to Jesus as the Messiah and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, as the Son of God sent by God the Father to reveal the One true God and to provide redemption.

With that in mind we can’t take lightly the phrase that is used in all three Gospels, but which John uses more frequently in quoting Jesus, Ἐγώ εἰμι.

Ἐγώ εἰμι

This phrase is translated as “I am” and hearkens back to Exodus 3:14

I AM becomes the name of God.

John picks up on this theme consistently connecting Jesus to God as the Messiah, you may remember these phrases how Jesus identifies himself:

I AM...

...the bread of life (6:35)

...the light of the world (8:12)

...the door (of the sheep) (10:7)

...the good shepherd (10:11)

...the resurrection (11:25)

...the way, the truth and the life (14:6)

...the true vine (15:1)

These are seven distinct statements of I AM.

According to the Word Biblical Commentary: “[These seven utterances] may be said to summarize [Jesus} role in revelation and salvation.”

The commentary goes on to point out Isaiah 43:10

In the Septuagint - the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the words translated for “I am he” are Ἐγώ εἰμι

Perhaps more convincing is the statement regarding Isaiah 43:25

In the Septuagint this get’s translated as

ἐγώ εἰμι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἐξαλείφων τὰς ἀνομίας σου, “I am ‘I Am,’ who blots out your transgressions.”

Beasley-Murray, G. R. (2002).

John (Vol.

36, p. 90).

Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

So, here in John we see Jesus walking on the water - and the pronouncement of “I AM” is not merely identifying Jesus with God, but (according to R. Schnackenburg) creating a solidarity or union with Him.

The Gospel writer may have been thinking of a few texts in his ongoing proving of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah as he recalls Jesus walking on the water:

but according to most commentators more obviously would connect the Psalmist

According to G.R. Beasley-Murray “The Evangelist was describing an event in which he saw Jesus as the revelation of God coming to his disciples in distress—in the second Exodus!”

Beasley-Murray, G. R. (2002).

John (Vol.

36, p. 89).

Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

Hear these words from Psalm 107:25-30

Who Is Jesus?

When you think of Jesus, who do you say he is?

Except for Christianity, there is no other major religion whose leaders ever claim to be God.

Not Confucius,

not Buddha for the Buddhists,

not Muhammad for the Islamists,

not Krishna for the Hindu.

In the Old Testament there is no leader or prophet that is put on God’s level.

And so when we see these Ἐγώ εἰμι - I AM - statements from Jesus it should cause us to set up and take notice as it did Jesus disciples.

But what will our reaction be?

Is He God?

If so do we believe Him?

As you read through John, be aware of times where Jesus uses the phrase I AM.

Remember the I AM of the OT - Yehovah! Yahweh!

That is the same Jesus in the New Testament.