jesus wanted to pass them by

7/31/2019 Jesus Wanted to Pass Them By

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"And He Wanted to Pass by Them"

(Mark 6:48c)

HARRY FLEDDERMANN

College of St. ThomasSt. Paul, MN 55105

AFTERTHE FEEDING ofthe five thousand (Mark6:32-44), Jesus sends thedisciples across the lake while he dismisses the crowd (6:45-46). When he

later sees them struggling, he comes to them walking on the sea (6:47-48ab).

Mark then adds a mysterious little sentence, "And he wanted to pass by

them" (6:48c). This sentence raises some baffling questions. Why does Jesus

want to pass by them? Why does he bother to come to them in the first place

if he really intends to avoid them? Why does he subsequently get into the

boat if his intention is to pass by? And finally, what is the meaning of the

sentence, and how does it function in the narrative?

Two studies especially have deepened our understanding of the verse.

Ernst Lohmeyer suggested that the background of the verb "to pass by" lies

in the LXX.1 He pointed to the theophanies given to Moses and Elijah (Exod

33:18-23; 34:5-9; 1 Kgs 19:9-18), where we find the verb :

. . . (Exod 33:19)

' ,

rfj ,

. . . (Exod 33:22) . . . (Exod 34:6)

(1


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390 THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY | 45, 1983

This verb is an essential part of the theophanies. Because of Yahweh'stranscendence no one can see him and live. Therefore he "passes by" and the

witness to the theophany only catches an oblique view of him.2

Lohmeyer

argued that the use of the verb in Mark6:48c is similar. Jesus' walking on thesea is an epiphanyof the Lord who acts on earth with God's own power.

3

The parallels Lohmeyer cited are illuminating, and in one form or another

his suggestions have been widely accepted.4

T. Snoy provided an exhaustive surveyofprevious attempts to explain

the verse.5

Although he was more attracted to Lohmeyer's solution than toany other, he observed that the OT theophanies are accompanied by motifs

that are not present in Mark's narrative. In 1 Kings Elijah experiences some

cosmic phenomena, then he hears a "tiny whispering sound" (19:12). Hecovers his face, and then he hears Yahweh's voice (19:13). There is no vision.

In Exodus Moses cannot see the face ofYahweh (33:20); so Yahweh sets him

in a hollow of the rock and covers him with his hand (33:22). Only afterYahweh has "passed by" is the hand removed so that Moses can see Yahweh's

back(33:23). None of this is found in the Marcan narrative.6

For his own

part Snoy related the sentence to the messianic secret. He pointed out thatMark uses the imperfect with Jesus as subject on three other occa

sions (3:13; 7:24; 9:30). Two of these instances express Jesus' desire to remainhidden (7:24; 9:30).

7 Frequentlyin Markthere is within the same episode anelement of revelation and an element of concealment (1:43-45; 7:36). The

same duality is at work in the sea-walking pericope. Jesus comes to the

2Lohmeyer (ibid., 216-18) also cited Gen 32:32 LXX; 2 Sam 23:3-4 LXX; and Dan 12:1

LXX.3 Ibid., 220.4 A.-M. Denis, "La marche de Jsus sur les eaux: Contribution l'histoire de la pricope

dans la tradition vanglique," De Jsus aux vangiles: Tradition et rdaction dans les vangilessynoptiques (BETL 25; d. I. de la Potterie; Gembloux: Duculot, 1967) 233-47, esp. pp. 236-37;J. Kremer, "Jesu Wandel auf dem See nach Mk 6,45-52," BibLeb 10 (1969) 221-32, esp. pp.223-24, 227; H. Ritt, "Der 'Seewandel Jesu' (Mk 6,45-52 par): Literarische und theologischeAspekte," BZ 23 (1979) 71-84, esp. p. 79; J. P. Heil, Jesus Walking on the Sea: Meaning andGospel Functions of Matt 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:15 b-21 ( AnBib 87; Rome: BiblicalInstitute, 1981)69-72.

5 T. Snoy, "Marc 6,48: \ . . et il voulait les dpasser,*" L'vangile selon Marc: Traditionet rdaction (BETL 34; d. M. Sabbe; Louvain: Leuven University, 1974) 347-63, esp.pp. 352-60.

6 Ibid., 359-60.


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AND HE WANTED TO PASS BY THEM" (MARK 6:48c) 391

disciples walking on the sea (v. 48b). This in some sense provokes an epiphany: he lets himself be seen. But then he tries to avoid them"and he

wanted to pass by them" (v. 48c). This introduces the element of conceal

ment characteristic of the messianic secret. Finally, Jesus speaks with thedisciples and rejoins them in the boat (vv. 50-51).

8These observations

advanced the discussion in two ways. Snoy established the Marcan nature of, and he tried to fit the verse into Marcan theology.

The real problem in the verse is the infinitive . AlthoughLohmeyer was correct in seeking the background of the infinitive in theLXX, the Septuagintal usage is more complex than Lohmeyer suspected.

9

The expression "to pass by" is half ofa pair of terms which can only be fully

understood when they are considered together. "To pass by" (Hebrewcbarl-\ Greek ) is the correlative of"to pass through" (Hebrewcbar

b-\ Greek ). "To pass through" means "to inflict disaster," "tojudge." "To pass by" means "to rescue from disaster," "to save." The twoexpressions are juxtaposed in the Book of Amos. The judgment-expressionoccurs in Amos 5:16-17, which the NABtranslates:

Therefore, thus says the Lord,the God ofhosts, the Lord:

In every square there shall be lamentation,and in everystreet they shall cry, Alas! Alas!

They shall summon the farmers to wailand the professional mourners to lament,

And in every vineyard there shall be lamentationwhen I pass through your midst(MT: k->ecbr bqirbk;LXX: ),

says the Lord.

Yahweh's "passing through" means judgment as the whole oracle shows.10

The correlative expression occurs twice in the four vision-reports in 7:1-8:3.The four visionsthe Locust Swarm (7:1-3), the Divine Fire (7:4-6), thePlumb Line (7:7-9), and the Summer Fruit (8:1-3)are a literary unit. Atsome stage in the redaction of Amos

9oracles a biographical narrative

recounting the conflict between Amos and Amaziah (7:10-17) was inserted

8 T. Snoy, "Marc 6,48," 360-63.9

H. C. Kee has demonstrated Mark's dependence on the LXX. See H. C. Kee, T h e


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between the third and fourth visions.11 In the first two visions Amos intervenes with the plea, "Forgive, O Lord God!" (7:2); "Cease, O Lord GodP(7:5). The reason for the plea is Jacob's helplessness: "How can Jacob stand?He is so small!" (7:2,5). In both cases Yahweh relents and averts the disaster.In the third and fourth visions Amos is not allowed to intervene, and Yahweh, speaking of Jacob, says: "I will no longer pass by him" (MT: l^stpcdcbor lo; LXX: ; Amos 7:8; 8:2).The meaning of the verse is determined by the context.

12According to H. W.

Wolff"the4no longer'. . . makes sense onlywith reference to the preceding

decisions, reported on 7:3 and 7:6, to respond favorably to the prophet'ssupplication."

13In the locust and fire images the catastrophe is already

falling,14 so when Yahweh "passes by" he averts the catastrophe. From Jacob's point ofview, he is saved from destruction. "I will no longer pass byhim" must mean "I will no longer avert the catastrophe," "I will no longersave him."

This Amos passage is much closer to Mark 6:48c than the passagesLohmeyer cited from Exodus and 1 Kings:

15

. (Amos 7:8; 8:2)

. (Mark 6:48c)In each case the main verb expresses the intention of Yahweh or Jesus,16

followed by the infinitive with an accusative object. The Marcanverse expresses Jesus' desire to help the disciples in their difficulty. A free,but accurate, translation would be: "And he wanted to save them." Some

1 1J. L. Mays, Amos: A Commentary (OTL; Philadelphia: Westminster, 1969) 123; J. M.

Ward, Amos & Isaiah: Prophets of the Word of God (Nashville: Abingdon, 1969) 56; H. W.

Wolff, JoelandAmos, 107,294-95.1 2

The NAB brings in the notion of forgiveness: **I will forgive them no longer.** But this

would require something like "he passed over the crime* (cbar cal-peSac; compare Prov 19:11;Micah 7:18). See H. W. Wolff, Joel and Amos, 301.

H. W. Wolff, Joel and Amos, 294.14 In 7:2 the locust swarm is eating all the grass of the land; in 7:4 the fire is consuming

the land.15 Snoy cited the Amos passage but dismissed it as irrelevant for understanding Mark

6:48c. See T. Snoy, "Marc 6,48,** 351 n. 20, 358-59 n. 60.16 Some scholars want to eliminate the element of volition in and approximate it

to . Theywould translate Mark 6:48c: "And he was going to pass by them.** See H. G.


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"AND HE WANTED TO PASS BY THEM* (MARK6:48c) 393

commentators would object that the disciples are not in any grave danger;17

but this is a modern rationalizing objection, for the early Christian miracle-

tradition was not interested in finely distinguishing degrees of danger. The

situation is similar to the Storm at Sea (4:35-41), and Mark himself invitesus to compare the two by giving a cross reference to the former incident,

6 (6:51; compare 4:39).18

In both cases the disciples are in

difficulties; in both cases Jesus seems to be absent, but he is really present.

The message is the same. The community may be hard pressedthe waves

may be breaking into the boat (4:37) or the disciples may have difficulty in

rowing (6:48a)but Jesus is either asleep in the stern (4:38) or he will come

to them walking on the sea (6:48b).

This Amos passage gives us another piece in the puzzle, but before wecan clarify the function of v. 48c in the narrative, it is necessary to say

something about the literary genre of the sea-walking episode. R. Bultmann

thought that the pericope was originally a sea-walking epiphany to which

elements of a rescue from the storm had been added.19

E. Wendung, on the

other hand, maintained that the story was basically the storm rescue which

had been further developed and exaggerated.20

Actually the story contains

elements both of an epiphany and a storm rescue. For example, Jesus' walk-

ing on the sea (6:48b) is reminiscent of several OT passages that recountYahweh's dominance over the sea, and it stamps the pericope as an epi

phany.21

On the other hand, the description of the disciples' difficulty in

rowing (6:48a) and the statement that the wind fell (6:51a) point to a storm-

rescue miracle. The two aspects of epiphany and sea rescue are so inextric

ably intertwined that more recent commentators adopt a compromise posi

tion on the literary genre question. G. Theissen calls the pericope a "saving

epiphany";22

J. P. Heil a "sea-rescue epiphany."23

1 7A.-M. Denis, "La marche de Jsus,** 243-44, 246-47; T. Snoy, "Marc 6,48,* 354;

R. Pesch, Das Markusevangelium, 1. 360.18 For other examples ofthis repetition, see . 7 above.1 9

R. Bultmann, The History ofthe Synoptic Tradition (NewYork: Harper Row, 1963)216.

20 E. Wendling, Die Entstehung des Marcus-Evangeliums: Philologische Untersuchungen (Tbingen: Mohr [Siebeck], 1908) 82.

21 Job 9:8b; 38:16; Ps 77:20; Isa 43:16; Hab 3:15. See R. Pesch, Das Markusevangelium,1. 360; J. P. Heil, Jesus Walking on the Sea, 37-56.

22


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It is now possible to clarify the function of v. 48c in the narrative. The

verse functions both in the sea-rescue miracle and in the epiphany. One of

the standard elements in a miracle story is the request for a miracle.24

At times the request is omitted and the miracle worker himself takes theinitiative.25 "And he wanted to pass by them" expresses this desire ofJesus to

help the disciples in their difficulty as the Amos parallel shows (Amos 7:8;

8:2). In v. 48a he sees the disciples struggling; in v. 48b he comes to them

walking on the sea. Verse 48c gives the reason why he comeshe wants to

save them. The verse also functions in the epiphany because the verb

is strongly linked to the theophany tradition (Exod 33:19, 22;34:6; 1 Kgs 19:11).

26Jesus' rescue of the disciples reveals something of who

he is; he wants to "pass by" as Yahweh "passed by" Moses and Elijah. Theverb "to pass by," however, has something elusive about it,27

which makes

the revelation oblique, as Snoy has pointed out. This indirectness is inten

sified by Mark's use of which is associated with Jesus' desire to

remain hidden (7:24; 9:30). In other words the revelation takes place in the

chiaroscuro with which Mark paints his Jesus, and characteristically the

disciples do not understand (6:52).28

2 4Mark 1:30,40; 4:38; 5:23; 7:26, 32; 8:22; 9:22; 10:47-48, 51.

2 5Mark3:3-5; 6:37; 8:2-6. See G. Theissen, Urchristliche Wundergeschichten, 64-65.

2 6There is some connection between the Amos passage and the theophany tradition.

Jrg Jeremas appealed to the two terms "to pass by** and "to pass through** to explain the Sinainarrative of J. Moses experiences protection because Yahweh "passes by** him (Exod 33:19;Amos 7:8; 8:2) and does not "pass through** bringing death (Exod 12:12; Amos 5:17). SeeJ. Jeremas, Theophanie: Die Geschichte einer alttestamentlichen Gattung (WMANT 10; 2ded.; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener-V., 1977) 197-98. J. L. Crenshaw, on the other hand, sawan influence ofthe theophany tradition on the Amos passages (see "Amos and the Theophanie

Tradition,*' ZAWZQ [1968] 203-15, esp. pp. 206-7).27 J. P. Heil minimizes this elusive nature of. For him "the 'passing by' ofGod means more the idea of his coming near to show himself rather than his 'withdrawing* to

protect the viewer and safeguard his transcendence." The verb "to pass by" is not sufficient to

safeguard the transcendence as the other elements in the Exodus narrative show. The text

mentions Yahweh*s "goodness" (33:19) and "glory" (33:22); Moses is set in the cleft of the rock

and covered with Yahweh*s hand (33:22); he only sees Yahweh*s back (33:23). In 1 Kgs 19:11;

Gen 32:31-32 LXX; Dan 12:1 LXX "to pass by** is "practically a 'technical term* for the

appearance ofa divine being.** See J. P. Heil, Jesus Walkingon the Sea, 69-71. But Heil goes too

far. The Exodus narrative is dominated by the fact that Yahweh's face cannot be seen (33:20); so

he must "pass by" (33:22) and only be seen from behind (33:23). The verb "to pass by" is anessential element in the complex set of motifs that protect Yahweh's transcendence, and it bears

some of the weight for the indirectness of the whole scene. In the later texts it may appear that


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"AND HE WANTED TO PASS BY THEM" (MARK 6:48c) 395

The messianic secret is a multi-dimensional theme which Mark uses

among other things to define the relationship between Jesus and his disci

ples. When the disciples need him he will be there, but he is an elusive

presence they cannot control. Once when the wind was against them, hecame to them walking on the sea "and he wanted to pass by them'* (6:48c).


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