The Lord withdrew to the mountain alone only in order, as we have said, to test the love of the disciples—whether they would seek Him. They waited for Him until evening, thinking that He would come. But when He did not come, they could not hold themselves back, but, compelled by love to seek Him, they got into the boat. For the evangelist did not indicate the time simply or as if by chance, but in order to show their intense love in the fact that not even the evening stopped them.
Jn. 6:18. A strong wind was blowing, and the sea was becoming rough.
He permits them to experience the storm so that, when calm comes after the storm, they might rejoice all the more at what has happened, and so that an indelible remembrance of this might be imprinted upon their hearts.
Jn. 6:19. Having rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat, and they were afraid.
The Jews crossed the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses, but he did everything as a servant and by the power of prayer, whereas This One acts with perfect authority. There the water parted from a strong south wind raised by the Lord, so that they crossed on dry land (Ex. 14:21, 22); but here a greater miracle was accomplished: the sea remained in its own nature, and yet bore the Lord upon its surface, so that the prophetic word might be fulfilled: "He walks on the sea as on the ground" (Job 9:8).
Jn. 6:20. But He said to them: It is I; do not be afraid.
When they were in danger, He appears before them and by His word drives away their fear, and produces calm upon the sea, and thus creates a twofold calm—He quiets the disturbance in their souls and the tumult on the sea.
And now many of us find ourselves in mental darkness and in danger of drowning in the mental sea. But let us receive Christ to ourselves, and we shall be completely delivered from misfortunes. And if certain tempters of ours, whether demons or people, often bring fear upon us and try to shake us through fear, let us listen to Christ, Who cries out: "It is I; do not be afraid." His words have this meaning: fears pass away; therefore do not be afraid of what passes away. But "I am," that is, I always abide; and, as God, I am He Who Is (the One Who Is). Therefore, since fears are temporary and do not have true being, but I am, that is, I abide and never cease to be, but truly am, do not change your faith in Me because of what is temporary.
See, if you will, how Christ appears and destroys fear not at the beginning of danger, but at its extremity. He permits us to find ourselves in the midst of dangers, so that having struggled with affliction and been pressed hard by it, we might become more receptive, and having employed all our own strength and wisdom but found it weak, we might take refuge in Him alone, who is able to save in unexpected ways. For when the human mind is exhausted, then suddenly salvation from God appears and impels us to strive toward Him, the only Savior, and not to ascribe our salvation to ourselves.
Jn. 6:21. They wanted to receive Him into the boat; and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
He did not enter the boat in order to perform a greater miracle. Look, three miracles: one, that He walked on the sea; another, that He calmed the waves; the third, that the boat suddenly reached the shore to which they were sailing, even though it was still far from that shore when the Lord came to it.
If we desire to receive Christ into our boat as well, that is, to settle Christ in our heart, then we will immediately find ourselves on that land toward which we are sailing. What kind of land is this? Without a doubt, it is the promised land, heaven, the land of the meek and of those who have been pacified from all malice.
Jn. 6:22. On the next day the crowd, standing on the other side of the sea, saw that there was no other boat there except the one into which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone away alone.
Jesus crossed to the other side of the sea on foot. The crowd, seeking Him the next day and seeing that there had been only one boat, into which the disciples had gotten but into which Jesus had not entered with them, came to the realization of this miracle and supposed that Jesus had crossed the sea on foot to the other side. For if there had been another boat, it would have been natural to suppose that He, not having sailed with the disciples, had gotten into it and crossed over. But now, since there was only one boat and the disciples alone had entered it, while the Lord had not entered, the miracle is obvious.
Jn. 6:23. Meanwhile, other boats came from Tiberias near to the place where they had eaten bread after the Lord's blessing.
Jn. 6:24. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they got into the boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
The people, having come to this conclusion and having found other boats that had arrived from the other side, got into them and crossed over to Capernaum.
Jn. 6:25. And having found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him: Rabbi! When did You come here?
Having found the Lord here, the crowd does not fall down before Him, does not wish to learn how He came, does not ask about this miracle, but so carelessly says: "When did You come here?"
Those who had wanted to take Him by surprise and make Him king, when they found Him, no longer desired anything of the sort. They paid no attention to the miracle, but wished to be fed once more, just as before.
Jn. 6:26. Jesus answered them and said: Truly, truly, I say to you: you seek Me not because you saw miracles, but because you ate the bread and were filled.
Therefore the Lord also reproaches them. "You," He says, "seek Me because you ate bread, and then you cling to Me so that I might feed you again." Notice: although He exposes them, nevertheless He does not employ a harsh rebuke. He did not say "you are gluttons and voracious," but spoke gently. For He rebukes them with the desire to correct them and through the revelation of the secrets of their hearts to lead them to greater faith. That the purpose of His rebuke was correction is evident from what follows. For He imparts to them the most salvific teaching and says:
Jn. 6:27. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed.
"You," He says, "seek Me because of the loaves, desiring to be filled with them. But you ought not to be wholly occupied with the belly, but should rather be concerned with spiritual things, and not devote all your care to bodily food." For this is what He called perishable food.
Since many of those who wish to live in idleness, and especially the Messalians, use these words in defense of their idleness, it is necessary to clarify this saying. Our Lord Jesus Christ said this not because He wished to cut short bodily activity and dispose people to idleness, "for idleness has taught much evil" (Sir. 33:28). And if one must speak more precisely, it is precisely the desire to live in idleness that is the perishing food. But the follower of Christ must labor, so that he may also share with others. For the future kingdom is promised as a reward for this.