Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 6:17
And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
17. toward Capernaum ] S. Mark says ‘unto Bethsaida’ which was close to Capernaum. See notes and map at Mat 4:13 and Luk 5:1. For ‘went over the sea’ we should read were coming over the sea, i.e. were on their way home.
was not come ] More accurately, was not yet come.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. Toward Capernaum.] St. Mark says, Mr 6:45, that our Lord commanded them to go along to Bethsaida; and in the course of the history we find they got neither to Bethsaida nor Capernaum, but landed in the country of Genesaret: Mt 14:34. Our Lord seems to have desired them to go either to Bethsaida or Capernaum, which were only a very few miles distant, and on the same side of the sea. The reason why they could reach neither was the storm which the evangelists say rose at the time, and the wind being contrary: the storm being probably excited by the prince of the power of the air. Capernaum lay at the northern part of this sea, and they went along the Galilean or western coast, probably expecting Christ to come to them, on which account they might keep in close by the land. But there are great difficulties in fixing the places mentioned by the evangelists. By some writers Bethsaida and Capernaum are placed on opposite sides of this lake: by others on the same side. Sometimes when our translation speaks of passing over the sea, &c., a coasting voyage only is meant, as we find the disciples landing on the same side from which they had departed: See Clarke on Joh 6:22.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By the sea is here meant the sea of Galilee, or lake of Tiberias, or of Gennesaret. There our Saviour and his disciples had left the multitude; the disciples having taken a boat, and passing over on the other side, and Christ having followed them, the multitude, probably having gone in the night to rest themselves at their several houses, came again in the morning, expecting to have found Christ, and have seen more miracles; being disappointed, understanding that both Christ and his disciples were gone over.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And entered into a ship,…. In which they came, and was waiting for them; or into another:
and went over the sea towards Capernaum; steered their course from Bethsaida, where they took shipping over the sea of Galilee; at least over one part of it, a creek or bay of it, as they intended, towards the city of Capernaum, which lay over against Bethsaida:
and it was now dark; quite night, which made their voyage more uncomfortable, especially as it afterwards was tempestuous: but the worst of all was,
and Jesus was not come to them; as they expected, and therefore were obliged to set sail and go without him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Were going (). Picturesque imperfect.
It was now dark ( ). Past perfect active of . While they were going, “darkness had already come.”
And Jesus had not yet come to them ( ). Another past perfect active of with negative . Darkness had come, but Jesus had not come, while they were going over the sea. The tenses in these verses are very graphic.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Ship [] . Rev., boat. See on Luk 5:2. The best texts omit the article.
Went [] . The imperfect, were going. So Rev.
Capernaum. Mark has Bethsaida.
It was now dark [ ] . Literally, darkness had already come on. On darkness, see on 1 5.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And entered into a ship,” (kai embantes eis ploion) “And entered into a boat,” boarded a boat, Joh 6:19; Joh 6:21, or embarked a boat.
2) “And went over the sea toward Capernaum.” (erchonto peran tes thalasses eis Kapharnaum) “They came across the sea to or toward Capernaum,” or Bethsaida of Galilee, adjacent to Capernaum as recounted by Mar 6:45; while Mat 14:22 simply reports that Jesus directed them to go to the “other side” of the sea, to the western or northwestern shore.
3) “And it was now dark,” (kai skotia ede egegonei) ”And darkness had already come,” as Jesus lingered to pray in the solitude of nature, in the mountain, Mat 14:23.
4) “And Jesus was not come to them.” (kai oupo eleluthei pros autous ho lesous) “And Jesus had not yet come to them,” for He was alone on the land, the Eastern shore, Mar 6:47. The beloved John had gone away with the other disciples, and boarded the boat, at the direction of Jesus. He had likely looked longingly back toward the mountain, pondering what he had seen, felt, and heard in the last few hours, wondering what the future held for Jesus and the disciples, Heb 3:5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
17. It was now dark. John passes by many circumstances which the other Evangelists introduce; such as, that for several hours they struggled with a contrary wind; for it is probable that the storm arose immediately after the night began to come on; and they tell us that Christ did not appear to his disciples till about the fourth watch of the night, (Mat 14:28; Mar 6:48.) Those who conjecture that they were still about the middle of the lake when Christ appeared to them, because John says that they had then advanced about twenty-five or thirty furlongs, are led into a mistake by supposing that they had sailed to the farther or opposite bank; for Bethsaida, near which town, Luke tells us, the miracle was performed, (Luk 9:10,) and Capernaum, which the ship reached, (Joh 6:16,) were situated on the same coast.
Pliny, in his fifth book, states that this lake was six miles in breadth, and sixteen in length. Josephus (in the third book of the Wars of the Jews) assigns to it one hundred furlongs in length, and forty in breadth; (132) and as eight furlongs make one mile, we may easily infer how little the one description differs from the other. So far as relates to the present sailing, my opinion is, that they did not go over so great a space by direct sailing, but through being driven about by the tempest. (133) However that may be, the Evangelist intended to show that, when Christ presented himself to them, they were in the utmost danger. It may be thought strange that the disciples should be tormented in this manner, while others had nothing to disturb them in sailing; but in this manner the Lord often makes his people fall into alarming dangers, that they may more plainly and familiarly recognize him in their deliverance.
(132) Our Author quotes inaccurately the measurement given by Josephus, whose words are: “Now this lake of Gennesareth is so called from the country, adjoining to it. Its breadth is forty furlongs, and its length one hundred and forty. ” — Wars of the Jews, III. 10. 7. — Ed.
(133) “ Mais estans agitez de tempeste.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) For a ship, the received text has, with some of the best MSS., the shipi.e., the ship in which they first crossed. For went over the sea, read were going over the sea. The voyage is described as still continuing.
Toward Capernaum.St. Matthew speaks more generally of the other (i.e., the western) side. St. Mark of Bethsaida, which was distinct from Bethsaida Julias, which was on the east of the lake. (Comp. Note on Luk. 9:10.) For an account of Capernaum, see Mat. 4:13, and in this John Joh. 6:59.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 6:17. And entered into a ship, Christ’s order was, that the disciples should go to Bethsaida, as St. Mark informs us; but the wind becoming contrary, as we shall see immediately, they were obliged to sail towards Capernaum. St. John therefore describes the voyage, not as it was intended, but as it actually happened. The evangelists have not told us how the twelve baskets full of fragments were disposed of; probably the disciples carried them with them into the boat; so that having before their eyes this convincing evidence of the miracle, they no doubt discoursed about it among themselves as they sailed, and deliberately reflected on every circumstance which had accompanied it. The people, perceiving that Jesus intended to stay, made no scruple to let the disciples go: perhaps they imagined that he was sending them away to provide such things as he had need of in order to the expedition; neither did they refuse to disperse when he commanded them, proposing all to return next morning, as they actually did; a circumstance which proves that they did not go far away. See on Mat 14:24.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
Ver. 17. Jesus was not come to them ] This was worse to them than the storm. It was woeful with Saul when the Philistines were upon him, and God would not come at him, nor answer him, 1Sa 28:15 . So when danger or death is upon a man, and God is far from him. That doom, “I will not show you favour,” Jer 16:13 , was worse than their captivity.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
17. ] denoting the unfinished action they were making for the other side of the sea, in the direction of Capernaum; , Mark, which would be the same thing. It would appear as if the disciples were lingering along shore with the expectation of taking in Jesus: but night had fallen, and He had not come to them, and the sea began to be stormy ( Joh 6:18 ). Having therefore ( ) set out ( Joh 6:19 ), and rowed, &c. The seems to me to render this supposition necessary, to bind their having rowed twenty-five or thirty stadia, with the fact that the Lord had not come, and it was dark, and the sea swelling into a storm. The lake is (Jos. B. J. 3.10. 7) forty stadia wide: so that, as we can hardly assume the passage to have been to a point directly opposite , they were somewhere about , Mat 26:24 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
a ship = a fishing-smack. Greek. ploion. Not ploiarion, as in Joh 6:22.
went = were going.
toward. Greek. eis. App-104.
Capernaum. See App-169.
was = had become.
now = already.
not. Greek. ou, but all the texts read oupo, “not yet”.
to. Greek. pros. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
17.] -denoting the unfinished action-they were making for the other side of the sea, in the direction of Capernaum; , Mark, which would be the same thing. It would appear as if the disciples were lingering along shore with the expectation of taking in Jesus: but night had fallen, and He had not come to them, and the sea began to be stormy (Joh 6:18). Having therefore () set out (Joh 6:19), and rowed, &c. The seems to me to render this supposition necessary,-to bind their having rowed twenty-five or thirty stadia, with the fact that the Lord had not come, and it was dark, and the sea swelling into a storm. The lake is (Jos. B. J. 3.10. 7) forty stadia wide: so that, as we can hardly assume the passage to have been to a point directly opposite, they were somewhere about , Mat 26:24.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 6:17
Joh 6:17
and they entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.-[It was a small fishing boat, but large enough to carry at least twelve. It was propelled by oars. Mark says to Bethsaida, but this was on the way to Capernaum. Mark specifies the first landing place and John the end of the journey.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
and went: Joh 6:24, Joh 6:25, Joh 2:12, Joh 4:46, Mar 6:45
Reciprocal: Mat 4:13 – Capernaum Mat 8:24 – but Mar 4:35 – Let Mar 6:47 – General Joh 6:22 – but
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joh 6:17. And entered into a boat, and were coming over the sea unto Capernaum. And darkness had already come on, and Jesus was not yet come to them. Probably they were intending to coast along the shore of the lake between Bethsaida-Julias and Capernaum: in this they were no doubt following their Masters directions. The words that follow show clearly that they expected Him to rejoin them at some point on the coast.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 17
Jesus was not come to them; having remained behind to allay the excitement among the people.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
6:17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea {b} toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
(b) In Mr 6:45 they are told to go ahead to Bethsaida, for Bethsaida was along the way to Capernaum.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The disciples’ ultimate destination was Capernaum, which Mark called Bethsaida (Mar 6:45). Evidently this western Bethsaida ("Fishtown") was very close to, or even part of, Capernaum. [Note: Edersheim, 2:3-4.] When Jesus did not appear by nightfall, they decided to travel on to Capernaum without Him.
In John’s Gospel darkness often has symbolic significance implying a bad situation (cf. Joh 3:2; Joh 13:30). Jesus’ absence cast another foreboding cloud over the disciples. To make the occasion even worse a strong wind came up and created a storm on the lake. The wind normally came from the west, the direction in which the disciples headed. Mark described the disciples as straining at the oars (Mar 6:48).