Gone Away Alone - John 6:22

The apostle John wrote how Jesus', “disciples went down unto the sea, And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near unto the ship: and they were afraid. But he said unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went”, and in chapter six and verse twenty-two of his book, John shared how Jesus' disciples, “were gone away alone” where we read:

The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;

The verse reads, “The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered ...”. John began with the words, “the day following” or “the sunrise and sunset afterward”, “when the people” which means “at the time and moment the men and women” “which stood on the other side of the sea” or “who were standing upon the shore on the opposite side of the body of water upon which the disciples were sailing” “saw that there was none other boat there” which means “observed, noticed and discerned that no other sailing vessels were in that location or place”, “save the one” or “with the exception of the boat or sailing vessel” “whereinto his disciples were entered” which means “that the students, pupils and attendants of Jesus stepped into”. John shared how the day after Jesus came to His disciples walking upon the water, not only were they at the place they were going, but the people on the opposite side of the “sea” noticed there was only “one boat” into which the disciples “entered”.

The verse continues, “and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;” John added the words, “and that Jesus” which means “and also and indeed that the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation” “went not with his disciples” or “did not go alongside His students, pupils and attendants” “into the boat” which means “into the sailing vessel or boat”, “but that his disciples” or “moreover that Jesus' students, pupils and attendants” “were gone away alone” which means “left and departed by themselves”. John shared how the people on the opposite side of the “sea” knew Jesus did not sail away with His disciples, but that His “students and pupils” had sailed away on their own.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how the people were “watching” Jesus and His disciples as they journeyed. They knew Jesus did not “sail away” with His disciples because they traveled alone. People watch us. They observe our lives, and when we have a personal relationship with Jesus, they inspect our lives all the more. Jesus wants to be such an intimate part of our lives that others will see Him in us, and this is the reason God sent His Son Jesus into the world. People have “sin” in their lives which keep them from a personal relationship with God, and when they submit themselves to Jesus as their “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins and use them in His Kingdom to share with others His glorious plan of salvation.

Next time John shares how, “there came other boats from Tiberias”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".