Two Exhausting Days

I realized as I read John 6 today that there were three major events in the life of the Savior that the apostles were a part of and which likely took place over a two day period.  First, the Savior fed the 5000 disciples as recorded in John 6:5-14 with only “five barley loaves, and two small fishes.”  After this “when even was now come, his disciples went down into the sea, and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum” (v16-17).  Jesus did not go with them, but went alone into the mountain instead.  There was a great storm that night on the Sea of Galilee and “the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew” (v18).  The disciples toiled all night as the ship was “tossed with waves” until the “fourth watch” (nearly morning) when “Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.”  They were at first afraid, but the Savior called out to them saying, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid,” and Peter jumped into the water to walk to him.  He faltered in his faith as “he saw the wind boisterous” and cried out for the Lord to save him, which He did (Matt. 14:24-31).  John recorded that as soon as they received Jesus into the ship, “immediately the ship was at the land whither they went” (v21).  This means that they had been up all night toiling in the ship, and then had experienced this second incredible miracle of the Savior coming to them on water and calming the storm.  At this point the apostles must have been simply exhausted. 

          From what I can tell from the fact that John’s account goes right into his discussion with the people over how He came to the land, it appears that the Bread of Life sermon given at Capernaum happened that next day, the morning or afternoon after walking across the water.  The apostles were there as well, and the emotional roller coaster for them continued.  They had seen the miracle of the bread multiplied, suffered through a storm all night long and perhaps even worried for their lives in their boat, and then had witnessed the miracle of the Savior walking on water and saving them.  Peter had also experienced the exhilaration of walking on water as well as the panic when he faltered.  Likely having gotten little or no sleep, the apostles now listened to an astounding sermon by their Master that they likely did not understand.  They heard Him declare, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life.”  Some of the people murmured, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (v52-54)  We can of course understand the symbolic nature of the message as we think of the Sacrament, but it is likely that the apostles themselves wondered the same question.  Despite the incredible miracles the people had seen of healings and the feeding of the multitude, many said, “This is an hard saying” and they “walked no more with him” (v60, 66).  Jesus then turned to His apostles, asking, “Will ye also go away?”  Here they were, having witnessed incredible miracles but also having experience the dangerous trial of the sea at night and likely not understanding His teachings that were offending many.  On top of it all, they must have been utterly exhausted physically and mentally as they took in all of these experiences.  But to his credit, Peter hung on to the testimony he had despite these difficulties, declaring, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (v68-69).  There may have even been some questioning in his heart given the emotional roller coaster he had just experienced, but nonetheless he stayed true to what he had seen in the Savior and declared his allegiance despite the departure of so many others.