NOTES for Mar 6:45-56
The parting of Christ and His disciples from the people looked like flight. Why such haste? The Gospel of John (6:14-15) gives the answer to this question. The people simply wanted to proclaim Jesus king, to treat Him as an outstanding human being. The people's actions are completely understandable: they did not know who Jesus was. A different attitude could have been expected from those who shared bread, shelter, and all the hardships of a wandering preacher's difficult life with Jesus. But strangely enough, the apostles' faith was very weak, especially when Jesus was not beside them.
After sending away the disciples and the people, Jesus went up the mountain to pray. Several hours later He saw the disciples in the boat in the middle of the sea, unsuccessfully trying to overcome a headwind. How helpless we are without Christ! No forces of nature can hinder the Lord's desire to be near His own. The disciples did not call Him, but they needed Him. Yet the appearance of Jesus walking on the water caused only fear and astonishment. They did not expect this from Him. Mark explains this reaction of the disciples by the hardness of their hearts.
As soon as Jesus and the apostles arrived in the land of Gennesaret, crowds of people in need of healing rushed to Him. The apostles had grown used to such miracles and were no longer surprised.
We are surprised by a miracle when it surpasses our understanding of the world around us or of the one who works the miracle. We may know little of God if His actions are unexpected to us, or if we react to His works with the question, "How did He do that?" For everything God does is wondrous.