Mark’s Miraculous Disciples: ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς (Mark 6.48) as Jesus’ Desire for the Disciples to Walk on Water

Abstract

ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς (Mk 6.48) has received a variety of explanations since it is often understood as Jesus wanting to pass by the disciples. This makes for a problematic reading in which Jesus does not intend to offer help to the disciples or only begins to pass but is stopped. Most commentators (e.g., Heil 1981; Marcus 2000) address this difficulty by proposing an allusion to Exod. 33–34 and 1 Kgs 19; however, this does not address the problems regarding the narrative’s progression. A preferable solution sees αὐτούς as the subject of the infinitive παρελθεῖν so that Jesus wants the disciples to come near him on the lake. After establishing the possibility of understanding the syntax and vocabulary this way, the argument is supported by considering Mark’s theme of discipleship as participating in Jesus’ own miraculous ability, as argued by Collins (2007) and Henderson (2006). The link to the feeding of the five thousand at the end of the pericope (Mk 6.52) further supports this proposal. Furthermore, Matthew’s redaction of this account evidences at least one later interpreter that likely understood αὐτούς as the subject of παρελθεῖν inasmuch as he records Peter walking out to Jesus on the lake.