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An Exegetical Examination of περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης in Mark 6:49
This exegetical study addresses the translation and interpretation of the phrase περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης in Mark 6:49, a pivotal passage describing Jesus’ miraculous walk to his disciples. The central exegetical issue revolves around the semantic range of the preposition ἐπὶ when combined with the genitive case, specifically whether it denotes movement on the surface of the sea or merely by the side of the sea. This distinction carries significant theological implications regarding the nature of the event—whether it describes a supernatural act or a more mundane occurrence—and consequently shapes the understanding of the disciples’ astonished reaction.
Nestle 1904: ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτὸν περιπατοῦντα ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης ἔδοξαν φάντασμα εἶναι, καὶ ἀνέκραξαν.
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- SBLGNT reads “οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες” instead of “ἰδόντες δὲ” at the beginning of the verse. This is a minor word order variation that does not alter the meaning of the main phrase under consideration.
Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG)
The textual tradition for Mark 6:49 is remarkably stable concerning the phrase περιπατοῦντα ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης. The Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28) presents the text as “οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν περιπατοῦντα ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης ἔδοξαν φάντασμα εἶναι καὶ ἀνέκραξαν,” aligning closely with the SBLGNT and affirming the consistent transmission of this key phrase across major critical editions.
Lexical analysis of the critical terms sheds light on the interpretative possibilities:
- περιπατέω (peripatéō): This verb signifies “to walk, to go about.” In its participial form, περιπατοῦντα, it describes Jesus’ ongoing action of walking.
- ἐπὶ (epí): This preposition is highly versatile, governing the genitive, dative, or accusative cases, each with distinct semantic nuances. With the genitive, as in ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, it can denote “on,” “upon,” “at,” or “by.” BDAG (Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Gingrich Greek-English Lexicon) s.v. ἐπὶ 1.a explicitly notes its use as a “marker of position on, at, by,” and specifically, “on the surface of” for instances such as Mark 6:49. While it can also mean “by the side of” (cf. Exodus 14:2, στρατοπεδεύσεις ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, “you shall make your camp by the sea”), the broader context is crucial for disambiguation. KITTEL (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) provides an extensive entry on ἐπὶ, illustrating its rich semantic field from classical Greek to the New Testament, emphasizing that its meaning is context-dependent, covering spatial relationships from direct contact “upon” to mere proximity “at” or “by.”
- θάλασσα (thálassa): Refers to a “sea” or “lake,” in this context, the Sea of Galilee.
- φάντασμα (phántasma): This noun means “apparition, phantom, ghost.” BDAG defines it as “that which appears, apparition, phantom, ghost.” The disciples’ use of this term indicates their perception of an extraordinary, unsettling phenomenon. KITTEL elaborates on the concept of apparitions in the ancient world, highlighting its use for supernatural manifestations, whether divine or demonic.
The extensive semantic range of ἐπὶ necessitates a careful consideration of the immediate and broader narrative context to determine its precise meaning in Mark 6:49. Analogies to other Greek usage, such as καταφιλέω (“to kiss” vs. “to entertain”) in Homer versus Mark 14:45, illustrate that the potential semantic range of a word must always yield to the logical and narrative coherence demanded by the specific text.
Translation Variants with Grammatical & Rhetorical Analysis
The grammatical structure of περιπατοῦντα ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης features the present active participle περιπατοῦντα modifying the accusative pronoun αὐτὸν (Jesus), indicating an action occurring simultaneously with their seeing. The core interpretative challenge lies with the prepositional phrase. While ἐπὶ with the genitive can denote spatial proximity (“by” or “at”), the narrative context strongly militates against such an interpretation.
Rhetorically, the passage (Mark 6:45-51) describes the disciples in a boat “in the middle of the sea” (ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης, Mk 6:47), struggling against a headwind. Jesus then “comes to them” (ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτοὺς, Mk 6:48). If Jesus were merely “walking by the sea” (i.e., on the shore), the narrative would make no logical sense for him to reach a boat in the middle of the lake. Furthermore, the disciples’ reaction – “they thought it was a φάντασμα and cried out” (Mk 6:49) – is inexplicable if Jesus were simply walking on the land adjacent to the water. Walking along a shoreline, even in the early morning, would not provoke terror leading to the conclusion of seeing a ghost; it would be a mundane sight. The horror and fear expressed by the disciples (Mk 6:50) only become intelligible if Jesus’ action was profoundly abnormal and supernatural—namely, walking on the surface of the water.
Some scholarship, like the article by Jason Robert Combs (“A Ghost on the Water? Understanding an Absurdity in Mark 6:49-50,” SBL 127.2 [2008]: 345-58), argues that ancient Mediterranean peoples believed ghosts would sink in water, whereas gods could walk on it. From this perspective, the disciples’ conclusion that Jesus was a φάντασμα, while seeing him walk on water, represents an ironic and “humorous demonstration of obtuseness,” highlighting their failure to grasp Jesus’ divine identity by clinging to a preposterous alternative. However, the universality of this ancient belief about ghosts and water is not definitively established in all ancient sources, as some texts describe ghosts interacting with or disappearing into water without being incapacitated by it (e.g., Pausanias 6.6.7). Regardless of the precise nuances of ancient ghost lore, the rhetorical force remains: the disciples’ reaction points to an event that defies natural explanation, compelling them to consider a supernatural agent.
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
The cumulative evidence from grammatical analysis, lexical data, and the overarching narrative context unequivocally supports the interpretation that Jesus was walking on the surface of the water. While the preposition ἐπὶ with the genitive possesses a broad semantic range, the specific details of Mark’s account render any interpretation of “walking by the sea” contextually illogical and rhetorically incoherent. The disciples’ fear and identification of Jesus as a φάντασμα directly attest to the miraculous and unprecedented nature of his action.
Based on this exegesis, the following translations are suggested:
- “But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out.”
This translation provides a direct and accurate rendering of the Greek, reflecting the supernatural act of walking on the water’s surface. - “When they observed him treading upon the waters, they supposed him to be an apparition and screamed.”
This variant emphasizes the physical contact with the water’s surface with “treading upon” and employs more formal English for an academic context. - “Seeing him moving across the surface of the sea, they believed it to be a phantom and shouted in terror.”
This translation explicitly clarifies the spatial relationship, highlighting the miraculous aspect and the disciples’ fearful response.
its all Greek