15 When Jesus therefore per- ceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a moun- tain himself alone.
16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty fur- longs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship ; and they were afraid.
20 But he saith unto them. It is I ; be not afraid.
21 Then they willingly received him into the ship : and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
We should notice, in these verses, our Lord Jesus ChrlsPs humility. We are told that, after feeding the multitude, He "perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a king." At once He departed, and left them. He wanted no such honours as these. He had come, " not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matt. xx. 28.)
We see the same spirit and frame of mind all througli our Lord's earthly ministry. From His cradle to His grave He was " clothed with humility." (1 Pet. v. 5.) He was born of a poor woman, and spent the first thirty years of His life in a carpenter's house at Nazareth. He was
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followed by poor companions, — many of them no belter than fishermen. He was poor in his manner of living : "The foxes had holes, and the birds of the air their nests: but the Son of man had not where to lay his head.'* (Matt. viii. 20.) When He went on the Sea of Galilee, it was in a borrowed boat. When He rode into Jerusalem, it was on a borrowed ass. When He was buried, it was in a borrowed tomb. " Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor." (2 Cor. viii. 9.)
The example is one which ought to be far more remembered than it is. How common are pride, and ambition, and high-mindedness ! How rare are humility and lowly-mindedness ! How few ever refuse greatness when offered to them ! How many are continually seeking great things for themselves, and forgetting the injunction, — " Seek them not ! " (Jer. xlv. 5.) Surely it was not for nothing that our Lord, after washing the disciples' feet, said, — " I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done." (John xiii. 15.) There is little, it may be feared, of that feet-washing spirit among Christians. But whether men will hear or forbear, humi- lity is the queen of the graces. " Tell me," it has been said, " how much humility a man has, and I will tell you how much religion he has." Humility is the first step toward heaven, and the true way to honour. " He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke xviii. 14.)
We should notice, secondly, in these verses, the trials through which Chrisfs disciples had to pass. We are told that they were sent over the lake by themselves, while their Master tarried behind. And then we see them alone in a dark night, tossed about by a great wind on stormy waters, and, worst of all, Christ not with them. It was a strange transition. From witnessing a mighty miracle, and helping it instrumentally, amidst an admir- ing crowd, to solitude, darkness, winds, waves, storm,