CHAPTER 124.
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Levi
The Christines cross the sea. Jesus gives to his disciples lessons on secret doctrines. Teaches the people. Feeds five thousand. The disciples start to recross the sea. A storm arises. Jesus, walking on the waters, comes to them. Trial of Peter’s faith. They land in Gennesaret.
The twelve apostles now had reached the stage of spirit consciousness, and Jesus could reveal to them the deeper meanings of his mission to the world.
2 Next week the great feast of the Jews would be observed, and Matthew said, Shall we not girt ourselves and go unto Jerusalem?
3 But Jesus said, We will not go up to the feast; the time is short and I have many things to say to you; come you apart into a desert place and rest a while.
4 And then they took their boats and crossed the sea, and came into a desert place near Julius Bethsaida.
5 The people saw them go, and in vast multitudes they followed them.
6 And Jesus had compassion on the anxious throng, and he stood forth and taught them all the day, because they sought the light and were like sheep without a fold.
7 And as the night came on the twelve were doubting what the multitudes would do, and Thomas said,
8 Lord, we are in a desert place; the multitudes have naught to eat and they are faint from lack of food; what shall we do?
9 And Jesus said, Go to and feed the multitudes.
10 And Judas said, Shall we go down and buy two hundred pennies’ worth of bread for them to eat?
11 And Jesus said, Go look into our larder and see how many loaves we have.
12 And Andrew said, We have no bread, but we have found a lad who has five barley loaves and two small fish; but this would not be food enough for one in ten.
13 But Jesus said, Command these people all to sit upon the grass in companies of twelve; and they all sat down in companies of twelve.
14 Then Jesus took the loaves and fish, and looking up to heaven he spoke the sacred Word.
15 And then he broke the bread and gave it to the twelve; he also gave the fish unto the twelve, and said, Go to and feed the multitudes.
16 And all the people ate and were refreshed.
17 There were about five thousand men, a company of little ones, and women not a few.
18 And when the people all were filled the master said,
19 Let not a crumb be lost; Go to and gather up the pieces of the bread and fish for others that may want.
20 They gathered up the fragments and they filled twelve baskets full.
21 The people were bewildered by this wondrous act of power; they said, And now we know that Jesus is the prophet that our prophets said would come; and then they said, All hail the king!
22 When Jesus heard them say, All hail the king! he called the twelve and bade them take their boats and go before him to the other side;
23 And he went all alone into a mountain pass to pray.
24 The twelve were on the sea and hoped to reach Capernaum in just a little time, when all at once a fearful storm arose, and they were at the mercy of the waves.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night the wind became a whirling wind, and they were filled with fear.
26 And in the blinding storm they saw a form move on the waves; it seemed to be a man, and one spoke out and said, It is a ghost, a sign of evil things.
27 But John discerned the form and said, It is the Lord.
28 And then the wind blew not so hard, and Peter, standing in the midst, exclaimed,
29 My Lord! my Lord! If this be truly you, bid me to come to you upon the waves.
30 The form reached forth his hand and said, Come on.
31 And Peter stepped upon the waves and they were solid as a rock; he walked upon the waves.
32 He walked until he thought within himself, What if the waves should break beneath my feet?
33 And then the waves did break beneath his feet, and he began to sink, and in the fearfulness of soul he cried, O save me, Lord, or I am lost!
34 And Jesus took him by the hand and said, O you of little faith! why did you doubt? And Jesus led the way unto the boat.
35 The storm had spent its force; the winds were still, and they were near the shore, and when they landed they were in the valley of Gennesaret.