And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. Matthew 14:25 The Jews had adopted the Roman system of watches, but with the Jews – the fourth watch was thought of as morning, and was not included in the three watches of “deep night.” The four night watches are named (Mark 13:35) 1 Evening 2 Midnight 3 Cockcrowing 4 Morning… and so this would have happened sometime between 3 am and 6 am.
Jesus went unto them. Mark (6:48) said that he “WOULD HAVE PASSED BY THEM.” Some translations say that he wished or intended to pass by them. I had to ask myself, “Why would Jesus intend to pass by his distressed disciples?”
It’s not as if Jesus didn’t see or notice them, since Mark (6:48) said “he saw them toiling in rowing: for the wind was contrary unto them.”
Another researcher took that passage to mean more the sense of the intention to reveal himself or God’s glory to them, as in the story of Moses.
I looked up Exodus 34:5 when the glory of the Lord passed by – or before. “The Lord descended in the cloud, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed before him there, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth….”
Perhaps Jesus had no sense of distress? He was certainly walking calmly on the wind-tossed sea.
Maybe this was similar to the situation with Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead. Jesus didn’t hurry to help in that situation, either. He had waited two days after hearing that John was sick before going to help his good friend. (John 11:6)
Why do you think that Jesus “would have passed by them”?
The very evening before Jesus had walked on the waves, his disciples had witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 men, not counting women and children. Mark comments (6:52) “For they had not understood the loaves, because their heart was hardened.”