“And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.” (Mark 4:1)

“And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.” (Mark 4:1)

Teaching was an important element to Christ’s ministry because the Messiah was not only a Savior, but a Teacher also; opening the minds and hearts of people to the truth and power of the Word of God. Therefore, our Lord’s entering the boat to teach the masses was a very deliberate choice. The boat served as a ready-made platform, a stage for Him to preach to the people on shore, creating a kind of amphitheater for the crowds to see and hear Jesus. The boat hearkens back to the Ark of Noah, and foreshadows the Church, which is often referred to as the “Ark of Salvation.” That our Lord is afloat on the water also prefigures His authority over creation in calming the storms and walking on water. And lastly, that Jesus is in a fishing vessel teaching the masses, symbolizes the casting of nets to catch, not fish, but believers.

Fr. John