Waiting Until the Fourth Watch

During New Testament times the day was divided into 12 hours beginning at six o’clock in the morning. The sixth hour would be noon, the eleventh hour would be five o’clock in the evening, although we think of the “eleventh hour” as before midnight.

Beginning with six o’clock in the evening, the night was divided into four “watches” each three hours long. The second watch was nine until midnight, the third watch midnight to three and the fourth watch from three in the morning until six, about sunrise.

When the storm came upon the disciples who were in a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee,...