Jesus crosses to the other side of the sea in a boat, and His disciples go with Him. As they sail, a great storm arises, threatening to sink the boat and drown them all. Meanwhile, Jesus is fast asleep. The disciples wake Him and plead for Him to save them. Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves and immediately everything clams down. Jesus then asks the disciples about their lack of faith.
The parallel Gospel accounts of Mark 4:35-41Mark 4:35-41 commentary are Matthew 8:18Matthew 8:18 commentary, 8:23-278:23-27 commentary and commentaryLuke 8:22-25Luke 8:22-25 commentary.
Mark 4:35-41Mark 4:35-41 commentary describes how Jesus calmed the fierce storm on the sea of Galilee.
On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side” (v 35).
Throughout Mark 4:35-41Mark 4:35-41 commentary, commentary the pronouns—He and Him (v 36)- refer to Jesus. And the pronouns—them and they (v 38)—refer to Jesus’s disciples.
The phrase: on that day likely means that the event that Mark is about to describe took place on the same exact day that Jesus taught parables to “a very large crowd gathered to Him” while “He was in boat” facing the whole crowd on the shore (Mark 4:1Mark 4:1 commentary).
Then, when evening came Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
In a literal sense, the expression the other side meant the other side of the Sea of Galilee from where Jesus was when Hesaid this. (Jesus was most likely on the northern shore near the town of Capernaum.)
But in its fuller context, Jesus’s instruction Let us go over to the other side did not merely refer only to a geographical relocation across the lake. It signified a cultural shift.
Crossing to the other side of the Sea of Galilee meant leaving Jewish territory and entering Gentile territory.
On the other side of Galilee was the Greek Decapolis along the eastern shore of the lake.
Though this was only a few miles away, it was an entirely different world, culturally. The Decapolis city of Hippas stood atop a hill on the eastern shore. This region was a Roman province formed around ten Greek cities (Deca = ten/polis=city) established after Alexander the Great’s conquests. Jesus and His disciples were leaving a Jewish world to enter a Gentile one when they went to the other side.
The command to go over to the other side seems like a surprising shift in direction and a highly unusual path for a Jewish Rabbi to take. It was one thing for Gentiles to travel great distances to seek healing from Him, but now the Rabbi Himself was going to them. Mark does not explicitly state why Jesus makes this move. Perhaps He was seeking rest from the crowd (Mark may imply this in the next verse when he wrote: Leaving the crowd… (v 36). Or maybe Jesus discerned the selfish motives and hard-heartedness of His enemies and shrewdly decided to leave for a while.
On a deeper level, Jesus crossing to the other side was always part of God's plan. Though He was the Jewish Messiah, the good news of the Gospel is for all people—both Jews and Gentiles. By traveling to the Greek-influenced lands of the other side, Jesus brings the light of the Gospel to them in a tangible and powerful way. His "mission trip" foreshadows the final command He will give His disciples in what is known as "the Great Commission":
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20Matthew 28:19-20 commentary)
In less than three years, these same disciples whom Jesus commands to go to the other side will be carrying out this mission on a global scale, spreading the gospel to the entire world. Through His example and invitation, Jesus is training them for this task. In giving these orders, He also calls for a deeper level of commitment from His disciples.
Though we do not know the exact number, at least some disciples followed Jesus into the boat. Presumably the “appointed twelve” went with Jesus (Mark 3:14-19Mark 3:14-19 commentary).
Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him (v 36).
The boats used on the Sea of Galilee were relatively small. This freshwater lake spans about 13 miles in length and 8 miles in width. A first-century fishing boat uncovered in 1986 along the sea’s northwest shore measured 27 feet long and 7.5 feet wide, with a capacity of around 15 men. The vessel Jesus used for the crossing was likely similar in size and relied on a sail for propulsion.
Mark points out that Jesus and His disciples were leaving the crowd behind when they went to the other side. Mark also indicates that Jesus’s disciples took Him with them in the boat. This means that Jesus was a passenger in the boat and not actively responsible for navigating it across the sea. This partially explains why later in this account He was asleep in the stern (v 38) instead of helping keep the boat afloat.
Several of the disciples were professional fishermen on the Sea of Galilee (Simon, Andrew, James, and John) and would have been capable of getting the boat to the other side of the water.
Mark adds the detail just as He was. This probably means that Jesus was in the same boat from which He had been teaching earlier (Mark 4:1Mark 4:1 commentary). Mark also indicates that there were other boats with Him. These other boats were possibly other boats that carried other disciples of Jesus who went with Him to the other side of the lake.
This small observation suggests that this account originally came from an eyewitness who participated in this event. Such seemingly unimportant details give Mark’s Gospel a ring of authenticity. Jesus’s disciple Peter was the source for Mark’s gospel account and was possibly the disciple in charge of the boat trip. Again, it is the kind of thing that only a participant would be keen to remember.
The journey across the lake would typically take a few hours.
While they were on their journey to the other side, Mark tells his readers that a storm arose and began to overwhelm the boat Jesus was in:
And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up (v 37).
The windstorm was fierce. It was so great that the waves were breaking over the sides of the boat.
Mark writes: so much the boat was already filling up, to express how quickly this happened. So much water came over the sides that the boat was quickly filling up. Matthew wrote: “the boat was being covered with the waves” (Matthew 8:24Matthew 8:24 commentary).
Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (v 38).
As the water filled the hull of the boat, Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. While both the other Gospels who describe this event mention that Jesus was asleep (Matthew 8:24Matthew 8:24 commentary, commentaryLuke 8:23Luke 8:23 commentary), only Mark’s gospel, with the fisherman, Peter, as its source, states where Jesus was situated in the boat as He slept. He was in the stern—i.e. the back of the boat. Mark also says He was asleep on a cushion.
Jesus was apparently exhausted from a long day of preaching to the crowd. He rested peacefully. His sleep also reflected His complete trust in His Father's protection, even amid the fierce storm.
Despite their experience as fishermen, the disciples were unable to navigate through the overwhelming waves and the fierce gales of wind brought on by the storm to bring the boat safely to shore. Overcome with fear, they believed their lives were in danger. (The storm must have been especially fierce for professional fishermen to feel this endangered.)
With nowhere else to turn, they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (v 38).
The disciples' plea is urgent. They awoke Jesus from His sleep and addressed Him as "Teacher." Interestingly, each of the three Gospels that recount this event uses a different title for Jesus when the disciples called out to Him.
Matthew uses “Lord” (Matthew 8:25Matthew 8:25 commentary) (Greek: κύριε—pronounced: “ku-rié”—G2962). In this context, it emphasizes Jesus’s Messianic authority as "Lord." Matthew’s focus on the Messiahship of Jesus reflects one of his main concerns, particularly in addressing his primary Jewish audience.
Luke uses “Master” (Greek: ἐπιστάτα—pronounced: “è-pi-sta-tá”—G1988). The term "Èpistatá" is rarely used in the Greek New Testament and means "overseer" or "the one who is in charge." More literally, it refers to "the one with standing or authority." The English translation "Master" broadly encompasses these meanings, though it may seem blunt. Nonetheless, "Master" effectively conveys the disciples' urgency and desperation in calling upon Jesus.
Mark uses “Teacher” (Greek: διδάσκαλε—pronounced: “di-das-ka-lé”—G1320). The term "Teacher" reflects Jesus’s authority as their religious instructor. The Jewish word commonly used for "teacher" is "rabbi" (see John 1:38John 1:38 commentary). In his gospel, Mark was likely adapting the term "Rabbi" for a Roman audience, using Teacher to make the concept more familiar and accessible.
By using "didaskalé" to convey what the disciples meant in this moment of fear, Mark emphasizes Jesus's authority as their religious teacher. This word choice highlights His role as their guide and instructor, even as they face the terrifying storm, but their sudden outburst in this dangerous moment also may have betrayed their limited understanding of who Jesus truly was—a Teacher.
By calling Jesus “Teacher,” and then demonstrating His powerful response which calms the storm, Mark starkly reveals that Jesus is far more than a religious Teacher or moral instructor.
Mark’s Roman audience might have been quick to grant that Jesus was a good Teacher, but not more than that. Describing this event as he does, Mark challenges his Roman readers’ limited understanding of Jesus to ask as the disciples in the boat with Jesus will soon ask: Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him? (v 41b).
The use of three different Greek terms by the Gospel writers further suggests that the Gospels are a Greek account of events that originally took place in Aramaic and/or Hebrew. This reflects the translators' efforts to capture the meaning and context of the original language in a way that would resonate with their diverse audiences. Thus, all three Greek terms used in the three gospel accounts are accurate to what was originally spoken. And moreover, it could be that different disciples who were in the boat with Jesus used three different terms when they tried to wake Jesus—and that each Gospel writer selected a different term to use in their account.
To learn more about how different languages were used in first-century Judea, see The Bible Says article: “The Four Languages of Jesus’s Judea.”
Furthermore, each Gospel writer expresses the disciples' plea with slight variations, each emphasizing different aspects of the moment.
Mark highlights the disciples' astonishment that Jesus is not frightened by the danger they face. “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” The disciples’ rhetorical question in Mark reveals both their fear and lack of faith, as they seem to rebuke Jesus.
Matthew captures a more complete sense of the disciples’ desperation and hope with their cry, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” (Matthew 8:25bMatthew 8:25b commentary)
Luke, the most concise of the Gospel writers on this moment, records the disciples’ fear with the simple but urgent plea: “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
The differences in these expressions—especially between Luke and Matthew on one hand, and Mark on the other—might suggest that different disciples may have said somewhat different things to Jesus as they feared for their lives in the midst of the fierce storm. These variations could reflect the individual personalities and perspectives of the disciples, each expressing their fear and desperation in their own way.
Mark records that after the disciples’ plea with Jesus:
And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm (v 39).
Jesus spoke directly to the natural elements. He said to them: Hush, be still. And when Herebukedthe wind and sea, they instantly stopped. The wind died down and the sea became perfectly calm. All was quiet and still—as Jesus had commanded.
The creation obeyed the voice of its Creator who had spoken it into existence (Genesis 1Genesis 1 commentary, commentaryJohn 1:3John 1:3 commentary, commentaryColossians 1:16Colossians 1:16 commentary). This moment dramatically showcases Jesus’s divine authority over nature, revealing His power as the Creator Himself, far more than a mere moral teacher, as the disciples had just called Him.
After Jesus rebuked the weather, He turned His attention to His disciples.
And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (v 40).
Jesus's rebuke of His disciples' lack of faith serves as an admonishment, urging them to trust in His power and presence, even in the most terrifying and uncertain circumstances.
Matthew’s account interestingly records Jesus’s rebuke of His disciples before He calms the storm (Matthew 8:25-26Matthew 8:25-26 commentary), rather than afterward, as recorded by Mark and Luke (Luke 8:24-25Luke 8:24-25 commentary).
This indicates that Jesus likely rebuked His disciples both before and after He calmed the storm. It also reinforces how the same principles and expectations of faith apply before/during an intense trial and after it has abated.
Mark describes His disciples’ response after they saw Him command the wind and waves to become perfectly calm, and Jesus’s rebuke of them:
They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (v 41).
The men in the boat, who had already witnessed Jesus heal lepers, cure various diseases, and cast out demons, were filled with fear when they saw Jesusrebuke the fierce windand calm the overwhelming waves of the storm to perfect stillness and quiet. This moment deepened their awe and reverence and understanding of Jesus, as they realized that He held authority over even the forces of nature.
Mark’s description of the disciples—they became very much afraid—is quite revealing. Notice how their fear palpably increases as it shifts from fear of physically perishing to fear of who Jesus is.
The disciples were trembling not so much from the dramatic rescue but because they became afraid due to the seismic shift in their understanding and paradigm of whoJesus really was. This moment appears to have greatly challenged their underlying assumptions of whoJesus was. Their assumptions were far too small for the reality. From this moment on, unless they suppressed the truth of what they had witnessed, it would no longer be possible for them to only follow Jesus as a teacher. At a much deeper and core level, the disciples were beginning to recognize who Jesus really was—God almighty in human form.
Mark’s account of this pivotal moment is intended to have a similar effect with his audience.
The disciples asked themselves, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
The only Person with this kind of authority was the Master of the universe, the Creator of the windand the waves. As their Creator, Jesus had the divine authority to command the winds and the sea, demonstrating His power over all aspects of creation.
The disciples’ question in Matthew’s Gospel is perhaps even more poignant:
“What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:27bMatthew 8:27b commentary)
The Gospels reveal that this Man is God—the Creator of the wind, the sea, and all things. He is the Messiah, the King of Heaven and Earth. Despite witnessing this miracle and many others, the disciples in the boat were only beginning to comprehend Jesus's true identity as the LORD God.
Set to dark mode
Mark 4:35-41 meaning
The parallel Gospel accounts of Mark 4:35-41Mark 4:35-41 commentary are Matthew 8:18Matthew 8:18 commentary, 8:23-278:23-27 commentary and commentary Luke 8:22-25Luke 8:22-25 commentary.
Mark 4:35-41Mark 4:35-41 commentary describes how Jesus calmed the fierce storm on the sea of Galilee.
On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side” (v 35).
Throughout Mark 4:35-41Mark 4:35-41 commentary, commentary the pronouns—He and Him (v 36)- refer to Jesus. And the pronouns—them and they (v 38)—refer to Jesus’s disciples.
The phrase: on that day likely means that the event that Mark is about to describe took place on the same exact day that Jesus taught parables to “a very large crowd gathered to Him” while “He was in boat” facing the whole crowd on the shore (Mark 4:1Mark 4:1 commentary).
The parables Mark described between Mark 4:1Mark 4:1 commentary and commentary Mark 4:35Mark 4:35 commentary were parables that He taught on that day.
Then, when evening came Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
In a literal sense, the expression the other side meant the other side of the Sea of Galilee from where Jesus was when He said this. (Jesus was most likely on the northern shore near the town of Capernaum.)
But in its fuller context, Jesus’s instruction Let us go over to the other side did not merely refer only to a geographical relocation across the lake. It signified a cultural shift.
Crossing to the other side of the Sea of Galilee meant leaving Jewish territory and entering Gentile territory.
On the other side of Galilee was the Greek Decapolis along the eastern shore of the lake.
Though this was only a few miles away, it was an entirely different world, culturally. The Decapolis city of Hippas stood atop a hill on the eastern shore. This region was a Roman province formed around ten Greek cities (Deca = ten/polis=city) established after Alexander the Great’s conquests. Jesus and His disciples were leaving a Jewish world to enter a Gentile one when they went to the other side.
The command to go over to the other side seems like a surprising shift in direction and a highly unusual path for a Jewish Rabbi to take. It was one thing for Gentiles to travel great distances to seek healing from Him, but now the Rabbi Himself was going to them. Mark does not explicitly state why Jesus makes this move. Perhaps He was seeking rest from the crowd (Mark may imply this in the next verse when he wrote: Leaving the crowd… (v 36). Or maybe Jesus discerned the selfish motives and hard-heartedness of His enemies and shrewdly decided to leave for a while.
On a deeper level, Jesus crossing to the other side was always part of God's plan. Though He was the Jewish Messiah, the good news of the Gospel is for all people—both Jews and Gentiles. By traveling to the Greek-influenced lands of the other side, Jesus brings the light of the Gospel to them in a tangible and powerful way. His "mission trip" foreshadows the final command He will give His disciples in what is known as "the Great Commission":
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you."
(Matthew 28:19-20Matthew 28:19-20 commentary)
In less than three years, these same disciples whom Jesus commands to go to the other side will be carrying out this mission on a global scale, spreading the gospel to the entire world. Through His example and invitation, Jesus is training them for this task. In giving these orders, He also calls for a deeper level of commitment from His disciples.
Though we do not know the exact number, at least some disciples followed Jesus into the boat. Presumably the “appointed twelve” went with Jesus (Mark 3:14-19Mark 3:14-19 commentary).
Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him (v 36).
The boats used on the Sea of Galilee were relatively small. This freshwater lake spans about 13 miles in length and 8 miles in width. A first-century fishing boat uncovered in 1986 along the sea’s northwest shore measured 27 feet long and 7.5 feet wide, with a capacity of around 15 men. The vessel Jesus used for the crossing was likely similar in size and relied on a sail for propulsion.
Mark points out that Jesus and His disciples were leaving the crowd behind when they went to the other side. Mark also indicates that Jesus’s disciples took Him with them in the boat. This means that Jesus was a passenger in the boat and not actively responsible for navigating it across the sea. This partially explains why later in this account He was asleep in the stern (v 38) instead of helping keep the boat afloat.
Several of the disciples were professional fishermen on the Sea of Galilee (Simon, Andrew, James, and John) and would have been capable of getting the boat to the other side of the water.
Mark adds the detail just as He was. This probably means that Jesus was in the same boat from which He had been teaching earlier (Mark 4:1Mark 4:1 commentary). Mark also indicates that there were other boats with Him. These other boats were possibly other boats that carried other disciples of Jesus who went with Him to the other side of the lake.
This small observation suggests that this account originally came from an eyewitness who participated in this event. Such seemingly unimportant details give Mark’s Gospel a ring of authenticity. Jesus’s disciple Peter was the source for Mark’s gospel account and was possibly the disciple in charge of the boat trip. Again, it is the kind of thing that only a participant would be keen to remember.
The journey across the lake would typically take a few hours.
While they were on their journey to the other side, Mark tells his readers that a storm arose and began to overwhelm the boat Jesus was in:
And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up (v 37).
The windstorm was fierce. It was so great that the waves were breaking over the sides of the boat.
Mark writes: so much the boat was already filling up, to express how quickly this happened. So much water came over the sides that the boat was quickly filling up. Matthew wrote: “the boat was being covered with the waves” (Matthew 8:24Matthew 8:24 commentary).
Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (v 38).
As the water filled the hull of the boat, Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. While both the other Gospels who describe this event mention that Jesus was asleep (Matthew 8:24Matthew 8:24 commentary, commentary Luke 8:23Luke 8:23 commentary), only Mark’s gospel, with the fisherman, Peter, as its source, states where Jesus was situated in the boat as He slept. He was in the stern—i.e. the back of the boat. Mark also says He was asleep on a cushion.
Jesus was apparently exhausted from a long day of preaching to the crowd. He rested peacefully. His sleep also reflected His complete trust in His Father's protection, even amid the fierce storm.
Despite their experience as fishermen, the disciples were unable to navigate through the overwhelming waves and the fierce gales of wind brought on by the storm to bring the boat safely to shore. Overcome with fear, they believed their lives were in danger. (The storm must have been especially fierce for professional fishermen to feel this endangered.)
With nowhere else to turn, they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (v 38).
The disciples' plea is urgent. They awoke Jesus from His sleep and addressed Him as "Teacher." Interestingly, each of the three Gospels that recount this event uses a different title for Jesus when the disciples called out to Him.
Matthew uses “Lord” (Matthew 8:25Matthew 8:25 commentary) (Greek: κύριε—pronounced: “ku-rié”—G2962). In this context, it emphasizes Jesus’s Messianic authority as "Lord." Matthew’s focus on the Messiahship of Jesus reflects one of his main concerns, particularly in addressing his primary Jewish audience.
Luke uses “Master” (Greek: ἐπιστάτα—pronounced: “è-pi-sta-tá”—G1988). The term "Èpistatá" is rarely used in the Greek New Testament and means "overseer" or "the one who is in charge." More literally, it refers to "the one with standing or authority." The English translation "Master" broadly encompasses these meanings, though it may seem blunt. Nonetheless, "Master" effectively conveys the disciples' urgency and desperation in calling upon Jesus.
Mark uses “Teacher” (Greek: διδάσκαλε—pronounced: “di-das-ka-lé”—G1320). The term "Teacher" reflects Jesus’s authority as their religious instructor. The Jewish word commonly used for "teacher" is "rabbi" (see John 1:38John 1:38 commentary). In his gospel, Mark was likely adapting the term "Rabbi" for a Roman audience, using Teacher to make the concept more familiar and accessible.
By using "didaskalé" to convey what the disciples meant in this moment of fear, Mark emphasizes Jesus's authority as their religious teacher. This word choice highlights His role as their guide and instructor, even as they face the terrifying storm, but their sudden outburst in this dangerous moment also may have betrayed their limited understanding of who Jesus truly was—a Teacher.
By calling Jesus “Teacher,” and then demonstrating His powerful response which calms the storm, Mark starkly reveals that Jesus is far more than a religious Teacher or moral instructor.
Mark’s Roman audience might have been quick to grant that Jesus was a good Teacher, but not more than that. Describing this event as he does, Mark challenges his Roman readers’ limited understanding of Jesus to ask as the disciples in the boat with Jesus will soon ask: Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him? (v 41b).
The use of three different Greek terms by the Gospel writers further suggests that the Gospels are a Greek account of events that originally took place in Aramaic and/or Hebrew. This reflects the translators' efforts to capture the meaning and context of the original language in a way that would resonate with their diverse audiences. Thus, all three Greek terms used in the three gospel accounts are accurate to what was originally spoken. And moreover, it could be that different disciples who were in the boat with Jesus used three different terms when they tried to wake Jesus—and that each Gospel writer selected a different term to use in their account.
To learn more about how different languages were used in first-century Judea, see The Bible Says article: “The Four Languages of Jesus’s Judea.”
Furthermore, each Gospel writer expresses the disciples' plea with slight variations, each emphasizing different aspects of the moment.
Mark highlights the disciples' astonishment that Jesus is not frightened by the danger they face. “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” The disciples’ rhetorical question in Mark reveals both their fear and lack of faith, as they seem to rebuke Jesus.
Matthew captures a more complete sense of the disciples’ desperation and hope with their cry, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” (Matthew 8:25bMatthew 8:25b commentary)
Luke, the most concise of the Gospel writers on this moment, records the disciples’ fear with the simple but urgent plea: “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
The differences in these expressions—especially between Luke and Matthew on one hand, and Mark on the other—might suggest that different disciples may have said somewhat different things to Jesus as they feared for their lives in the midst of the fierce storm. These variations could reflect the individual personalities and perspectives of the disciples, each expressing their fear and desperation in their own way.
Mark records that after the disciples’ plea with Jesus:
And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm (v 39).
Jesus spoke directly to the natural elements. He said to them: Hush, be still. And when He rebuked the wind and sea, they instantly stopped. The wind died down and the sea became perfectly calm. All was quiet and still—as Jesus had commanded.
The creation obeyed the voice of its Creator who had spoken it into existence (Genesis 1Genesis 1 commentary, commentary John 1:3John 1:3 commentary, commentary Colossians 1:16Colossians 1:16 commentary). This moment dramatically showcases Jesus’s divine authority over nature, revealing His power as the Creator Himself, far more than a mere moral teacher, as the disciples had just called Him.
After Jesus rebuked the weather, He turned His attention to His disciples.
And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (v 40).
Jesus's rebuke of His disciples' lack of faith serves as an admonishment, urging them to trust in His power and presence, even in the most terrifying and uncertain circumstances.
Matthew’s account interestingly records Jesus’s rebuke of His disciples before He calms the storm (Matthew 8:25-26Matthew 8:25-26 commentary), rather than afterward, as recorded by Mark and Luke (Luke 8:24-25Luke 8:24-25 commentary).
This indicates that Jesus likely rebuked His disciples both before and after He calmed the storm. It also reinforces how the same principles and expectations of faith apply before/during an intense trial and after it has abated.
Mark describes His disciples’ response after they saw Him command the wind and waves to become perfectly calm, and Jesus’s rebuke of them:
They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (v 41).
The men in the boat, who had already witnessed Jesus heal lepers, cure various diseases, and cast out demons, were filled with fear when they saw Jesus rebuke the fierce wind and calm the overwhelming waves of the storm to perfect stillness and quiet. This moment deepened their awe and reverence and understanding of Jesus, as they realized that He held authority over even the forces of nature.
Mark’s description of the disciples—they became very much afraid—is quite revealing. Notice how their fear palpably increases as it shifts from fear of physically perishing to fear of who Jesus is.
The disciples were trembling not so much from the dramatic rescue but because they became afraid due to the seismic shift in their understanding and paradigm of who Jesus really was. This moment appears to have greatly challenged their underlying assumptions of who Jesus was. Their assumptions were far too small for the reality. From this moment on, unless they suppressed the truth of what they had witnessed, it would no longer be possible for them to only follow Jesus as a teacher. At a much deeper and core level, the disciples were beginning to recognize who Jesus really was—God almighty in human form.
Mark’s account of this pivotal moment is intended to have a similar effect with his audience.
The disciples asked themselves, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
The only Person with this kind of authority was the Master of the universe, the Creator of the wind and the waves. As their Creator, Jesus had the divine authority to command the winds and the sea, demonstrating His power over all aspects of creation.
The disciples’ question in Matthew’s Gospel is perhaps even more poignant:
“What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
(Matthew 8:27bMatthew 8:27b commentary)
The Gospels reveal that this Man is God—the Creator of the wind, the sea, and all things. He is the Messiah, the King of Heaven and Earth. Despite witnessing this miracle and many others, the disciples in the boat were only beginning to comprehend Jesus's true identity as the LORD God.