Wayne Jackson wrote this article which appeared in the March 1986 Christian Courier. The paper was published by the Church of Christ in Stockton, California. Jackson was the editor.
After Jesus had concluded His great "Sermon on the Mount" in Galilee, He went down to the city of Capernaum on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Tiberias. As He journeyed along, great multitudes followed Him (cf. Matthew 8:1, 5). Christ began to teach this huge crowd, speaking to them in parables. As the day drew to a close, the Master and His disciples entered into a boat and departed for the opposite side of the lake. It was during this trip that the great storm occurred which resulted in the miracle of the stilling of the tempest. The account of this amazing episode is recorded in each of the synoptics (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25). Let us in this brief study, consider some of the details of this thrilling narrative.
It was an extremely busy day in the ministry of Jesus. All day long He had taught the massive crowds the mysteries of the kingdom of God. But now, "evening was come" (Mark 4:35) and the Lord said, "Let us go over to the other side." Accordingly, the disciples took Jesus, weary from the long day's teaching and they set sail for the opposite shore.
We should do some brief background study before we explore the details of this account. The Sea of Galilee is a relatively small body of water. It is about 55 miles south of the source of the Jordan River. It is designated in the Scriptures as Chinnereth (Numbers 34:11), Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1) and the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18). This body of water, so famous because of its association with Christ, is about 13 miles (North-South) by 7 miles (East-West). It is 695 feet below sea level and has a maximum depth of 165 feet.
The boat they were using was one of those small fishing vessels so common to the Sea of Galilee. It was equipped with a sail (Luke 8:23), oars (Mark 6:48) and was large enough to accommodate at least thirteen men, with room for Jesus to sleep in the stern. Normally, a trip from Capernaum over to the, "country of the Gadarenes" (Matthew 8:23) would take only an hour or two.
Well, the journey was begun. It is significant that Luke records, "But as they sailed He (Jesus) fell asleep." The impression seems to be that He dropped off to sleep almost as soon as they were under way. Mark notes that He was in the stern (rear) of the boat asleep on "cushion" (the Greek term simply means a "headrest"). Presently, "there came down a storm of wind on the lake" (Luke 5:23). The language is quite vivid. In his famous volume, the Land and the Bible, W.M. Thompson wrote: "To understand the causes of these sudden and violent tempests, we must remember the lake lies low - six hundred feet lower than the ocean; that the vast and naked plateaus of the Jaulan rise to a great height spreading backward to the wilds of the Hauran and upward to snowy Hermon; that the water-courses have cut out profound ravines and wild gorges, converging to the head of this lake and that these act like gigantic funnels to draw down the cold winds from the mountains" (p. 374). The storms can be both sudden and fierce.
The word for "storm" as used by Mark and Luke, is laipas. J. H. Thayer notes that this type of storm, "is never a single gust, nor a steadily blowing wind however violent, but a storm breaking forth from black thunder clouds in furious gusts, with floods of rain and throwing of everything topsy-turvy" (Greek Lexicon, p. 368). Matthew though, uses the word siesoms, a "shaking storm." One can almost hear the crashing thunder and see the blinding bursts of lightning!
Luke says the water was "raging." Mark notes that the, "waves beat into the boat" and Matthew says that the vessel was engulfed by the swells (cf. Luke 8:24; Mark 4:37; Matthew 8:24). Both Mark and Luke declared that the boat was "filling" with water. It does not take much imagination to picture a scene of mad confusion. Amidst the noise of the elements, the disciples are attempting to lower the sail, furiously row the boat to shore and bail. No doubt, excited shouts punctuated the air. It is quite important to set this scene in your mind, for in spite of this wild commotion, Jesus, "was asleep" (Matthew 8:24). In the Greek Testament, the verb is in the imperfect tense, meaning the Lord "kept on sleeping." We must take a brief moment to comment on this for it is wonderfully instructive.
First, as we have already suggested, it reveals the utter exhaustion of the Teacher. Perhaps we do not fully appreciate the physical and emotional strain under which Christ labored. His busy ministry was very demanding. Note for example, how Jesus stopped to rest at Jacob's well, "being wearied" (John 4:6). The Lord fully partook of the nature of man (Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14). He thus could be hungry (Matthew 4:2), thirsty (John 19:28), tearful (Luke 19:41; John 11:35), or as in this present instance, bone tired. While we must never neglect to stress the deity of our Savior (John 1:1; Hebrews 1:8), we must never forget His humanity as well.
Second, the sleeping Christ in the midst of a violent storm underscores the absolute confidence of the Son of god in the protective care of His heavenly Father. Surely Jesus knew as the psalmist had proclaimed centuries earlier, that "he that keepeth thee will not slumber" (Psalm 121:3). Christ had a divine appointment with Calvary. No force of nature could prevent that. Hence, the Savior could sweetly sleep on.
To the credit of the disciples, we must observe that they did not awaken Jesus the moment the storm began to threaten. Rather, they only panicked when the tempest struck with all its fury. Of course they should have known that, no water can swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and earth and skies" but their weak faith did not suggest that at this moment of terror. Hence, they awoke Him saying, "Master, we are perishing! Don't You care that we are perishing? Lord, save us!"
The first words from Jesus' lips, even before He rose up from His resting place were, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 8:26) Some may be inclined to think that the Lord was rather harsh here but actually He was not as the record subsequently reveals. Christ had selected these men to be His chosen messengers. How could they be in any real danger? had they an accurate vision of their mission, they should have known this. Hence, it was necessary that He speak to the storm in their hearts before He addressed the raging elements of nature!
Now for the miracle. Jesus arose and rebuked the winds and the sea saying, "Peace, be still." The Greek is literally, "Be silent, be muzzled." The latter term is a perfect tense form, thus "be muzzled and stay muzzled" (cf. A. T. Robertson, Greek Grammar, p. 908). Immediately the wind ceased and upon the sea was a "great calm." This is clear evidence of a miracle. With but a word, the howling wind is muted and the crashing billows become a mirror of glass. Hendriksen has beautifully written, "Generally, as is well known, after the winds have perceptibly diminished, the billows will continue to roll for a while, surging and subsiding as if unwilling to follow the example of the now subdued air currents above them. But in this instance winds and waves synchronize in the sublime symphony of a solemn silence" (Commentary on Matthew, p. 412).
The Lord then directed His attention back to the trembling twelve. He asked, "Where is your faith? Why are you fearful? Have you not yet faith?" Even after the storm had abated, the Master's men are still in the grip of fear. Perhaps now however, not in fear of the tempest so much but awed by the fuller knowledge of Him in whose presence they stood. There is precedent aplenty for fearfulness when men recognize that they are in the presence of divine majesty (cf. Isaiah 6:5; Ezekiel 1:28; Luke 5:8; Revelation 1:17). And note that "yet". "Have you not yet faith?" Christ may be asking, "Having been with Me and observed both my power and My compassion, do you not yet trust Me?"
The disciples are both amazed and yet still in the clutch of fear, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands the winds and water and they obey Him" (Luke 8:25)?
The answer must be, He is the Son of the living God!
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