069. Chapter 10 - The Stilling of the Tempest

Chapter 10 - The Stilling of the Tempest Matthew 8:23-27;Mark 4:35-41;Luke 8:22-25

“What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:27). A storm can become wild and boisterous even on a small lake. The Sea of Galilee is six and a half by twelve miles. It is 682 feet below sea level and is surrounded by high mountains. The winds swoop down on the lake, and a severe storm quickly brings the peril of disaster. The Boat The matter-of-fact narratives do not tell us whose boat it was in which they embarked as they bade farewell to the multitude. We conclude that it was Peter’s boat. His home in Capernaum was headquarters for the campaign. How large a boat was this that could accommodate thirteen passengers and could take on a cargo of fish? The narratives tell of the disciples’ rowing this boat. Undoubtedly it was of such size that each man handled only one oar. And it would certainly have been equipped with sails. Who took care of this boat so that on every occasion it would be ready for His use whenever He arrived, even after a lengthy absence? How many unknown, obscure disciples there must have been in the second line, men who were glad to do the most menial service for Christ. It would take a great deal of work to keep a boat used for fishing enterprise fit for passenger service on short notice. The Time

Mark notes that “on that day when even was come, He saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side” (Mark 4:35). This definitely establishes that this miracle of the stilling of the tempest occurred on the same day as the delivery of the sermon in parables It is called “the busy day” of Jesus’ ministry. We know of more events that happened on this day than any other with the exception of the last week of Jesus’ ministry. It was afternoon before they started across the lake. Mark adds a significant phrase in describing Jesus’ departure, “And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat” (Mark 4:36). How was this, “even as he was”? Without food or time to procure food, without rest and exhausted from incredible labors. This reminds us of the note John gives of the physical exhaustion of Jesus at Jacob’s well, “Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well” (John 4:6). How quickly Jesus was stirred again to action on both occasions. The call of human need was all that was required. “Thus” sounds very much like “even as he was.” The Master The stern of the boat was the most favorable location for rest as far as space was concerned. And the bow would be more likely to be showered by spray. If the person who manned the tiller of the boat was also here at the stern guiding the course of the craft, the boat was still large enough to allow Jesus to fall asleep here. Mark uses the Greek structure where the noun is omitted after the definite article “the,” and this must be supplied by the reader when he reads how Jesus was asleep “on the (….) for the head.” It was not a mattress sufficient to give comfort to the entire body, but a pillow which sufficed to give rest to the head. We do not know how long Jesus slept thus. It is the only time we have such a scene described. The disciples are recorded as going to sleep in times when Jesus was most intent upon His mission (on the mount of transfiguration and in the garden of Gethsemane). Here on the lake we think of the boat going forward slowly as it sailed under a gentle breeze. They were traveling from the northwest corner of the lake to a point about midway of the eastern side. An hour or two would certainly have sufficed for an ordinary crossing. The storm seems to have arisen when they were in the middle of the lake. This scene is usually underscored as one that presents in quick succession the humanity and the divinity of Christ. The picture of Jesus so worn out from His labors that He takes this opportunity for a brief rest makes Him seem very close to us in our human frailty. We never read of the disciples interrupting any devotional period in the life of Christ, and it is only when facing the dire menace of the storm that they awaken Jesus from this brief rest. The Storm The word used by Mark and Luke to describe the fury of this storm is onomatopoetic (the sound suggests the meaning), lailaps. Matthew uses the term seismos to describe the storm. The relation of this word to our term seismograph is immediately apparent. The word can mean an earthquake, but it is also a common word for a tempest in that a storm causes a shaking or commotion. The word lailaps used by Mark and Luke means, according to Thayer, “never a single gust of wind, but a storm breaking from black thunderclouds in furious gusts, with floods of rain, and throwing everything topsy-turvy” (Aristotle, De Mundo). “It is a whirlwind revolving from below upwards.”

Even though storms descend very suddenly upon the Sea of Galilee from the surrounding mountains, the disciples must have seen these dark, menacing clouds sweeping down upon them. Were they not tempted to awaken Jesus even as they saw the storm approaching? Is it not remarkable that they were able to control themselves and not awaken Jesus until they were on the point of sinking? If torrents of rain were now descending, then the fact that Jesus was able to sleep with the wild storm bringing the boat to the point of final destruction and with the downpour of rain upon Him, is all the more astonishing. His exhaustion was very great.

Impending Disaster

Mark says, “the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling” (Mark 4:37). Matthew’s account is perfectly clear in the Greek text, but the translation may leave the reader pondering how it could be possible for a person to be asleep in such a boat, “insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves” (Matthew 8:24). A result clause in Greek is introduced by hoste and can take either the indicative or the infinitive. With the indicative it means the result is actually achieved; with the infinitive it describes a tendency or a partial fulfillment. Hence Matthew says in the Greek, “was about to be covered with the waves.” At every crash of the waves against the side of the boat, the water was being thrown over the gunwale into the boat. The stern of the boat was evidently higher than the side where the waves were crashing over. Luke uses nautical terms with great facility. This does not show that Luke was a sailor any more than his abundant use of medical terms gives any absolute proof that he was a physician. We know he was a physician by the explicit declaration of Paul (Colossians 4:14). Luke’s use of nautical terms shows his high educational background. He says of the storm, “And there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy” (Luke 8:23). They were filling is a nautical term for the condition of a boat which is sinking. With water is added by the translators to assist the understanding of the reader. The a.v. is not quite so accurate in rendering, “and yet they were filled with water.” The process was not as yet complete. Luke also says in typical nautical language of their start and voyage, “They launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep” (Luke 8:22, Luke 8:23). The Disciples The action of the disciples in awakening Jesus was a last resort. They felt that death was close at hand. Several of the disciples were fishermen quite accustomed to violent storms on this lake. They had faith enough to believe that if He was awake He could save them. They did not have faith enough to understand that there was no danger with Jesus in the midst asleep or awake. Thus the first thing Jesus did, when He was awakened, was to rebuke them. Matthew shows that the first thing Jesus said was, “Why are ye fearful? O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). Mark and Luke record the additional rebuke Jesus gave after the tempest had been stilled. The adverb yet stands out in Mark’s account, “Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?” They had seen so many miracles which proved His claims to deity they should have known that God would not permit them to perish in this storm. Luke records the blunt question, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). The Accounts The independence of the accounts is most impressive in light of the modern efforts to cut the Gospel narratives up into “sources” and to claim that the writers copied from one another or from similar sources. Professor James Hardy Ropes of Harvard was very emphatic upon the proposition that the source theories must stand or fall upon comparison of both the similarities and the differences in the accounts. The shallow idea of some is that the similarities must be considered, but the differences are to be ignored; this is merely the proposition that favorable facts will be counted, but any facts that would contradict the theory will be suppressed. It is perfectly natural that persons recording the same experience or the same event will tell many of the same details but will have some details that are peculiar to their record. Added to this there is the miraculous inspiration which guided the writers. It is no adequate reply to sneer at this as “the dictation theory of inspiration” and to say that it is not the popular view today. The writers of the Bible claim to have had miraculous guidance of the Holy Spirit. That the writers were permitted to use their own ability is seen in the difference in style of the authors. Luke’s use of nautical terms in this account is an illustration. But certainly the Holy Spirit could have directed the very words a writer used, if there was need for it. That so many of the same events are recorded in the Synoptics is most natural. That so few of the same events (with the exception of the last week) and so many new events were recorded by John who must have had the other three narratives in hand, is a deathblow to the Two-source Theory and to Form Criticism.

Excited Appeals From the three accounts we draw the conclusion that as the disciples awakened Jesus, in their fright and excitement, some cried out one thing to Him and others made appeal in other words. Particularly vivid is Luke’s account as he pictures the repetition of the word Master, “Master, Master, we perish.” This is precisely the manner of awakening someone in a desperate emergency as one lays hold of a shoulder to have touch assist in awakening him; and repeats the name of the person in the efforts to awaken. All three accounts show how sharp and monosyllabic the appeals were: “Save, Lord; we perish” (Matthew 8:25). It was particularly fitting that Matthew should be the one to record that Jesus rebuked the disciples before He rebuked the storm. They had told Jesus they were actually sinking. Mark reports a rebuke to Jesus, as if Jesus, even when asleep, should have shown more regard for them than to have allowed them to come into such jeopardy, “Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38). When they said, “Carest thou not that we perish?” did the disciples mean to imply that a person is responsible for lack of concern when he is unconscious? Was this a wild, incoherent outcry without depth of thought? Did it seem impossible to them that He could actually be sound asleep in the midst of the storm? Was this outcry based on their faith in His mysterious personality and power? Since He could read the human heart, did they also feel instinctively that He knew what was going on, even though asleep? And why did they not say, “Master, you perish”? Was this unmitigated selfishness creeping out unaware that they should express alarm for their lives rather than for His life? Was it not rather that they felt He could surmount and survive no matter what happened, but their survival was in doubt?

Fear The reasons Jesus rebuked the disciples before He rebuked the storm were to show them that there was nothing to fear; it was more important for them to have faith; the storm could not harm Him or them. We hear much of the adage “there is nothing to fear but fear,” but is this true? If a person is blindly walking toward the edge of a great precipice in the dark, is it the truth to tell him there is nothing to fear but fear? We should fear God in the sense of awe, reverence, and complete surrender of our lives to Him, but we should not attempt to deny the actuality of the temptations and perils which surround us or of death that finally overtake us. Wholesome, practical regard for the difficulties we face should constantly be taken into account, but a Christian should walk with his head erect and never succumb to cringing fear. The reason Jesus also rebuked the disciples after the storm was stilled was their need for further reassurance. The tense silence of the sudden cessation of wind and waves gave particular opportunity for this pointed instruction.

Jesus’ Rebukes

All three accounts make it very clear that Jesus addressed both the wind and the sea and that both obeyed Him: “...rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:26); “And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39); “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; and they ceased, and there was a calm” (Luke 8:24). It is most important to see that Jesus spoke to the sea as well as the wind. Sometimes winds cease suddenly over the Sea of Galilee, as suddenly as they descended upon the lake, but in no instance do wild waves instantly subside into “a great calm.” The Miracle

All efforts of unbelievers to make out that this was not a miracle, but merely a sudden chance cessation of wind such as might be expected any time, attack the writers as guilty of deliberate falsification and would make Jesus a madman who talked nonsense to the winds. The writers do not argue trying to prove it was a miracle; they simply tell what happened. The disciples who were fishermen were experienced in such storms, but even they had given up hope of survival, except for miraculous aid from Jesus. They appealed to Jesus to save them. They did not know how, but they knew He had the miraculous power. He rebuked them because they had not had more faith in Him. Jesus actually spoke to the winds and the sea. Both obeyed His command. Jesus added a further rebuke of their lack of faith. The impact of the miracle on the disciples is stated in such a reserved manner as to give most convincing evidence that this is no invented myth palmed off as history. “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:27); “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41); “Who then is this, that he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:25). The disciples were evidently bailing out the boat and getting it into “shipshape” as they whispered and murmured to one another of their amazement.

Impact on Disciples

Nathaniel had used the title “Son of God” in his declaration of faith at their first meeting, but the disciples are enlarging their conception of this Messianic title. How can Jesus be a man and have such incredible power? They see and know He is a man in their midst, but they sense that He is more than a man. Both Mark and Luke record the fear of the disciples after the storm and sea had been miraculously stilled at a word from Jesus. The use of the aorist tense in describing the instant cessation of wind and waves is most emphatic. The imperfect tense would have indicated continued action, but the aorist shows the instant obedience to Jesus’ command. This was no mere fear in the sense of shock from the close adventure with death. Mark shows that their fear was related to their question as to whether Jesus could possibly be a mere man or whether He was also God. Luke says, “Being afraid they marveled, saying,...” They had been afraid for their lives before in the midst of the storm. They are afraid now of being in the awesome presence of the supernatural. Both in the Old and the New Testaments we find men full of fear when an angel suddenly appeared to them. The presence of Jesus was even more awesome in the stillness of the calm.

Matthew, the eyewitness, simply tells what was said and done, and what happened, as he looked back upon this tense moment when he was saved from death in the storm and saw the wind suddenly cease at Jesus’ command and the waves that would have rolled for hours instantly reduced to complete calm. He does not attempt to argue for any conclusions as to the deity of Christ. The facts are quite able to speak for themselves. Mark and Luke, who record the account as they have had it from eyewitnesses, also limit themselves to bare statement of facts. The Holy Spirit obviously exercised a divine restraint upon them for us to have so brief a record. We would have attempted to write a book about this single incident. It is one of the unique features of these inspired accounts that the curtain is raised and lowered on one scene after another with the most condensed account of each. The Other Boats

We cannot help wondering what happened to the other boats that had accompanied Jesus and the apostles. Was this ordinary procedure that others would insist on remaining in the company when Jesus left with His apostles? Did these boatmen turn back and make for the shore when they saw the storm approaching? Were the boats still close enough to see the apostles awaken Jesus and to see what He did as He stretched forth His hands and commanded the wind and the waves to be still? They could hardly have heard what Jesus said. The whistling storm would have drowned out any remote hearing. Was John Mark in one of the other boats? This is the natural speculation since Mark is the only one who notes the fact that these boats followed along with the Master’s boat. Did the men in these boats turn back after the storm feeling they had had enough for one day and that they had seen enough for a lifetime? There is nothing to indicate that they were present when Jesus and the apostles landed at Gergesa.

Proof of the Miracle

Skeptics try desperately to escape the force of this stupendous miracle; they argue that the storm happened to cease as suddenly as it had begun and at the very moment Jesus spoke. But when they go through the Bible and try to claim that every miracle was an accident, their arguments are not even funny. Storms on the Sea of Galilee do sometimes cease suddenly, but the waves roll on for a considerable period of time. The lake does not change from the fury of mountainous waves to a level, placid surface in an instant. The evangelists declare that Jesus addressed both the wind and the waves. The eyewitnesses declared that both the wind and the sea obeyed Him. The simple tribute of the astounded disciples constitutes testimony of men expert on storms on this sea, slow to believe in the supernatural character of Christ, and possessed of noble ideals: “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:27). Any dishonest person, attempting to inflate a natural event into a miracle by concocting imaginary details, would never have been content with such a modest conclusion as this. Nor would he have let it be known that the disciples were rebuked for their lack of faith. Nor would he have been content to let the simple record of what happened stand on its own merits without any argument to prove that it actually was a miracle.

Matthew and the other evangelists do not attempt to argue about the reality of the miracle or what it proves; they state the simple facts, and the impression the facts made upon the eyewitnesses; they leave the reader to draw his own conclusions. Nothing could be more powerful than such a record; so brief, so unadorned, so factual.