Mark gives us a revealing view of Christ in Mark 4:35-41 let’s review it before we begin.
MK 4:35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." (36) Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. (37) A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. (38) Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?" (39) He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (40) He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (41) They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Jesus often sat in a boat to teach, it allowed Him to still teach to the crowd but to avoid being pressed in upon all sides. Mark 4:1 shows us that He had been teaching from a boat all throughout this chapter. Several of the 12 disciples were fisherman on the Sea of Galilee so it was not difficult to obtain a boat.
(36) Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
When evening time came He was understandably tired and He desired to leave for the other side of the lake so His disciples simply rowed off with Him in the boat and headed for the opposite shore. This allowed Him to escape much of the crowd but some followed in boats as well. The Sea of Galilee was not that big, about 3.5 miles at the widest part so some of the crowd actually ran around the shore to meet Him on the other side as we will see in the 6th Chapter of Mark.
And thus begins a very unique story with a very unique miracle involved.
(37) A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. (38) Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?"
The location of the Sea of Galilee caused it to have these sudden violent storms on a pretty regular basis. It sat low between high hills on all sides and rising heat of the day causes cool air to rush down the valleys and across the surface of the lake with considerable force. This causes a swirling wind and big waves which seem to come up from thin air. This phenomenon still occurs today.
A squall is a storm accompanied by strong winds; the Amplified Bible says the winds were “of hurricane proportions”. (Mark 4:37 AMP)
So this was no small breeze but a real blow and the boat was pitching and yawing and rolling and the wind and waves brought water into the boat; so much water that it was nearly swamped—nearly full enough of water to the point of sinking.
Jesus was in the rear of the boat sleeping on a cushion—He was sleeping through all this and those sturdy fisherman disciples of His were nearly panic stricken. How could He sleep at a time like this?
In a panic they woke Him up saying “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown”
(39) He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (40) He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (41) They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Let’s see verse 39 in the Amplified Bible which seems to add a good dose of color and reality to the picture. And He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still (muzzled)! And the wind ceased, [that is, sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating] and there was (immediately) a great calm—a perfect peacefulness. (Mark 4:39 AMP)
One definition of rebuke is to keep back or turn down so he got up and told the wind to keep back or to turn down and then He addressed the sea speaking to it as though it was a child, “Hush now! Be still!” and it did just as He told it to do. There was an immediate calm.
To put it in today’s vernacular the disciples freaked out!
(40) He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
Once again we get a definition of what Jesus calls faith. For further clarity let’s see the Amplified Bible’s rendition of this verse. He said to them, “Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith—no firmly relying trust?”
Notice here that the faith Jesus speaks about is firmly relying trust in Him. That was His question. “How is it that you have no firmly relying trust in Me?” Where else would they have placed their faith at that time and in that circumstance? Who among them just demonstrated control of nature itself? None other than Jesus the Christ, Messiah Jesus, the Anointed One of God is the one they were to have faith in. And we also must place our faith entirely in Him.
At that time and in that boat their reaction was: (41) They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
This was a miracle of a much different proportion than the healings and delivering from evil spirits that Jesus usually did. They were used to having a view of Him as one who healed the sick and cast out demons on a one to one basis with the people for He had ministered to thousands of them individually. At this point they had probably seen Him feed a crowd with a few loaves and fish. But this---this was something else indeed and it was mind boggling to them! He stood up and with a command controlled the very forces of nature that was on a rampage! With words He controlled a howling wind and huge waves and made them return to calmness. He demonstrated powers that they didn’t expect even from Him! No wonder they were terrified.
The Apostle John would later come to a realization of what He had just witnessed and he would pass it on in the very beginning of his Gospel. This is what he said: JN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (3) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Verse 3 shows that John realized that Jesus was with God at the creation and in fact He was the maker of all things that were created. So would it not be absolutely normal for the elements of creation itself to respond to their Creator!
This miracle widened the scope of what the Apostles thought He could do and proved his divinity. With just a few words He took their narrow worldly perspective of Him and showed that He has universal powers that are not limited to one on one situations. Should He desire He could make the sun rise in the north and set in the south, He could realign the planets, redo the solar system. Do you see that Jesus is not limited to healing and deliverance; do you see His power with new eyes? Do you see Him in a new light?
I hope that this teaching has also widened your perspective of Jesus and the type of power that He has. Power that is without limit, power that according to John 1:1-3 was present with God and that actually did the creating of the universe. He is God the Son the incarnate representation of the Father. Stop limiting what He can do in your life and open your heart to Him. Sell out to the One who, though He certainly did not have to, willingly went to the cross for you so that you may have eternal life in Him. Come to Him today.
Let’s pray:
Jesus, I see you with new eyes today, I see you with all universal power, I know you did not have to go to the cross and certainly could have defeated any foe that came against you. But you showed your love for me by lovingly taking my sins upon You willingly upon that cross—dying to bear my sin and making me acceptable to God. I accept you as my Lord and Savior come within me and make me a new person in You. I believe I am forgiven and a new person today in your precious name. Amen.
