Jesus Calms the Storm
Asleep in the stern, then a word to the wind: Peace, be still.
Crossing the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sleeps in the stern as a fierce storm nearly swamps the boat. The terrified disciples wake him; he rebukes the wind and says to the sea, Peace, be still — and there is a great calm. What manner of man is this, they ask, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
What happened
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
He rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
What it means
The scene sets Jesus' humanity and deity side by side within a few verses. He is so genuinely, exhaustedly human that he sleeps through a storm that terrifies professional fishermen — and then so unmistakably divine that a word from him silences the sea. Only God commands wind and wave in the Old Testament; here a carpenter from Nazareth does it lying down.
Jesus' question to the disciples — why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? — reframes the whole event. The real storm was not on the lake but in their hearts. His presence in the boat had never been in doubt; their trust in that presence had failed. Fear and faith are the parable inside the miracle.
For every believer since, the storm-stiller in the boat is a picture of Christ in the trials of life. He may seem asleep; the waves may be breaking over the sides; but he is present, he is sovereign over the storm, and at his word there can be a great calm — even if, sometimes, the calm he gives is first of all within.