Jesus Calms the Storm

The in-depth summary of each bible study is much different from the small group bible study laid out before the leader and the students.  The small group studies are intended to be interactive, provide a learning atmosphere for students, and open discussions allowing for interpretations of what the gospels’ witnessed.  The in-depth summary is designed to help the leader with expansive information, much more than what is in the text notes found at the bottom of every bible page.  An exhaustive search was completed on each verse to help the Leader answer questions that may come up during the study.

This story described by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, provides an excellent example of how the Lord is with us at all times.  Especially when we feel we are at our wit’s ends, where there’s no way out.  Darkness and despair can overcome our rational way of decision-making, and we wonder how did we get into this mess in the first place.  The story is so much more than Jesus is in a boat with his disciples, a great storm occurs, the disciples get scared, they wake Him up, and Jesus saves them by rebuking waves and the wind.

Mark 4:35, and Luke 8:22.  Jesus Tells the Disciples to Cross to the Other Side. 

Jesus and His disciples were in Galilee.  Galilee is the region on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Lake of Tiberias.  The region runs from the River Jordan on the north side to the south end of the Sea of Galilee, where the River Jordan outflows.  To keep this in context, in Mark 4:35, he states, “On the same day.”  Before this, (Mark 4:1-34) Jesus is providing His sermons of “The Parable of the Sower, A Lamp on a Stand, The Parable of the Growing Seed, and the Parable of the Mustard Seed.  He spoke to them from a boat on the lake they called Lake Tiberias.  It would have been common for the local community of Tiberias to call the Lake they were fishing on “Lake Tiberias.”  There is a high probability this is where they were located that morning and afternoon. When Jesus tells his disciples, “Let’s cross over to the other side.”  It also does not exactly state here, however if they are in Tiberias, and they wish to cross to the other side, He most likely wants to go to Gadarenes.  Matthew 8:28-34 is the miracle of sending demons into a herd of pigs.  It is stated in Matthew 8:28 when they arrived on the other side of the lake, they were in the land of Gadarenes.  The Romans occupied the area and called it the region of Tetrarchy of Philip.

 Matthew 8:23, Mark 4:36, and Luke 8:22 Before and After they Embarked.

Before getting into the boat, Jesus would have known what events were going to unfold.  Even just traveling across the lake, Jesus provides an event for another learning opportunity.

The lake they were crossing was the Lake of Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee.    It is a fresh-water lake, just more than 13 miles north to south and 7 miles east to west, and at its deepest level is 141 feet deep.  The lake is fed partly by underground springs, but most of the water comes from the Jordan River in the north.  The lake drains out at the southern end of the lake, where the Jordan River continues to flow, where it will eventually make its way to the Dead Sea.  The lake is about 700 feet below sea level, surrounded by mountains as high as 2,000 feet above sea level.  When the warm tropical air at the lake level rises and mixes with the cooler air from the mountains, high unstable turbulence and wind blow over the valley and the Sea of Galilee.  The fishermen on the lake knew this and would stay off the lake during such high winds, which would cause high waves on the water.

Matthew 8:23 and Luke 8:22 state, He got into a boat, and His disciples went with Him.  The boat or ship would have probably been a small open boat with sails and oars, commonly used for fishing.  Titus Flavius Josephus, a Greek historian in the first century, wrote more than 300 fishing boats on the Sea of Galilee.  They would have navigated the boat themselves to travel across the Lake.  The boat would have to be large enough to hold Jesus and his disciples. Mark 4:36 also mentions other little boats were also with Him.  So not only were the 12 apostles with Him, but disciples and other people were in other little boats as well.  This illustrates a slightly different picture of just one boat in jeopardy when the storm suddenly occurs.

Matthew 8:24, Mark 4:37, and Luke 8:23 A Great Tempest or Windstorm Arose.

Matthew describes a great tempest that arose on the sea, while Mark and Luke mention it as a windstorm.  A great tempest is another term for a violent storm or a wind, so strong their lives were in danger.  Notice none of them mentioned it was raining.  These must have been powerful winds causing high waves on the Sea of Galilee.  It would not be uncommon for waves to be as high as 20 feet during high winds.  In the 1st century, these boats were made from wood for fishing and probably not very thick to withstand and endure high waves with the velocity of bouncing off one wave onto another.

On an average summer day, winds on the sea of Galilee average from 3-10 mph. On December 12, 2010, a storm broke out at Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee, with wind gusts reported from 31-68 mph.  To put things into perspective, below is a calculation of wind speed ranges on how it affects the height of waves on the sea.

The Beaufort Wind Scale (https://www.weather.gov/mfl/beaufort)

The Beaufort wind scale calculates the type of wind by “force,” it is given a name with the wind speed, calculates an approximate height of the waves on the sea, and describes the type of wave that is produced.  Here is a breakdown:

Force   Name                          Wind Speed   Wave Height  Type of Wave

0          Calm 0 mph             0 feet              Like a mirror

1           Light air                      1-3 mph         0.25 feet         Ripples – no foam crests

2          Light breeze               4-7 mph         0.5-1 foot       Small wavelets – not breaking

3         Gentle breeze            8-12 mph       2-3 feet           Small wavelets – crest breaks

4          Moderate breeze     13-18 mph     3-6 feet           Large waves forming-white caps

5          Fresh breeze              19-24 mph     6-8 feet           Moderate waves-white caps

6          Strong breeze            25-31 mph     9-15 feet        Larger waves-white caps

7          Near gale                    32-38 mph     13-19 feet      Sea heaps-white form blowing

8          Gale                            39-46 mph     18-25 feet      Edges crests breaking spindrifts

9          Strong gale                 47-54 mph     23-32 feet      High waves, sea rolls

10        Storm                         55-63 mph     29-41 feet      Very high waves, overhang crests

11        Violet Storm              64-73 mph     37-52 feet      Exceptionally high waves

12        Hurricane                   74+ mph         52+ feet          Sea completely white

There are a couple of differences that require some detail.  Both Matthew and Mark mention the boat was covered with waves, or the waves were beating into the boat.  The waves were high enough to breach the upper edge of the side of the boat, also known as the gunwale.  Both Mark and Luke mention the boat was filling with water.  Boats of this size were not very large, and it would not take long before they would fill up with water if waves were overtaking them.  Let us also not forget about the other little boats that were along with them.

Matthew 8:24-25, Mark 4:38, and Luke 8:23-24, Jesus was asleep, His disciples awoke Him.

Each of the three gospels state something different about Jesus sleeping.  Matthew stated when the boat was covered with waves, He was asleep.  Mark states Jesus was sleeping in the stern on a pillow.  Luke states Jesus fell asleep as they sailed.  We can probably conclude Jesus was sleeping in the stern as they sailed and was still asleep when the boat was covered with waves.  Jesus was probably tired after providing his sermons in Mark 4:1-34 earlier that day.  He is also showing his true humanity.  Jesus needed food and rest just like all people do. We can also conclude the time of day was most likely evening or night. 

Matthew 8:25, Mark 4:38, and Luke 8:24, They were Perishing.

Mark 4:38 asks it as a question. Matthew and Luke do not phrase it as a question.  There are not many notes about asking Jesus, “Don’t you care?” in bibles.  However, there are a couple of paths of interpretation to take.  (1) Jesus told them to get into the boat to go to the other side.  They were in Jesus’ care.  He was not worried about anything of what was going to happen to them.  When we are in Jesus’ care, we should not worry.  He has our back.  (2) It could be that Jesus was testing the faith of our disciples. Matthew refers to Jesus as “Lord,” Mark refers to him as “Teacher,” and Luke refers to him as “Master.” All of whom are a person of authority, wisdom, and guidance.  However, there is a distinct difference between Lord, and teacher, and master. Being that the three of them have different perspectives of who Jesus is, perhaps they are all not yet at the same level of accepting who Jesus really is.

 Jesus either calms the storm first, or He states, “Where is your faith?” first.   Matthew writes Jesus asks, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith.” first.  Then Matthew writes Jesus got up and clams the storm.  Where Mark and Luke state, He first arose, rebuked the winds, and then He asks, “Why are you fearful?  How is it that you have little faith?”  In either case, all three agree both events and statements took place.

Matthew 8:26, Mark 4:39, and Luke 8:24, Jesus Calms the Storm.

When the disciples feel all hope is lost and perish and lose their lives, Jesus rises and rebukes the storm.  Only Mark states Jesus said to the winds and the sea, “Peace, be still!”  Matthew and Mark state, “there was a great calm.”  What an astonishing sight to see winds 30-40 mph and waves 15-20 feet high or higher to miraculously become completely still.  Jesus demonstrates a capability only God can possess physically, halting the chaos of the storm.

Matthew 8:26, Mark 4:40, and Luke 8:25 Jesus asks, “Where is your faith?”

Matthew and Mark both state, Jesus asks, why are the disciples fearful?  Up to this point, the disciples have heard from Jesus.  They heard his great wisdom and knowledge of the old testament.  They heard him preaching his parables and His Word.  They have even seen miracles such as water being turned into wine and healing of the sick on many occasions.  However, this was the first time the disciples’ own personal lives were at risk of being killed.  Jesus then asks the disciples where is their faith in Him.  From Jesus’ perspective, He has already performed many miracles.  He has provided so much wisdom and knowledge of the bible and how to live as a good and faithful Christian.  Is it really a leap for them to put their physical trust of safety in Him?  Jesus did not think so.  This was a great demonstration from Jesus that He will have your back if you believe in Him.

Matthew 8:27, Mark 4:41, and Luke 8:25, The disciples are marveled.

This is a paradigm shift for the disciples.  The wind and sea they fished in for generations was something that could never be tamed.  They have seen a few miracles from Jesus already, but seeing with their own eyes the wind and the sea immediately obey Jesus’ word to becoming still, must have been a revelation.  Think of all the chaos that was going on that this moment.  There was darkness.  The waves were very high and slamming into the boats—the howling sound of the winds.  The wind would blow water up from the sea sideways onto the boat and the men.  The boats could not be navigated as they were being tossed from one wave to the next—the seamen’s cries on the boat and the other smaller boats nearby.  Then by a single command from Jesus, all become still.  No wonder it was said the men marveled.  This event played out as part of His plan.  It was necessary for Jesus’ disciple’s lives were to be put in parrel while under Jesus’ care to test their faith.  With their lack of faith, it played out exactly how He wanted it to.

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