Jesus calms the storm

One evening, Jesus told his disciples that they should cross to the other side. After the crowd was sent away, they took Jesus in the ship. Other small ships were with them too.

While they were on the water, a great windstorm began. Waves beat into the ship, and it started filling with water. Jesus was in the back part of the ship, asleep on a pillow.

The disciples woke him. They asked if he cared that they were about to perish. Jesus got up and rebuked the wind. He spoke to the sea, telling it to be still. The wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

Then Jesus asked the disciples why they were so fearful and why they had no faith.

The disciples were exceedingly afraid. They asked one another what kind of man Jesus was, because even the wind and the sea obeyed him.

Mark gives the account in a few quick steps: a crossing, a sudden storm, a ship taking on water, Jesus asleep, the disciples waking him, and then a calm that came at his word. The disciples had been afraid of the storm. After the sea became calm, they were left thinking about something even bigger: who Jesus was.

When evening came, Jesus told his disciples to cross to the other side. The multitude was sent away, and the disciples took Jesus in the ship just as he was. Mark also notes that other little ships were with him.

As they crossed, a great storm of wind arose. The waves beat into the ship so strongly that the ship was filling with water. This was not a small inconvenience. The disciples believed they were in real danger. Meanwhile, Jesus was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow.

They woke him and asked whether he cared that they were perishing. Jesus rose and rebuked the wind. Then he commanded the sea to be still. The wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

Jesus then turned to his disciples. He asked why they were so fearful and how it was that they had no faith. The storm was gone, but the account was not finished. Mark says the disciples feared exceedingly and began asking one another what manner of man Jesus was, since even the wind and the sea obeyed him.

That final question is one of the most important parts of the passage. The disciples had already seen Jesus teaching and acting with authority. Now they had watched a violent storm become calm at his command. Their question shows that they were still trying to understand the full meaning of who was with them in the ship.

Mark's order also creates a striking contrast. First there is noise, wind, waves, and a ship filling with water. Jesus is asleep. Then he speaks, and the storm gives way to a great calm. Finally, attention moves from the sea to the disciples. Jesus asks about their fear and faith, and they ask about his identity. The account ends not with the weather, but with a question about Jesus.

Mark does not say that the disciples simply relaxed once the danger passed. Instead, their response to the calm was exceedingly great fear. The storm had shown them something they could not ignore. Wind and sea had obeyed Jesus, and the disciples were left trying to understand what that meant about the man who had been asleep beside them moments earlier.