What did Jesus say to calm the storm?

The Storm on the Lake. — Closely following that gracious announcement — for Mark tells that it was on the same day, though in the evening of it — the Lord embarked with His disciples to cross the lake. A new experience now awaited the latter. A storm arose, the vessel was filling with water, and they were in jeopardy, but He was asleep. His presence, then, with them did not ensure a calm passage. But His power could convert the storm into a calm, which was better. How often since have disciples experienced that following Christ does not ensure them against storms and troubles! He, however, who stills the noise of the seas, can still the tumult of the people (Psalm 65:7). Waking Him, in their terror they said, "Master, Master, we perish!" That could not be, with Christ in their midst. Death had no power, in the presence of Him, in whom is life (John 1:4). "He awoke [rather than, arose], and rebuked the wind, and the raging of the waters; and they ceased, and there was a calm" (8:24). The King of God's kingdom was the Creator and Controller of the elements. Two words from Him proved it: "Peace, be still." So writes Mark (4:39), to whom we are indebted for a knowledge of what it was that the Lord actually said. He rebuked the sea, but He also rebuked the disciples, saying, "Where is your faith?" And surely not to them only has He had need to put such a question.

In that which follows, we have, I think, a picture of the departure of Jesus, and of His power; the security of His own even when He seemed to be indifferent to their difficulties; then the relationship in which He stood towards the Jews. Jesus, having sent away the multitude, gets into a boat and goes to sleep whilst a tempest arises upon the lake, so that the waves fill the boat. The disciples, full of fear, come to Jesus to awaken Him; Jesus arises, rebukes the wind, and says to the sea, "Peace, be still," and all is quiet. But then He reproves the unbelieving fear of the disciples; and indeed, reader, do you think that the power of the Son of God, God's counsels, could have failed because of an unexpected storm on the lake of Gennesaret? Impossible! the disciples were in the same boat with Jesus. Here is a lesson for us: in all the difficulties and dangers of the christian life, during the whole journey upon the waves, often agitated by the tempestuous sea of life and of christian service, we are always in the same boat with Jesus, if we are doing His will. It may seem to us that He is sleeping; nevertheless, if He allows the tempest to rise in order to prove our faith, we shall not perish since we are with Him in the storm; evidently neither He nor we can perish. He may seem sometimes to be indifferent to our fate; but I repeat we are with Him; His security is our own.

The twelve were at their wits' end. Calmness and courage deserted them. They lost all confidence in their own seamanship, but what was more serious still, they lost faith in their sleeping Master. Why did He sleep in the hour of their need? They awoke Him therefore with querulous cries, an overpowering anxiety pervading every heart. Some said one thing and some another. But with them all there was thee despairing refrain of selfish interest, "We perish." "Those whose words are reported by Matthew expressed the conviction that He had the power to help them, for they said, "Lord (kurie), save us; we perish "(Matt. 8:25). Others complained of His indifference to their welfare, seeing He slept in the face of their peril; they said, "Teacher (didaskale), carest thou not that we perish?" (Mark 4:39). Others again were apparently more completely overcome by their fears. These showed their intense importunity by repeating His title of address, "Master, Master (epistata), we perish" (Luke 8:24).

The first words of our Lord were a reproof to His disciples, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" (Matthew). He then arose, responsive to their cry of distress, and immediately alleviated their fears. Speaking in His own right as Lord of the sea and the land, He addressed both the winds and the waves; for "the sea is his, and he made it," and He "walks upon the wings of the wind." There was no rod of delegated authority stretched towards the troubled elements, as in the case of Moses at the Red Sea. Neither was there a smiting of the waters with the mantle of the prophet's office, as in the case of Elijah at the Jordan. In the majesty of omnipotence He issued His brief but peremptory mandate — to the roaring hurricane, "Silence!" to the surging billows, "Cease, be at rest!" The response of both wind and sea was immediate and perfect. Man, nominal head of the earthly creation, for the most part, had no "ears to hear" the voice of the Son of God, but the inanimate forces of nature yielded their instant and implicit obedience. The rushing storm-blast became the soft zephyr, the mountainous wave sank to a gentle ripple. In the simple but sublime words of Matthew and Mark, "there was a great calm."

Underneath this first recorded incident on the lake of Galilee there is a glorious pledge of divine victory at the cross. It was there the waves and billows of God's judgment passed over Him, but it was there He triumphed over all the power of evil. Both Matthew and Luke record what the Lord did in the storm but Mark tells us what He said. "And having been aroused He rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence, be quiet" (Mark 4:19). The word means to muzzle, and blessed be His name He has not only silenced the storm on the sea but He has muzzled all the forces of evil. The world is judged, the devil defeated, death annulled, and all the forces of hell laid low." (See the Interlinear translation and Young's Concordance).

While crossing over the lake they experienced a storm — evidently one of unusual severity. In all the Gospel history we read of just two storms on that lake. On this occasion the Lord was with them. On the other (Matt. 14:25), the Lord walked on the water to join them. With them, then, but asleep on a pillow in the stern of the vessel, Mark tells us, and the disciples awoke Him, fearing they would perish, for the waves beat into the ship. Their exclamation, "Master, carest Thou not that we perish?" (4:33) intimates that the storm was not a common one. His words addressed to the raging elements, "Peace, be still" — for the knowledge of which, also, we are indebted to our Evangelist — show the perfect command He had over the elements. He spake and it was done. It was the voice of the Creator, and there was instant obedience. The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. It was not a gradual subsidence, but evidently an immediate calm. Astonishment seized all and they said one to another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (4:41).

1912 83 "And on that day, when even was come,1 he says2 unto them, Let us go over unto the other side. And leaving the multitude,3 they take him with them,4 even5 as he was, into the boat.6 And other boats6,7 were with him. And there arises a great storm of wind,8 and the waves beat9 into the boat,6 insomuch that the boat6 was now filling.10 And he himself was in the stern, asleep on a cushion:11 and they awake him,12 and say unto him, Master,13 carest thou not that we perish?14 And he awoke,15 and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still!16 And the wind ceased,17 and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?18 And they feared exceedingly,19 and said one to another,20 Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:35-41, R.V.). 1 "evening was come," J.N.D.; "it was evening," McClellan; "evening came on," T. S. Green. 2 "says," J.N.D., T.S.G. 3 "having sent away the crowd," J.N.D.; "leaving the crowd," T.S.G. "leaving the multitude," McC. 4 "with [them]," J.N.D.; omit "with them," T.S.G., McC. 5 Omit even," J.N.D., T.S.G., McC. 6 "ship," J.N.D.; "bark," T.S.G. 7 Add "also," J.N.D.; add "besides," T.S.G. 8 "comes a violent gust," J.N.D.; "comes on a great squall," T.S.G. 9 "were breaking," T.S.G. 10 "so that it already filled," J.N.D.; "was already filling," T.S.G.; "insomuch that the boat was already filling," McC. 11 "sleeping on the cushion," J.N.D.; "sleeping on the pillow," T.S.G.; "on the pillow asleep," McC. 12 "awake him up," J.N.D.; "rouse him," T.S.G. 13 "Teacher," J.N.D., McC. 14 "we are perishing," J.N.D.; "we are being lost," T.S.G. 15 "awaking up," J.N.D.; "woke up," T.S.G. McC. 16 "Silence, be mute," J.N.D.; "Hush, be still," T.S.G. 17 "fell," J.N.D.; "abated," T.S.G., McC. 18 "Why are ye (thus) fearful? How (is it) ye have not faith?" J.N.D.; "Why are ye thus faint-hearted? How is it that you have not faith?" T.S.G.; "Why are ye cowardly? Have ye yet no faith?" McC. 19 "(with) great fear," J.N.D.; "were afraid with great fear," T.S.G.; "were sore afraid," McC. 20 "to each other," T.S.G.}

That gracious Master, aroused from His sleep in so rough a manner, now arose in His quiet majesty and power, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind and the waves are calm, as savage dogs lie down at the bidding of their master. These words of the Lord appear to show clearly that this storm came not from God, but had been brought about by Satan, for in the former case Jesus would not have rebuked the wind. The cause as well as the intent why this storm was sent appears to be just the opposite to Jonah's case.

"And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it ye have no faith?" The gracious Master does not begin with rebuking His disciples, as we most likely should have done in a similar case. He first rebukes the winds, then His disciples. First He removes the cause of their unbelief, then He reproves their unbelief: first grace, then truth. He dwelt among them full of grace and truth. So it ought to be with us.*

Rising from sleep, the Lord simply spoke and the elements were brought into calm subjection. It is that voice alone we need, whatever may be the disturbance of our circumstances, whether the powerful wind, the unseen forces that rouse the waves, or whether the visible and alarming surges of trouble and distress. He asked them a pointed question, "Where is your faith?" For faith in Him would leave no doubt of His authority over the storm even when asleep. In spite of earlier proofs of His divine power, they wondered at the greatness of this Man who commands the winds and the waves.

First then, He speaks to them, and shows them how unworthy of them to be so perturbed. "Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." Was there ever a king like this, with power to control all the elements? The winds and the sea obey Him. It was a blessed experience for them. In our deep trials we prove what the Lord is for us.

Well, now we have the circumstances all before us Himself, "even as He was, the great storm of wind, the waves successful in filling the ship, so that the disciples awake Him. Why should they? Could they possibly perish with Him in any condition on board? Why indeed were they fearful and had no faith? Blessed for us, He is "the same yesterday, today, and for ever," and He has but to arise and rebuke the wind and speak to the sea, "Peace, be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." How magnificently He did it; not a zephyr stir nor any movement of ocean left! "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? "