Mark 4:36-41

Mark 4:36 (KJB)
And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

Then Jesus had dismissed the multitude or else if He did not, then they would not been able to leave. So as Jesus got into the ship, the disciples had begun to move the boat off shore and there even accompanied them many smaller ships. Only an eyewitness would include that so Mark may have been around there somewhere at that time. They were now on their way to the eastern shore of Galilee.

Mark 4:37 (KJB)
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

The storm came up very suddenly and an interesting word is used here. (Mat 8:24 KJV) And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. The word in the Greek for “tempest” in Matthew 8:24 is “seismos” which denotes that this storm was so intense, it was like an earthquake or a great shaking had upset the sea and added another dimension of ferocity to this storm. The storm was so intense that it caused very rough seas and those seas had now covered the deck with water and it was probably so fierce that it looked to the disciples that the ship would probably sink. Now the majority of these were fishermen and they knew that storms would come up on the Sea of Galilee at a moment’s notice. This storm was different because it was not only waves but there was the shaking that accompanied it. The disciples were probably frightened by now and did not know what to do to keep the boat from sinking. Then we read that Jesus was fast asleep being tired from a long day. He was in the stern of the boat which was the hinder part. This shows the humanity of Jesus as He was fatigued in body from a long day and it tells us that he can identify with us when we are tired in body.

Mark 4:38 (KJB)
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

Then the disciples came to Him and saw Him sleeping and wakened Him out of His sleep and told Him of their dire situation that the boat was about ready to come apart and that would mean they would perish in the sea. They came to Him hoping that He could do something about this situation since they saw Him do much healing and other miracles. Maybe some just wanted Him to help bail out the boat. Those who were the fishermen among them knew what a storm of this intensity could do to a boat. This also the cry of the unsaved. There need not be a long drawn out prayer but a swift prayer knowing the consequences of dying unsaved. Nehemiah prayed short prayers pertaining to the need of the moment. (Neh 13:29 KJV) Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

Mark 4:39 (KJB)
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.

So Jesus arises from sleep and then proceeds to rebuke the wind and the rain. Then as they obey Him, a great calm comes over the sea. This is what happens to our situations when Jesus becomes involved, where we had great turmoil in our lives, He brings a great calm.

Mark 4:40 (KJB)
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

They awaken Jesus and He asks them why they are being so fearful? They still did not understand the higher calling of the ministry of Jesus and that He could not perish while in the boat. He also chides them for having so little faith, especially after seeing the miracles He did just a few hours before they got into the boat. They are just like us. How many times God does something for us in a big way or even something small, and yet how quickly we forget what He has done for us.

Mark 4:41 (KJB)
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

The men were amazed because they had never seen anything like this. In one moment the seas were raging and in the next it was quiet. (Isa 17:12 KJV) Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! One day, on the last day, the Lord is going to quell all the noise in the world and there shall be silence when He returns on the clouds of glory. Like the disciples who marvelled when Jesus quieted the sea, the world will also marvel when they see Him return on the last day. The disciples still had no clue who they were with. If the devils in people and the diseases in people had to flee upon the command of the Lord, it should not be any much harder to believe that the winds and the rain had to obey also.

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