Calming the Chaos: Mark 4:35-41
By Phil Higley | April 11, 2010
4:35-41 (ESV)
On that day, when evening had come, [Jesus] said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”
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The calming of the storm on the Lake of Galilee is a classic example of a nature miracle. Miracles of this kind seem to present the greatest problem to contemporary analysis. The NT, however, makes clear that Jesus Christ is not only Lord over his church but also Lord of all creation. “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him” (Col 1.16). The Creator-Lord also controls what he has created. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col 1.17). It is completely inadequate to explain this miracle of Jesus by coincidence or to relegate it to myth or imagination. One’s conclusion about the historicity of this and similar stories in the Gospels will inevitably depend on one’s Christology. If Jesus was, as he claimed to be, the strong Son of God, a miracle of this kind is not inconsistent with that claim. If, on the other hand, he was less than God, there is a serious problem.
Mark’s portrayal of this event seems to indicate that it was from first hand evidence. Note the details in the story: the mention of the time of day, the reference to Jesus “just as he was”, the statement about the “other boats,” the position of Jesus in the boat, the mention of a cushion, the sharp rebuke made by the disciples, and their terror and bewilderment. All of these details, scholars believe, are demonstrative and only reasonable based on firsthand experience. It is likely that Peter’s rendition of the story is what Mark is recalling.
Overall, the story shows Jesus’ ability to deal with the primeval forces of chaos. The “sea” in the ancient Hebrew culture and as seen in the OT typologically stands for primal chaos which God alone can order and calm (see Ps 65.7; 74.13). The sea can also be seen figuratively as a symbol for the sufferings endured by human beings (Ps 107.23-32). Mark’s verb in v. 39, referring to Jesus ‘rebuking’ the wind, is the exact same as that used in 1.25 where Jesus’ ‘rebukes’ a demon. Perhaps it is implied that the ability to control the storm shows a victory over the demonic powers of chaos and evil. Notice that the result of Jesus’ command concerning the storm was instantaneous—the wind dropped and a great calm came over the sea. The portrayal of Jesus here certainly suggests divinity, and it cannot be doubted that Mark’s audience would have instantly equated Jesus’ actions with only those of God, or to pagans at that time, a god. According to Job 26.11-12; Ps 104.7; Isa 51.9-10, the commanding of the sea is something only God can do, or could do. Interestingly, there is a contrast here with the historical account of Antiochus Epiphanes’ idiotic and contemptibly stupid attempt as told in 2 Macc 9.8, to command the sea to demonstrate his divine power. For Antiochus Epiphanes it didn’t work, but for Jesus, it did—and it terrified the disciples.
But right before the storm was calmed, the disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ sleeping through the storm is absolute shock (note that this is the only time in any of the gospels that mentions Jesus sleeping). Indeed, the disciples’ initial reaction is not presented by Mark as positive. Their question in v. 38 (“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”) suggests a harsh accusation against Jesus. Jesus’ reply, however, is to still the storm and then address them with the rhetorical questions: “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” By implication of Jesus’ questions they do not have the faith Jesus is speaking about. They are blind. They ask “Who then is this?” (v. 41). One may contrast Jesus’ trust in this situation with the disciples’ panic. Jesus’ miracle, however, does not produce this faith even in those who are already disciples. Instead, we are told that they respond rather like the crowd in the face of the supernatural. It says literally, “they feared a great fear,” a Semitic form of expression that echoes Jonah 1.10. They were terrified.
What we can see from the disciples’ reaction is that fear is seen as the opposite of faith (see also 5.36). The focus again is on the fact that miracles raise the question about Jesus but do not give the answer or key to his identity. In fact, miracles can often times confuse and confound the witnesses of such miracles. But for Mark, the key point in all of this, in light of the larger Gospel message, is that the man who will later be crucified is the man who without prayer to God or adjuration in God’s name successfully commands the winds and the sea. He is a divine man who represents the one true God.
As for the disciples, they have acted like the crowd elsewhere in Mark, even though they are insiders in the same boat with Jesus. Mark is perhaps almost as concerned about revealing the discipleship secret, the clues to what makes for a real disciple, as he is the messianic secret. Awe or even terror in the face of the divine is not enough, as not only this story but also others in Mark will reveal. Yet Mark does not treat these disciples as simple outsiders. They have not rejected Jesus, they have simply failed to understand him, and the reprimand of their lack of faith assumes that they should by then have had more faith than a member of the crowd.
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Notes from:
The Oxford Bible Commentary, Edited by Barton and Muddiman, 2001.
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol 8, Edited by Gaebelein, 1984.
The Gospel of Mark: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, Witherington III, 2001.
The Moral Vision of the New Testament, Hays, 1996.
The Method and Message of Jesus’ Teachings, Stein, 1994
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It’s fairly general, but one thing I see in this passage is the fact that Jesus’ disciples, whom were “insiders” and quit literally and figuratively “in the boat” with Jesus, were quick to be rash and accusatory with him.
I was just thinking about all the times I’ve been accusatory with God and acted like the disciples, when in fact I was called to have faith and not fear in my situation. We should not always react to events in our lives, indeed storms, out of fear. When we react in fear we react from ourselves and our very human inclinations at that particular time. Faith, on the other hand, calls for a much different situation. It calls for us to let God be our strength and foundation. It demands that we are in communion with God and move by his will, mercy, grace, and strength. I don’t want to accuse God out of a spirit of fear, but I want to be faithful to God and ask him very specifically what I should do when I run into storms.
Granted, this is hard to do because sometimes the storms are absolutely terrifying, but we are called to have faith in all situations—not just the ones we subjectively choose. This passage indeed calls for a specific type of discipleship, a very difficult one that is only possible for God through his Holy Spirit working in our lives. I’ll end this reflection on the text with a quote from Barth.
“When we are at our wits’ end for an answer, the Holy Spirit can give us an answer. But how can He give us an answer when we are still well supplied with all sorts of answers of our own?” – Karl Barth
This is one of those passages that really helps me understand what it means to be a follower of Christ. Often we feel that in order to attend our church and follow Christ people have to have their theology spot on. Yet, in this passage we see that the disciples did not have a clue who Jesus was. They were terrified by the fact that he could command the wind and the waves. Yet as Phil comments they were the “insiders”. Jesus certainly commented on their lack of faith, but he did not say, “Sorry guys you missed your chance, you should have known I was the Son of God and can calm a storm, therefore wen we get to shore you can’t be part of my club.” Instead he calls them to reflect on who he is and has been to them by questioning their fear and faith. In addition, he reveals himself to those closest to him (and in turn to the other boats) and continues to disciple them. This is a beautiful picture of discipleship in action.
To me, this way of discipleship flies in the face of our culture. Often Christians will only accept someone as a Christ follower once they understand all they can about who Christ is. I believe this passage helps us to see that in order to belong one does not always need to believe. I am sure if you add to this the time the rest of the gospels and see how often the disciples miss the point, you will find that Jesus allowed them to belong even when they did not truly understand him. However, he also never just let them go. Jesus here allows the disciples to stay but essentially rebukes them for their unnecessary fear and lack of faith in him. I see the disciples ending question as less of a fear driven question and more of a reflection driven question, like “Who are we really following? Maybe we need to delve deeper and know more.”
This passage give me hope that as I struggle to grasp the depth and mystery of God, that he not only calms the storms but challenges me to consider him. This passage to me is a pattern of how I often go through life. I am happy and free living with Jesus. Then something outside of my control happens (or heck even within my control). I start to freak out and shout out to Christ, “Don’t you care about me, I profess to follow you, how can you let me go through this, surely it will end bad for me.” Then in his time Christ calms the chaos in my life. Finally he calls me to reflect on who he is. I think this passage is a great example of the previous parables concerning growth. What is our response to the revelation of Christ in our lives.
Ok, those are my thoughts so far. Feel free to push back on those.
Phil, I like that angle. It is true that those closest to God can be so blind to their fears that accuse God of not coming through for them. Coming through for the disciples was for Jesus to be as concerned as they were, when instead they should have been as calm as he was. Great quote by Barth.
An initially curiosity I have of this passage is what the message was to the Roman/Greek audience by which the book was addressed? I’m not sure yet, but throwing that out there.
Jeff, your comments are great. I think we’re on to something that this is also a revealing situation of the depths and shallowness AND humanity of discipleship.
As I reflect a bit more, this is also a situation in which we can look at Jesus, theologically speaking, as God incarnate. I’ve always heard that anecdote: “if Jesus were right here, would you be so afraid?” Well, to answer that question, Yes, probably. The disciples were first hand witnesses of Jesus and they were afraid and Peter even denied him (granted, all this is pre-resurrection). I guess my point is that we need to have faith not only in God, but as Brent once said, in the heart of God. Jesus is the manifestation of the heart of God as it were, so I think that this story in Mark represents that he is God incarnate, of whom we are to have an absolute faith in. Granted, this is difficult in our present state as simultaneously just and simultaneously sinner (a la Luther). So yes, we are afraid, but fear and death are destroyed and defeated in Christ.
Regarding the Roman/Greek audience, there’s probably the perception by the audience that this Jesus guy is at least a god, if not God almighty himself. I think this is the case because the Romans/Greeks had stories like this, but they were never anchored in reality. They were just simply stories. Mark presents something quite different. It is not just a story, it is a true historical event. This is the difference. Jesus is actually God. I think the response by the disciples would have also resonated with the Roman/Greek audience too. They were not fully aware of who their master was. This paints a picture of radical dependence and humility concerning the one who is God, hence Jesus’ questions to the disciples about their fear and faith.
Jeff, great perspective on this. Christ’s willingness to allow us to belong without proper belief, our brokenness and lack of faith, yet Christ doesn’t give up on us. Beautiful.
Something I am working through as well as the distinctions between proper fear, anxiety, and cowardly.
In this passage Jesus says, “why are you so cowardly” which is the word used in Revelation 21:8 for people going to hell. The lexicon I read says it is when your fear causes you to apostacize or quite. Later in the passage after Jesus calms the storm it said they were “terrified” which is the “phobos” word. More than not this is the word for correct fear of God, awe of God for his works.
Also, it is interesting how Jesus was calm here when he was able to stop the storm, but when you read the garden account of Jesus before the cross he was in deep “distress” (anxiety) and “terrified”. C.S. Lewis comments on this by saying.
“Some people feel guilty about their anxieties and regard them as a defect of faith but they are afflictions, not sins. Like all afflictions, they are, if we can so take them, our share in the passion of Christ.”
When is fear faithlessness and when is it an affliction? Just some stuff to work with. Thanks for your comments they are great.
Fear seems to be faithlessness when it is caught up in our humanity instead of starting with the perspective of God at work in the world. Here in this passage we see the disciples faithless fear manifest in the storm that could case physical death. It reminds me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (although the word for fear used both times in this passage is that “phobos” fear)
Interestingly, Merriam Webster gives an obsolete definition of afflicted as “humble” or “overthrow”. Maybe then a fear that is affliction is one that humbles or overthrows our present position or paradigm. As in the case of the disciples, they understood that Christ could do something for them, but they had no perspective that he was able to command the waves and the wind. As for Christ in the garden, his fear came as a humbling to accept the Father’s will to go to the cross.
One difficulty I’m having that I may not have together by this weekend is all the contradictory uses of the word “anxiety”. Sometimes it is used as a negative thing like in Matt 6:31-34. Don’t be anxious (merimasate) about what you eat or drink or about tomorrow, or clothing. Martha is “anxious” and troubled about many things. But then in I Corinthians 7:32-34 the same Greek word is relatively neutral. 1 Corinthians 7:32-34 32 ¶ I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly thing.
Paul is saying that singleness can be beneficial because it is necessary for a married person to be “anxious/concerned” about the wife taking his focused “concern” from ministry. So there are things to be concerned about.
Then we see the same word used as a positive. In Phil. 2:20 Paul says he wants to send to the church Timothy so they have someone who is genuinely “anxious/concerned” about their welfare.
So obviously there is healthy and unhealthy concern and it isn’t always clear as to what is and what is not.