And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
The verse describes the disciples alone at night rowing toward Capernaum without Jesus when a great strong wind suddenly arose and stirred the sea into a fierce and terrible storm. Their frail boat was tossed up and down and driven off course, and though the crossing was ordinarily only a few hours' row, they buffeted the waves hour after hour with fruitless effort in constant danger of being engulfed. From the shore Jesus did not forget or lose sight of them but watched with compassion, and the severe trial subdued their dissatisfied and ambitious hearts until in terror and helplessness they longed for His presence and humbly prayed for help. At the moment they despaired of surviving He came to them walking on the waves, turned their fear into faith and hope by His voice and presence, and when He entered the boat the storm ceased, teaching that those who trust Him need not fear peril.
The Storm on the Sea
The sea arose as the disciples were crossing by boat toward Capernaum, to the opposite shore, in the dark of night while Jesus was not with them and they were alone. A great, strong wind suddenly arose and stirred the sea into a fierce, furious and terrible storm, with adverse winds, resistless waves, raging billows and rough, white-capped water running high. The gale made the sea rough and dangerous for rowing across.
The storm tossed their frail boat up and down grandly and dashed spray over it, driving it hither and thither off course and farther and farther from the port they sought, leaving them buffeting the waves hour after hour all night. Though in ordinary weather it was only a few hours' row to the opposite shore, the driving wind made all their rowing fruitless for many hours. Their efforts failed, their boats were tossed about in constant danger of being engulfed or sunk, and they despaired of surviving.
They had left Jesus with dissatisfied, murmuring hearts because He would not let them exalt Him as King of Israel. They blamed themselves for being so easily turned from their purpose in yielding to His command to leave, while in darkness and tempest they tried to reach the point where He had promised to meet them. The driving wind forced them from their course and made all their rowing futile.
In one account the same rising sea is described with Jesus aboard asleep and undisturbed, while the experienced fishermen were unable to control the vessel and struggled in fear and despair under threat of sinking.
Christ's Watchful Deliverance
From the distant shore He did not forget them or lose sight of them, but pierced the darkness to see their danger and read their thoughts, and would not suffer one of them to perish. He watched over them with compassion, as a fond mother watches a child she has corrected, until their hearts were subdued. Their distress and helplessness led them to humble prayer, and help was given.
The storm was a severe trial and test of faith after they had left Him, and had they remained with Him the peril would have been avoided. When it arose they regretted leaving Him and tried to reach the point where He had promised to meet them, but the driving wind forced them from their course and made all their rowing futile. Though they were strong men accustomed to the water, their hearts failed with terror, and they longed for His calm, commanding presence, feeling they would be secure if He were with them. Their unholy ambition was quelled until they humbly prayed for help, and then at the very moment they believed themselves lost and despaired of surviving, help was given in His coming to them on the water.
They were crossing toward Capernaum in the dark while He was not with them, with a great wind stirring up the sea into a furious storm with strong adverse winds, against which they rowed fruitlessly for many hours fearing they would be lost. Jesus came to them walking upon the water and waves, which at first frightened them, but He reassured them. His presence and voice turned their fear and despair into faith and hope. Peter's attempt to come to Him ended in danger, and the storm suddenly stopped when Jesus entered the boat, which then reached land.
The wind and troubled waters display the majesty of God and His works, for He holds the winds in His hand and controls the waters. He beholds at one glance both the highest heavens and the midst of the sea. Human beings on the broad deep are mere specks in His sight, yet angels are sent from His excellent glory to guard the little boat careening over the waves. The scene teaches that Christ brings life and comfort in peril and that those who trust Him need not fear. The rising sea belongs to the larger sequence including the feeding of the multitude with the loaves and fishes and Christ walking on the water, joined to His teaching that He is the Bread of life, after which some of His disciples turned away from Him.
The verse describes the disciples alone at night rowing toward Capernaum without Jesus when a great strong wind suddenly arose and stirred the sea into a fierce and terrible storm. Their frail boat was tossed up and down and driven off course, and though the crossing was ordinarily only a few hours' row, they buffeted the waves hour after hour with fruitless effort in constant danger of being engulfed. From the shore Jesus did not forget or lose sight of them but watched with compassion, and the severe trial subdued their dissatisfied and ambitious hearts until in terror and helplessness they longed for His presence and humbly prayed for help. At the moment they despaired of surviving He came to them walking on the waves, turned their fear into faith and hope by His voice and presence, and when He entered the boat the storm ceased, teaching that those who trust Him need not fear peril.
The Storm on the Sea
The sea arose as the disciples were crossing by boat toward Capernaum, to the opposite shore, in the dark of night while Jesus was not with them and they were alone. A great, strong wind suddenly arose and stirred the sea into a fierce, furious and terrible storm, with adverse winds, resistless waves, raging billows and rough, white-capped water running high. The gale made the sea rough and dangerous for rowing across.
The storm tossed their frail boat up and down grandly and dashed spray over it, driving it hither and thither off course and farther and farther from the port they sought, leaving them buffeting the waves hour after hour all night. Though in ordinary weather it was only a few hours' row to the opposite shore, the driving wind made all their rowing fruitless for many hours. Their efforts failed, their boats were tossed about in constant danger of being engulfed or sunk, and they despaired of surviving.
They had left Jesus with dissatisfied, murmuring hearts because He would not let them exalt Him as King of Israel. They blamed themselves for being so easily turned from their purpose in yielding to His command to leave, while in darkness and tempest they tried to reach the point where He had promised to meet them. The driving wind forced them from their course and made all their rowing futile.
In one account the same rising sea is described with Jesus aboard asleep and undisturbed, while the experienced fishermen were unable to control the vessel and struggled in fear and despair under threat of sinking.
Christ's Watchful Deliverance
From the distant shore He did not forget them or lose sight of them, but pierced the darkness to see their danger and read their thoughts, and would not suffer one of them to perish. He watched over them with compassion, as a fond mother watches a child she has corrected, until their hearts were subdued. Their distress and helplessness led them to humble prayer, and help was given.
The storm was a severe trial and test of faith after they had left Him, and had they remained with Him the peril would have been avoided. When it arose they regretted leaving Him and tried to reach the point where He had promised to meet them, but the driving wind forced them from their course and made all their rowing futile. Though they were strong men accustomed to the water, their hearts failed with terror, and they longed for His calm, commanding presence, feeling they would be secure if He were with them. Their unholy ambition was quelled until they humbly prayed for help, and then at the very moment they believed themselves lost and despaired of surviving, help was given in His coming to them on the water.
They were crossing toward Capernaum in the dark while He was not with them, with a great wind stirring up the sea into a furious storm with strong adverse winds, against which they rowed fruitlessly for many hours fearing they would be lost. Jesus came to them walking upon the water and waves, which at first frightened them, but He reassured them. His presence and voice turned their fear and despair into faith and hope. Peter's attempt to come to Him ended in danger, and the storm suddenly stopped when Jesus entered the boat, which then reached land.
The wind and troubled waters display the majesty of God and His works, for He holds the winds in His hand and controls the waters. He beholds at one glance both the highest heavens and the midst of the sea. Human beings on the broad deep are mere specks in His sight, yet angels are sent from His excellent glory to guard the little boat careening over the waves. The scene teaches that Christ brings life and comfort in peril and that those who trust Him need not fear. The rising sea belongs to the larger sequence including the feeding of the multitude with the loaves and fishes and Christ walking on the water, joined to His teaching that He is the Bread of life, after which some of His disciples turned away from Him.