Mark 4:39, commentary and pictures

After a day of teaching, Jesus crossed the lake toward solitude while a night storm rose on Galilee and threatened the boat as He slept exhausted in the stern until the disciples cried out in despair. At their cry He rose without alarm and ordered wind and water to quiet, and they obeyed at once with a great and immediate calm that also brought safety to the other boats with them. His command displayed His own divine authority over nature, with winds and waves recognizing their Lord and proving Him Son of God and Messiah. That same word that stilled the sea carries power to heal, cast out evil, raise the dead, and give life to all who rely on it. The same power He used over wind and sea He uses over the human heart, speaking peace to troubled, tempted, and Satan-oppressed souls and delivering all who call on Him in danger instead of trusting their own strength.

Setting and Immediate Outcome

The stilling belongs to the crossing of the lake with His disciples after a day of teaching and healing, when He sought solitude on the eastern shore. It was a night storm on the Sea of Galilee, while Jesus slept in the boat as an exhausted man. The thunder of the elements could not wake Him, and He slept on until the despairing disciples cried, Master, carest thou not that we perish.

Other boats were caught in the same storm and shared the peril. Their occupants also witnessed the miracle, for His command brought calm and safety to all the boats, not to the disciples alone. Where the storm had caused tumult, quiet came, danger ended, and fear gave way to reverential awe.

At their cry He arose instantly, without alarm, as a commander to be obeyed. He rebuked the wind and commanded the sea, Peace, be still, exercising authority over the forces of nature and over the boisterous elements. The wind ceased, the waves settled, and the boat rested on a quiet sea. The change was immediate, the angry elements obeyed Him, the disciples were saved, and the peril ended in a great calm associated with peace and rest through Jesus.

Divine Authority Revealed

The rebuke to the wind and command to the sea reveal authority over the forces of nature and divine majesty, inspiring reverence and awe in those who witnessed the violent storm stopped and the sea made calm. The change was immediate: the wind ceased, the waves settled, the boat rested on a quiet sea, danger ended, and fear gave way to reverential awe. The rescue reached beyond the disciples, for other boats caught in the same tumult shared the peril and the safety, and the majesty of the scene inspires God's children with reverence and awe.

Though thunder of the elements could not wake Him sleeping as an exhausted man, at the despairing cry of the disciples He rose instantly without alarm as a commander to be obeyed. He rebuked the wind and commanded the boisterous elements as one having authority, as one equal with the Father and master of the situation, and a plea for rescue is not ignored. Winds and waves obeyed His voice because nature recognizes the voice of her Lord and Master, and by the power of God the sea at once became perfectly calm and quiet amid danger.

He spoke with power that was His own, commanding wind and sea to be still, and the calm that followed displayed His power and brought honor to Him for Himself and His glory. He rightly accepted the honor for the miracle instead of turning minds away from Himself, speaking as one who possesses divine power and not as one borrowing power from another. This is opposite to the apostles, who performed miracles only in the name of Jesus and gave Him all the honor as mere instruments refusing honor for themselves.

The sea's obedience bears witness to His divinity as the Son of God and demonstrates His Messiahship with authority over nature. The disciples remembered this miracle with His other works as evidence that He was the Son of God, and their memory strengthened faith. That same divine majesty by which wind and waves obey His voice and the storm gives way to a great calm is the majesty by which He cleanses from sin and calls the dead to life. It belongs with His other works of mercy and might — healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, feeding the hungry, comforting the sorrowful, casting out devils who confessed Him as the Son of God, waking the dead, and holding thousands with wise teaching — yet even this display could not reach hearts blinded by prejudice and hardened hatred that resolutely rejected the light. The One who by a word silenced the angry roaring of the heaving billows and walked upon them is the One who offers Himself on the cross as the sacrifice for humanity.

As they watched His trial the disciples remembered His divine power over nature in rebuking the wind until it obeyed, and expected Him to use the same commanding power to free Himself, scatter His enemies, disperse the crowd and deliver Himself, so they could not believe He would die. The same authority that beckoned the waves to rest was present when He confronted the demons, and the men possessed by demons could come no nearer. The same Jesus who had conquered Satan and calmed the tempest stood calmly before them, and His raised hand kept them from coming nearer, leaving them raging but helpless before Him. That same power to command the elements and still the angry waters could calm the crowd and quiet the Roman officers, for His calm, solemn voice hushed excitement, fear, and apprehension, silenced and subdued them, and moved them to sympathy so they were more inclined to honor Him than arrest Him.

The stilling is one of the great things He accomplished and shows the grandeur of His life in speaking peace to the tempestuous waters, yet His attention to small things is even higher proof of His greatness and compassion than such mighty works as calming the sea, opening the ears of the deaf, and raising the dead. His work on the foaming waves of the Sea of Galilee is an example of fulfilling His mission.

Power of Christ's Word

He stilled the sea by speaking, and the storm gave way to a great calm when the wind ceased at His command. That act shows His word has power over nature and is itself a source of power and life.

The word that quieted wind and water was the word of God, and the whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ. The same power present in His words when He brought the great calm was present when He healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead, for His word gives life and has power to heal disease, cast out demons, and raise the dead. Since His visible presence is withdrawn, His followers are to rely on God's word as their source of power.

This was a work of God done by Jesus in human flesh as the only-begotten Son of the Father, fulfilling prophecy from the manger to the cross. Awakened in the night storm on the Sea of Galilee by disciples crying that they were perishing, in infinite compassion to save the trembling imperiled soul to the uttermost He spoke with divine power and wind and sea were instantly quieted. He can control the very elements by the lifting of His finger, and it was to men's advantage to have One like that among them, who could also cast out demons and heal the diseased and imbecile by a word or the touch of His hand. Those who crossed the lake with Him told the people of the region of the Gadarenes about the peril on the lake the night before He arrived and about the miracle, yet blinded by worldliness and fearing further loss of property they refused to consider that advantage and sent Him from their coast.

Peace for Troubled Hearts

The same power that stilled the wind and sea is used upon the human heart, quieting the troubled heart within. There is no emergency too great for the divine Lord, and with Him nothing is impossible. There is no difficulty within or without that cannot be conquered in His strength, no nature He cannot subdue, and no temper so stormy that He cannot quell it, when the heart is surrendered to His keeping by those who come to Him weak and helpless and ready to die, casting themselves wholly on His mercy. His command, Peace, be still, also reaches selfish thoughts and impulses that disturb the soul and stir discord. They are brought under control and removed from the life only when the whole person is subject to God through Christ and under His control, for He welcomes those who accept Him as Saviour and rules over them as King.

His abiding presence stills inner turmoil and brings peace as character defects and unholy passions are placed under His control. Sin and unsubdued passions leave people without peace, but those who turn to Him for deliverance find His grace reconciles them to God and brings rest within. He alone can give sinners peace and rest. His absolute control over the winds and waves, stilling the tempest and calming the troubled sea, illustrates His power to speak peace to minds distressed, troubled, oppressed, and overborne by Satan and to quiet the tempest Satan creates in the human soul.

He watches His followers all through fearful storms with tender sympathy and pitying love. In greatest peril and need, when strength is exhausted and despair takes the place of hope, He is close by and reveals Himself. His word calms every tempest and revives every heart, turning sorrow into joy, and He can be trusted in the storm as well as in the sunshine. His voice brought calm to deadly danger when white-capped billows threatened death, and when surrounded with impossibilities and unable to see the outcome, that same Voice is to be listened to because God is near. The calming of the storm supplies an image of the peace He can bring to a troubled soul, so that in distress and spiritual struggle prayer looks to Him to speak peace within. His words of peace can end continual crying, as when an infant was healed, bringing comfort and rest to the afflicted home. He is seen on the stormy waters saying, Peace, be still, so His followers need not be afraid.

Faith in Danger and Trial

His power over the storm assures those in danger that He hears the desperate cry and will not forsake those who trust Him. A plea for rescue is not ignored, for at His command the wind and sea obeyed and the disciples were saved from peril. That same power gives courage in trials and delivers in the way He knows is best. His control over wind and waves is reason to trust Him to guide and protect through life's dangers and fears.

The disciples' fear revealed unbelief and lack of faith in contrast to His calm mastery of the danger. They tried to save themselves by their own strength and skill instead of calling on Him at the first sign of danger. Their effort showed self-confidence and fearfulness, which He sorrowfully reproves. Yet He still hears earnest, humble petitions and never fails to give the help needed when they are wearied in their own efforts.

Whether on land or on sea, sleeping or waking, if the Saviour is in the heart there is no need of fear. The call of faith will always meet with a response, and living faith in the Redeemer smooths the sea of life. He delivers from danger in the way He knows to be best. What was wrought for the disciples was wrought for present believers as well.

The disciples' experience is repeated in Christian life, where wind and waves stand for tempests of temptation. Then fierce lightnings flash and waves sweep over, while people battle the storm alone, forget that One can help them, and trust in their own strength till hope is lost and they are ready to perish. But remembering Jesus and calling upon Him to save never cries in vain.

His presence on board should end terror from the beginning, so fearful struggling through the storm is needless when He is present. Even when unrecognized He is present on board, and knowing He is present removes the need to labor long with terror-stricken hearts. Awakened by the cry that they were perishing, in infinite compassion to save the trembling imperiled soul to the uttermost He spoke with divine power and wind and sea were instantly quieted. A cry to Him for help brings immediate calming power over wind and sea and immediate deliverance.

Danger cannot defeat His skill, for His voice can still a raging tempest and bring safely through. Those who trust Him need not fear danger at sea, for He can still the storm and bring them safely to land. His authority to quiet the sea at His command is reason to trust Him to guide and protect through life's dangers and fears.

In a literal storm at sea prayer can appeal for the hand that stilled the tempest to be raised again. That appeal rests in confidence in His protecting care and protecting arms, and in trust in His presence and protection amid danger. The peace that came through prayer brought assurance of being in His care, the wind ceased, the water became calm, and thanks were given to God.

The scene applies to crises in the Lord's work: circumstances may toss the boat, but the Master is on board. His presence gives reason to trust Him with every difficulty, strengthen faith, and continue the work calmly and courageously without anxiety. He can protect and strengthen those who trust Him amid danger and difficulty, guide them safely through danger and trouble, and will act when it is for His name's glory.

Amid rough waters and storm and fog He is near and precious. Faith can repose in God and stay upon Him whether waves are calm or boisterous. Turning steadily to Him as a ship's compass keeps its level and points to the pole amid plunging and tossing finds comfort and perfect peace through trust, for He has power to rebuke stormy waters and bring calm.

Witness Rejection and Warning

The disciples who crossed the lake with Him witnessed the stilling of the tempest in the peril on the lake the night before He reached the Gadarenes, and those who crossed told the people on the shore and in that region about the peril and the great calm that followed His word. The miracle proved He could control the very elements by His word, even by the lifting of His finger, and it displayed His power and supremacy. It was to their advantage to have One like that among them, who could also cast out demons and heal the diseased and imbecile by a word or the touch of His hand.

Yet the people fixed on their property loss, and blinded by worldliness and fearing further loss they refused to consider that advantage and asked Him to leave their coast and sent Him away. Even with mighty works of calming the sea, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, feeding thousands, comforting the sorrowful, casting out devils, waking the dead, walking on the heaving billows and silencing their angry roaring by a word, and holding thousands with wise teaching, He could not reach hearts blinded by prejudice and hardened hatred that resolutely rejected the light. His power over nature and His speaking peace to the troubled sea demonstrated His divine authority and Messiahship, yet the religious leaders still refused to acknowledge who He was.

That same command by which He bade wind and sea become calm is not exerted to save vessels whose leaders have lost sound judgment through self-indulgence, for the shipwrecks came after the men in charge were too impaired to reason clearly. His power to rebuke angry, tumultuous waters and make them calm will be withheld in coming calamities by sea when officers and crews curse and swear, act as if there were no God, and dull reason with drink, and when even gospel ministers among the passengers smoke and drink and give no restraint. Then angels will withdraw, and God will not command the waters to become calm nor give clear discernment to men who have robbed themselves of understanding, so vessels that might have been saved will be lost with nearly all on board, showing that the judgments of God are in the world.

God holds the winds in His hand and controls the waters, beholding at one glance the highest heavens and the midst of the sea, and His majesty and works are far above comprehension. Human beings on the broad deep are mere specks in His sight, yet angels are sent from His excellent glory to guard a little sailboat careening over high running waves with spray dashing over it. The boat with the disciples buffeting the waves was in real peril on a grand and awful sea, and Christ's word to wind and sea, joined to His walking on the sea, brought the great calm.