Jesus Standing in the Boat During the StormBible World
8:23Matthew 8:23
And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
After a whole day of teaching and healing beside the Sea of Galilee, utterly wearied, Jesus entered the boat to cross to the comparatively desolate eastern shore for retirement and rest, and at His command the disciples took Him even as He was and followed Him into the ship by night while other crowded boats followed close behind. He lay down in the stern on the hard plank and fell asleep while the evening was calm, until after sunset a furious night storm arose with dashing waves that filled the leaking vessel and brought even skilled fishermen to despair of sinking. His presence on board meant they were safe and they should have called upon Him at the first appearance of danger, but instead they became absorbed in saving themselves by their own strength and skill and forgot He was on board, and their fearful, reproachful cry when they awoke Him manifested unbelief that He sorrowfully reproved. The same is true in life's storms of adversity and temptation, where many fight alone till baffled and ready to perish, yet the earnest cry to Jesus never fails to meet response and with the Saviour in the heart on land or sea there is no need of fear, for He stays by His followers to comfort, quiet fears, and deliver in the way He knows best. Awaking refreshed He stood in divine majesty and by His word stilled the sea so billows rested, clouds rolled away and stars shone, and all in nearby boats marveled that even wind and sea obey Him, a memory that strengthened the disciples' faith that He was the Son of God. As He quieted the Sea of Galilee He brings peace to every soul by grace that quiets inner conflict and uncontrolled passion, and following Him enters into rest through Him so that eternal life begins now and is completed hereafter where hunger, thirst and heat end and God wipes away all tears.
Crossing to Find Rest
It was evening after a whole day spent in teaching and healing beside the Sea of Galilee, and utterly wearied by ministering to pressing crowds with scarcely food or rest, He dismissed the multitude and entered the boat to seek retirement and rest. The crossing was toward the eastern shore of Gennesaret, a comparatively desolate, desert region in comparison with the shore being left, away from dwellings and chosen because it offered the seclusion sought. That shore had towns here and there, yet it was more heathen than Jewish and had little communication with Galilee. The hope was to find rest from the fatigue of labors by being removed from the dwellings of men.
After the multitude was dismissed they took Him even as He was, and the disciples followed Him into the ship at His command and set off hastily. They did not go alone, for other fishing boats lying near were quickly crowded with people who still eagerly followed to see and hear Him and learn more of His doctrine. The voyage was made by night through a tempestuous night, and the crossing ended with landing early in the morning on the beach on the other side. There He would meet the possessed men on the shore after stilling the tempest on the way.
The eventful day just closed was when He spoke His first parables, explaining by familiar illustrations the nature of His kingdom and the manner in which it was to be established. He likened His own work to that of the sower, the development of His kingdom to the growth of the mustard seed and to the effect of leaven in the measure of meal, and the great final separation of the righteous and the wicked to the wheat and tares and to the fishing-net. The exceeding preciousness of the truths He taught was illustrated by the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, while in the parable of the householder He taught His disciples how they were to labor as His representatives.
Overcome with weariness and hunger and for a time relieved from the claims of the multitude, He lay down in the stern on the hard plank of the fisherman's boat and soon fell asleep while the evening was calm and pleasant. Soon after sunset the calm changed, clouds gathered darkly, black night settled on the water, and a furious storm such as often visited those parts burst upon the sea. Angry waves dashed against the ship and threatened every moment to engulf it, tossing the leaking, fast-filling vessel from the crest of a mountain billow to the trough of the sea with spray dashing over them. Even the strong and courageous fishermen, skilled in managing their craft, knew not what to do, and their hearts filled with despair as they saw the boat sinking, finite beings mere specks upon the broad deep waters.
Present Help in Peril
Jesus was on board with His disciples through the tempest, and His presence meant they were safe. He had no fear for Himself, but His anxiety was for them in their distrust in danger. They should have called upon Him at the first appearance of danger, and He would have relieved their anxiety.
Instead they became absorbed in their own efforts to save themselves and forgot that He was on board, though it was at His command they had set out to cross. When strength and skill availed nothing and courage failed before the filling, sinking vessel, they turned to Him as their only hope with fear, despair, and the reproachful cry that He cared not that they perished, rudely arousing Him from sleep. That fear and self-reliant struggle manifested unbelief, self-confidence, forgetfulness, and trust in their own strength and skill, which He sorrowfully reproved as fearful distrust.
The same is true in the trying scenes of life amid perplexity, danger, and storms of adversity. Many fight alone, trusting their own strength and skill and forgetting the One who can help, till baffled, discouraged, wearied by self-effort, and ready to perish they remember Jesus and humbly call upon Him to save. Though He reproves unbelief and self-confidence, even when the call comes late, He never fails to hear the earnest, agonizing cry and give the help needed, for the call of faith always meets with response.
With the Saviour in the heart, whether on land or on sea, sleeping or waking, there is no need of fear, for Jesus is on board. He stays by His followers' side to comfort and save, hears, never forsakes those who put their trust in Him, quiets fears, and speaks calm and steadiness, so that living faith smooths the sea of life and delivers from danger in the way He knows to be best. The rocking vessel represents danger and trials, where trusting Him is the only safety. The disciples' helplessness before the raging storm pictures human helplessness before uncontrolled passions, and as He quieted the Sea of Galilee He brings peace to every soul, giving grace that reconciles to God and quiets the conflict within. The experience repeats for present believers when tempests of temptation gather with flashing lightnings and sweeping waves.
God in majesty holds the winds in His hand and controls the waters. At one glance He beholds the highest heavens and the midst of the sea. He sends angels from His excellent glory to guard the little careening boat tossed on the broad deep where finite beings are mere specks, and His wonderful works on the ocean fill the heart with awe.
Power and Wider Witness
Awakened refreshed and without fear for Himself, Jesus stood in divine majesty in the humble fisherman's vessel amid raging tempest and lightning, and with the hand often employed in mercy and by the lifting of a finger and by His word He stilled the sea so that billows rested, clouds rolled away, stars shone, and the boat sat motionless. The calm had turned to a furious night storm that terrified the disciples and threatened to destroy them, yet He rescued them by calming the tempest. All in the nearby boats that had crossed with Him and been driven close by the storm beheld the miracle and marveled what manner of man even wind and sea obey, a scene never forgotten and ever inspiring reverence in the children of God. His holding back impatient winds, restraining waves, and calming the angry sea showed absolute power over winds and waves and over those possessed by demons, with nature's forces remaining under God's rule to protect those at sea. That control of nature was evidence of His divine power.
The same calm authority and power that conquered Satan on the water was shown when, after the tempestuous night crossing, He stood unmoved before the two demon-possessed men met on the beach at landing early in the morning. He is thus presented as the great Physician to call upon for physical and spiritual healing and for power over demonic possession. Those who had crossed with Him told the Gadarenes of the peril on the night before, the stilling of the tempest, the healing of the demoniacs, and His power to cast out demons and heal the diseased by a word or touch. Yet eyes blinded by worldliness saw only the magnitude of property loss, and fearing additional loss they sent Him from their coast. The disciples' memory of that calming of wind and sea strengthened their faith that He was the Son of God, so that later they hoped He would use His power to escape His enemies and could not believe He would die.
The chapter to which this entering into the ship belongs joins ministry of the Word with medical missionary work and gives a pattern for laboring as He did. In following Jesus into the ship His disciples enter into rest through Him, so that heaven begins here. Responding to His invitation to come and learn begins life eternal now as a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ, and walking with Jesus fills with His love and satisfies with His presence as fully as human nature can bear here. The longer this heaven of bliss is known, more and still more glory is opened, and the more God is known the more intense happiness becomes. This present rest leads to the hereafter before the throne of God where He dwells among His people, hunger and thirst and scorching heat end, the Lamb feeds them and leads them to living fountains of waters, and God wipes away all tears.
After a whole day of teaching and healing beside the Sea of Galilee, utterly wearied, Jesus entered the boat to cross to the comparatively desolate eastern shore for retirement and rest, and at His command the disciples took Him even as He was and followed Him into the ship by night while other crowded boats followed close behind. He lay down in the stern on the hard plank and fell asleep while the evening was calm, until after sunset a furious night storm arose with dashing waves that filled the leaking vessel and brought even skilled fishermen to despair of sinking. His presence on board meant they were safe and they should have called upon Him at the first appearance of danger, but instead they became absorbed in saving themselves by their own strength and skill and forgot He was on board, and their fearful, reproachful cry when they awoke Him manifested unbelief that He sorrowfully reproved. The same is true in life's storms of adversity and temptation, where many fight alone till baffled and ready to perish, yet the earnest cry to Jesus never fails to meet response and with the Saviour in the heart on land or sea there is no need of fear, for He stays by His followers to comfort, quiet fears, and deliver in the way He knows best. Awaking refreshed He stood in divine majesty and by His word stilled the sea so billows rested, clouds rolled away and stars shone, and all in nearby boats marveled that even wind and sea obey Him, a memory that strengthened the disciples' faith that He was the Son of God. As He quieted the Sea of Galilee He brings peace to every soul by grace that quiets inner conflict and uncontrolled passion, and following Him enters into rest through Him so that eternal life begins now and is completed hereafter where hunger, thirst and heat end and God wipes away all tears.
Crossing to Find Rest
It was evening after a whole day spent in teaching and healing beside the Sea of Galilee, and utterly wearied by ministering to pressing crowds with scarcely food or rest, He dismissed the multitude and entered the boat to seek retirement and rest. The crossing was toward the eastern shore of Gennesaret, a comparatively desolate, desert region in comparison with the shore being left, away from dwellings and chosen because it offered the seclusion sought. That shore had towns here and there, yet it was more heathen than Jewish and had little communication with Galilee. The hope was to find rest from the fatigue of labors by being removed from the dwellings of men.
After the multitude was dismissed they took Him even as He was, and the disciples followed Him into the ship at His command and set off hastily. They did not go alone, for other fishing boats lying near were quickly crowded with people who still eagerly followed to see and hear Him and learn more of His doctrine. The voyage was made by night through a tempestuous night, and the crossing ended with landing early in the morning on the beach on the other side. There He would meet the possessed men on the shore after stilling the tempest on the way.
The eventful day just closed was when He spoke His first parables, explaining by familiar illustrations the nature of His kingdom and the manner in which it was to be established. He likened His own work to that of the sower, the development of His kingdom to the growth of the mustard seed and to the effect of leaven in the measure of meal, and the great final separation of the righteous and the wicked to the wheat and tares and to the fishing-net. The exceeding preciousness of the truths He taught was illustrated by the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, while in the parable of the householder He taught His disciples how they were to labor as His representatives.
Overcome with weariness and hunger and for a time relieved from the claims of the multitude, He lay down in the stern on the hard plank of the fisherman's boat and soon fell asleep while the evening was calm and pleasant. Soon after sunset the calm changed, clouds gathered darkly, black night settled on the water, and a furious storm such as often visited those parts burst upon the sea. Angry waves dashed against the ship and threatened every moment to engulf it, tossing the leaking, fast-filling vessel from the crest of a mountain billow to the trough of the sea with spray dashing over them. Even the strong and courageous fishermen, skilled in managing their craft, knew not what to do, and their hearts filled with despair as they saw the boat sinking, finite beings mere specks upon the broad deep waters.
Present Help in Peril
Jesus was on board with His disciples through the tempest, and His presence meant they were safe. He had no fear for Himself, but His anxiety was for them in their distrust in danger. They should have called upon Him at the first appearance of danger, and He would have relieved their anxiety.
Instead they became absorbed in their own efforts to save themselves and forgot that He was on board, though it was at His command they had set out to cross. When strength and skill availed nothing and courage failed before the filling, sinking vessel, they turned to Him as their only hope with fear, despair, and the reproachful cry that He cared not that they perished, rudely arousing Him from sleep. That fear and self-reliant struggle manifested unbelief, self-confidence, forgetfulness, and trust in their own strength and skill, which He sorrowfully reproved as fearful distrust.
The same is true in the trying scenes of life amid perplexity, danger, and storms of adversity. Many fight alone, trusting their own strength and skill and forgetting the One who can help, till baffled, discouraged, wearied by self-effort, and ready to perish they remember Jesus and humbly call upon Him to save. Though He reproves unbelief and self-confidence, even when the call comes late, He never fails to hear the earnest, agonizing cry and give the help needed, for the call of faith always meets with response.
With the Saviour in the heart, whether on land or on sea, sleeping or waking, there is no need of fear, for Jesus is on board. He stays by His followers' side to comfort and save, hears, never forsakes those who put their trust in Him, quiets fears, and speaks calm and steadiness, so that living faith smooths the sea of life and delivers from danger in the way He knows to be best. The rocking vessel represents danger and trials, where trusting Him is the only safety. The disciples' helplessness before the raging storm pictures human helplessness before uncontrolled passions, and as He quieted the Sea of Galilee He brings peace to every soul, giving grace that reconciles to God and quiets the conflict within. The experience repeats for present believers when tempests of temptation gather with flashing lightnings and sweeping waves.
God in majesty holds the winds in His hand and controls the waters. At one glance He beholds the highest heavens and the midst of the sea. He sends angels from His excellent glory to guard the little careening boat tossed on the broad deep where finite beings are mere specks, and His wonderful works on the ocean fill the heart with awe.
Power and Wider Witness
Awakened refreshed and without fear for Himself, Jesus stood in divine majesty in the humble fisherman's vessel amid raging tempest and lightning, and with the hand often employed in mercy and by the lifting of a finger and by His word He stilled the sea so that billows rested, clouds rolled away, stars shone, and the boat sat motionless. The calm had turned to a furious night storm that terrified the disciples and threatened to destroy them, yet He rescued them by calming the tempest. All in the nearby boats that had crossed with Him and been driven close by the storm beheld the miracle and marveled what manner of man even wind and sea obey, a scene never forgotten and ever inspiring reverence in the children of God. His holding back impatient winds, restraining waves, and calming the angry sea showed absolute power over winds and waves and over those possessed by demons, with nature's forces remaining under God's rule to protect those at sea. That control of nature was evidence of His divine power.
The same calm authority and power that conquered Satan on the water was shown when, after the tempestuous night crossing, He stood unmoved before the two demon-possessed men met on the beach at landing early in the morning. He is thus presented as the great Physician to call upon for physical and spiritual healing and for power over demonic possession. Those who had crossed with Him told the Gadarenes of the peril on the night before, the stilling of the tempest, the healing of the demoniacs, and His power to cast out demons and heal the diseased by a word or touch. Yet eyes blinded by worldliness saw only the magnitude of property loss, and fearing additional loss they sent Him from their coast. The disciples' memory of that calming of wind and sea strengthened their faith that He was the Son of God, so that later they hoped He would use His power to escape His enemies and could not believe He would die.
The chapter to which this entering into the ship belongs joins ministry of the Word with medical missionary work and gives a pattern for laboring as He did. In following Jesus into the ship His disciples enter into rest through Him, so that heaven begins here. Responding to His invitation to come and learn begins life eternal now as a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ, and walking with Jesus fills with His love and satisfies with His presence as fully as human nature can bear here. The longer this heaven of bliss is known, more and still more glory is opened, and the more God is known the more intense happiness becomes. This present rest leads to the hereafter before the throne of God where He dwells among His people, hunger and thirst and scorching heat end, the Lamb feeds them and leads them to living fountains of waters, and God wipes away all tears.