Matthew 8:24, commentary and pictures

After a full day teaching the kingdom in parables by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus crossed toward the eastern shore in the evening and slept in the stern from utter weariness, when a sudden furious tempest swept down the mountains and covered the boat with waves. Though the disciples were skilled fishermen who had weathered many storms, their strength and skill availed nothing, and absorbed in saving themselves they forgot He was aboard until only death lay before them. Their terrified awakening of Him exposed unbelief and self-confidence in trying to fight danger alone, yet though He reproves such distrust He never fails to hear the earnest cry for help. The account stands as a pattern for every voyager afterward that there is no need for fear if the Saviour is aboard, for the call of faith is always answered and His presence smooths the sea of life and carries through temptation and turmoil to safe harbor. Even asleep He held absolute control over winds and waves as Lord of nature, the same power that divided the Red Sea, and His stilling of the storm proved His victory over Satan in preparation for delivering the Gadarene demoniacs the next morning.

Evening Crossing and Tempest

The crossing took place in the evening after an eventful day beside the Sea of Galilee in which Jesus spoke His first parables to explain the nature of His kingdom and the manner of its establishment. He likened His own work to that of the sower, the development of His kingdom to the growth of the mustard seed and the effect of leaven in meal, the great final separation of the righteous and the wicked to the wheat and tares and the fishing net, the exceeding preciousness of the truths He taught to the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, and the way His disciples were to labor as His representatives to the householder. That teaching had been followed by healing amid constant malicious criticism and misrepresentation, leaving Him utterly wearied from ministering day after day with scarcely food or rest. He ordered the crossing to seek retirement in a solitary place on the eastern shore, a desolate region compared with the western side, with towns here and there, a population more heathen than Jewish, and little communication with Galilee, offering the seclusion He sought. After He had dismissed the multitude the disciples took Him hastily into the boat just as He was, and other fishing boats lying near the shore crowded with people still eager to see and hear Him went with them.

Jesus was asleep in the boat, in the stern, overcome with weariness and hunger and at last relieved from the pressure of the multitude. He lay on the hard plank for refreshing sleep after long and arduous labor ministering day after day with scarcely food or rest, relieved for a time from the claims of the people. His sleep was the deep rest of exhaustion, undisturbed even amid gathering noise and confusion.

The evening had been calm and pleasant with quiet resting upon the lake. After sunset black night settled on the water and darkness overspread the sky as wind swept wildly down the mountain gorges along the eastern shore, bursting into a fierce tempest upon the lake of the kind frequent in those parts. Angry waves lashed into fury by howling winds dashed against and covered the ship, tossing it like a plaything from the crest of a mountain billow to the trough of the sea. Every moment threatened to engulf it until it sprang a leak and filled fast with water amid roaring waves, hurry and confusion. Before such majesty finite beings on the broad deep, buffeting high running waves and covered with dashing spray, were as mere specks.

The disciples were hardy, strong, courageous and skilled fishermen who had spent their lives upon the lake and guided their craft safely through many storms and were experienced in the moods of the sea. Yet strength and skill availed nothing, they knew not what to do, and hope failed as they were helpless in the grasp of the tempest and saw the boat sinking. Absorbed in saving themselves and keeping the ship afloat they forgot Jesus was on board, until seeing their labor vain and only death before them and all efforts to manage the ship vain. Then they remembered at whose command they had set out to cross the sea and that in Jesus was their only hope, and turned to Him in helplessness, despair and agony of fear when they could do no more. Their cries of Master, Master were drowned by the roaring tempest with no immediate answer but the shrieking blast, while dense darkness hid Him from sight and waves broke over them threatening destruction with the boat already sinking to be apparently swallowed up by the hungry waters. Doubt and fear assailed them whether Jesus had forsaken them and was unmindful of them in distress or had deserted them or walked away on the foam-capped billows, and whether He who had conquered disease and demons and even death was powerless to help His disciples now.

Unbelief Reproved, Faith Answered

His sleep proves He had no fear for Himself, while His anxiety was for His disciples who distrusted Him in danger. Their terrified, rude awakening of Him manifested unbelief and self-confidence. Instead of calling on Him at the first appearance of danger, when He would have relieved their anxiety, they tried to save themselves by their own strength and skill and forgot He was on board.

The verse means that in the trying scenes of life amid perplexity and danger and storms of adversity, many fight alone trusting their own strength and skill and forgetting the One who can help. They battle the storm alone until baffled and discouraged and exhausted, trusting in human strength until it fails, and then they remember Jesus and humbly call upon Him to save them. Though He sorrowfully reproves their unbelief and self-confidence, even rebuking them for not seeking Him at the very beginning of trial and for wearing themselves out trying to save themselves, He never fails to hear the earnest, humble cry and give the help they need. Calling upon Jesus to save brings certain rescue that is never in vain.

The event gives a pattern for every weary voyager afterward tossed on raging billows, when high heaving billows and mountainous waves break fearfully overhead. Whether on land or on sea, sleeping or waking, there is no need for fear if the Saviour is in the heart. When the waves break over the sinking bark and destruction looks certain and perishing seems near, believers in peril may remember that Jesus is on board with them by their side to comfort and save them. He hears their agonizing cry and never forsakes those who put their trust in Him. The call of faith always meets response even when delayed until human effort is baffled and exhausted, and living faith in the Redeemer smooths the sea of life and delivers from danger in the way He knows to be best.

The great tempest covering the ship with waves pictures the tempests of temptation that gather in life, with fierce lightnings flashing and waves sweeping over until hope is lost. The storm also illustrates the turmoil of a heart ruled by sin. Jesus, who spoke peace to the waves, can deliver all who cry to Him for help. His grace reconciles to God, quiets human passions, and brings rest to the heart. His presence aboard brings assurance of safety, for He has power over the waters and can speak and bring calm and steadiness, carrying His followers through the gale to a safe harbor and keeping the heart at peace, a lesson to trust implicitly in the Lord amid danger.

The verse belongs to the account that shows entering into rest through Jesus. Heaven begins here for those who respond to His invitation to come and learn of Him and walk with Him filled with His love and satisfied with His presence, receiving all that human nature can now bear as the beginning of life eternal and a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ where more and more glory and happiness open. This is in contrast with the hereafter when the redeemed stand before the throne of God serving Him day and night with God dwelling among them, hungering no more nor thirsting, sheltered from sun and heat, fed and led by the Lamb to living fountains of waters with all tears wiped away.

Divine Power Displayed

The great tempest that covered the ship did not diminish His power, for even while living in human humiliation He had absolute control over the winds and waves, with power to still the waters and rule the elements of nature. The order of nature is under God's jurisdiction, and Jesus exercised that divine rule as a God of order working by His own laws. He holds the winds in His hand and controls the waters, beholding at one glance the highest heavens and the midst of the sea, while finite beings on the broad deep are mere specks before the majesty of God and His works as their little boat buffets high running waves, is tossed up and down, and is covered with dashing spray. It is the same power that held back the impatient winds, controlled the tempests and calmed the angry sea, that rolled up the mighty deep and piled up walls of water to make a path for more than a million of Israel out of Egyptian slavery and then let the waters return to destroy Pharaoh and his host. Mighty angels at His bidding still hold back winds and waves from destroying, and He sends angels from His excellent glory to guard the little boat careening over the waves and lead to the stilling of the tempest, so that when lightning and tempest pass by unharmed and waves that submerged proud vessels bring the ship safely to harbor, gratitude is due to God for merciful shielding.

By beckoning with His hand and lifting His finger He rested the waves. That act proved His authority over nature and His victory over Satan, whom He had met and conquered before. The stilling prepared the disciples to witness His power over Satan. So after landing in the morning He stands calm where the disciples flee in terror when the two demon-possessed men from the tombs rush toward Him, and with that same hand that rested the waves He holds the men back and in authority commands the unclean spirits to come out of them.

The peril occurred on the lake the night before Jesus met the Gadarene demoniacs. Those who crossed with Him told the people on the other shore about the danger of the previous night and the miracle of calming the storm, to show that He could control the very elements by the lifting of His finger. Having such a One among them was an advantage greater than any property, and His power over the storm with the tempest hushed by His word was one of the miracles the disciples remembered that strengthened their faith He was the Son of God who comes to the rescue. Yet eyes blinded by worldliness saw only the destroyed swine and the magnitude of loss, feared additional loss of property, and refused to consider the benefit of having among them One with power over nature, demons, disease and imbecility. Though they saw the Prince of Light show supremacy over the Prince of Darkness, they begged the Son of God to depart from their coast, and He gratified their wish, for He never urges His presence where He is unwelcome.