Wednesday 6 November 2024
[Jesus] woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (vs 39-41)
Background
In our reading today, Mark places a story before us, describing a storm on the Sea of Galilee, the fury of which threatens to sink the boat in which Jesus and the disciples are sailing. The story displays Jesus’ power to rescue lives from cataclysms and from the chaos of both nature and human nature.
The account is stuffed with details reminiscent of eyewitness experience and is recounted in a way that recalls the storms of Jonah 1 and Psalm 107:23–32. The Sea of Galilee lies some 700 feet below sea level, surrounded by steep hills to the west and even more forbidding mountains to the east. Less than 30 miles to the north, Mount Hermon rises 9,200 feet above sea level, and the confluence of cold air from Mount Hermon and hot air rising from the Sea of Galilee can produce squalls of hurricane force.
As Jesus and the disciples proceed across the lake, their boat is seized by such a storm. Fearing their impending deaths, the disciples rouse Jesus from sleep and reproach him: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (4:38). Jesus then 'rebuked' the wind and waves, saying "Peace! Be still! ” (4:39). The Greek words for 'rebuke', 'quiet' and 'be still' frequently occur in exorcism accounts. By describing the quelling of the storm in the language of exorcism, Mark portrays Jesus as 'the strong one' who vanquishes Satan and evil forces. Indeed, Jesus is the manifestation of God who does what only God can do.
At the word of Jesus, calm replaces chaos. Ironically, the disciples are more terrified by the power of Jesus than by the storm. “Who is this?” they ask. “Even the wind and the waves obey him.” Will their experience of Jesus lead to faith (4:40) or to fear and doubt? Just as the disciples had accused Jesus of abandoning them during the storm, Jesus now turns to his followers and accuses them of abandoning their faith in him and in their mission.
At stake here are the issues of Jesus' identity and the response it evokes. In Mark's account, faith is illustrated by recognising who Jesus is: the Messiah, the Son of God. When the disciples demonstrate their lack of trust in Jesus they reveal their faithfulness is shallow.
Mark’s story asks us to consider two questions. First, who is Jesus (v. 41)? Second, will you trust this Jesus? The disciples fail on both counts on this occasion. Even though they suspect Jesus' true identity, they are incapable of trusting in his love and care for them. Fear, doubt and insecurity overwhelm the disciples on this stormy voyage.
To Ponder:
- We all encounter the storms of daily living and sometimes they are huge and threaten to overwhelm us. Think of a time when you have felt overwhelmed by life situations. Sit quietly, light a candle, look back, and try to discern the calming presence of God in that situation.
- What do we need from the Church when we are struggling with the storms of life? What needs to happen to enable the Church to speak to those situations?
Bible notes author: The Revd Dr Adrian Burdon
Adrian Burdon is Superintendent Minister of the Telford Circuit in the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District. He has been a presbyter since 1988 and, in addition to Shropshire, has worked in the Oldham Circuit, on the Fylde coast, in Leeds city centre, the Northeast of England and as a mission partner in the South Pacific. Adrian is Chair of the CTBI writing group which writes material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and is Chair of the Connexional Liturgy and Worship Subcommittee of the Faith and Order Committee.