Mark 4:36-41
36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:36-41: Verse-by-Verse Analysis
Verse 36: “Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.”
Jesus and his disciples leave the crowd. They take Jesus in the boat without any special preparations. Other boats follow them. This sets the scene for the coming event.
Verse 37: “A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.”
A sudden and violent storm arises. The waves are so strong that they threaten to sink the boat. This creates a sense of urgency and danger.
Verse 38: “Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?'”
Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat. The disciples are terrified and wake him up. They question his concern for their safety. This shows their fear and lack of faith.
Verse 39: “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”
Jesus wakes up and commands the storm to stop. Immediately, the wind ceases and the sea becomes calm. This demonstrates his authority over nature.
Verse 40: “He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'”
Jesus questions the disciples’ fear and lack of faith. He challenges them to trust in him, even in dire situations. This is a lesson on faith and trust in God’s power.
Verse 41: “They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'”
The disciples are in awe and fear. They marvel at Jesus’ power over nature. This question highlights their growing understanding of Jesus’ divine nature.