Add parallel Print Page Options

The Calming of the Storm at Sea. 23 [a](A)He got into a boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a violent storm[b] came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. 25 (B)They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us![c] We are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”[d] Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. 27 The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 8:23 His disciples followed him: the first miracle in the second group (Mt 8:23–9:8) is introduced by a verse that links it with the preceding sayings by the catchword “follow.” In Mark the initiative in entering the boat is taken by the disciples (Mk 4:35–41); here, Jesus enters first and the disciples follow.
  2. 8:24 Storm: literally, “earthquake,” a word commonly used in apocalyptic literature for the shaking of the old world when God brings in his kingdom. All the synoptics use it in depicting the events preceding the parousia of the Son of Man (Mt 24:7; Mk 13:8; Lk 21:11). Matthew has introduced it here and in his account of the death and resurrection of Jesus (Mt 27:51–54; 28:2).
  3. 8:25 The reverent plea of the disciples contrasts sharply with their reproach of Jesus in Mk 4:38.
  4. 8:26 You of little faith: see note on Mt 6:30. Great calm: Jesus’ calming the sea may be meant to recall the Old Testament theme of God’s control over the chaotic waters (Ps 65:8; 89:10; 93:3–4; 107:29).