As that other man we meet in the Gospels, I beseech Jesus, 'Help my little faith, so weak yet so trusting'. v. 23. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. "Behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea." CHAPTER 8 Being weary, He falls asleep.4. He woke at the moment he was really needed, and calmed the waters. MATTHEWS *GOSPEL And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. striking illustration as well as proof of the method which God has worshipped him,_ When the sayings were particularly important teachings, or teachings that were repeated frequently, then they might put more of the exact phrasing in their gospel reports. Sometimes the powerful word of the Lord is described in very vivid pictures, such as in Revelation as the sharp, two-edged sword that comes out of His mouth and will strike the nations (19:15). Matthew 8:23-27. Though Christ is present, the storm comes, and He is sleeping through it. He does not find fault with them for being fearful, but for being so fearful as to let their fear cover their faith, just as the waves were doing the boat. He also had faith in His Fathers protection even in the midst of a violent storm upon the sea. and the ship was covered with waves. It is a sign of His true manhood, of His toil up to the very edge of His strength. _dat. But Jesus was sleeping. What they are being saved to is more time to physically live on earth. Image: St. The disciples marvel at the authority of Jesus even the elements obey Him! 1. 3.) We are perishing! They awoke him with their prayers; Lord, save us, we perish. Jesus comments on the smallness of their faith and calms the storm with a rebuke. What is being saved? It is how we refer to the first three Gospels that have the same basic presentation of the account of Jesus, although with variations. over the wind and the waves. In Matthews gospel, it is also followed by Jesuss calling Levi, and subsequently identifying the twelve. So, in this version, we dont seem meant to assume that Levi/Matthew was in the boat when this happened. (LogOut/ I let my look rest on the desperate situations in my present life, or that of the world, and let this cry well up from the depths of my heart. Matthew mosaic, All Hallows, Allerton, by Rodhullandemu [CC BY-SA] via Wikimedia Commons. When I was four, a tornado went through our subdivision. Their words are interesting: Lord, save us. In their experience this was a simple and urgent request. As our evangelist is giving a collection of heali might be called a dative absolute; if taken We might imagine Mom or Dad saying cut it out! to the kids bickering in the back seat of the car. It was well they had him so near them. They had been long acquainted with the sea, and never saw a storm so immediately turned into a perfect calm, in all their lives. Could there, indeed, have been greater love consistent with truth? Jesus calmed the storm to encourage their faith (v. 26). Is it beyond Him to help us? A rebuke, first, to the disciples themselves. Note the contrasts here. He can carry Himself as one asleep, to the end He may be awakened by their prayers.6. And here Jesus is tired and sleeping, but He has control over nature (Matt. trust in and pray to, who knows what it is to be on the water, an Matthew 8:23 Now G2532 He G846 got G1684 (G5631) into G1519 boat G4143 Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 8:23-27 It is a comfort to those who go down to the sea in ships, and are often in perils there, to reflect that they have a Saviour to trust in and pray to, 8:26 And He says to them, Barely-trusting guys, why are you intimidated?. On the way He quiets a terrible storm. ship they were about to be sunk by a storm. Note, They who would learn to pray must go to sea. These narratives make a large leap forward in the On the one hand, as natural to men who did not know how many moments they had to live, it was exceedingly brief and abrupt. Bible This theme of controlling the seas was stressed in Job 38:8-11. The boat that Jesus used to cross the sea was probably around this size. So Matthew uses their words to drive home his point that Jesus is truly unique, for He is sovereign over nature. Why are you so afraid? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. Our Lord, of set purpose, will lead His disciples into dangers, for the stirring up and trial of their faith, and for evidencing His own glory.2. Matthew 8 Healing, Teaching, and Miracles A. Jesus cleanses a leper. We accept the chronology of Mark, who explicitly Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27 Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational A Helper In The Time Of Storm Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011 based on 4 ratings | 8,635 views Sometimes God leads His children into storms. The trip across the lake, or sea as it is referred to in our text, is followed by casting out demons in the region of the Gerasenes / Gadarenes, in each of the synoptic gospels. And so his wording is meant to convey that the disciples did not have enough faith. sing. It is also a sign of His calm conscience and pure heart. The disciples were afraid of dying. This indicates the severity of this storm. And it would have been powered by a sail. Do Those Who Commit Suicide Go To Hell? The disciples, several of whom were experienced fishermen, were unable to bring the boat safely to shore and became fearful for their lives. If we assume every sozo means being saved from hell to heaven, we are liable to misread the Bible. Matthew 8:24. 1-4. How do you feel? 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, Lord, save us! Christ may sleep when his church is in a storm, but he will not outsleep himself: the time, the set time to favour his distressed church, will come, Ps 102:13. That means the valley drops sharply to the desert region in such a short distance. Do we think they huddled, decided on a precise wording to use in their approach to waking Jesus, and then in unison or by representative said their one sentence? This is at once one of the THE LEPER CLEANSED. Ye, my disciples? of him. We know not the way of the wind (Joh 3:8), much less can we control it; but he that bringeth forth the wind out of his treasury (Ps 135:7), when it is out, gathers it into his fists, Pr 30:4. SHIP. Matthew 8:23-27. When he was entered into the ship Being, as is said above, about to cross the lake; his disciples followed him Even as many as were desirous of learning of him, and could get a passage, either in that vessel or any others that were near. 3. And so their question is What kind of man is this? It too is a rhetorical question, not designed to be answered, but to express the idea that there is no one like this. Jesuss rebuke of the disciples serves as a wakeup call to them. As Matthew is proving with his gospel, this man was God, the One who created the wind and the waves and all things. They were amazed, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? Structure. A storm arose while the disciples were following their Master. He might truly be a man, but He is also clearly the Son of Man (see Matt. It is helpful to keep that in the back of your mind. Matthew 8:23-27 23-27 It is a comfort to those who go down to the sea in ships, and are often in perils there, to reflect that they have a Saviour to trust in and pray to, who knows what it is to And, behold, there came a leper and faith hope and love One thinks immediately of creation where by His word the LORD brought everything into existence, even including controlling the seas (Gen. 1). What about me? We are feeling swamped by the waves, while God apparently sleeps, not really interested or aware of our lot. If so, was my faith weakened or strengthened by having this experience? The use of the word rebuke is interesting and deserves some study. exegesis section to matter which resembles that of Mark and Luke, and The other changes are small variations of the wording. Second, our faith may be expressed in our prayers to Him, Lord, save us from any of the dangers and troubles of life that we face. 65:5-7; 89:9; 107:23-32. In a way, their request for Him to save them already had answered who this one was. The church must believe Christ to be God and able to deliver them. The fearfulness of Christs disciples in a storm, and their unbelief, the cause of it, are very displeasing to the Lord Jesus, for they reflect dishonour upon him, and create disturbance to themselves. And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" The boat which He had possibly spoken of previously (Matthew 8:18). At its deepest it is about 160 feet deep, depending on the fluctuation over the years. (2.) 2. Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. It was in the evening (4:35); Jesus said, Let us pass over to the other side (4:35); there were other boats that went along side (4:36); Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion (4:38); when Jesus rebuked the storm He said, Peace! The church may be like to be drowned, and Christ may seem to neglect the matter.5. They came and wakened him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. ship where they were to suffer. you see the King amid the storms of nature. together. They had never seen anything like this. through his teaching (chs. Here we see the power of His word over nature. (1.) His presence exempteth not His disciples from trouble and danger.3. (Judges 6:13). Here it simply reports that they went with Him in the boat. greeting is one of peace. commonly used for fishing on the lake. The clearest example is when Jesus took a couple of them to the top of the mountain and let the reality of his God-hood shine out with heavenly brilliance from behind his everyday presence and appearance (a transfiguration which may have been projected back into the narrative from his Easter appearances). Q. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us! How exactly calculated to begin quieting the storm of feeling within them! _Behold, there came a leper and worshipped him._ After Hot air can come up this valley quite suddenly and collide with the cooler air from Mount Hermon in the north of the valley, causing sudden storms on the lake. Whil MATTHEWNOTE ON MATTHEW 8:1 The Authoritative Power of the Messiah: you, a great upheaval arose on the sea, so that the boat was hidden by 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. It was the language of their fervency; they pray as men in earnest, that beg for their lives; it becomes us thus to strive and wrestle in prayer; therefore Christ slept, that he might draw out this importunity. When I was four, a tornado went through our Of the way in which sometimes He brings them into trial.Himself (perhaps) bidding them do that which is contrary to their judgments; Himself allowing their fears and scruples to appear justified for a time; Himself leaving them to do battle with the forces against them, almost in despair. Jesus touched her hand and the fever left her. Matthew 8, Wesley's Explanatory Notes, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, produced by John Wesley between 1754 and 1765, has stood the test of time. followed him. Great storms of doubt, and fear in the soul, under the power of the spirit of bondage, sometimes end in a wonderful calm, created and spoken by the Spirit of adoption. 23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. And that is certainly true here, for without the speeches we have a storm, the disciples panic, Jesus calming the storm, and the disciples amazement. 5 This is followed by an intimation that, though rejected by His own, We are perishing! Like with so many other prayers we find in the Gospel, I may find that today this simple prayer resonates in my heart as I look at my family, my community, my country, our world. Matthew 8:23. Home COMMENTARY Lesson from Matthew 8:23-27? His dislike of their fears: Why are ye fearful? Who is this man, the disciples asked each other. Shall we ever do so again? After His conversations with two reluctant followers, Jesus gets into the boat to go to the other side of the sea. We might remember Matthew emphasizes the way Jesus fulfills scriptural prophecies, and structures the narrative around long teaching passages interspersed with narrative sections, which especially emphasize Jesuss authority. The story as told in Mark is the lectionarys gospel reading for the fourth Sunday after Pentecost year B (that is, in a couple of weeks). 23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. AND WHEN HE WAS ENTERED INTO. III. Lord of wind and sea, the one in whom all was created is the one who creates The disciples faith in forsaking all and following Christ, was great faith, but in this present act their faith was week, through the prevalency of their fear. One would have expected, that having Christ with them, they should have had a very favourable gale, but it is quite otherwise; for Christ would show that they who are passing with him over the ocean of this world to the other side, must expect storms by the way. _And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples 2 Even if the writers were relying on a separate and earlier source of Jesus sayings and works, as much of modern scholarship assumes, they still had the freedom to put it in their own words to suit their purpose, yet never making it say something Jesus did not say or mean. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace. love Jesus Christ was asleep in this storm. He rebuked the winds and the sea (Matthew 8:26). Here are my notes on this text: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: This story is found in Mark (Mark 4:35-41) and Luke (Luke 8:22-25), but were reading it in Matthews gospel. His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Christs disciples are apt to be disquieted with fears in a stormy day, to torment themselves with jealousies that things are bad with them, and dismal conclusions that they will be worse. I have always been frightened by tornadoes. Where was our faith? 2. The first part is the storm on the sea and the disciples words to Jesus. 1 You will no doubt see the word synoptic frequently in studying the Gospels. Storms in the voyage-even when sailing according to the 23. (1.) And the comforting thing is that even in our fears and terrors, our weak faith, we may cry to the Lord: Lord, if you are willing, save/heal/deliver/protect . 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