Hey everybody! Thank you for joining me in daily Bible reading as we seek to glorify Jesus, know Him more, and interpret the truth of His Word.
If this is your first time going through the Bible, I am incredibly excited to have you here. If this is your 5000th time, I am humbled that you are here and hope you grow in your relationship with Jesus along with me. May we all seek to know Him more and apply what we learn to further our mission of spreading the gospel. If you missed a day and want to catch up, visit the archives page HERE! But there is no shame if you start today! Day 86, Matthew 8:23-27 — Jesus Calms a Storm Matthew 8:23-27 (NASB1995) “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 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. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Historical Context The events recorded by Matthew throughout Chapter 8 and 9 are not in chronological order. It was common practice among scribes in ancient times to record information by topic instead of by time. Matthew employs this practice as we read about some of Jesus’ miracles. He likely organized his gospel this way to show Jesus’ power and authority, both naturally and spiritually, through His teaching and miracles. Matthew’s gospel is also proving to the original Jewish audience that Jesus is the awaited Messiah. Discussion Yesterday, we read about a scribe and a disciple who tells Jesus they want to follow Him. Jesus replies with the hard truth that following Him comes at a great cost—a cost that includes giving up the security and comfort of having a home. His reply is genuine and compassionate, while also hard and rigid. This will not be a temporary journey. Following Jesus is a lifelong journey full of trials that ends in a gruesome death for most of the disciples. As genuine as the two men might have been in that moment, Jesus’ reply forces them to question their sincerity… and count the cost. Today, we read one of Jesus’ most famous miracles in the Bible. We continue from v. 18, where Jesus commanded His disciples to get a boat to flee from the great crowds to the other side of the sea. After getting into the boat, “There arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves.” Some teach this passage to say the storms represent respective trials in our lives, but let’s stick with Scripture in context. The disciples were in a boat and there arose a great storm. To get a picture of the setting, the sea was not as vast as an ocean, but more the size of a large lake. As they set sail, Jesus goes to sleep. He was likely physically exhausted from the previous days’ teachings and miracles. Fishing boats came in many sizes, but many believe it was around 26-feet long and was large enough to hold 15 men (an average size). Also, shallow seas are more susceptible to high winds and choppy, punishing waves. At some point, a great storm with high winds and waves arises, making the disciples fear for their lives. Water was likely pouring over the sides of the boat and resting inside, forcing the disciples to scoop out the water. It is interesting to note that most of the disciples were experienced fishermen who lived on the sea. The fact that they cried out for help because they thought they might die provides insight into the seriousness of the storm. While the panic sets in for the disciples, we find Jesus asleep. A fascinating place to be amid what seems to be a vicious storm. Mark writes that some disciples believed Jesus did not care that they were perishing since He was asleep. This is silly, of course. Luke and Matthew write that the disciples cried for help because they were perishing. Matthew 8:25 says, “And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing!’” Likewise, Luke 8:24 says, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Mark 4:38 says, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Jesus awakes and replies to the disciples, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Certainly, this response struck their heart. How can He say we have no faith? Does He not realize what is happening? According to Scripture, resting in the presence of danger was a sign of a genuine faith. Psalms 4:8 says, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.” I find it fascinating that Jesus’ first response to the disciples was not about the storm—it was about their hearts. He cared more about His disciples' hearts because He wanted them to trust Him. He wanted them to be at peace. It is as if the disciples are saying, ‘Do you not see or care about the dire trouble we are in’ with Jesus replying, ‘Do you not trust me?’ The Psalmist provides an intimate look into genuine peace in God. Following His reply, Jesus demonstrates arguably His greatest miracle, as “He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.” Jesus has already established His power and authority through His teaching and healings. He has cast out demons and healed many diseases, but this miracle proves His power and authority over nature. “The men were amazed, and said, ‘What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” Surely, this act of controlling the weather was a sign of divine power found in God alone. “Jewish tradition reported some earlier teachers could pray for rain or its cessation, like Elijah. But absolute authority over waves and sea in Jewish tradition belonged to God alone.”[1] Application This passage is a fascinating look at the power and authority of Jesus. While in human form, Jesus held the obedience of nature with a word. While it is easy to apply this passage to our ‘storms of life’ as many do, I do not find that to be a proper application. There are many other verses we can appropriately apply to comfort us in our trials and tribulations. We miss the beauty of this passage when we make it about us. Instead, we need to focus on the greatness of our God. He is all powerful and can calm storms with a word! That is what set Jesus apart. This is the correct context of this passage. It is all about glorifying Jesus and revealing Him as the true Messiah. Other pagan gods and witch-craftiness could temporarily heal wounds and do miracles, but nobody carried authority like Jesus, who healed and cast out demons with a word. Likewise, nobody but God alone had the authority to alter the weather and control nature on a whim. But Jesus did just that, further confirming His claim as Messiah. The entire point of this daily Bible commentary is to help shift your focus to finding and understanding the beautiful truth of Scripture in context. There is so much amazing meat right in the text. We do not need to make every passage about us or change the meaning to make it catchy or appealing. God’s Word is amazing and beautiful and glorious, just as the text reveals! May we praise, worship, honor, and glorify Jesus every day in all that we do while continually pursuing righteousness, holiness, and forgiveness as He forgave us. Looking Ahead Thank you for joining today’s daily Bible reading! Next, we read Matthew 8:28-29. I hope you join me! I have made commenting available, so please feel free to discuss the reading and ask questions. If you do not want to discuss publicly, you can reach out to me privately. We are on this journey together. References [1] Keener, “IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition.”
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