VERSESEE

Mark 4:35–41

Jesus Calms the Storm

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On the same day Jesus taught by parables, evening came and he said to his disciples, "Let us go across to the other side." What follows is one of the most vivid storm scenes in the Gospels: a sudden squall on the Sea of Galilee, terrified disciples, and a word from Jesus that stills both wind and sea.

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Evening on the lake

On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” So after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, and other boats were with him. Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” So he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?” They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!”

Look Around

Storms on the Sea of Galilee

The Sea of Galilee sits in a basin surrounded by hills. Cool air from the Mediterranean can rush down through the Jordan Valley and collide with warm lake air, producing sudden, violent storms. First-century fishermen knew this water could turn dangerous in minutes, which makes the disciples' fear, and Jesus' authority, all the more striking.

Echoes of Genesis 1

Mark's storm scene echoes the opening of Scripture. In Genesis 1, darkness and the deep waters wait in disorder until God speaks. Here, wind and waves threaten the boat until Jesus speaks. The same voice that commanded "Let there be light" stills the sea with "Be quiet! Calm down!" Reading the two passages together shows Jesus exercising the Creator's authority over chaos.

  • Genesis 1:1–5

    Darkness was over the surface of the deep waters... God said, "Let there be light."

  • Mark 4:39

    Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Be quiet! Calm down!"

In the Boat with the Teacher

Mark places this story immediately after a day of teaching. The crowd is left behind. Jesus sleeps on a cushion while the boat takes on water. The contrast between his rest and their panic is part of the drama.

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