Luke 8:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger.

NIV: As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

NASB: But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.

CSB: and as they were sailing he fell asleep. Then a fierce windstorm came down on the lake; they were being swamped and were in danger.

NLT: As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.

KJV: But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

NKJV: But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.

Not long before this time, Mary and Jesus' brothers had searched Jesus out, worried by what they'd heard (Mark 3:21). His ministry is so successful that the crowds often won't even let Him eat (Mark 3:20). The relentless demands of the crowds, His desire to teach all who will listen, and the lack of rest and food would have made Jesus exhausted.

The Sea of Galilee is uniquely situated in a way that invites sudden and violent storms. It sits well below sea level and is surrounded by hills. These are especially steep to the east. The warm air above the lake can be quickly disturbed by colder air sweeping down from the hills, causing unpredictable storms. In the incident described here, waves are breaking over the sides of the boat, filling it with water. The professional fishermen are afraid the boat is going to fill with water and sink. It's night, and if they capsize the survivors will quickly be separated in the tall waves and fierce winds.

Luke 8:22–25 records people's reaction to Jesus' message. Here, people must decide who Jesus is in the face of miraculous salvation from earthly threats. When Jesus calms a storm over the Sea of Galilee, He rescues the disciples and shows His authority over both nature and chaos. They understandably must rethink who He is. Next Jesus saves people from demons, illness, and death. The story of Jesus taming the storm is also in Matthew 8:18, 23–27 and Mark 4:35–41.

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 5/8/2024 4:11:00 PM