Matthew 8:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

NIV: Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

NASB: And behold, a violent storm developed on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.

CSB: Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves--but Jesus kept sleeping.

NLT: Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

KJV: And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

NKJV: And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.

Jesus and His hand-picked disciples are on a boat on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:18). Jesus is sleeping soundly when a sudden storm comes up. These types of intense squalls are common on this body of water, which sits 600 feet below sea level and is surrounded by steep hills. Violent winds and choppy waves can quickly threaten an unprepared watercraft.

Matthew was likely there that day and describes the boat being swamped by the waves. Boats are "swamped" when water begins to pour over the sides. Larger sailing ships have covered decks that can shed this water—small open boats do not. If the waves crash water into the boat faster than the men can scoop it out, the craft will sink.

That Jesus was able to sleep through all of this is fascinating on its own. The fact that He was sleeping also contributed to the disciple's panic. They may have wondered if Jesus even knew what was happening. Some of them were experienced fisherman who had spent many years on that lake. All of them were apparently worried about being killed in the storm.

Matthew 8:23–27 demonstrates Jesus' authority over nature. Out on the Sea of Galilee in a boat, Jesus is sleeping soundly. A sudden and violent storm springs up, pouring water into the boat from the waves. The disciples fear for their lives and wake Jesus to ask Him to save them. He asks them why their faith is so small and then immediately calms the storm with a rebuke to the wind and waves. The disciples marvel and wonder what sort of man Jesus is if even the wind and sea obey Him.

Matthew begins a series of stories revealing Jesus' authority over sickness, demons, and even the weather. Jesus heals a humble man with leprosy and great faith. He then heals the servant of a Roman centurion who understands that Jesus does not need to come to his home; He can just speak a word. Jesus praises the Gentile man's amazing faith. After healing many more, Jesus and the disciples get caught in a deadly storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus stops the storm with a word. Later, He casts demons out of two men and into a huge herd of pigs.

Matthew 8 follows the conclusion of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2). He turns to telling a series of dramatic stories to show Jesus' power and authority over every kind of disease, over demons, and even over the weather. Jesus also gives brief teachings about the hard road of following Him on earth. He calms a violent storm with a single command and casts demons from two violently possessed men. Matthew will focus mostly on miracles until shifting focus to Jesus' teachings and parables in chapter 11.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/1/2024 6:25:58 PM