is the fullest; note how both the others omit the reproach of Mark A BOAT. I. What happened while Jesus was travelling across the lake? 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? These narratives make a large leap forward in the The real hero in the story is Jesus whom the disciples worship (for the first time in Matthew) as the Son of God. It is the proper thing to do. The sea became severely agitated so the boat dipped into the waves, but he was sleeping. (G1684) , . Of all the gospel writers Matthew is the most orderly. Jesus This bark is the Catholic Church. 8:18 ), that they should depart to the other side of the sea of Tiberias, into the country of Gadara, in the tribe of Gad, which lay east of Jordan; thither he would go to rescue a poor creature that was possessed with a legion of devils, though he foresaw how he should be . The language of their fear; they looked upon their case as desperate, and gave up all for lost; they had received a sentence of death within themselves, and this they plead, We perish, if thou dost not save us; look upon us therefore with pity.. The man was saying that someday he wanted to follow Jesus, when his father was dead and when he would be free to go. Do you still have no faith? Luke simply says, Where is your faith? This is a little different because they are all reporting what Jesus said, not what different people said. But as is often the case in the gospels, words like this are retained in the Christian community with added meaning. And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. 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). 27 The men were amazed and asked, What kind of man is this? worshipped him,_ It provides another significant part to the portrayal of the King: He is not just a king over the people of Israel; rather, He is king over all nature as well. St. Marks language (Mark 4:38) puts this very bluntly indeed. ship they were about to be sunk by a storm. An agitated appeal.The occasion of this was a great tempesta sort of convulsion (a ) in that sea. A wild storm came up. "What he meant was: 'If you have faith enough, all difficulties can be solved, and even the hardest task can be accomplished.' Faith in God is the instrument which enables men to remove the hills of difficulty which block their path." How came we ever to question His love? freedom The event took place after Jesus and His disciples had crossed the Sea of Galilee and Jesus had calmed the storm ( Matt 8:23-27, Mark 4:36-4 and Luke 8:22-25) The demoniacs had been living in the tombs and came out ( Matt 8:28, Mark 5:2, Luke 8:27) The demons spoke to Jesus ( Mat 8:29, Mark 5:7, Luke 8:28) Jesus drove the demons out of the men . [3.] MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH. Matthew 8:23. The first thing that Jesus did in response to their request was to rebuke their weak faith: O you of little faith, why are you afraid? They were right to ask Jesus to save them--and their request shows that they had faith that He could save them. worship. of life. What is there lacking except in your faith? (Matthew 8:26) EXPLAIN. beat into the ship He . This little passage is rather straightforward in its structure. _When the even was come, they brought unto him many that It is now on display in a lovely new museum there on the shores of the lake at Genneseret. 1. The author of The Land and the Book tells us that such tempests are common still in those parts, and that they are caused principally by the sudden rush of the wind down some of the deep gullies on the eastern side of the lake. DISCIPLES IN DANGER . When His disciples came to Jesus fearful of the stormy sea, He asks them Why are you afraid? The 29th psalm is also a good one to connect with this study. Sea Maclaren, D.D. 4:38. But you can also gain a great appreciation for things like distances, temperatures, altitudes, and such by actually taking a good trip to the land of Israel. Be still! (4:39); and the disciples were terrified (4:41) and asked Who is this? (4:41). Both Matthew and Mark included Jesus question about their being afraid. Matthew says that Jesus said to them, You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Mark says, Why are you so afraid? The church may be like to be drowned, and Christ may seem to neglect the matter.5. Either way, the peril was great. CHAPTER 8 Of the way in which He may be expected to bring them through their trials at last.Viz. Chapter Context. With nowhere else to turn, they came to Him and woke Jesus, saying Save us, Lord; we are perishing! Matthew uses the Greek word typically translated save. It is sozo (G4982). This short sentence is overcharged with pronouns Christ, by commanding the seas, showed himself to be the same that made the world, when, at his rebuke, the waters fled (Ps 104:7-8), as now, at his rebuke, they fell. The storm was so great that the boat was being covered with the waves. him. In the For He is not only their teacher: He We return in this faith hope and love 12). Were going to drown. Mark says that the disciples said, Teacher, dont you care if we drown? Luke says that they said, Master, Master, were going to drown. Now this apparent discrepancy as it is often called affords us a good opportunity to understand the synoptic gospels. history. They would look back on this and always remember His Why are you afraid? because they would not be so afraid again in His presence. And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. He would be accepted by the nations, as is the case in the book of It is a sign of His true manhood, of His toil up to the very edge of His strength. It is helpful to keep that in the back of your mind. () of windthe waves beat into Ver 23. I would not make too much of their following Him (some folks make a spiritual point out of some common statements), because the word is used even for the crowds of unbelievers who followed Him where He went. _Behold, there came a leper and worshipped him._ After By faith we might see through the storm to the quiet shore, and encourage ourselves with hope that we shall weather our point. Section 16 at a later point. who followed Him must be ready to put all other considerations to JESUS STILLS THE STORM (8:23-27). (1.) But, the circumstances of the storm on the sea terrified them and they thought they were going to drowneven though in their presence was the Son of Man. We tend to panic . This was the Messiah, the one everyone believed would be the Lord of all the earth. MATTHEW 8:1 When we have concluded Revelation, we will start over again in Genesis, so if you are with us for five years you will not miss any part of the Bible. But it gives us also a clue that the storm, although only a storm, is a symptom of something else about nature. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.". Jesus power over all nature is referred to at the very beginning of the Book of Hebrews, for it begins by reminding us that Jesus is sustaining all things by His powerful (spoken) word (1:3). After this brief chastisement, Jesus, then got up and rebuked the winds and the sea. "Behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea." Matthew 8:23-27 demonstrates Jesus' authority over nature. What a wondrous application of His power (6) And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. . part. Mt. The disciplesapparently with some reluctanceenter a ship. Christ could have prevented this storm, and have ordered them a pleasant passage, but that would not have been so much for his glory and the confirmation of their faith as their deliverance was: this storm was for their sakes, as Joh 11:4. So when you come upon apparent discrepancies in the narratives (and some interpreters like to exploit these as errors), remember that the writers have a certain amount of freedom to put things in their own words, or to summarize, or to select only parts of the event for their book. It is the basic cry to the Lord for help by a needy people. The effect of Jesus powerful command was to calm the storm on the sea, but also to calm their fears. undoubtedly belongs to the Framework (_vide _I Let's turn to Matthew's gospel chapter eight. INTO A SHIP - This was on the Sea of Tiberias. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed Stilling of the waves. Jesus has also addressed a couple of would-be disciples, with remarks that underscore the costs of following Jesus. followed him. THE STORM ON THE LAKE Jesus comments on the smallness of their faith and calms the storm with a rebuke. It is a beautiful illustration of His ways of dealing with those that are His. The fishing villages of Capernaum and Bethsaida so frequently mentioned in the gospels were on the north west and north shores of the lake. The psalm closes by reminding the reader that God sat sovereignly at the great Flood (Gen. 6-8). We are perishing!". Matthew 8 Commentary. He does not quench the dimly burning wick, but tends it and feeds it with oilby His inward gifts and by His answers to prayertill it burns up clear and smokeless, a faith without fear. of His ministry summarised as teaching and preaching and healing _Excursion to the eastern shore with its incidents_ (Mark 4:35 to Mark (Prayer) Look with me if you will at your Bible and notice verse 18. Nothing is impossible for Him. So in the Old Testament God alone has the authority to command and control nature, especially the chaotic element of nature like this huge storm in Psalm 29. Dr Ross joined the faculty of Beeson Divinity School in 2002 as Beeson Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew. Save us is the language of faith; we perish is that of fear. 2. Ver. The other rebuke was but the sequel to this; its complement, as it were. Matthew is mentioned in Matthew 9:9 and Matthew 10:3 as a tax collector who, while sitting at the "receipt of custom" in Capernaum, was called to follow Jesus. And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?(Matthew 6:25-27). And it would have been powered by a sail. This is one reason why He chose to designate Himself as the Son of Man, a Messianic title from Daniel 7:13-14 to be sure, but also a way of describing Himself as the authentic man, invested with power, humble, obedient, and finally exalted. A Great Tempest Arose On The Sea-Just like in our life, there are times of smooth sailing and there are times of stormy waters! 25 And they went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! It is the same power that stills the noise of the sea, and the tumult of fear, Ps 65:7. Matthew 8:23. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? _And when he was entered, &c._] Himself was first in the When evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake.". FAITHFUL Matthew 8:23-27 INTRODUCTION It is hard to amaze people today. He that can do this, can do anything, can do enough to encourage our confidence and comfort in him, in the most stormy day, within or without, Isa 26:4. Jesus rebuked the disciples for their weak faith. in such a way as to learn far more both of His mercy and power; in such a way, therefore, as to reach a greater calm and deeper faith in the end; and to wonder, therefore, now as much at our former fears as we did at His slumber before. 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. In that story, Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea, and they obeyed him. 1. Matthew 9:1-8. It was. The magna charta of Christ's Kingdom: the unfolding Their admiration of Christ; What manner of man is this! They had never seen anything like this. study questions will experience their sorrows, and show His heart of compas 23-27 It is a comfort to those who go down to the sea in ships, and In form, of course,and in effect alsothis was to them a rebuke. The church must believe Christ to be God and able to deliver them. His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. This story has long been valued by all true disciples of Christ. That is, the eastern shore, home of the Decapolis City of Hippos, a Gentile city. 3. Matthew 8:18-27 (Matthew 8:1 .) The men were amazed, and said, What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?. When he embarked on the boat, his disciples followed him. Ensuring your father had a proper burial was among the . Their response is amazement! 23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. Decapolis was a We are dying!" He enjoys doing things that are simply too hard . Here we have a very human characteristic. Even the winds and the waves obey Him!. The gentle remonstrance.There is something very majestic in the tranquillity of our Lords awakening, and, if we follow Matthews order, in His addressing Himself first to the disciples weakness, and letting the storm rage on. I myself was ready to take a group out on the lake in a boat but we had to cancel because there were fifteen foot waves on the other side. A vessel making for the East would be especially exposed to that wind; and the waves raised by it would naturally drive over its prow so as to cover the decks of such a boat where it had them, and fill it where it had none (Matthew 8:24; Mark 4:37). What pity was in it! _When he was come down from the mountain, great We have already discussed the boat and the storm so that we do not need to reiterate that now. They believed he could save them; they begged he would. Dormant power.In the first verses of this passage the resolution of Matthew 8:18 is executed in part. Jesus Words. And He casts all into the form of a question, thus softening rebuke, and calming their terrors by the appeal to their common sense. His presence exempteth not His disciples from trouble and danger.3. 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. (1.) Christ could have prevented this storm, and have ordered them a pleasant passage, but that would not have been so much for his glory and the confirmation of their faith as their deliverance was: this storm was for their sakes, as Joh 11:4. Upon this account, Christ is to be admired, that he has a commanding power even over winds and seas. CHARACTERS: Jesus, leper, centurion Matthew 8:2. The peril and perplexity of the disciples in this voyage; and in this appeared the truth of what Christ had just now said, that those who follow him must count upon difficulties, Mt 8:20. p EXPOSITION . _When he was come down from the mountain, great MESSIAH'S WORK AS COMPLEMENTARY TO HIS TEACHING. Observe here, 1. This story is similar to Matthew 8:23-27, where a storm threatened to sink the boat while Jesus slept. (2.) Matthew inserts this group of events here; Mark and Luke Why are you so afraid? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. Jesus was tempted, like a man, but rebuked Satan (Matt. CLOSER READING: In verse 24, the storm that happens is literally a quake the Greek word that gives us our words seismograph and seismic. The storms obey when Jesus says "Peace, be still. SHIP. They were in a panic when they came to Him, not in confidence. Very wise was its direction. I. Christs sleep in the storm.His calm slumber is contrasted with the hurly-burly of the tempest and the fear of the crew. And, look church call to worship What is there really to fear? I. act. 3. As had previously been pointed out to the would be disciples, those
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