RCL reading for Sunday, June 21, 2009:
Excerpt from the New Revised Standard Version
via Oremus (http://bible.oremus.org)
Mark 4:35-41
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’
36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.
37 A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.
38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’
39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.
40 He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’
41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’
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Lest we dismiss this story as a metaphor, we must begin by accepting the open intent of this as a demonstration of Christ's authority. After preaching in parables about the kingdom and just before casting out the demons in the Gadarene Jesus demonstrates his power over the forces of nature.
ReplyDeleteKen says ...
ReplyDeleteJesus was worn out from a day of preaching and healing. (He understands when we are exhausted.) Having requested a passage back across the Sea of Galilee he took the opportunity for some rest. Using the sole cushion for a pillow, he was immediately and soundly asleep in the stern of the boat. The sudden and severe storm did not disturb his relaxed rest. Even for experienced sailors in the group this was a scary squall, so violent that waves began to break over the gunnels. Matthew (Matt. 8:24) describes the storm as a seismos mega, a huge disturbance while Mark (4:37) speaks of hurricane force winds. Their anxiety finally pushed them to awaken the Lord. They gently roused him from sleep and asked, “Teacher, are you not concerned that we are about to be destroyed?” Jesus having fully awakened rebuked the wind and said to the lake, “Be still!” “Shut yourself down!” The wind cut off and an all pervading calm ensured except in the hearts and minds of the disciples. Mark says they “feared a great fear” astounded by the storm-master’s action and the resulting stillness. They lacked the trust Jesus hoped for and were baffled by the quality of His Person as revealed in the miracle. We still need to learn, as Jeremy Taylor said, we are far safer in the middle of a storm with God than anywhere else without Him.
I find it interesting that the crew, having found someone they believed possessed great power (they had seen healing and heard his teaching), would wake him expecting / believing that he could / would do something about their situation and the Teacher rebukes them. Question: What is the difference between the crew's waking Jesus and the faith he seems to want? This has something of a reflection of the story of Job when God simply says I'm God and you're not. Shut up and get on with it.
ReplyDelete