Read Mark 4:35–41. What happens in this story, and what lessons can

we take from it about who Jesus is?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

At the beginning of Mark 4, Jesus steps into a boat to teach the crowd

on the shore. In Mark 4:10–12, it seems He may have gotten out of

the boat and talked with the disciples privately. Now, after a long day

of teaching, the disciples take Jesus in the boat “as He was,” in other

words, very tired. He immediately falls asleep on the boat’s cushion,

which would be in the stern of the boat. A great storm arises on the

lake, and the boat is at risk of sinking when the disciples awake Him.

Dramatically, Jesus commands the wind and waves to cease. A great

calm settles over the lake. Understandably, the disciples are deeply

afraid at the display of divine power.

Read Psalm 104:1–9. How does the picture of Yahweh here compare

with Christ calming the storm?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

The story in Mark 4:35–41 fits within a common biblical pattern:

that of a “theophany”—the appearance of God or one of His angels.

Five characteristics are common to these events: (1) the display of

divine power, (2) human fear, (3) the command “Do not fear,” (4)

the words of revelation for which God or the angel appeared, and (5)

human response to the revelation. Four of the five are present in this

story—the calming of the storm is the display of divine power, the disciples’ fear is the human fear. The question, “Why are you so afraid?”

is the “Do not fear.” The disciples’ question, “Who then is this?” is

the human response. What is missing is the words of revelation. This

missing detail plays into the revelation/secrecy motif that runs through

the entire book, where the truth about Jesus will come out. Here the

disciples’ question, “Who then is this that the wind and the sea obey

Him?” pushes the reader to fill in the answer of the missing words of

revelation—He is the Son of God, the Lord Himself.

Think about the power of God. How can you learn to lean on this

power and to trust it in all things in your life?