Matthew 8:23 - Meaning and Application

Christ had given his disciples orders to sail to the other side of the Sea of Tiberias, that is, the Sea of Galilee, into the region of Gadara, east of the Jordan. He was going there to free a poor man who was possessed by a legion of demons, even though he knew he would be rejected there. He chose to go by water, though the land route would have been easier, so he could show himself to be Lord of the sea as well as the dry land. This is a comfort to all who travel by sea and face danger there, because they can trust and pray to a Savior who knows what it is like to be on the water and in a storm.

When he went to sea, he had no fine boat of his own, but used his disciples’ fishing boats. He was poorly provided for in every way. His disciples followed him, and the twelve stayed close to him while others remained on solid ground, where there was safety. Only those are truly Christ’s disciples who are willing to go with him into danger and hardship. Many are willing to follow the land route to heaven, but they would rather stand still or turn back than risk a dangerous sea. Yet those who want to rest with Christ later must follow him now wherever he leads, whether into a boat or a prison, as well as into a palace.

In this voyage, the disciples faced real danger and confusion, and this showed the truth of Christ’s earlier warning that his followers must expect hardship (Matthew 8:20). A very great storm came up. Christ could have stopped it and given them an easy crossing, but that would not have shown his glory or strengthened their faith as much as their rescue did. The storm came for their sake, as in John 11:4. They might have expected calm with Jesus in the boat, but it was the opposite. He wanted to show that those who go with him across the sea of this world to the other side must expect storms along the way. The church is battered by tempests (Isaiah 54:11), and only the upper heavens enjoy lasting calm.

Jesus was asleep during the storm. We do not read of him sleeping at any other time. He prayed often and spent whole nights in prayer. This sleep was not careless, like Jonah’s sleep in a storm, but a peaceful rest that showed trust in his Father. He slept to show that he was truly human and shared the innocent weaknesses of our nature. His work made him tired and sleepy, and he had no guilt or fear inside to disturb his rest. Those who can lie down with a clear conscience may sleep quietly even in a storm (Psalm 4:8), like Peter in prison (Acts 12:6). He also slept to test his disciples’ faith, to see whether they would trust him when he seemed to ignore them. He was not sleeping mainly to be refreshed, but to be awakened.

The disciples, though used to the sea, were terrified. In their fear they went to their Master, and where else could they go? It was good that he was so near. They woke him with their prayer, “Lord, save us, we are perishing.” People learn to pray well in times like that. Clear and immediate danger drives people to the one who alone can help in their time of need. Their prayer was full of life: “Lord, save us, we are perishing.” They believed he could save them, and they asked him to do it. Christ came into the world to save, but only those who call on the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21). Those who believe in his eternal salvation may also come to him with humble trust for help in present troubles. They call him Lord, and then ask him to save them. Christ will save none who are not willing to take him as Lord, for he is both Prince and Savior.

Their plea, “We are perishing,” was the language of fear and urgency. They thought their case was hopeless and had given up all for lost. They felt as if they had already received a sentence of death within themselves, and that is what they laid before him: “We are perishing, unless you save us, so look on us with pity.” It was also the language of earnest prayer. They prayed like men fighting for their lives. We should pray with that same pressing seriousness. Christ slept so that he might draw out that kind of urgent prayer.

Then Jesus showed his power and mercy for their rescue. The Lord Jesus woke as one refreshed (Psalm 78:65). Christ may seem to sleep when his church is in a storm, but he will not oversleep himself. The appointed time to help his troubled church will surely come (Psalm 102:13). First, he rebuked the disciples: “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” He did not scold them for waking him with prayer, but for troubling themselves with fear. He reproved them before he delivered them, because that is often his way, to prepare us for mercy and then give it.

He showed his dislike of their fear. “Why are you afraid? You, my disciples?” Let sinners in Zion be afraid, and let pagan sailors tremble in a storm, but his followers should not be ruled by fear. He also showed the cause of their fear: little faith. Many people have real faith, but it is weak and does little. Christ’s disciples are often troubled by fears in hard times. They worry that things are bad with them and imagine they will only get worse. When fear rules us, it often means faith is weak. Faith would be like an anchor for the soul, and it would help us keep praying. By faith we could look through the storm to the quiet shore and hope that we will make it through. Christ is displeased when his disciples are fearful and unbelieving, because that dishonors him and troubles them.

Then he rebuked the wind. He had rebuked the disciples as the God of grace, ruling the heart and doing what he pleases in us. Now he rebuked the wind as the God of nature, ruling the world and doing what he pleases for us. It is the same power that stills the roar of the sea and the noise of fear (Psalm 65:7). This was done very easily, with a spoken word. Moses commanded the waters with a rod, Joshua with the ark of the covenant, and Elisha with the prophet’s mantle, but Christ did it with a word. This shows his complete rule over all creation, which honors him and brings joy to all who are on his side.

How completely this was done is striking. There was a great calm at once. Usually, after a storm, the water keeps churning for a long time before it settles, but when Christ speaks the word, he ends not only the storm itself but every effect left by it. In the same way, deep storms of doubt and fear in the soul, under the burden of a guilty conscience and fear of judgment, can sometimes end in a wonderful calm, created and spoken by the Spirit of adoption, that is, the Spirit who assures believers they are God’s children.

This amazed them, as Matthew 8:27 says. The men were astonished. They had spent a long time around the sea and had never seen a storm turn into a perfect calm so suddenly in all their lives. Everything about it showed the marks of a miracle. It was the Lord’s doing, and it was wonderful in their eyes.

Notice their admiration of Christ: “What kind of man is this?” Christ is unique. Everything in him is admirable. No one is wiser, stronger, or more lovely than he is. The reason for their wonder was clear, even the winds and the sea obey him.

For that reason, Christ is worthy of our admiration. He has commanding power even over winds and seas. Others claimed they could cure diseases, but he alone took authority over the winds. We do not know how the wind moves (John 3:8), much less can we control it. But God brings the wind out of his treasury (Psalm 135:7), and when it is loose, he gathers it in his fists (Proverbs 30:4). The One who can do that can do anything, and that is enough to give us confidence and comfort in him, even on the stormiest day, whether outwardly or inwardly (Isaiah 26:4).

The Lord sits over the flood and is stronger than the roar of many waters. By commanding the sea, Christ showed himself to be the same One who made the world. At his rebuke, the waters fled (Psalm 104:7-8), and now, at his rebuke, they became still.