Mark 4:35-41 |
Matthew 8:23-27 |
Luke 8:22-25 |
| On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, Let us cross to the other side. Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Quiet! Be still! The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? They were filled with great awe and said to one another, Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey? | He got into a boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, Lord, save us! We are perishing! He said to them, Why are you terrified, O you of little faith? Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey? |
One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, Let us cross to the other side of the lake. So they set sail, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A squall blew over the lake, and they were taking in water and were in danger. They came and woke him saying, Master, master, we are perishing! He awakened, rebuked the wind and the waves, and they subsided and there was a calm. Then he asked them, Where is your faith? But they were filled with awe and amazed and said to one another, Who then is this, who commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him? |
Notice the Differences
- Mark
- They are in a boat, followed by little boats – a little navy must form his new aquatic pride since he is on the sea.
- As the squall comes overtakes them, Mark goes into detail about the water filling the boats with the waves breaking over them.
- Jesus, is so unconcerned that he not only sleeps, but he does so comfortably on a cushion – possibly representing his regal status.
- Jesus yells at the wind and sea and Mark reports his command, “Quiet! Be still!”
- Matthew
- The shortest account yet it captures the main story and the theme of Jesus’ mastery over nature itself.
- Luke
- Luke describes the scene in an almost serene fashion. As the squall blew in they took water in the boat and were in danger (as opposed to describing the breaking waves, it filling up, being swamped, etc).
- The disciples still panic and he rebukes the wind and waves.
- Jesus is the most tactful with the disciples in Luke’s account where he asks them “Where is your faith?” rather than asking if they even have any or describing them as being of little faith. He also refrains from asking why they were afraid, as he clearly understands that their fear is from the danger of the storm placing their lives in jeopardy.