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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 8:23 - 8:27
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_8:23-27
23When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" 26He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
Mat_8:24
NASB "And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea"
NKJV " And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea"
NRSV " A windstorm arose on the sea"
TEV "Suddenly a fierce storm hit the lake"
NJB "Without warning a storm broke over the lake"
The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by hills and affected by its proximity to Mt. Hermon and the Mediterranean Sea. The strong winds descending on this body of water were often sudden, unexpected, and violent. Even these professional fishermen were afraid.
The NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 557, has an interesting comment about the term seismos (" storm").
"The other eleven occurrences of seismos in the NT all refer to earthquakes, and always as divine interventions: at the moment of Jesus' death (Mat_27:54); at the resurrection, where it is linked with the rolling back of the stone; and at Philippi, as Paul and Silas sing God's praises in prison (Act_16:26). Earthquakes are one of the eschatological signs (Mat_24:7; Mar_13:8; Luk_21:11; Rev_6:12; Rev_8:5; Rev_11:13; Rev_11:19; Rev_16:18)."
This sudden storm was not a coincidence, but a God-sent opportunity to
1. reveal Jesus
2. build the disciples'faith
Mat_8:25 "Save us, Lord" This was the OT use of the term " save" meaning physical deliverance (cf. Mat_14:30; Joh_12:27; Act_23:24; Act_27:20; Act_27:31; Act_27:34; Act_27:43-44; Act_28:1; Act_28:4; Jas_5:15).
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Mat_8:26-27 "it became perfectly calm" They were absolutely astonished at Jesus' power even over nature. Because of Psa_89:8-9 this was an allusion to Jesus' deity . Only the creator can control nature (cf. Psa_107:23-32).