WHO IS THIS?

That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him.

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was on the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him. ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!’ (Mark 4: 35-41).

Such a familiar story that it hardly moves us any more. Of course we know who this is – Jesus, the Son of God!

But put yourself in the shoes of these twelve men. They thought that they were learning to be disciples of the latest graduate from the Beth Talmid. However, they soon began to realise that, in following Jesus they had bitten off more than they could chew. He just was not what they expected.

First of all, He was unpredictable. Just when they thought they were with a very successful rabbi, crowds following Him, amazing teaching flowing from Him, He took off for another place and started all over again. Why didn’t He stay in one place and build His ministry where He was successful?

Then He kept falling foul of the authorities. Sometimes it was quite embarrassing – the way they attacked Him and the way He talked back to them. Fairly undressed them with His words! One thing they realised – He was smart. The religious types tried to get the better of Him but they could not get it right. He always had an answer right out of the Torah and, enraged though they became, the boffins knew in their hearts that He was right. This didn’t make for good relations with the authorities. Somehow His disciples knew that He would overstep the mark and the religious leaders would get Him.

But He didn’t seem to care. He had His own agenda and no amount of antagonism or opposition He aroused seemed to slow Him down. It was as though He was being guided from another source – not His circumstances but a Person with whom He was in intimate contact all the time.

Did He know, when He decided to go on a boat ride, that He was about to take His men into a crisis? Why put their lives in danger? He knew very well how the weather behaved on the Galilean lake – one moment bright sunshine and calm, the next a furious wind whipping up huge waves on the water. Perhaps He wasn’t aware of what was about to happen. After all, didn’t He take things as they came?

He was worn out after all the teaching and healing and clamouring crowds, desperate people all wanting attention. He also needed to take time out and where better than on the other side of the lake where He could escape the people for a little while? The boat had hardly set sail when He fell asleep on a cushion. How considerate of Peter to have a cushion in the boat just for Him!

Then the wind began to blow. Clouds gathered and blotted out the sunlight. The once sunny sky turned dark and gloomy. The calm water was whipped up into mountainous waves. The tiny craft rose and dipped like a cork on the water. The frightened men tried desperately to keep the boat facing the waves so that they would not be swamped and capsize but, in spite of their experience and their strength, these seasoned fisherman were losing the battle.

And Jesus slept through it all! How could He sleep in the midst of such a furore? The disciples were not only afraid, they were indignant. Didn’t He care about them? At least He could help them although He didn’t know anything about sailing a boat!

They shook Him awake with a sharp rebuke. “Don’t you care what happens to us?” Jesus nonchalantly stood up and spoke to the storm. Just like that! How would that help? “Be quiet!” He commanded the wind. “Be still!” He rebuked the waves. And it happened. One minute they were up on a crest and down in a trough and the next, perfect calm, clouds gone, sun out as though it had never happened.

The disciples were stunned. How did He do that? Another startling experience to add to their list of baffling questions. Who was this Man? Then He turned on them. “What is wrong with you guys? Why are you so scared? Don’t you trust me?” Was this the reason for this outing – to expose them to another aspect of their Master so that they would grow an unshakeable trust and conviction that He was, indeed, the Son of God?

One day they would have to answer His question, “Who do you say that I am?”

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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