Luke 8:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm.

NIV: The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we’re going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.

NASB: They came up to Jesus and woke Him, saying, 'Master, Master, we are perishing!' And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.

CSB: They came and woke him up, saying, "Master, Master, we’re going to die!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a calm.

NLT: The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, 'Master, Master, we’re going to drown!' When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm.

KJV: And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

NKJV: And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.

Jesus and the disciples are in a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. It's night, and a violent storm has sprung up. The disciples are afraid of dying, but Jesus is asleep.

The repeat of "Master" indicates how anxious they are. This word, however, is different in each Gospel. Matthew uses a single "Lord," and Mark uses one "Teacher." This demonstrates the concept of ipsissima vox: that the words recorded are the "very voice" of the event, not necessarily a transcription of exact words. The effect is the same in that the disciples are going to Jesus as their authority figure to rescue them. Then again, it may be that in that moment Matthew used "Lord," Peter—Mark's source—used "Teacher," and whoever told the story to Luke used "Master." It's reasonable to think not everyone in the boat used the same word when they cried out to Jesus. In any case, the three words refer to an authority, but even "Lord" does not mean they understood Jesus to be the Messiah and Son of God.

Greco-Roman mythology claimed certain rulers had power over the sea. However, in their view, that power was not expressed so casually as controlling the waters with just a brief spoken phrase. The sea is a symbol of chaos: from a human perspective, it is the ultimate in uncontrollable and unpredictable forces. That Jesus' mere words calmed the storms would have been just as astounding to readers of this Gospel as it was to the disciples who witnessed it.

Scholars argue over whether Jesus confronts the storm as He does demons. "Rebuke" could be seen as a response to a natural evil like illness or as a response to a supernatural enemy. Either way, Jesus responds to the storm as an evil that is hindering His purposes of crossing the lake. But He also reveals Himself as the Creator who brought order to the waters (Genesis 1:1–10). "Rebuke" refers to strong disapproval, and can imply a more aggressive or strident tone. Jesus told the wind and waves, "Peace! Be still!" (Mark 4:39). "Raging," here, suggests the waves kept coming, one after another.

When Jesus speaks, the wind and waves cease and the water becomes flat and motionless. The waves that were coming in succession simply stop. As with many of Jesus' miracles, "He has done all things well" (Mark 7:37).

Luke 8:22–25 records people's reaction to Jesus' message. Here, people must decide who Jesus is in the face of miraculous salvation from earthly threats. When Jesus calms a storm over the Sea of Galilee, He rescues the disciples and shows His authority over both nature and chaos. They understandably must rethink who He is. Next Jesus saves people from demons, illness, and death. The story of Jesus taming the storm is also in Matthew 8:18, 23–27 and Mark 4:35–41.

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.