Jesus Calms the Storm
Waves, a sleeping Jesus, and a question
Two things you can tap
- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Jesus: The one the Gospels present as the promised Messiah and the Son of God. He has been teaching all day.
- The disciples: Jesus's closest followers. Some of them are fishermen who know this lake well.
Setting
- A fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee, a large lake in northern Israel. Other boats are nearby. Mark does not say what happened to them.
When
- Evening, about 2,000 years ago.
Before the Story
Jesus taught all day by the lake. The crowd was so big that he sat in a boat and taught from the water (4:1).
He told many parables. A parable is a short story Jesus told to teach something (4:2, 4:33).
Some of his disciples were fishermen. Jesus called them away from their boats and nets on this same lake (1:16-20).
Here's what you know that the disciples don't: Mark tells us at the very start that Jesus is the Son of God (1:1). The disciples are still finding out.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Crossing the lake | 4:35-36 | Jesus and his disciples set out in a boat |
| 2. The storm | 4:37 | A violent storm fills the boat with water |
| 3. Asleep | 4:38 | Jesus sleeps. The disciples wake him up |
| 4. "Be still!" | 4:39 | Jesus speaks, and the storm stops |
| 5. "Who is this?" | 4:40-41 | Jesus asks a question. So do the disciples |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 5Crossing the Lake
That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us cross to the other side" (4:35).
They sent the crowd home. Jesus was already sitting in the boat, so they took him with them. Other boats went too.
Scene 2 of 5The Storm
Soon a violent windstorm came up.
Waves crashed over the sides of the boat. Water was filling it up.
Some of Jesus's disciples were fishermen who knew this lake (1:16-20). Jesus's question later shows that all of them were afraid.
Scene 3 of 5Asleep
Jesus was in the back of the boat. He was sleeping on a cushion.
The disciples woke him up. "Teacher, don't You care that we are perishing?" (4:38). Perishing means dying.
They did not only ask for help. They asked if Jesus cared.
Scene 4 of 5"Be Still!"
Jesus got up. He spoke sharply to the wind and the sea.
"Silence!" He commanded. "Be still!" (4:39).
The wind stopped. The water became perfectly calm.
Scene 5 of 5"Who Is This?"
"Why are you so afraid?" Jesus asked them. "Do you still have no faith?" (4:40).
The storm was over. Now the disciples felt a different kind of fear. They were amazed and shaken by what Jesus had done.
They asked each other, "Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (4:41).
The story ends with their question. Mark leaves it for us to answer too.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "Let us cross to the other side" (4:35) | Jesus chose to go with them. He was in the boat the whole time. |
| "Sleeping on the cushion" (4:38) | Jesus was really human. He slept, like we do. His body needed rest. |
| "Don't You care that we are perishing?" (4:38) | The disciples were scared enough to wonder if Jesus cared. Jesus did not send them away for asking. |
| "Be still!" (4:39) | Jesus did not pray for the storm to stop. He gave it an order, and it obeyed. Only God can do that. |
| "Why are you so afraid?" (4:40) | Jesus was there with them. He wanted them to trust him. |
| "Who is this" (4:41) | In the Old Testament, only God rules the sea (Psalm 89:9). Now Jesus does what only God can do. |
Back Then
The Sea of Galilee is really a lake. It is about 12½ miles long (Easton's Bible Dictionary). Hills surround it. Storms can come up quickly on the lake, and Mark says this one came up "soon" (4:37).
Fishing boats were wooden and open, with no roof. One from about this time was found in the lake's mud in 1986. It is about 27 feet (8 meters) long.
For many people back then, the sea was a picture of danger and chaos. The Psalms praise God as the one who calms it: "He calmed the storm to a whisper" (Psalm 107:29).
Literal Reader Alert
Is it wrong to feel afraid? No. Fear is a feeling, not a sin. The disciples were in real danger. And they did the right thing: they went to Jesus. Jesus's question was a real correction. But he asked it after he had already saved them. He was not pushing them away. He was calling them to trust him. Jesus himself was "deeply troubled and distressed" the night before he died (Mark 14:33).
What if I feel anxious a lot? You are not alone, and you are not a bad Christian. Anxiety is real, and it is common. You can pray about it, even if your prayer is just "Help." Talking to someone you trust helps too. If worry is making it hard to sleep, eat, or go to school, a doctor or counselor can help. Getting help is not a lack of faith. God often cares for us through other people. If you are in danger right now, call 911 or your local emergency number. In the United States, you can also call or text 988 any time, day or night. Outside the United States, findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
Was Jesus really asleep in a storm? Yes. Mark says so. He had been teaching all day. Jonah also slept on a ship in a storm (Jonah 1:5). But Jonah was running from God (Jonah 1:3). Mark does not say why Jesus could sleep. Many Christians see it as a picture of his trust in his Father.
Why do the other Gospels tell it a little differently? Matthew and Luke tell this story too (Matthew 8:23-27, Luke 8:22-25). In Matthew, the disciples say, "Lord, save us!" The Gospel writers remembered and told it in their own words. The main events are the same.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The disciples | Terrified | The boat was filling with water (4:37-38) |
| The disciples | Let down | They wondered if Jesus cared (4:38) |
| Jesus | Calm | He was asleep, then he calmed the storm (4:38-39) |
| The disciples | Overwhelmed with fear | Even the wind and sea obeyed Jesus (4:41) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
What does your storm feel like right now? Tap one.
Everything is loud
Jesus spoke to the wind, and it went quiet. You can tell him about the noise. He is with you, like he was with them in the boat.
Does God even care?
The disciples asked Jesus that exact question. He did not get angry at them for asking. He got up and helped.
It's calm right now
Good. The disciples learned who Jesus was in the storm. They also had quiet days to remember it.
I'm not sure who Jesus is
The disciples weren't sure either. They asked who he was. That is a good question to keep asking.
It's really bad right now
The disciples told Jesus the truth: they were scared. You can tell him too. Please also tell a trusted adult today. If you are in danger, call or text 988 (in the U.S.) or your local emergency number.
You Might Have Heard
"If you have enough faith, God will make your problems go away."
What's true: Jesus has power over every storm. Trusting him matters. But he does not always take hard things away right when we ask. He stays with us in them.
What the story is mainly about: Who Jesus is. The disciples' faith was weak. Jesus even asked if they had any. He still saved them. He didn't wait for them to trust him perfectly. Faith is not a power we use to fix things. It is a gift from God. It is trusting the one who is with us, like he was with them in the boat.
Where Jesus is: In the boat, asleep and then awake. Mark wants us to see that Jesus does what only God can do. The disciples ask, "Who is this"? Mark gives the answer at the very start (1:1). A Roman soldier says it again at the cross: "Truly this man was the Son of God!" (15:39).
Good News
The disciples asked, "Don't You care that we are perishing?" (4:38). Later, the letter called 1 Peter, which begins with Peter's name, says, "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).
Jesus didn't wait for their faith to be strong. He saved them while they were still afraid.
You don't have to stop being afraid before you come to Jesus. Bring him the fear.
Big Idea
Jesus is with us, like he was with them in the boat. He cares, he rules the storm, and he saves us even when our faith is small.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Martin Luther preached on Matthew's telling of this story (a sermon for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany, printed in his Church Postil). He said the ship is a picture of the Christian church, and the sea is the world. He taught that sometimes Christ seems to be asleep. But the wind and the sea still obey him, so faith keeps holding on to him.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads Mark 4:35-41 in late June of Year B (Lectionary 12). That same Sunday, some churches hear the story of David and Goliath, and others hear God answer Job from the storm (Job 38).
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?
How did that feel?