In biblical days, especially in the period in which the Old Testament was written, the waters of the sea represented chaos. It was a commonly held belief in many ancient mythologies that the powers of evil, and chaotic spirits resided in the deep. No doubt this connection is based on the very real power, and large scope, of the seas and oceans that cover our planet. Our own creation narrative in Genesis speaks of God dividing the waters and bringing forth land. It is easy for us to look back on these ancient peoples, and even perhaps the people of the Old Testament, and view their beliefs as being somewhat outdated to say the least. And yet, even today we still use the imagery of water to describe some of our most out-of-control and helpless moments. All of us at some point in our lives have used phrases like "I'm drowning in work", "the storms of life", or perhaps even referred to our emotions as having a "sinking feeling".
The point is, whether we admit it or not, we know that there is a very good reason why large bodies of water and chaos are so frequently linked. Furthermore, we can understand why the disciples would be terrified when encountering a storm on the open water. The small size of their boat was no match for the vastness of the sea. This story is about more than a miracle, it's about how we view our problems. Do we view them in relation to our own powerlessness, or do we view them in the context of God's omnipotence? Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that to view them in their proper context, the one where God's power is taken into account, is easy. On the contrary, it's quite difficult, precisely because it is in those moments where we feel so helpless.
The thing I take away from all of this is the noticeable difference between Jesus' response and that of the disciples. The disciples are responding out of their fear, and understandably so. Jesus however, isn't responding at all. In fact, he is sleeping. His ability to rest in even the most perilous of moments is a testimony to His unfailing confidence in God's power at work in Him. Scripture itself testifies to this power. The psalmist would ask, "O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging sea; when its waves rise, you still them." (Psalm 89:8-9) This refers to the power of God, but another psalm speaks even more specifically to the situation of the disciples:
"Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders." (Psalm 107:23-32)
Jesus' disciples fail to make the connection. Perhaps they didn't know their Bible as well as they should, or maybe they just didn't have the eyes of faith to see what was happening around them. While they might have failed to recognize Jesus' true identity here, eventually they do see Him for who He is. We know this not only because we read of their boldness of faith later in Scripture, but because the art of the early church demonstrates a faithful understanding of this story. In early Christian art the church was often portrayed as a boat, with Jesus stationed in the rear, just as He was in this story when the disciples boat encountered such a dangerous storm. It is understandable why Mark's first readers would relate so strongly to this story. The early church was in the midst of a great persecution, and were no doubt asking many of the same questions the disciples did when confronted with the storm. "Does he not care that we are perishing?" This story would have been of great comfort to them, as it shows that while God may appear to be "asleep", he is never powerless. We can never simply wish our problems away, but we can put them in context. While the storms of life may be infinitely more powerful than we are ourselves, our God is more powerful still.
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