Who Then Is This?

Scripture — Mark 4:35–41 (NRSV)

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Devotion

I’ve heard about Jesus my entire life, beginning, I expect, with my parents during my first experience of Christmas. I attended Sunday School from my earliest days, having accepted Jesus into my heart at a Billy Graham crusade when I was six years old. I have spent thousands of hours in church and Bible studies, thousands more reading the Bible and praying. I’ve studied Jesus in graduate school and during my tenure as a pastor. I once wrote a book called Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. In all of these experiences and many more, Jesus has been central. I’ve sought to know more truly and intimately the Savior to whom I entrusted my life in the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1963.

Yet, today’s story from the Gospel of Mark challenges my knowledge of Jesus and inspires me to seek to know him more truly and deeply.

We don’t know exactly what the disciples of Jesus thought about him in the early stages of his ministry. They had followed him because he was a man of authority and power. It’s possible that they considered him to be the Messiah, the one anointed by God to reestablish God’s kingdom in Israel. But, as Mark 4:35–41 reveals, the disciples really didn’t know whom they were dealing with when it came to Jesus.

The story for today begins with Jesus and the disciples taking a boat from the west side of the Sea of Galilee to the east side. While they were on the water, a fierce storm began, with powerful winds and threatening waves. Yet Jesus, no doubt exhausted from his recent ministry efforts, was sleeping in the back of the boat. His sleep was interrupted, however, by the yelling of the disciples, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (4:38). Jesus awoke and ordered the wind and waves, “Peace! Be still!” (4:39). As the storm abated, he turned to his disciples and asked, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (4:40). In response, the disciples were terrified and asked each other, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (4:41).

The disciples knew that Jesus could do certain kinds of miracles. They had seen him heal the sick and cast out demons. But they had no idea that he might also have power over natural elements. They were truly amazed by this new realization, even terrified. What had they gotten themselves into? Could Jesus be even more than they had imagined? Could he be even more than the Messiah, whom they believed to be an inspired human being? And, if so, just who was he?

During my long life as a Christian, there have been times along the way in my journey of discipleship when I have become overly comfortable with Jesus. It seems like I have him all figured out. But then he breaks out of the mold, sometimes stunning me, sometimes confusing me, sometimes frustrating me, sometimes overwhelming me with his grace. I come to see Jesus with new eyes, realizing that he is far more than I had previously thought. All of us, I think, need to sometimes ask, along with the disciples, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Discipleship in Process (Mark 4:35-41; 6:45-52; 8:14-21).