Who Is This?

That day when evening came, [Jesus] 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 in 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, NIV 1984).

My Musings – With waves breaking over the boat, the disciples (some who were seasoned fishermen) were afraid. After Jesus calmed the storm, they were terrified. Not relieved. Why? If this is what they were expecting when they woke Him up, why be terrified? Or did they simply want “all hands on deck” to fight the wind and the waves? Perhaps they were merely indignant that He was asleep when they believed they were in danger of drowning?

We are not given the answers. We can only imagine how we might have responded in the same situation. Would we have known “who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm…[or can] raise [their] voice to the clouds?” (Job 25, 38:34, NIV 1984) and have them obey?

Up to this point in Mark’s narrative they had witnessed Him cast out demons, cure Simon’s mother-in-law’s fever, heal various other diseases, cure leprosy, restore a paralytic, and straighten a man’s shriveled hand. And now they saw “the wind and the waves obey him.” In addition to all this, they had heard Him speak on spiritual matters with authority.

Still the question, “who is this?” Possibly a magician, sorcerer or worse yet, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons, he is [doing these things]. (Mark 3:22, NIV 1984). Jesus’ response, which His disciples had heard Him say to the teachers of the law, “if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand.” (Mark 3:26, NIV 1984). Who then? They should not have had to ask that question. Jesus had already identified Himself as the Son of Man, the Messiah.

My Advice – “Who is this?” This is a question we must all give an answer to. And there is only one correct answer. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16, NIV 1984). Because “no one comes to the Father except through [Him].” (John 14:6, NIV 1984). Let’s not imagine how we would respond. Let’s respond with the right answer.