Mark 4:39
“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Jesus and His disciples cross the Sea of Galilee when a great storm arises. As the boat fills with water and the disciples fear for their lives, they wake Jesus, who calms the storm.
What Does Mark 4:39 Mean?
Mark 4:39 records Jesus calming a violent storm with a word -- He speaks, and the wind and sea obey, showing His authority over the forces of nature. The disciples had been terrified as their boat filled with water on the Sea of Galilee while Jesus slept.
When Jesus "arose," He did not panic or scramble; He spoke. He "rebuked the wind" and commanded the sea, "Peace, be still." The same kind of authoritative word He used over sickness and unclean spirits is now turned toward the storm itself. The response is immediate and total: "the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." There is no gradual easing, no lingering swell -- the chaos that threatened the disciples falls silent at once. The scene reveals who Jesus is. Scripture had long spoken of God as the one who stills the roaring of the seas, and here that power is at work in Jesus. For the frightened disciples, the lesson was that the One asleep in their boat held the storm in His hands all along. The calm was not only on the water but a gift offered to their fearful hearts, an invitation to trust the One whom even wind and waves obey.
In the Original Language
The Greek "epitimao" (rebuked) is the same word used when Jesus commands unclean spirits. "Pephimoso" (be still) literally means be muzzled or silenced.
Cross References
“He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”
- Psalm 107:29
“And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”
- Matthew 8:26
“Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.”
- Psalm 89:9
Application
The same Jesus who stilled the storm can bring peace to the chaos and fear we face; His authority invites us to trust rather than panic.