Week #2 Reflection: Gospel of Mark 4:35-40
Verse to memorize
“Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
Passage
In the Gospels, Jesus performs many miracles, most often to heal the sick, but sometimes to feed the hungry and even to help his apostles. In this story he had been teaching all day to crowds at the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Some disciples had a boat there.
On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” (NAB)
Questions
1. Why did Jesus and the disciples get into the boat? Ans: to get to the other side of the lake where they could get away from the crowds.
2. What is the stern of a boat? What was Jesus doing there?
Have you ever slept right through a storm?
3. Why did the disciples wake Jesus up? Ans: They were afraid they might “perish”, i.e. die.
4. After Jesus calmed the storm, what did He scold them about?
How did he wish they had reacted in the storm?
5. Jesus was with them, even when asleep. Is God with us in the giant storm of the pandemic? What is the opposite of fear? Faith.
Video
Courtesy of The Bible Project