This week we continue onto chapter four in the gospel of Mark. So far, and what we will continue to see through Mark’s account, we have a primary focus on Jesus’ actions. This chapter however is one of the few places where we encounter teaching in the form of parables and metaphor. In veiled language, so as not to attract undue resistance, Jesus confirms that the Kingdom of God is indeed breaking in; this new Kingdom will start small and quiet but will grow large and be proclaimed boldly. This was a controversial suggestion because the people waiting for a Messiah were expecting him to come in strong and bold.
And then we get back to the action with Jesus calming a storm. Or do we? Perhaps the shift to this moment is actually meant to stand as an exclamation mark to the teaching. One of the Old Testament hallmark’s of God-involvement was the display of power of weather. So the display of Jesus’ power extending over the weather should have been recognisable evidence that God has indeed broken in to re-establish the Kingdom. Exclamation mark.
I continue to be curious about a few things in this account. First, who were in the other boats (v36)? What did they make of the storm? Were they aware of who was in Jesus’ boat? What would I have done if I were in one of those boats? Second, how is Jesus able to sleep in the storm? Or was He praying? Finally, the disciples fear in the midst of the storm is named a lack of faith by Jesus, but what would the faith filled response have been? Should they have assumed Jesus would keep them from harm? Or should these disciples who had the authority to preach and drive out demons (3:15) have rebuked the storm themselves? Our lives are punctuated by complicated and overwhelming situations; might we grow in our ability to discern, and act out, the faith filled response-confirming that the Kingdom of God continues to break in.
