Luke § 37

We are told above, moreover, that He passed the night in prayer. How then does He here fall asleep in a storm? The security of power is expressed, that while all were afraid, He alone lay fearless; but He lay asleep in the body, while in the mind he was in the mystery of divinity. For nothing happens without the Word.

As they were sailing, He fell asleep. Christ fell asleep while the disciples were sailing because, as the faithful tread the world and contemplate in their minds the rest of the future kingdom, and, either by the favorable breath of the Holy Spirit or by their own arduous rowing efforts, cast behind them with zeal the infidel pomp of the world, suddenly the time of the Lord's passion arrived. Hence, Mark rightly attests that this happened at the imminent hour of night to signify not only the Lord's sleep but also the very hour of the declining light.

And a storm of wind descended on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. As the Lord was ascending the stern of the cross, where He would embrace the sleep of death, the waves of blasphemous persecutors, stirred by demonic agents, rise up. Yet, it is not His patience that is disturbed by these waves, but the weakness of the disciples is shaken, terrified, and endangered.

And as they were sailing, etc. Here secondly is described the onset of the storm with the importunity of danger and with the opportunity of refuge. — First, regarding the importunity of the emerging danger, while Christ was sleeping, it is said: And as they were sailing, he fell asleep. And while he was sleeping, they encountered danger in sailing, according to that passage of Ecclesiasticus 43: "They who sail the sea tell of its dangers." — Therefore the danger is added: And there came down a storm of wind upon the lake, and they were being filled and were in danger, that is, the storm of wind agitated the lake and filled the boat with water, according to that passage of Mark 4: "And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that the ship was filled." And this happened by divine dispensation, just as it is said of Jonah in Jonah 1: "A great tempest arose in the sea, and the ship was in danger of being broken." Whence, just as that ship was in danger on account of Jonah fleeing from the face of the Lord, so also this one on account of the presence of the traitor, according to what the Gloss says: "Rightly is the ship troubled in which the traitor is together with the good, and those who had been steadfast by their own merits are troubled by the merits of others."

(ubi sup.) But it seems to have been especially and wonderfully ordained that they should not seek His assistance when first the storm began to affect the boat, but after the danger had increased, in order that the power of the Divine Majesty might be made more manifest. Hence it is said, And they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. This indeed our Lord allowed for the sake of trial, that having confessed their danger they should acknowledge the greatness of the miracle.

He who was sleeping was awakened and cast the sea into a sleep. He reveals the wakefulness of his divinity that never sleeps by the wakefulness of the sea that was now sleeping. He rebuked the wind and it became still. What is this power, or what is this goodness of Jesus? See, he subjected by force that which was not his. Our Lord showed that he was the Son of the Creator by means of the wind of the sea and by the spirits and demons that he silenced.

(Hom. 27. in Matt.) Luke indeed avoids the question which might be put to him with regard to the order of time, saying, that He went into a ship on a certain day. Now if the storm had arisen when our Lord was awake, the disciples either had not feared, or not believed that He could do such a thing. For this cause He sleeps, giving them an occasion for fear; for it follows, But as they sailed he fell asleep; and there came down a storm of wind on the lake.

You must remember that no one can pass from the course of this life without temptations, for temptation is the trial of faith. We are therefore subject to the storms of spiritual wickedness, but as watchful sailors we must awake the Pilot, who does not obey but commands the winds, who although He now no longer sleeps in the sleep of His own body, yet let us beware, lest through the sleep of our bodies He is to us asleep and at rest. But they are rightly reproved who feared, when Christ was present; since he surely who clings to Him can in no wise perish.

(de Cons. Ev. l. 2. c. 24.) Matthew says, Master, save us, we perish. Mark, Master, carest thou not that we perish? There is the same expression in all of men awakening our Lord, and anxious for their safety. Nor is it worth while to enquire which of these was most likely to have been said to Christ. For whether they said one of these three, or some other words which no Evangelist has mentioned, but of the same import, what matter is it? Though at the same time this may have been the case, that by the many who awoke Him, all these things were said, one by one, and another by another.

They approached and woke Him up, saying: Master, we are perishing! The disciples awaken the Lord to prevent them from perishing due to the savagery of the waves while He sleeps, for they who had seen His death sought His resurrection with the greatest of desires, so that if He were to linger longer in the sleep of the flesh, their minds would perish forever in spiritual death. Hence, it rightly follows:

But He, rising, rebuked the wind and the raging water, and they ceased, and there was calm. Rising, He rebuked the wind, because, having celebrated the resurrection, He struck down the pride of the devil when He destroyed the one who had the power of death through His own death. He also made the raging water cease after rising, because by emerging from the grave, He quashed the insane rage of the Jews who had shaken their heads crying: If He is the Son of God, let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. Here it should be noted literally that all creatures perceive the Creator. For those whom He rebukes and commands perceive the one giving commands, not by the error of heretics who think all things are animated, but by the majesty of the Creator, for what is insensible to us is sensible to Him.

Second, regarding the opportunity of refuge coming to aid, as Christ awakens, it is added: And they came to him and awakened him, namely so that through his wakefulness they might obtain a remedy, they who had incurred danger during his sleep: the Psalm: "The Lord was roused as one who sleeps." Moreover, they awakened him not from boldness of spirit, but from need; whence it is added: Saying: Master, we perish; in which they invoke Christ's power and their own need: Christ's power in this, that they say: Master: Job 9: "He commands the sun, and it does not rise, and he seals up the stars as under a signet"; the Psalm: "You rule over the power of the sea, and you calm the motion of its waves"; Wisdom 14: "You have given a way in the sea and a most firm path in the waves."

They allege their own need in this, that they say: We perish, when nevertheless you do not will that anyone perish; Second Peter chapter three: "He acts patiently, not willing that any should perish," and especially the predestined. Whence John chapter ten: "My sheep hear my voice, and I give them eternal life, and they shall not perish forever"; and chapter seventeen: "I have kept them, and none of them has perished except the son of perdition."

But he, rising up, rebuked the wind. Here thirdly is described the power of the Divinity, as commanding by word and as accomplishing by deed:

First therefore, as regards the command in word, it is said: But he, rising up, rebuked the wind and the tempest of the water: in which rebuke is understood the command of majesty over both. Whence it is said in Matthew chapter eight: "He commanded the winds and the sea, and a great calm was made"; in Mark chapter four it is said that he said to the sea: "Be silent, be still." And in this he shows himself to be the one who made the sea: Job chapter thirty-eight: "I surrounded the sea with my boundaries and said: This far shall you come, and here you shall break your swelling waves"; and Nahum chapter one: "Rebuking the sea and drying it up."

Secondly, as regards the effect in deed, it is added: And it ceased, and a calm was made; it ceased, namely the wind: Sirach chapter forty-three: "At his word the wind was silent"; because in the Psalm: "Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds, which fulfill his word." And thus it appears that he is the one to whom Tobit says, in chapter three: "After the tempest you make calm." And thus what is said in the Psalm is true in Christ: "And the spirit of the storm stood still."

Hence when their great danger had driven them into intolerable fear, having no other hope of safety but the Lord of power Himself, they awoke Him. It follows, And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, we perish.

But it could not be that they should perish while the Almighty was with them. Christ then arose, Who has power over all things, and immediately quells the storm and the violence of the wind, and the tempest ceased, and there was a calm. Herein He shows Himself to be God, to Whom it is said, Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them (Ps. 89:10.). So then as He sailed, our Lord manifested both natures in one and the same person, seeing that He who as man slept in the ship, as God by His word stilled the raging of the sea.

(de Con. Ev. ut sup.) Now this is related by the other Evangelists in different words. For Matthew says, that Jesus said, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? (Matt. 8.) but Mark as follows, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? (Mark 4.) i. e. that perfect faith like the grain of mustard seed. Mark then also says, O ye of little faith; but Luke, Where is your faith? And indeed all these may have been said, Why are ye fearful? Where is your faith? O ye of little faith. Hence one Evangelist relates one, another another.

But he said to them: Where is your faith? They are rightly reproved who feared with Christ present, since indeed he who clings to him cannot perish. Similar to this is that after the sleep of death, appearing to the disciples, he reproached their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him risen. And again he said to them: O foolish and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and so enter into his glory (Luke 24)? As if by a metaphor of the ship he were saying: Was it not necessary for the Christ to be asleep, while the waves were tossing the ship in which he was resting here and there, and so with the swelling heaps of the abyss immediately calmed, to reveal to all the power of his divinity?

Those who feared were amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?" Matthew writes thus: "But the men were amazed, saying, 'What sort of man is this?' etc." Therefore, it was not the disciples, but the sailors and others who were on the ship who marveled. However, if anyone contentiously insists that those who marveled were the disciples, we will rightly respond that men are called those who had not yet known the power of the Savior. And we too, when individually imprinted with the sign of the Lord's cross, set out intending to leave the world, undoubtedly board the ship with Jesus, attempting to cross the lake. But He who neither slumbers nor sleeps, always guarding Israel (Psalm 121), although He seems to slumber for us often while sailing amidst the roaring of the sea, when amidst the efforts of virtues, or the repeated assaults of unclean spirits or wicked men, or the very rush of our thoughts, the splendor of faith grows dim, the height of hope fades, the flame of love cools. However, in such storms, it is necessary to flee to that helmsman, to diligently rouse Him who does not serve but commands the winds. He will soon quell the tempests, restore tranquility, and grant the harbor of salvation.

And he said to them, etc. Here fourthly is determined the progress of our belief, in two ways, namely as regards knowledge in the heart and as regards confession in the mouth: — First therefore, as regards knowledge of the heart proceeding from the hesitation of doubt to the certainty of belief, it is said: And he said to them: Where is your faith? Which indeed he says by rebuking doubt and urging firmness of faith, as if to say: Why did you doubt, fearing submersion and peril? According to what he said to Peter in Matthew chapter fourteen: "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" For it is said in Hebrews chapter eleven: "By faith the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea as through dry land." Therefore he reproved the disciples for their faintheartedness, so that from the miracle seen he might arouse them to firmness of faith, through which they might recoil into their own smallness and marvel at the divine immensity.

Whence it is also added: Who, being afraid, marveled. For already they knew their own smallness, into which they recoiled through fear, and the divine immensity, into which they were carried beyond themselves through wonder: Jeremiah chapter ten: "Who shall not fear you, O King of the nations? For yours is the glory among all the wise"; Jeremiah chapter five: "Will you not then fear me? says the Lord." "Who have set the sand as a boundary for the sea, an everlasting decree which it shall not pass beyond."

And because wonder at power accompanies fear of majesty, rightly it is said: They marveled: Sirach 11: "Many marveled at him and honored God," because "the Lord is exceedingly great, and his power is wonderful," Sirach 43.

Second, indeed, as regards the confession of the mouth, it is added: Saying to one another: Who, do you think, is this? As if to say: no one is like him. Exodus 15: "Who is like you among the mighty, O Lord? Who is like you, magnificent in holiness, terrible and praiseworthy, working wonders?"

And they give the reason: Because he commands both the winds and the sea, by his ineffable power; and they obey him, with wondrous reverence. Job 28: "Who gave weight to the winds and weighed the waters by measure, when he appointed a law for the rains and a way for the sounding storms." And thus was verified that saying of Sirach 39: "At his word the water stood like a heap." This, therefore, is he of whom Job 38 says: "Who shut up the sea with doors?" For since the winds and the sea obey him, nothing can resist him. Sirach 42: "All things obey him of necessity." Whence Bede in the Gloss: "Note that every creature perceives its Creator, because things that are insensible to us are sensible to the majesty of the Maker."

When Christ calmed the storm, he also changed the faith of the holy disciples that was shaken along with the ship into confidence. He no longer permitted it to be in doubt. He worked a calm in them, smoothing the waves of their weak faith. He said, "Where is your faith?" Another Evangelist, however, affirms that he said, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" When the fear of death unexpectedly befalls people, it sometimes troubles even a well-established mind and exposes it to the blame of smallness of faith. This is also the effect of any other trouble too great to bear upon those it tries.

There is also much in this for the admiration and improvement of those who hear. Creation is obedient to whatever Christ chooses to command. What excuse can help us if we do not submit to do the same? What excuse can deliver from the fire and condemnation one who is disobedient and not easily led? He sets up, so to speak, the neck of his haughty mind against Christ's commands, and his heart is impossible to soften. Understanding that all those things that have been brought into existence by God entirely agree with his will, it is our duty to become like the rest of creation and avoid disobedience as a thing that leads to perdition. Let us rather submit to him who summons us to salvation and to the desire of living uprightly and lawfully, that is, evangelically. Christ will fill us with the gifts that come from above and from him.

But together with the raging of the waters, He quiets also the tumult of their souls, as it follows, And he said unto them, Where is your faith? By which word He showed, that it is not so much the assault of temptation which causes fear, as faint-heartedness. For as gold is proved in the fire, so is faith in temptation.

When the tempest was quelled at the command of Christ, the disciples in astonishment whispered one to the other, as it follows, And they being afraid wondered, &c. Now the disciples said not this as ignorant of Him, for they knew that He was God, and Jesus the Son of God. But they marvel at the exceeding vastness of His natural power, and the glory of His divinity, although He was like to us, and visible in the flesh. Hence they say, Who is this? that is, of what manner of man? how great, and with what great power and majesty? for it is a mighty work, a lordly command, no abject petition.