Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 8:27

"And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?" — Matthew 8:27 (ASV)

The men marvelled — This use of the vague term “men,” as applied to the disciples, is so exceptional that it suggests others were in the boat with them. The marvel was not without a “great fear” (Mark 4:41). The Presence among them was mightier than they had even thought, and the elements—which seemed far more removed from human control than leprosy or fever—were still subject to His sovereignty.

The spiritual application of the miracle lies so near the surface that it has almost become a commonplace of sermons and hymns. Yet there is a profound fitness in it that never ceases to be fresh. The boat is the Church of Christ, sailing across the ocean of the world’s history to the “other side” of the life beyond the grave.

The wind is the blast of persecution. The Lord of the Church seems as though He were asleep, not hearing the cry of the sufferers, and the disciples are faint-hearted and afraid. Then He hears their prayer, the storm of persecution ceases, and a great calm follows. In that calm, the Church continues on its way, and people come to understand that it carries more than Caesar and his fortunes.