Church Fathers Commentary Luke 8:22-25

"Now it came to pass on one of those days, that he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples; and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake: and they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filling [with water], and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. And he awoke, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And being afraid they marvelled, saying one to another, Who then is this, that he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him?" — Luke 8:22-25 (ASV)

St. Cyril of Alexandria: When the disciples saw that everyone received help from Christ, it seemed fitting that they too should rejoice in Christ's benefits. For no one regards what happens to another person as much as what happens to themselves. The Lord therefore exposed the disciples to the sea and the winds, as the passage says, Now it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a ship with his disciples; and he said to them, Let us go over to the other side of the lake: and they launched forth.

St. John Chrysostom: Luke indeed avoids the question that might be asked about 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 would either not have feared or not have believed that He could do such a thing. For this reason, He sleeps, giving them an occasion for fear, for the text continues, But as they sailed he fell asleep; and there came down a storm of wind on the lake.

St. Ambrose of Milan: We are told above, moreover, that He passed the night in prayer. How then does He fall asleep here in a storm? This expresses the security of His power, for while all were afraid, He alone lay fearless. He lay asleep in the body, while in His mind He was in the mystery of divinity. For nothing happens without the Word.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: But it seems to have been especially and wonderfully ordained that they should not seek His assistance when the storm first began to affect the boat, but only after the danger had increased, so that the power of the Divine Majesty might be made more manifest. Thus it is said, And they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. Indeed, our Lord allowed this for the sake of testing them, so that after confessing their danger, they would acknowledge the greatness of the miracle. Thus, when their great danger had driven them into unbearable fear, having no other hope of safety but the Lord of power Himself, they awoke Him. The passage continues, And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, we perish.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Matthew says, Master, save us, we perish. Mark says, Master, care you not that we perish? In all accounts, we find the same expression from men awakening our Lord and anxious for their safety. Nor is it worthwhile to ask which of these was most likely said to Christ. For whether they said one of these three, or some other words which no Evangelist has mentioned but which have the same meaning, what does it matter? However, it may also be the case that since many people awoke Him, all these things were said—one by one person, and another by another.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: But it was not possible for them to perish while the Almighty was with them. Christ then arose, who has power over all things, and immediately stilled the storm and the violence of the wind; the tempest ceased, and there was a calm. In this, He shows Himself to be God, to whom it is said, You rule the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, you still them. So then, as He sailed, our Lord manifested both natures in one and the same person, for He who slept in the ship as a man, stilled the raging of the sea by His word as God.

But along with the raging of the waters, He also quiets the turmoil in their souls, as the passage continues, And he said to them, Where is your faith? With this question, He showed that it is not so much the assault of temptation that causes fear, as it is faint-heartedness. For as gold is tested in the fire, so is faith in temptation.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Now this is related by the other Evangelists in different words. For Matthew says that Jesus said, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? But Mark says, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?—that is, that perfect faith like a grain of mustard seed. Mark also says, O you of little faith; but Luke says, Where is your faith? Indeed, all of these may have been said: Why are you fearful? Where is your faith? O you of little faith. Thus, one Evangelist records one saying, and another records another.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: When the tempest was stilled at Christ's command, the disciples in astonishment whispered to one another, as the passage says, And they being afraid wondered... Now, the disciples did not say this because they were ignorant of Him, for they knew that He was God and Jesus the Son of God. But they marveled at the immense vastness of His natural power and the glory of His divinity, even though He was like us and visible in the flesh. Thus they say, Who is this?—that is, what kind of man is this? How great, and with what great power and majesty? For it is a mighty work, a lordly command, not a lowly request.

The Venerable Bede: Or, it was not His disciples, but the sailors and others in the ship who wondered.

But allegorically, the sea or lake is the dark and bitter tide of the world. The ship is the wood of the cross, by which the faithful, after passing through the waves of this world, reach the shore of their heavenly country.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Our Lord, therefore, who knew that He came to earth for a divine mystery, left His relatives and went up into the ship.

The Venerable Bede: His disciples also enter with Him when summoned. Thus He says, If any one will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. While His disciples are sailing—that is, the faithful passing through this world, meditating on the rest of the world to come, and by the breath of the Holy Spirit or their own exertions eagerly leaving behind the unbelieving pride of the world—suddenly our Lord fell asleep. This means the time of our Lord's passion had come, and the storm descended.

For when our Lord entered the sleep of death upon the cross, the waves of persecution rose, stirred up by the breath of the devil. But while the Lord's patience is not disturbed by the waves, the faint hearts of the disciples are shaken and tremble. They awoke our Lord so that they would not perish while He slept, because having seen His death, they desire His resurrection; for if it were delayed, they would perish forever. Therefore, He rises and rebukes the wind, since by His sudden resurrection He crushed the pride of the devil who had the power of death. He makes the tempest of nature cease, since by His resurrection He thwarted the rage of the Jews who plotted His death.

St. Ambrose of Milan: You must remember that no one can pass through the course of this life without temptations, for temptation is the test of faith. We are therefore subject to the storms of spiritual wickedness.

As watchful sailors, we must awaken the Pilot, who does not obey but commands the winds. Although He no longer sleeps in His own body, let us be careful, lest through the sleep of our own bodies, He becomes asleep and at rest to us. But those who feared when Christ was present are rightly rebuked, since surely, whoever clings to Him can in no way perish.

The Venerable Bede: Similarly, when He appeared to His disciples after His death, He rebuked them for their unbelief, and thus, having calmed the swelling waves, He made the power of His divinity plain to all.