Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 8:25

"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 8:25 (ASV)

The fear and unbelief of the disciples are in contrast not only to the calm of their Master but also to the endurance they themselves should have had in “the time of test” (cf. v.13). The double “Master, Master” expresses both respect and terror. The fear of being lost at sea is a common human fear and typical of helplessness in the immensity of life (cf. Psalms 107:23–31).

The question of the disciples, “Who is this?” serves to show not only their amazement but also the slowness of their apprehension of the “Master’s” true identity. This question not only marks the climax of this story but is a key question in Luke .

This narrative provides the strongest expression yet of the power of Jesus against the forces of evil. Luke provides a lively, forceful picture of the destructive effects of demon possession. If a raging sea is a threat, demonic force is much worse. Not only the power of the kingdom (11:20), but also the power of the Messiah to release the captives of the kingdom of darkness move against this demonic force. The very narrative that describes this power of Jesus grips the reader. First, there are several progressive levels of action, involving the demoniac, the demons, the swine, the townspeople, and finally the demoniac after his healing. Second, Luke by his literary skill has inserted part of the description of the demoniac’s past life in between the lines of dialogue to heighten the readers’ awareness of the man’s helplessness under demoniac control.