Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 4:38

"And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?" — Mark 4:38 (ASV)

Jesus, tired from a long day’s teaching, was in the stern of the boat, asleep on a cushion. This cushion was apparently the only one on board, and Jesus used it as a pillow for his head. This is the only place in the Gospels where Jesus is said to have slept; but he did, of course, get tired and needed sleep like any other man. He must have been very tired to have slept through such a violent storm.

The disciples’ rebuke of Jesus indicates that they did not know who he really was. Such a rebuke of the Son of God was entirely inappropriate.