“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, quiet! Be still! Then the wind died down and it was completely calm — the rebuke of the wind is the same word (epitimaō) used for rebuking the demon in Mark 1:25. Jesus addresses the wind and the sea as personal forces — the same authority exercised over the demonic realm is exercised over the natural realm. The command quiet! Be still! (siōpa, pephimōso) is literally be silent, be muzzled — the muzzling command of 1:25 applied to the forces of chaos. The response is immediate and total: the wind died down and it was completely calm. The sea that was nearly swamping the boat is instantly, completely still.
Church Fathers on Mark 4:39
After His teaching, they come from that place to the sea, and are tossed by the waves.
Therefore He allowed them to fall into the fear of danger, that they might experience His power in themselves, who saw others benefitted by Him. But He was sleeping upon the pillow of the ship, that is, on a wooden one.
Or else the ship into which He embarked, is taken to mean the tree of His passion, by which the faithful attain to the security of the safe shore. The other ships which are said to have been with the Lord signify those who are imbued with faith in the cross of Christ, and are not beaten about by the whirlwind of tribulation; or who, after the storms of temptation, are enjoying the serenity of peace.
Read all 6 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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