Mark 4:41
in Mark 4Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
KJV
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
⋯
This verse in Mark 4
Commentary
15 notes on this verseThe disciples said among themselves, "Who then is this?" because they still had an indefinite conception of Him. Since Christ calmed the sea by a single command, and not with a rod, like Moses, not with a prayerful cry, like Elisha at the Jordan, not …
This site's exposition
Why are you so afraid
on Mark 4:40-41
Jesus sets their fear against their faith, asking Do you still have no faith. Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him. It is the question the whole Gospel is written to answer.
This site's exposition
even the wind and the sea obey Him
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown point to Psalm 89:9, where Israel praises the Lord for stilling the raging sea. Now a man in their own boat had done the same by His word. John Gill draws the conclusion that He must be God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
When you have to listen to abuse, that means you are being buffeted by the wind. When your anger is roused, you are being tossed by the waves. So when the winds blow and the waves mount high, the boat is in danger, your heart is imperiled, your heart is taking a battering. On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate; but the joy of revenge brings with it another kind of misfortune—shipwreck. Why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten his presence. Rouse him, then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him.… A temptation arises: it is the wind. It disturbs you: it is the surging of the sea. This is the moment to awaken Christ and let him remind you of those words: "Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him."
So likewise the ship that carried our Lord; it was He that bare it, in that He stayed from it the wind that would have sunk it. Peace, for thou art shut up. While He was on the sea, His arm reached even to the …
The Medieval Church3 voices
(ubi sup.) 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.
After His teaching, they come from that place to the sea, and are tossed by the waves. Wherefore it is said, And the same day, when the even was come, &c. Mystically, however, the hinder part of the ship is the beginning of the Church, in which the Lord sleeps in the body only, for He never sleepeth who keepeth Israel; for the ship with its skins of dead animals keeps in the living, and keeps out the waves, and is bound together by wood, that is, by the cross and the death of the Lord the Church is saved. The pillow is the body of the Lord, on which His Divinity, which is as His head, has come down. But the wind and the sea are devils and persecutors, to whom He says Peace, when He restrains the edicts of impious kings, as He will. The great calm is the peace of the Church after oppression, or a contemplative after an active life.
There follows, And they feared with a great fear, and said one to another, &c. For they were in doubt about Him, for since He stilled the sea, not with a rod like Moses, nor with prayers as Elisha at the Jordan, nor with the ark as Joshua, the son of Nun, on this account they thought Him truly God, but since He was asleep, they thought Him a man.
7 more voices on this verse
The Reformation1 voice
But he arose, and rebuked the wind and the tempest of the water; and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said to them, Where is your faith? And they were afraid, and wondered, saying among themselves, Who is this? for he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And they feared exceedingly,.... That is, the men in the ship, the mariners to whom the ship belonged, and who had the management of it: and said to one another, as persons in the greatest amazement, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? Surely this person must not be a mere man; he must be more than a man; he must be truly God, that has such power over the wind and sea.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
What manner of man is this? - They were astonished at such power proceeding from a person who appeared to be only like one of themselves. It is often profitable to entertain each other with the succor and support which we receive from God in times of temptation and distress; and to adore, with respectful awe, that sovereign power and goodness by which we have been delivered.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
These verses describe a storm on the sea of Galilee, when our Lord and His disciples were crossing it, and a miracle performed by our Lord in calming the storm in a moment. Few miracles recorded in the Gospel were so likely to strike the minds of the apostles as this. Four of them at least were fishermen. Peter, Andrew, James, and John, had probably known the sea of Galilee, and its storms, from their youth. Few events in our Lord's journeyings to and fro upon earth, contain more rich instruction than the one related in this passage.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Israel has all along been singing of JEHOVAH, 'Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them!' 'The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea!' (Ps 89:9; But, lo, in this very boat of ours is One of our own flesh and blood, who with His word of command hath done the same!
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses describe a storm on the sea of Galilee, when our Lord and His disciples were crossing it, and a miracle performed by our Lord in calming the storm in a moment. Few miracles recorded in the Gospel were so likely to strike the minds of the apostles as this. Four of them at least were fishermen. Peter, Andrew, James, and John, had probably known the sea of Galilee, and its storms, from their youth. Few events in our Lord's journeyings to and fro upon earth, contain more rich instruction than the one related in this passage. Let us learn, in the first place, that Christ's service does not exempt His servants from storms . Here were the twelve disciples in the path of duty. They were obediently following Jesus, wherever He went. They were daily attending on His ministry, and hearkening to His word. They were daily testifying to the world, that, whatever Scribes and Pharisees might think, they believed on Jesus, loved Jesus, and were not ashamed to give up all for His sake. Yet here we see these men in trouble, tossed up and down by a tempest, and in danger of being drowned. Let us mark well this lesson. If we are true Christians, we must not expect everything smooth in our journey to heaven. We must count it no strange thing, if we have to endure sicknesses, losses, bereavements, and disappointments, just like other men. Free pardon and full forgiveness, grace along the way, and glory at the end — all this our Savior has promised to give. But He has never promised that we shall have no affliction. He loves us too well to promise that. By affliction He teaches us many precious lessons, which without it we should never learn. By affliction He shows us our emptiness and weakness, draws us to the throne of grace, purifies our affections, weans us from the world, makes us long for heaven.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐφοβήθησαν | ephobethesan | they feared | G5399 → | 95 times |
| φόβον | phobon | [with] fear | G5401 → | |
| μέγαν | megan | great | G3173 → | 243 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔλεγον | elegon | were saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἀλλήλους· | allelous | each other; | G240 → | 100 times |
| τίς | tis | Who | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἄρα | ara | then | G686 → | |
| οὗτός | houtos | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| καὶ | kai | even | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄνεμος | anemos | wind | G417 → | 31 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θάλασσα | thalassa | sea | G2281 → | 90 times |
| ὑπακούει | hupakouei | it obeys | G5219 → | |
| αὐτῷ;¶ | auto | Him? | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐφοβήθησανthey feared
ephobethesanG5399 →95 times
φόβον[with] fear
phobonG5401 →
μέγανgreat
meganG3173 →243 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔλεγονwere saying
elegonG3004 →1325 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ἀλλήλους·each other;
allelousG240 →100 times
τίςWho
tisG5101 →563 times
ἄραthen
araG686 →
οὗτόςthis
houtosG3778 →1381 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
καὶeven
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἄνεμοςwind
anemosG417 →31 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
θάλασσαsea
thalassaG2281 →90 times
ὑπακούειit obeys
hupakoueiG5219 →
αὐτῷ;¶Him?
autoG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 8:25“Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”
it leads to
- Matthew 8:26
“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.
- Mark 4:40–41
“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”
- Proverbs 30:4
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth?…
- Matthew 14:31
Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
- John 11:40
Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
- Matthew 8:26
Through
Psalms 89:7In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared, and awesome above all who surround Him.
it leads to
- Psalms 47:2
How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
- Psalms 76:7–11
You alone are to be feared. When You are angry, who can stand before You?
- Psalms 47:2
Through
Job 38:11and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop’?
it leads to
- Psalms 89:9
You rule the raging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them.
- Psalms 89:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
About Mark

This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, SERMONS 63.1-3; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Ephrem the Syrian, Homily - On Our Lord, 50; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.
