Mk 4:35-41
Order out of chaos: Scripture scholars refer to the account of the stilling of the storm at sea as a nature miracle. In the Jewish mindset the sea was the place of chaos. It was out of the chaos that God brought order in the Book of Genesis.
Likewise, in this narrative of the calming of the sea, Jesus brings order out of chaos. This is Mark’s story—his theology; he is telling the reader who Jesus is by the way Jesus acts. He is one who brings order out of chaos, who calms the storms of life.
What Mark is emphasizing is the power of the spoken word. The incident of calming the sea occurs immediately after Jesus’ sermon, which consists of several parables each comparing the kingdom of God to some other reality. Just as the parable has the ability to make a person aware of the presence of the kingdom of God, so too do the simple words addressed to the sea.
For Mark, the word is meant to evoke faith. In the healing and the cleansing stories and in the parables, faith is emphasized. Likewise, in the natural miracle, the point is faith. After the sea is calmed, Jesus asks those in the boat with him, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (v 40).
The disciples of Jesus, as portrayed by Mark throughout the Gospel, never believe. This is important to note because Mark does not think that healings and miracles are reasons to believe. Therefore, any healings or miracles that the disciples witness do not lead them to faith. For Mark, the spoken word of Jesus should be enough for a person to believe.