^b35 And that day, {^cone of those days,} ^bwhen the even was come [about sunset], ^awhen Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. {^bhe saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side.} [Wearied with a day of strenuous toil, Jesus sought rest from the multitude by passing to the thinly settled on the east side of Galilee.]   ^a19 And there came a scribe [Literally, one scribe. The number is emphatic; for, so far as the record shows, Jesus had none of this class among his disciples], and said unto him, Teacher, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.   20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes [caves, dens], and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of [341] man [Daniel's name for the Messiah--@Dan. vii. 10-13] hath not where to lay his head. [This scribe had heard the wonderful parables concerning the kingdom. He, like all others, expected an earthly kingdom and sought to have a place in it. Jesus so replied as to correct his false expectations.]   21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. [This disciple must have been one of the twelve, for these only were required to follow Jesus (@Mark iii. 14). It may have been James or John, whose father, Zebedee, almost certainly died before Jesus did. He may have just heard of his father's death.*]   22 But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead. [Let the spiritually dead bury the naturally dead. This was a very exceptional prohibition, intended to show not that it was ordinarily wrong to stop for burying the dead, but wrong when in conflict with a command from Jesus. God bids us recognize the claims of filial duty, but rightfully insists that our duties toward him are superior to those due our parents.]   ^c22 Now it came to pass that he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples;   ^a23 And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. ^cand he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake: and they launched forth.   ^b36 And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat. [They took Jesus without any preparation for the journey. The crowd, doubtless, made it inconvenient to go ashore to get provisions.] And other boats were with him. [The owners of these boats had probably been using them to get near to Jesus as he preached. They are probably mentioned to show that a large number witnessed the miracle when Jesus stilled the tempest.]   ^c23 But as they sailed he fell asleep. [knowing his labors during the day, we can not wonder at this]:   ^b37 And there ariseth ^cand there came down ^ba great storm of wind, ^con the lake;   ^a24 And, behold, [342] there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: ^band the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling. ^cand they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. [These storms come with great suddenness. See McGarvey's "Lands of the Bible," page 519.]   ^b38 And {^abut} ^bhe himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion [The cushion was the seat-cover, which, as Smith remarks, was probably "a sheepskin with the fleece, which, when rolled up, served as a pillow." The stern was the most commodious place for passengers. The tossing ship has been accepted in all ages as a type of the church in seasons of peril]:   ^a25 And they came to him, and awoke him, {^bthey awake him,} and say unto him, {^asaying,} Save, Lord; we perish. ^cMaster, master, we perish. ^bTeacher, carest thou not that we perish? [There was a babble of confused voices, betraying the extreme agitation of the disciples.]   39 And he awoke, ^aThen he arose, and rebuked the winds, {^bwind,} ^aand the sea; ^cand the raging of the water; ^band said unto the sea, Peace, be still. ^cand they ceased, ^bAnd the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. [In addressing the winds and waves Jesus personified them to give emphasis to his authority over them. The calm showed the perfection of the miracle, for the waves of such a lake continue to roll long after the winds have ceased.]   ^c25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? ^bWhy are ye yet fearful? have ye not yet faith? ^aO ye of little faith? [They had little faith or they would not have been so frightened; but they had some faith, else they would not have appealed to Jesus.]   ^b41 And they feared exceedingly, ^cAnd being afraid they ^athe men marvelled, ^band said one to another, ^csaying one to another, ^aWhat manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? ^cWho then is this, that he commandeth even the winds, and the water, and they obey him? [Jesus' complete lordship over the realm of nature made his disciples very certain of his divinity.] [343]

[FFG 341-343]

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