Matthew 8:26

Mat 8:26. [381]Δειλοὶ—ὀλιγόπιστοι, fearful—of little faith) Synonymous terms. Cf. Mar 5:36. Our Lord does not find fault with the disciples for their importunity in disturbing His rest, but for their timidity.[382]—τότε, then) Jesus calmed first the minds of His disciples, then the sea.—ἐπιτίμησε, rebuked) Satan probably had ruled in this tempest.

[381] Καὶ λέγει, And He saith) Being not at all discomposed or agitated.—V. g.

[382] In the whole life of Christ, never is there any fear of any creature evinced in all the incidents which occurred to Him.—V. g.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_8:26. Ἐπετίμησε] increpuit, on account of the unseasonable fury of its waves. Similarly נָּעַר, Psa_106:9; Nah_1:4. Comp. Mat_17:18; Luk_4:39. This rebuking of the elements (at which Schleiermacher took special offence) is the lively plastic poetry, not of the author of the narrative, but of the mighty Ruler.

On τότε Bengel observes: Animos discipulorum prius, deinde mare composuit. Unquestionably more original than Mark and Luke; not a case of transforming into the miraculous (Holtzmann). The miraculous does not appear till after the disciples have been addressed.

γαλήνη μέγ.] Mat_8:24. σεισμὸς μέγ.

Here was a greater than Jonas, Mat_12:41.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 8:26 , δειλοί , ὀλιγόπιστοι , He chides them first, then the winds, the chiding meant to calm fear. Cowards, men of little faith! harsh in tone but kindly meant; expressive really of personal fearlessness, to gain ascendency over panic-stricken spirits ( cf. Luke). τότε ἐγερθεὶς : He had uttered the previous words as He lay, then with a sudden impulse He rose and spoke imperial words to the elements: animos discipulorum prius, deinde mare composuit (Bengel). ἀνέμοις , θαλάσσῃ : He rebuked both. It would have been enough to rebuke the winds which caused the commotion in the water. But the speech was impassioned and poetic, not scientific. γαλήνη μεγάλη : antithetic to σεισμὸς μέγας , Mat 8:24 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 26. Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?] Faith is ever bold - incredulity always timid. When faith fails in temptation, there is the utmost danger of shipwreck. Lord, increase our faith! is a necessary prayer for all who desire to be saved.

Then he arose and rebuked the winds, c.] As the agitation of the sea was only the effect of the wind, it was necessary to remove the cause of the disturbance, that the effect might cease. Joshua did not say to the earth, Earth, stand thou still, because the earth is not the cause of its own motion: but, Sun, stand thou still, שמש דום shemesh dom, Sun, be silent, or restrain thy influence, which is a proper cause of the revolutions of all the planets. When the solar influence was by the miraculous power of God suspended, the standing still of the earth was a necessary consequence. Both Christ and Joshua spoke with the strictest philosophical precision. See the notes on Jos 10:12-14.

There was a great calm.] One word of Christ can change the face of nature one word of his can restore calm and peace to the most troubled and disconsolate soul. Prayer and faith, if sincere, shall be heard, though they may be weak.

1. That our imperfections may not hinder us from praying to God.

2. That we may be persuaded it is not our merits which make our prayers effectual.

3. That we may offer them up with great humility: and,

4. That we may be fully united to Christ, without which union there is no salvation.

There was at first a great agitation; then a great calm. Thus God ever proportions the comfort to the affliction.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(26) Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?—St. Luke puts the question more strongly: “Where is your faith?” as though it had all drifted away under the pressure of their fears. Yet the word “of little faith” was singularly appropriate. They had not altogether lost their trust in Him, but they had not learnt the lesson of the centurion’s faith, and were only at ease when they heard His voice, and saw that He was watching over them.

Rebuked the winds and the sea.—This seems to have been almost, so to say, our Lord’s formula in working miracles. The fever (Luk_4:39), the frenzy of the demoniac (Mar_9:25), the tempest, are all treated as if they were hostile and rebel forces that needed to be restrained. St. Mark, with his usual vividness, gives the very words of the rebuke: “Peace, be still”—literally, be dumb, be muzzled, as though the howling wind was a maniac to be gagged and bound.

There was a great calm.—As with the fever in Mat_8:15, so here, the work was at once instantaneous and complete. There was no after-swell such as is commonly seen for hours after a storm.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. faith = “trust,” “confidence.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But the men marvelled,.... Mark says, "they feared exceedingly"; and Luke, "they being afraid, wondered": they were filled with astonishment and fear, or reverence: there was such a shine of majesty, such a lustre of divine power appeared in this affair. The other two evangelists seem to refer this to the disciples, which Matthew seems to ascribe to the men, the mariners that were in the ship; it is likely it had the same effect on both; and both were abundantly convinced of his deity and dignity, saying,

what manner of man, or person

is this? For the word "man", is not in the text; of what qualities, perfections and powers, is he possessed? Surely he must be more than a mere man; he can be no other than the mighty God,

that even the winds and the sea obey him: which can be said of no other, than the most high God: never was such a thing heard of, that the winds and sea should be rebuked by a mere creature, and should obey. That man must be infidel to "revelation", that can read this account, and deny the deity of Christ; to one or other of these he must be drove, either to deny the truth of the fact, and the circumstances of it, or believe that Jesus Christ is truly and properly God, as the disciples and mariners did.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Ver. 26. And he saith unto them] Christ first chides them, and then chides the winds and waves. Men are most malleable in time of misery, Job 33:23. Strike while the iron is hot. How forcible are right words! Those that are melted in the furnace of affliction will easily receive impression. Hamper Manasses, and he will hearken to you.

O ye of little faith] Ye petty fidians: He calleth them not nullifidians. Faith is faith, though never so little of it. Credo languida fide, sed tamen fide, said dying Cruciger. Our consolation lies much in the comparative degree; but our salvation is in the positive. Much faith will yield unto us here our heaven; and any faith, if true, will yield us heaven hereafter. Now for fear; that which is distrustful, faith quelleth and killeth it; as that which is awful and filial, it breedeth, feedeth, fostereth, and cherisheth.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Why are ye fearful? - You should have remembered that the Son of God, the Messiah, was on board. You should not have forgotten that he had power to save, and that with him you are safe. So Christians should never fear danger, disease, or death. With Jesus they are safe. No enemy can reach him; and as he is safe, so they shall be also, Joh 14:19.

Rebuked the winds - Reproved them, or commanded them to be still. What a power was this! What irresistible proof that he was divine! His word awed the tempest and allayed the storm! There is not anywhere a sublimer description of a display of power. Nor could there be clearer proof that he was truly the Son of God.

A great calm - The winds were still, and the sea ceased to dash against the vessel and to endanger their lives.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Why are you fearful, having me with you? Do you suppose that sleep can take from me the knowledge of your danger, or the power of relieving you? (Haydock) --- He commanded the winds. Christ shewed himself Lord and Master of the sea and winds. His words in St. Mark (iv. 39,) demonstrate his authority: Rising up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: Peace, be still. (Witham) --- As before our Lord restored Peter’s mother-in-law on the spot, not only to health, but to her former strength; so here he shews himself supreme Lord of all things, not only by commanding the winds to cease, but, moreover, by commanding a perfect calm to succeed. (St. John Chrysostom, hom. xxiv.) How many times has he preserved his Catholic Church, when (to all human appearance, and abstracting from his infallible promises) she has been in the most imminent danger of perishing? How many times by a miracle, or interposition of his omnipotence, less sensible indeed, but not less real, has he rescued our souls, on the point of being swallowed up in the infernal abyss? (Haydock) --- He commands the mute elements to be subservient to his wish. He commands the sea, and it obeys him; he speaks to the winds and tempests, and they are hushed; he commands every creature, and they obey. Man, and man only, man honoured in a special manner by being made after the image and likeness of his Creator, to whom speech and reason are given, dares to disobey and despise his Creator. (St. Augustine, hom. in Mat.) From this allegory of the ship and the storm, we may take occasion to speak of the various senses in which the words of Scripture may be occasionally taken. ... The sense of Scripture is twofold, literal and spiritual. The literal is that which the words immediately signify. The spiritual or mystic sense is that which things expressed by words mean, as in Genesis xxii, what is literally said of the immolation of Isaac, is spiritually understood of Christ; and in Colossians ii. 12, by the baptism of Christ, St. Paul means his burial. The spiritual sense in its various acceptations, is briefly and accurately given in the following distich:

Littera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria,

Moralis quid agas, quo tendas anagogia.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

26. Of little faith — Observe the exquisite language of our Lord. He does not charge that they had no faith, but little. They had not power of faith to still the elements, nor to control their own fears, but they had faith that their Master could. Rebuked the winds — As a master rebukes a raging animal. Great calm — The calm was great from the completeness of the stillness; and great from the contrast with the previous storm; and great as a product of a wonderful power. And with it the terrors of their hearts, the winds and waves within the soul, were composed. So when the fearful sinner resorts to Christ, his word of forgiveness allays the storm, and there is a great calm.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?. (Mat_6:30, note) The winds and waves were mastering their souls as well as their bodies. Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea. - Rebuked (epetimhse); cf. Psa_104:7. The words spoken are recorded by St. Mark. And there was a great calm. Corresponding to the "great tempest" (ver. 24).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Why are ye fearful - Then he rebuked the winds - First, he composed their spirits, and then the sea.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

26. O ye of little faith. According to Matthew, he characterizes them as of “little faith; according to Mark he asked, How have ye have no faith? according to Luke, Where is your faith? The spirit of the rebuke is the same in all the accounts. Rebuked the winds and the sea. Mark gives the very words of the rebuke: “Peace, be still.”

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

to them

"to the disciples"

Why are you afraid ... faith?

Jesus was rebuking the disciples with this rhetorical question. AT: "You should not be afraid ... faith!" or "There is nothing for you to be afraid of ... faith!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

you of little faith

"you who have such little faith." Jesus addresses his disciples this way because their anxiety about the storm shows they have little faith in him to control it. See how you translated this in Matthew 6:30.

What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?

"Even the winds and the sea obey him! What sort of man is this?" This rhetorical question shows that the disciples were surprised. AT: "This man is unlike any man we have ever seen! Even the wind and the waves obey him!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

even the winds and the sea obey him

For people or animals to obey or disobey is not surprising, but for wind and water to obey is very surprising. This personification describes the natural elements as being able to hear and respond like people. (See: Personification)

translationWords

faith

rebuke

amazed

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

26. δειλοί, ‘cowardly:’ ὁ δὲ τῷ φοβεῖσθαι ὑπερβάλλων δειλός, Arist. Eth. Nic. III. 7, 10. The sea was a recognised test of courage, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν θαλάττῃ … ἀδεὴς ὁ ἀνδρεῖος (Arist.). Neither ἀνδρεῖος nor θρασὺς occur in N.T. Cowardice and want of faith are classed together as grievous sins in Rev 21:8, δειλοῖς καὶ ἀπίστοις.

ἐπετίμησεν τοῖς ἀνέμοις. Cp. ἐπετίμησεν τῷ πυρετῷ (Luk 4:39). The vivacity of Eastern speech personifies the disease as well as winds and waves. ἐπιτιμᾶν, first of fixing a penalty (τιμή), then of judicial rebuke, then of rebuke generally.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26.] The time of this rebuke in the text precedes, but in Mark and Luke follows, the stilling of the storm. See the last note.

They were of little faith, in that they were afraid of perishing while they had on board the slumbering Saviour: they were not faithless, for they had recourse to that Saviour to help them. Therefore He acknowledges the faith which they had; answers the prayer of faith, by working a perfect calm: but rebukes them for not having the stronger, firmer faith, to trust Him even when He seemed insensible to their danger.

The symbolic application of this occurrence is too striking to have escaped general notice. The Saviour with the company of His disciples in the ship tossed on the waves, seemed a typical reproduction of the Ark bearing mankind on the flood, and a foreshadowing of the Church tossed by the tempests of this world, but having Him with her always. And the personal application is one of comfort, and strengthening of faith, in danger and doubt.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. And He saith to them, Why are ye cowardly, O ye of little faith ? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there, was a great calm.] Mk. has: “And He rose up, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Be silent, be muzzled. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said to them, Why are ye cowardly? have ye not yet faith?” The editor transposes Mk 39, 40 in order to bring the answer of Christ in close juxtaposition to the appeal of the disciples. He modifies the severity of the rebuke by substituting ὀλιγόπιστοι for οὔπω ἔχετε πίστιν. For other instances, cf. Introduction, p. xxxiii. ὀλιγόπιστος addressed to the disciples does not occur in Mk., but in Mt. here and 6:30, 14:31, 16:8, in Lk. only 12:28. Here the object of πίστις seems to be the power of Christ, for He was with them, and that should have kept them from fear of danger: or perhaps more generally the providence of God.—τότε] see Intro. lxxxv.—τοῖς ἀνέμοις] Mk. has the singular. It is characteristic of Mt. to prefer plurals. Cf. his frequent ὄχλοι for Mk.’s ὄχλος; ἄλλα and πετρώδη, 13:5, for Mk.’s ἄλλο and πετρῶδες; μυστήρια, 13:11, for Mk.’s μυστήριον; and ἀργύρια, 26:15, for Mk.’s ἀργύριον.—καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ] Mk. has: καὶ εἶπεν τῇ θαλάσσῃ Σιώπα πεφίμωσο. The editor perhaps wished to avoid Mk.’s strong imperatives, and he elsewhere avoids the oratio recta; cf. v. 18 ἐκέλευσεν ἀπελθεῖν = Mk v. 35 λέγει—διέλθωμεν.

(M)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.