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When the Wind and Waves Threaten Justice, Part 1

When the Wind and Waves Threaten Justice, Part 1

Last updated on: June 19, 2024 at 6:09 am by Herb Montgomery

When the Wind and Waves Threaten Justice, Part 1 2024-06-19T06:09:54-04:00 Herb Montgomery

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Our lectionary reading from the gospels this week is a brief story in Mark 4:

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:35-41)

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Mark’s gospel uses multiple boat journeys as literary structural devices for organizing the narrative. Some of these journeys, like the one we are considering this week, can also be taken as metaphors of important acts in Mark’s version of the Jesus story.

Let’s begin with the last question in the passage—“Who is this?”—because it hints at the stories’ original purpose. Then we can explore how this question might inform our justice work today.

Mark 4 closes with the question, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” The story calls to listeners’ minds several layers. First, the Jesus community of Mark defined Jesus as a liberator, and this story affirms that characterization by connecting Jesus to the liberation actions of YHWH in Psalms 107.

In Psalms 107:29-30 we read:

“He [YHWH] stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.”

Repeatedly in this Psalm YHWH is the liberator/deliverer of those in trouble:

Verse 6: Then they cried out to YHWH in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

Verse 13: Then they cried out to YHWH in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

Verse 19: Then they cried to YHWH in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress

Verse 28: Then they cried out to YHWH in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

In Mark, Jesus is a liberator of the people who, in the language of the psalmist, can still the storm and even hush the waves of the sea.

Secondly, there is a remarkable similarity between Mark’s story and the Jonah story. As we continue to try and answer the question ““Who is this?”, we’ll look at the Jonah comparison, next.

(Read Part 2)

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General Christian

Politics and Religion

About Herb Montgomery

Herb Montgomery, director of Renewed Heart Ministries, is an author and adult religious re-educator helping Christians explore the intersection of their faith with love, compassion, action, and societal justice. You can read more about the author here.

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June 13, 2024

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June 19, 2024 When the Wind and Waves Threaten Justice, Part 2

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