Jesus’ rebuke of the winds and the sea shows that the storm in this particular case had been a work of Satan (see Job 1:19) —quite possibly an attempt by demons to try and stop him from setting foot in the country of the Gadarenes and driving them out (see Matthew 8:28–34). God deliberately allows the devil to make use of the winds and the waves to reveal the glory of the Lord Christ. Jesus rebukes the elements not so much to ward off danger, but to show the same Creator’s power over wind and sea as that which saved Jonah and the pagan sailors with him.
Jesus’ rebuke of natural forces also provides a glimpse of how he later equips his apostles, who, by faith—that is, by trusting in God’s power—could share in Jesus’ sovereignty over nature (see Mark 16:18). Satan may threaten and persecute the Son of Man, even by means of employing nautical forces, but Jesus remains calm and fearless throughout. The disciples, however, feared drowning in the sea, forgetting that they were following their Master on his journey towards life.
Immediately after admonishing the disciples for their lack of faith, Jesus proceeds to rebuke the winds and the sea—an act which in and of itself points to the fact that the storm in this particular case had been a work of Satan (see Job 1:19). This was quite possibly an attempt by demons to try and stop him from setting foot in the country of the Gadarenes and driving them out (see Matthew 8:28–34).1 His rebuke of the winds and the waves point to the fact that they are here being employed by Satan himself in an attempt to disrupt the ministry of Jesus. In other words, God here allows the devil to make use of the winds and the waves so that the glory of the Lord Christ may be revealed through it. His words are decisive, and it calms the storm.2
Since God had spared Jonah in the depths of the sea, the disciples should know that Jesus can most certainly protect them in the midst of the threat of death. Jesus then also rebukes the wind and the sea as only the Creator can, primarily so as to reveal this to them as opposed to needing to do this to ward off danger.3
By calming the storm by means of rebuking natural forces, Jesus also provides a foretaste of how he equips his apostles: by faith, that is, by trusting in the power of God, the apostles were also enabled to share in Jesus’ sovereignty over nature (see Mark 16:18).4 Satan may threaten and persecute the Son of Man, even by means of employing nautical forces, but Jesus remains tranquil and fearless throughout. His fate lies beyond this threat, beyond death. The disciples, however, feared drowning in the sea, forgetting that they were following their Master on his journey towards life.5
25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”