Matthew 8:23-25

Matthew 8:23-25

[23] And  when he  was entered  into  a ship,  his  disciples  followed  him.  [24] And,  behold,  there arose  a great  tempest  in  the sea,  insomuch that  the ship  was covered  with  the waves:  but  he  was asleep.  [25] And  his  came  to him, and awoke  him,  saying,  Lord,  save  we perish. 

What does Matthew 8:23-25 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

It is difficult to know how much Matthew may have intended with his comment that the disciples followed Jesus into the boat. Perhaps it just describes their physical movements. Perhaps he meant that it symbolizes the disciples" proper response to Jesus in view of Matthew 8:18-22.
The Sea of Galilee was and still is infamous for its sudden and violent storms (Gr. seismos). They occur because of geographical conditions. The water Isaiah 600 feet below sea level, and the land to the east is considerably higher. As warm air rises from the lake it creates a vacuum that the air on the west rushes in to fill. This brings strong winds on the lake with little warning.
On the occasion Matthew described, the waves were so high that they kept spilling over into the boat. Evidently Jesus was asleep from weariness and because He realized that the time for His death had not yet arrived. He apparently lay in an area of the boat where the disciples had given Him some privacy. The word Matthew used to describe the boat (ploion) could fit a boat of many different sizes. However it is probable that this was a fishing boat that carried at least a dozen or more people plus fish across the lake. Matthew probably would have used a different word if it were a larger boat.
"If the first-century-A.D. boat recovered from the mud of the northwest shore of the lake of Galilee in1986 (now preserved in the Yigal Allon Center at Ginosar) is typical of the normal working boats of the period, its dimensions (820 meters long by235 wide [1]) would suggest that the boat might be overcrowded with more than thirteen people." [2]
In spite of the storm Jesus continued to sleep. Finally the disciples realized their inability to cope with their situation and called on Jesus to help them. They obviously thought He could do something to help, at least bail or at most perform a miracle. They had seen Him perform many miracles. However, their reaction to His help reveals that they did not really appreciate who He was.
Compare the story of Jonah , who also had to be awakened during a storm at sea. However, rather than praying for God"s help, as the sailors called on Jonah to do, Jesus used His own authority to still the sea. A greater than Jonah was here ( Matthew 12:41).