Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 8:23
But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled [with water,] and were in jeopardy.
23. he fell asleep ] Rather, He fell into deep sleep. The day had been one of incessant toil; and He was resting (as St Mark tells us, reflecting the vivid reminiscence of St Peter) ‘in the stem on the steersman’s leather cushion,’ Mar 4:38; contrast with this Jon 1:5.
there came down a storm of wind ] The suddenness and violence of this ‘hurricane’ is in exact accordance with what we know of the Lake. The winds from the snowy peaks of Hermon rush down the Peraean wadies into the burning tropical air of the lake-basin with extraordinary suddenness and impetuosity (Thomson, Land and Book, II. 25). The lake may look like a sheet of silver, when in one moment there will be a darkening ripple, and in the next it will be lashed into storm and foam. The outburst of this storm perhaps frightened back the boats which started with Him, Mar 4:36.
were filled with water ] Rather, were being filled. ‘The waves were dashing into the boat, so that it was getting full,’ Mar 4:37; ‘the boat was being hidden under the waves,’ Mat 8:24. The tossing ship ( Navicella) has been accepted in all ages as the type of the Church in seasons of peril.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 23. There came down a storm of wind – and they – were in jeopardy.] This is a parallel passage to that in Jon 1:4. There was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken: the latter clause of which is thus translated by the Septuagint: , And the ship was in the utmost danger of being dashed to pieces. This is exactly the state of the disciples here; and it is remarkable that the very same word, , which we translate, were in jeopardy, is used by the evangelist, which is found in the Greek version above quoted. The word jeopardy, an inexpressive French term, and utterly unfit for the place which it now occupies, is properly the exclamation of a disappointed gamester, Jeu perdu! The game is lost! or, j’ai perdu! I have lost! i.e. the game.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
23. filledliterally, “weregetting filled,” that is, those who sailed; meaning that theirship was so.
Lu8:26-39. DEMONIAC OFGADARA HEALED.
(See on Mt8:28-34; and Mr 5:1-20).
Lu8:40-56. JAIRUS’DAUGHTER RAISEDAND ISSUE OF BLOODHEALED.
(See on Mt9:18-26; and Mr 5:21-43).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But as he sailed he fell asleep,…. On a pillow, in the hinder part of the ship, as in Mr 4:38
and there came down a storm of wind on the lake,
[See comments on Mt 8:24].
and they were filled; with water: not the disciples, but the ship in which they were; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, “their ship was filled with water”. The Syriac and Persic versions render it, “the ship was almost sunk”, or immersed:
and were in jeopardy; of their lives, in the utmost danger, just ready to go to the bottom. This clause is left out in the Syriac and Persic versions.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He fell asleep (). First aorist (ingressive) active indicative of , to put to sleep, to fall off to sleep, a late verb for which the older Greek used . Originally meant to waken from sleep, then to fall off to sleep (possibly a medical use). This is the only passage which speaks of the sleep of Jesus. Here only in the N.T.
Came down (). Second aorist active indicative of , common verb. It was literally true. These wind storms (. So also Mr 4:37) rushed from Hermon down through the Jordan gorge upon the Sea of Galilee and shook it like a tempest (Mt 8:24). Mark’s (Mr 4:37) vivid use of the dramatic present (ariseth) is not so precise as Luke’s “came down.” See on Mt 8:24. These sudden squalls were dangerous on this small lake.
They were filling (). Imperfect passive. It was the boat that was being filled (Mr 4:37) and it is here applied to the navigators as sailors sometimes spoke. An old verb, but in the N.T. used only by Luke (Luke 8:23; Luke 9:51; Acts 2:1).
Were in jeopardy (). Imperfect active, vivid description. Old verb, but in the N.T. only here, Acts 19:27; 1Cor 15:30.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
He fell asleep [] . Very graphic. He fell off [] into sleep.
Came down [] . More vivid than either Matthew or Mark, who have there arose. The word describes the action of the sudden storms which literally came down from the heights surrounding the lake. See on Mt 8:24.
Storm [] . See on Mr 4:37. Matthew has seismov, a shaking.
See on Mt 8:24.
They were filling with water [] . Used by Luke only.
Mark, as usual, goes into minuter detail, and describes how the waves beat into the boat. Note the imperfects : they were filling; they were beginning to be in danger, contrasted with the instantaneous descent of the storm expressed by the aorist came down.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But as they sailed he fell asleep:” (pleonton de auton aphupnosen) “Then as they sailed he fell asleep,” Mat 8:24; Mar 4:38, weary in body, and in need of rest, being tested in the labor of that day, as we are in our weariness of labor, Heb 4:15.
2) “And there came down a storm of wind on the lake;” (kai katebe lailaps anemou eis ten limnen) “And there came down a storm of wind to the lake,” from the surrounding hills, Mat 8:24; Mar 4:37. Storms and dangers come down upon all men on the high sea of life, in most unexpected moments, in discharge of their daily duties, Job 5:9; “Man is born for trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”
3) “And they were filled with water,” (kai suneplerounto) “And they were filling up,” were about to sink, as water came overboard and into the boat, Mar 4:37.
4) “And were in jeopardy.” (kai ekinduneuon) “And they were in serious danger,” or their lives and boat were in jeopardy, about to sink, about to perish, to drown, Mat 8:25; Yet, Jesus their captain was at hand, their refuge in the time of storm, the one who pledges His own “I will never never leave you (desert you) or forsake you,” Heb 13:5; Psa 34:7; Psa 46:1.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(23) He fell asleep.The verb so rendered differs from the was asleep of the other Gospels, and this is the only place of the New Testament in which it occurs. It is a somewhat more technical word, and is so far -characteristic of the physician-historian.
They were filled.Better, they were filling, the tense describing the process, not the completion.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘But as they sailed he fell asleep. And there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.’
As they sailed on, Jesus was lying in the boat exhausted from His labours, and fell asleep. In a boat such as this there would be a special seat at the stern which was the place of honour for any distinguished person aboard, where there would be a cushion and possibly a carpet. This was the place occupied by the exhausted Jesus. And then there arose a vicious storm the consequence of which was that the boat was filling with water and was in danger of sinking along with all on board. They were ‘in jeopardy’. Such storms were frequent on the Lake of Galilee because of the mountains and ravines surrounding the Lake, and the cold air of the mountains in contrast with the heat which hovered over the lake which was well below sea level. This at times caused and funnelled sudden strong winds onto the Lake. But these were experienced fishermen, and were used to storms at sea, especially on this sea which they had been sailing on for years. The situation had to be pretty bad for them to panic. The impression given by the story is that Jesus had expected just this situation. He had a lesson to teach His disciples.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 8:23. He fell asleep: Some are of opinion, that on this occasion our Lord fell asleep designedly, to give as it were an opportunity for the full display of this extraordinary miracle: however, as hewent on board in the evening, his falling asleep may have happened in the nighttime, and in common course; particularly as he must have been fatigued with the labours of the preceding day. Instead of they were filled, some copies read the vessel was filled. See Mar 4:37.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water , and were in jeopardy.
Ver. 23. See Mat 8:23 ; Mar 4:36 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
23. ] . belongs to the later Greek, and even there more commonly signifies ‘to awaken.’
from the sky or perhaps from the mountain valleys around: see Mat 7:27 , and note on Act 27:14 .
. ] they (= their ship) were filling.
Luk 8:23 . , went off to sleep, fatigued with heat and speaking; the storm implies sultry conditions; means both to awake = , and to go to sleep = ; vide Lobeck, ad Phryn. , p. 224. , came down, from the hills. , they ( i.e. , the boat) were getting full and in danger. Seamen would naturally say, “we were getting full,” when they meant the boat. Examples of such usage in Kypke.
fell asleep = fell off (Greek. aphupnoo) into sleep. Only here in N.T.
came down. Not rose up, as on the former occasion (Mat 8:24).
a storm of wind = a squall. On the former occasion it was an earthquake(Greek. seismos). Here it was lailaps.
on = on to. Greek eis. App-104. were filled were being swamped. Imperf. tense. Hence this was an open boat; in Matthew a decked boat.
were in jeopardy = were beginning to be in danger:
23.] . belongs to the later Greek, and even there more commonly signifies to awaken.
-from the sky-or perhaps from the mountain valleys around: see Mat 7:27, and note on Act 27:14.
.] they (= their ship) were filling.
Luk 8:23. , came down) viz. from the air.
he fell: Psa 44:23, Isa 51:9, Isa 51:10, Heb 4:15
came: Psa 93:3, Psa 93:4, Psa 107:23-30, Psa 124:2-4, Psa 148:8, Isa 54:11, Act 27:14-20
Reciprocal: Psa 107:29 – General Jer 49:23 – on the sea Mat 8:24 – but Mar 4:37 – there arose
3
Filled with water is explained by the closing words, were in jeopardy. We know that if the boat had been literally filled they would have perished then, but instead of that they were in danger of perishing.
8:23 But as they sailed he fell {h} asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and {i} they were filled [with water], and were in jeopardy.
(h) Jesus fell asleep, and it appears that he was very fast asleep, because they called him twice before he awoke.
(i) Not the disciples, but the ship.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes