Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 4:40
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
Verse 40. Why are ye so fearful?] Having me with you.
How is it that ye have no faith?] Having already had such proofs of my unlimited power and goodness.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
40. And he said unto them, Why areye so fearful?There is a natural apprehension under danger;but there was unbelief in their fear. It is worthy of notice howconsiderately the Lord defers this rebuke till He had first removedthe danger, in the midst of which they would not have been in a stateto listen to anything.
how is it that ye have nofaith?next to none, or none in present exercise. In Matthew(Mt 8:26) it is, “Why areye fearful, O ye of little faith?” Faith they had, forthey applied to Christ for relief: but little, for they wereafraid, though Christ was in the ship. Faith dispels fear, but onlyin proportion to its strength.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he said unto them,…. His disciples,
why are ye so fearful? since he was with them in person, whose power to keep and preserve them, they had no room to question, when they reflected on the miracles they had so lately seen performed by him:
how is it that ye have no faith? That is, in exercise: faith they had, but it was very small, and scarcely to be called faith: they did indeed apply to him to save them, which showed some faith in him, but then they feared it was too late, and that they were past all hope, and were just perishing; [See comments on Mt 8:26].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Why are ye fearful? ( ;). They had the Lord of the wind and the waves with them in the boat. He was still Master even if asleep in the storm.
Have ye not yet faith? ( ;). Not yet had they come to feel that Jesus was really Lord of nature. They had accepted his Messiaship, but all the conclusions from it they had not yet drawn. How like us in our troubles they were!
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And He said unto them,” (kai eipen autois) “And He said unto them,” He inquired of His disciples, only to draw them nearer to obey Him in the future, Joh 14:15; Joh 15:14.
2) “Why are ye so fearful?” (ti deiloi este houtos) ”Why are you all this way, so fearful,” so gripped by winds of fear, and waves of doubt, regarding their decision to follow Him at all cost? They needed courage as Joshua did, Jos 1:6-9; 1Co 15:58.
3) “How is it that ye have no faith?” (pos ou echete pistin) “How can you act this way? Do you all not have faith?” God does not give His children the spirit of fear, or doubt, Rom 8:15, 1Jn 4:18, They needed their faith strengthened, that they might help others, Mar 16:14; Mat 14:31; 2Co 1:3-4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And he said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you not have faith?” ’
There was a gentle counter-rebuke in His words. He had a right to expect them not to be afraid. They knew to some extent Who He was and they should have realised that His ways were in the hands of God and that He had chosen them to work for Him and with Him. How then could they all perish? Did they not have faith in God and His promise that the Kingly Rule of God was here in Him? Did they not realise that He was immortal until His task was done?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
Ver. 40. Why are ye so fearful? ] Increpatio cum admiratione: as their “Master, carest thou not,” &c., was interrogatio conquerentis et reprehendentis. But if Caesar in a tempest could bid the bargeman be of good cheer, for he carried over the fortune of Caesar, which could not miscarry; a how much more might those that were upon the same bottom with Christ, have been confident of a safe arrival!
How is it that ye have no faith? ] A little they had, Mat 8:26 . But this unexercised was, to comfort, as good as no faith.
a Perge contra tempestatem: Caesarem fers, et fortunam Caesaris. Plut.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 4:40 . , etc., duality of expression again. Matthew gives the second phrase, Luke the gist of both.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
so = thus.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 4:40. , not) His expression subsequently was, not yet [Do ye not yet understand?] Mat 16:9. The not simply implies negation; the not yet implies that they already before had had good grounds afforded them for believing.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Why: Psa 46:1-3, Isa 42:3, Isa 43:2, Mat 8:26, Mat 14:31, Luk 8:25, Joh 6:19, Joh 6:20
no faith: Mat 6:30, Mat 16:8
Reciprocal: 1Sa 27:1 – And David Pro 3:25 – Be Isa 37:6 – Be not Mat 16:11 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE TWO FEARS
And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?
Mar 4:40-41
A striking picture of two very different kinds of fear. The dissipation of the lower fear of natural cowardice rouses the higher fear of spiritual awe.
I. The lower fear.
(a) It rises in circumstances of physical danger. This is naturally alarming under such circumstances as those of the text.
(b) It is characterised by unbelief. This was plainly so with the disciples, who had their Master with them in the boat. Cowardice doubts Providence.
(c) It is overcome by the saving help of Christ. Christ stilled the tempest when His disciples called upon Him, and in spite of their querulous unbelief (see Mar 4:39), His grace is larger than our faith.
II. The higher fear.This is quite a different kind of fear. In the Greek the difference is made the more apparent by the use of another word.
(a) It springs from a revelation of the superhuman. The marvellous power that could allay a tempest is regarded with awe and dread.
(b) It is characterised by wonder and admiration. We are awed before the sublime. This fear implies only a partial knowledge. But it is more fitting than the undue familiarity and caressing affection for Christ of some modern sentimentalists.
(c) It issues in a larger faith. The combined wonder and veneration are not inconsistent with trust. On the contrary, if there were nothing in Christ to inspire awe, there would not be enough in Him to encourage faith.
Illustrations
(1) It is stated in profane history that on one occasion when Csar was on the ocean in a small vessel, a terrific storm came on. The oarsmen became greatly alarmed and discouraged; but the emperor quieted their fears and re-nerved their arms by reminding them that, though the sea was so storm-riven and threatening, their little bark contained the great Csar and his fortunes, and therefore would not, could not sink. If the Christian would but think, when the storm drives furiously, and the waves rise like mountains, Christ is in the hinder part of the vessel, I therefore shall not perish, there would at least be a calm within him like that of heaven itself!
(2) Among the few remains of Sir John Franklin that were found far up in the Polar regions there was a leaf of the Students Manual, by Dr. John Toddthe only relic of a book. From the way in which the leaf was turned down, the following portion of a dialogue was prominent: Are you not afraid to die? No. No! Why does the uncertainty of another state give you no concern? Because God has said to me, Fear not, when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
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The disciples were intelligent beings and hence Jesus gave them a mild rebuke, charging them with having little faith.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 4:40. Have ye not yet faith. Yet, in view of the late instruction, and His numerous miracles. Mark, in many instances, brings out the weakness of the disciples most prominently, a significant fact, if we remember that Peter was his authority.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
4:40 And he said unto them, {m} Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
(m) How does it come to pass that you have no faith?