Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 8:25
And his disciples came to [him] and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
Save us – Save our lives.
We perish – We are in danger of perishing. This showed great confidence in the Saviour. It shows, also, where sinners and Christians should always go who feel that they are in danger of perishing. There is none that can save from the storms of divine wrath but the Son of God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 25. And his disciples] THE disciples. In the common printed editions, as well as in our translation, it is HIS disciples, but , his, is omitted by the very best MSS., and by Bengel, Wetstein, and Griesbach. This is a matter of very small importance, and need not be noticed; only every translator and commentator should aim, to the uttermost of his knowledge and power, to give every particle of the language of the inspired penman that can be expressed, and to insert no one word which he has reason to believe did not come by the inspiration of God.
Lord, save us: we perish.] One advantage of trials is to make us know our weakness, so as to oblige us to have recourse to God by faith in Christ. It is by faith alone that we may be said to approach him; by love we are united to him, and by prayer we awake him. All good perishes in us without Christ: without his grace, there is not so much as one moment in which we are not in danger of utter ruin. How proper, then, is this short prayer for us, and how familiar should it be to us! Taken in the extensive Christian sense it is exceedingly expressive: it comprehends all the power of our Lord’s might, all the merit of his atonement, and all the depth of our misery and danger. See Quesnel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And his disciples came unto him,…. From some other part of the ship, being in great consternation, and distress,
and awoke him; saying, Lord, save us, we perish. They awoke him by their loud cries, and repeated calls; for in Luke, the form of address is doubled, “Master, Master!” expressing their distress, importunity, and haste for deliverance saying, “save us, we perish”, or “we are lost”: which shows the apprehensions they had of their condition; not only that they were in danger of being lost, or were ready to be lost, but were lost: they saw no probability of escaping by any natural, rational methods: wherefore they apply to Christ, believing that he was able to save them, in this their extremity; as they had indeed a great deal of reason to conclude, from the miracles they had that day seen performed by him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Save, Lord; we perish (, , ). More exactly, “Lord, save us at once (aorist), we are perishing (present linear).”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And his disciples came to him,” (kai proselthontes) “And approaching,” or coming to Him, alarmed, frustrated, and helpless, in a state of panic.
2) “And awoke him, saying,” (egeiran auton legontes) “They awoke him repeatedly saying,” appealing to Him as their only hope of help, from the storm and from death, similar to the prophetic cry of Psa 44:23-26. They would not have waked Him, if they could have helped it, but they were helpless.
3) “Lord, save us: we perish.” (kurie soson apollumetha) “Lord, Save, we are perishing,” or deliver us from the peril of the storm. There seemed to be no alternative, Mr 4:38; Psa 107:28-30. They spoke as fear-stricken men, though they were seasoned sailors.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
25. Lord, save us A pious prayer (538), one would think: for what else had they to do when they were lost than to implore safety from Christ? But as Christ charges them with unbelief, we must inquire in what respect they sinned. Certainly, I have no doubt that they attached too much importance to the bodily presence of their Master: for, according to Mark, they do not merely pray, but expostulate with him, Master, hast thou no care that we perish? Luke describes also confusion and trembling: Master, Master, we perish They ought to have believed that the Divinity of Christ was not oppressed by carnal sleep, and to his Divinity they ought to have had recourse. But they do nothing till they are urged by extreme danger; and then they are overwhelmed with such unreasonable fear that they do not think they will be safe (539) till Christ is awakened. This is the reason why he accuses them of unbelief for their entreaty that he would assist them was rather a proof of their faith, if, in confident reliance on his divine power, they had calmly, and without so much alarm, expected the assistance which they asked.
And here we obtain an answer to a question which might be put, and which arises out of his reproof. Is every kind of fear sinful and contrary to faith? First, he does not blame them simply because they fear, but because they are timid Mark adds the word οὕτω — Why are you so timid? and by this term indicates that their alarm goes beyond proper bounds. Besides, he contrasts faith with their fear, and thus shows that he is speaking about immoderate dread, the tendency of which is not to exercise their faith, but to banish it from their minds. It is not every kind of fear that is opposed to faith. This is evident from the consideration that, if we fear nothing, an indolent and carnal security steals upon us; and thus faith languishes, the desire to pray becomes sluggish, and the remembrance of God is at length extinguished (540) Besides, those who are not affected by a sense of calamities, so as to fear, are rather insensible than firm.
Thus we see that fear, which awakens faith, is not in itself faulty till it go beyond bounds. (541) Its excess lies in disturbing or weakening the composure of faith, which ought to rest on the word of God. But as it never happens that believers exercise such restraint on themselves as to keep their faith from being injured, their fear is almost always attended by sin. Yet we ought to be aware that it is not every kind of fear which indicates a want of faith, but only that dread which disturbs the peace of the conscience in such a manner that it does not rest on the promise of God.
(538) “ Une priere bonne et sainte;” — “a good and holy prayer.
(539) “ En sorte qu’il ne leur semble oint qu’il y ait moyen de les sauver, sinon que Christ s’eveeile; — so that they think there will be no way of saving them till Christ is awakened.”
(540) “ Et finalemeat la souvenance que chacun doit avoir de Dieu vient a s’esteindre;” — and, finally, that remembrance of God which every one ought to have, comes to be extinguished.”
(541) “ Jusque ace qu’ellc passe mesurc, ct soit excessive;” — “till it go beyond bounds, and become excessive.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(25) Lord, save us: we perish.As given by St. Mark the words indicate even more of the impatience of panic: Master, carest Thou not that we perish? They began to think that He was indifferent to their safety, and believing, it may be, that He Himself had a charmed life, they were half angry at that indifference.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. We perish We are now perishing, while thou art sleeping. Like Jonah, he slept; but, unlike Jonah, he was the arrester, not the cause of the storm.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Save, Lord, we perish”.’
They would have fought on as long as they could (pride was at stake), but in the end, with hope gone (literally ‘we have perished’), they fought their way through the water that was filling the boat, clinging on for dear life as the howling winds swept continually around them, and made their way to where Jesus was lying unconscious in the stern of the boat. Once there they no doubt shook Him vigorously, and then they cried, ‘Lord, save us. We are perishing.’ (Compare the cry of the leper in Mat 8:2). They were experienced enough to know that the boat could not last much longer. It was their last despairing and rather hopeless cry. They were doomed. So in their terror they had turned to their last hope, although it must be considered probable that they were not even sure that He could do anything, for the storm was relentless and even possibly getting worse.
But how easily we do not stop to think when reading these well known narrative. We forget that this is conveying the idea of what happened. But there were a number of terrified men in that boat and as one they had fought their way to Jesus. And now they surrounded Him. And there would have been a number of desperate voices, not just one, and all panicking. And they would all be yelling different words. This is just the gist of it. ‘Save us, Lord, we’re going down.’ ‘Don’t you care that we are perishing?’ ‘Master, master, we’re lost.’ ‘Lord, do something!’
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The terror of the disciples and Christ’s rebuke:
v. 25. And His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us; we perish!
v. 26. And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
v. 27. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!
Coming to Him, the disciples woke Him. They may have hesitated for some time out of respect for their beloved Teacher. But their fear becomes so great that they are unable to control themselves; it is a cry rather than a report which they utter. In their last extremity He is their one thought. An important point: Christ’s first thought is for the faith of the disciples, not for the alleviation of their fear. Why be filled with fear, why so little faith? The rebuke was harsh in tone, purposely, but with a hidden kindness. His own absolute fearlessness should calm their panic. Lack of faith always renders timid; trust in God, in His power and in His help, makes bold. This most important matter having been settled, He arose from His pillow and uttered a second rebuke, directed to the fierce winds, to the tumultuous waves. “Peace, be still!” He bade them, Mar 4:30. With the sound of His voice an obedient hush fell upon the turbulence of the winds and the waves. The almighty Ruler of the universe had spoken. His human voice, by virtue of the divine power and majesty given to His humanity, controlled the forces of nature, Pro 30:4. “But that He rebukes the sea and the wind, and that the sea and the wind are obedient, therewith He proves His almighty deity, that He is a lord over wind and sea. For to be able with one word to quiet the sea and cause the wind to cease, that is not the work of a man; a divine power is necessary to stop the turbulence of the sea with one word. Therefore Christ is not only natural man, but also true God. ” The effect of this miracle upon the disciples and upon all that afterwards heard of the story, since the sudden quieting of the sea must have been noticed from the shore, was to fill them with amazement: What kind of man and whence is He? They had further evidence for His divinity, as well as for His loving care for those whom He has enrolled as His disciples, whose every fear He is glad to dispel, whose every prayer, even in little faith, finds careful consideration before Him.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
25 And his disciples came to him , and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
Ver. 25. Master, save us, we perish ] Troubles drive us to God (as bugbears do children into their mother’s bosom), who delighteth to help those that are forsaken of their hopes. In prosperity, either we pray not at all- Rarae fumant felicibus arae, or but faintly, yawningly, &c. Oratio sine malis, est ut avis sine alis. But in a stress, as here, our prayers, like strong streams in narrow straits, run mightily upon God, and will not go away without the thing they came for.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25. ] , . = , .; Mar 4:38 = , , ., Luk 8:24 . On these and such like variations, notice the following excellent and important remarks of Augustine (De Consensu Evv. ii. 24 (55), vol. vii.): ‘Una eademque sententia est excitantium Dominum, volentiumque salvari; nec opus est qurere quid horum potius Christo dictum sit. Sive enim alliquid horum trium dixerint, sive alia verba qu nullus Evangelistarum commemoravit, tantundem tamen valentia ad eandem sententi veritatem, quid ad rem interest?’ We may well exclaim, ‘O si sic omnia!’ Much useless labour might have been spared, and men’s minds led to the diligent enquiry into the real difficulties of the Gospels, instead of so many spending time in knitting cobwebs. But Augustine himself in the very next sentence, descends to the unsatisfactory ground of the Harmonists, when he adds, ‘Quamquam et hoc fieri potuit, ut pluribus eum simul excitantibus, omnia hc, aliud ab alio, dicerentur.’ His mind however was not one to rest contented with such sophisms; and all his deeper and more earnest sayings are in the truer and freer spirit of the above extract.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 8:25 . : one of our evangelist’s favourite words. : they would not have waked Him if they could have helped it. They were genuinely terrified, though experienced sailors accustomed to rough weather. , : laconic speech, verbs unconnected, utterance of fear-stricken men. Luke’s , is equally descriptive. Who could tell exactly what they said? All three evangelists report differently.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
perish = are perishing.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25.] , . = , .; Mar 4:38 = , , ., Luk 8:24. On these and such like variations, notice the following excellent and important remarks of Augustine (De Consensu Evv. ii. 24 (55), vol. vii.): Una eademque sententia est excitantium Dominum, volentiumque salvari; nec opus est qurere quid horum potius Christo dictum sit. Sive enim alliquid horum trium dixerint, sive alia verba qu nullus Evangelistarum commemoravit, tantundem tamen valentia ad eandem sententi veritatem, quid ad rem interest? We may well exclaim, O si sic omnia! Much useless labour might have been spared, and mens minds led to the diligent enquiry into the real difficulties of the Gospels, instead of so many spending time in knitting cobwebs. But Augustine himself in the very next sentence, descends to the unsatisfactory ground of the Harmonists, when he adds, Quamquam et hoc fieri potuit, ut pluribus eum simul excitantibus, omnia hc, aliud ab alio, dicerentur. His mind however was not one to rest contented with such sophisms; and all his deeper and more earnest sayings are in the truer and freer spirit of the above extract.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 8:25. , save) An abrupt prayer.-, we perish) It is a proof of candour in the disciples to have recorded their own weaknesses: this was not, however, difficult to them, since after the coming of the Paraclete they had become other men.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
and awoke: Psa 10:1, Psa 44:22, Psa 44:23, Isa 51:9, Isa 51:10, Mar 4:38, Mar 4:39, Luk 8:24
save: 2Ch 14:11, 2Ch 20:12, Jon 1:6
Reciprocal: Gen 19:19 – lest some Exo 14:10 – cried out Psa 12:1 – Help Psa 107:28 – General Jer 17:14 – save Jer 31:35 – when Mat 14:30 – Lord Act 27:20 – and no
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5-26
The disciples had been with Jesus and had seen his power over great obstacles. They should have had such confidence in him that as long as he was with them no harm could come. Their failure to take that view of it was the reason for charging them with “little faith.” Jesus then did what they should have confidently expected him to do; he stilled the tempest.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 8:25. Save, we perish, or, are perishing. Disconnected language of anxiety or terror, as in the parallels (Mar 4:33; Luk 8:24).