Luke 8:22

Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) It came to pass on a certain day.—See Notes on Matthew 8:18; Matthew 8:23-27, and Mark 4:35-41. Literally, on one of the days. The vagueness of St. Luke’s note of time, as compared with the more precise statements in St. Matthew (Matthew 8:18) and St. Mark (Mark 4:35), is perhaps characteristic of this Evangelist as an inquirer coming late into the field, aiming at exactness, not always succeeding in satisfying himself as to the precise sequence of events, and honestly confessing when he has failed to do so.

Unto the other side of the lake—i.e., from the western to the eastern shore. It would seem from the Greek name of the district, Peræa (= “the other-side country”), as if the term was a colloquial designation of the eastern shore, even without reference to the starting-point.

The lake.—The uniform use of the more accurate term by St. Luke as a stranger, as contrasted with the equally uniform use of the more popular and local designation of the “sea” in the other three Gospels, written by, or under the influence of. Galileans, is characteristic of one who may have been a student of Strabo. (See Introduction.)

Benson Commentary

Luke 8:22-25. It came to pass on a certain day — According to Mark, the same day, when the evening was come; he went into a ship with his disciples — With a view to cross the lake. And they launched forth — Attended by a number of other little boats, which were full of people, Mark 4:36. But as they sailed, he fell asleep — In the stern of the vessel, fatigued with the work of the day. And there came down a storm, &c. — The weather suddenly changed, and a storm came on, which threatened to sink them to the bottom. The tempest increased the horrors of the night; the sky lowered; the wind roared, the sea and clouds were driven with the fury of the storm. Now they were tossed up to the top of the billows, then sunk down to the bottom of the deep, buried among the waves. The disciples exerted their utmost skill in managing their vessel, but to no purpose; the waves, breaking in, filled her so that she began to sink. Being now on the very brink of perishing, and ready to give themselves up for lost, they ran to Jesus, crying out, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose and rebuked the wind — Which instantly became silent; and the raging of the water — The huge waves of which sunk down on every side in a moment. And there was a calm — The sea was perfectly still around them, and not a breath of wind moved, nor was the least sound heard, except from the oars and sails of the boats which composed this little fleet. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? — In Mark it is, How is it that ye have no faith? As if he had said, After having seen me perform so many miracles, it is extremely culpable in you to be thus overcome with fear. Did you doubt my power to protect you? When they first awoke him, and before he had stilled the storm, he said, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? but their confusion and dismay, it seems, prevented their deriving any benefit from the rebuke: he therefore now repeats it, when the storm was over, and they had leisure to attend to it: and doubtless it contributed to make them more sensible of the evil of their fear. And they being afraid, wondered, &c. — When by the continuance of the calm they found what a great miracle was wrought, they were inexpressibly amazed, and their amazement was mixed with fear, because he had rebuked them so sharply. See this miracle more fully elucidated, on Matthew 8:23-27; and Mark 4:35-41.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:22-40 Those that put to sea in a calm, even at Christ's word, must yet prepare for a storm, and for great peril in that storm. There is no relief for souls under a sense of guilt, and fear of wrath, but to go to Christ, and call him Master, and say, I am undone, if thou dost not help me. When our dangers are over, it becomes us to take to ourselves the shame of our own fears, and to give Christ the glory of our deliverance. We may learn much out of this history concerning the world of infernal, malignant spirits, which though not working now exactly in the same way as then, yet all must at all times carefully guard against. And these malignant spirits are very numerous. They have enmity to man and all his comforts. Those under Christ's government are sweetly led with the bands of love; those under the devil's government are furiously driven. Oh what a comfort it is to the believer, that all the powers of darkness are under the control of the Lord Jesus! It is a miracle of mercy, if those whom Satan possesses, are not brought to destruction and eternal ruin. Christ will not stay with those who slight him; perhaps he may no more return to them, while others are waiting for him, and glad to receive him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the Matthew 8:23-34 notes, and Mark 5:1-20 notes.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Lu 8:22-25. Jesus Crossing the Lake, Stills the Storm.

(See on [1601]Mt 8:23-27, and Mr 4:35-41).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 22-25. This whole history we have also before met with, both in Matthew 8:23-27, and Mark 4:35-41. See Poole on "Matthew 8:23", and following verses to Matthew 8:27, also See Poole on "Mark 4:35", and following verses to Mark 4:41.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now it came to pass on a certain day,.... The same day at even, as Mark says, Mark 4:35 in which he delivered the parables of the sower, and of the seed cast into the ground, and of the grain of mustard seed:

that he went into a ship with his disciples; they following him into it, Matthew 8:23

and he said unto them, let us go over unto the other side of the lake; of Gennesaret, or sea of Galilee:

and they launched forth; into the sea; they set sail, and proceeded: this clause is omitted in the Syriac and Persic versions.

Geneva Study Bible

{5} Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

(5) It is expedient for us sometimes to come into extreme danger, as though Christ was not with us, that we may have a better test, both of his power, and also of our weakness.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 8:22-25. See on Matthew 8:18; Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41. In Luke there is no precise note of time, but the voyage is the same; abridged from Mark.

Luke 8:23 f. ἀφυπνοῦν] which means to wake up (therefore equivalent to ἀφυπνίζεσθαι), and also (as in this case) to fall asleep (consequently equivalent to καθυπνοῦν[115]), belongs to the late and corrupt Greek. Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 224.

κατέβη] from the high, ground down to the lake. Comp. Polyb. xxx. 14. 6 : ΛΑΊΛΑΠΌς ΤΙΝΟς ἘΚΠΕΠΤΩΚΥΐΑς ΕἸς ΑὐΤΟΎς.

ΣΥΝΕΠΛΗΡΟῦΝΤΟ] What happened to the ship is said of the sailors. Examples in Kypke, I. p. 248. Observe the imperfects in relation to the preceding aorist.

διήγειραν] they awoke him (Matthew 1:24); but subsequently ἐγερθείς: having arisen (Matthew 2:14).

Luke 8:25. ἐφοβήθ.] the disciples, as Mark 4:41.

The first ΚΑΊ is: even.

[115] It corresponds exactly to the German “entschlafen,” except that this word is not used in the sense of becoming free from sleep, which καθυπνοῦν might have according to the connection.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 8:22-25. The tempest on the lake (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41). The voyage across the lake took place, according to Mk., on the day of the parables; it was an escape from the crowd, a very real and credible account. The whole situation in Lk. is different: no preaching from a boat, no escape when the preaching was over. It simply happened on one of the days (ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22-25. Christ stilling the Storm.

22. Now it came to pass on a certain day] Rather, on one of the days. From Mark 4:35; Matthew 8:18, we should infer that this event took place in the evening on which He began to teach the crowd in parables, and that—attracted by the beauty and novelty of His teaching they lingered round Him till, in utter weariness, He longed to escape to the secluded loneliness of the Eastern shore of the lake. Possibly the interference of His kinsmen may have added the last touch to the fatigue and emotion which imperatively demanded retirement and rest.

into a ship] St Matthew says ‘the boat,’ which usually waited on His movements; very probably the one which had belonged to Peter. Before the boat pushed off, we learn that three aspirants for discipleship came to Him, Matthew 8:19-22 (Luke 9:57-62).

unto the other side] The Peraean side of the Lake of Galilee has always been comparatively uninhabited, mainly because the escarpment of barren hills approaches within a quarter of a mile of the shore. Its solitude contrasted all the more with the hum of crowded and busy life on the plain of Gennesareth.

of the lake] See on Luke 5:1.

they launched forth] Such was His weariness and eagerness to get away that they took Him “as He was”—without even pausing for any food or refreshment—into the boat, Mark 4:36.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 8:22. Καὶ ἐγένετο, and it came to pass) The author, in the Harm. Ev., § 49, shows that a transposition has place here in Luke, and also in Mark; and in the same work, p. 264, he considers as most corresponding to the truth such a series of events, as that there should follow after one another in succession: 1) The evening, on which Christ bade them get ready for the voyage (sailing) across (Mark 4:35; Luke 8:22); 2) The morning, in which, having been sought out by the multitude, He declared that He must preach to others also (Mark 1:35-36; Luke 4:42-43); 3) The voyage, and the preaching throughout the whole of Galilee, partly before, partly after the voyage (Matthew 8:23; Mark 4:36-37; Mark 1:39; Luke 8:22-23; Luke 4:44).

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 22-25. - The lake-storm is stilled. Luke 8:22

Vincent's Word Studies

Let us go over unto the other side of the lake

Wyc. has, pass we over the standing water. On lake, see on Luke 5:1.

Launched forth (ἀνήχθησαν)

See on Luke 5:3. The verb literally means to lead up; hence to lead up to the high sea, or take to sea; put to sea. It is the word used of Jesus' being led up into the wilderness and the mount of temptation (Matthew 4:1; Luke 2:22); also of bringing up a sacrifice to an idol-altar (Acts 7:41). Often in Acts in the accounts of Paul's voyages.