“And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?’” (Mt 8:26-27)
The disciples were afraid of the storm because they did not yet really know who their Master really is. In the Book of Hebrews it is written:
“…in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Heb 1:2-3)
As the Son of God, Yeshua upholds the whole universe by the word of his power. The whole universe was from the beginning even created through Him. If the disciples had known who He is they would not have been afraid because He had told them to them to go over to the other side. “Now when Jesus saw a great crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.” (v. 18) He had given His order. That should have settled it for them. Yeshua rebuked them for their lack of trust.
The demons on the other hand knew exactly who Yeshua is and they feared Him. “And behold, they cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?’” (v. 29)
It was the same with the leper and the centurion in Capernaum earlier in the chapter. “And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.’” (v. 2) What faith!
The centurion had even greater trust in Yeshua.
“But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.’” (v. 8-10)
What faith and what humility the centurion had! He knew the power and authority of Yeshua’s words. Do we? Then we don’t have to be afraid. He upholds the entire universe by the word of His power! If He gives orders to go over to the other side, we can trust Him, no matter what storms will come our way.
