4:35–41 After the selection of parables comes this story of Jesus’ power over the wind and waves. The change from relatively calm teaching discourse to a violent storm and the display of Jesus’ awesome authority over the forces of nature jolts the reader with a reminder that Jesus is more than a religious teacher. The parables are veiled discourse, and Jesus has spoken of the presence of the kingdom of God in him as still something of a “secret” (4:11), “hidden” and “concealed” (4:22). In this story something of the true significance of Jesus flashes forth momentarily, revealing briefly the full light to come.

This incident also illustrates that the disciples, though given “the secret of the kingdom of God,” have their own problems in perceiving Jesus clearly. Their astonished questioning…