Learning from the Storm: How Jonah 1 and Mark 4 Point to Jesus’s Divine Authority

Storm in Jonah – Jonah 1

Yet a connection that many people miss is how the story connects to Jonah chapter 1. Jonah tries to run from God, but a great storm hits to prevent him from running away from the mission of God. Jonah is asleep on the boat when a storm hits and the sailors fear for their lives. The sailors cry out to their gods. Finally, they wake up Jonah and tell him to pray to his God to see if he will spare them. The crew cast lots to see who caused the storm and the lot falls to Jonah and the sailors learn that the storm is his fault as he shares his story. To calm the storm, they throw Jonah overboard. The storm stopped at once and the sailors were awestruck by God’s power.

Similarities and Differences

Notice these two stories and the similarities. Both Jonah and Jesus are struck by a great storm in which they are sleeping during the event. Jonah slept out of callous apathy and exhaustion while running from God. Jesus slept on a cushion in perfect peace and trust in God. In both stories, the others on the boat wake up the sleeping party in panic. Those on the boats, in both stories, cry out to a higher power. The disciples cry out to Jesus (God) and the sailors in Jonah cry out to their gods. What makes these stories so different is how the storm stops. Jonah cannot stop the storm as only God can do that as Jonah does not have divine authority. Therefore, Jonah must submit to God. Jesus, on the other hand, rebukes the waves himself. The implications are major! Jonah was cast into the sea because of disobedience and sin while Jesus is the sinless King who stands up and commands the sea into submission.

The Authority of Jesus

Notice that! Jesus stops the storm by speaking. This can allude to Genesis 1 in which God spoke all things into existence and power is in God’s word. The disciples are still scared after the storm stopped because of Jesus and his power. They recognize the Psalms in which it says that God is the one who “holds back the winds and waves, He alone has control over the winds that blow as they sweep away the wicked….” Psalms 107:25-31; 89:9. The disciples are terrified because Jesus performed something that only God can do. 

Conclusion

The Old Testament has many signposts that point to Jesus. The story of Jonah points to Jesus being God as only God has control over the wind and the waves. Jonah submits to God’s judgement to stop the storm, but Jesus just commands the storm as he has divine authority. This speaking to the storm is also a reflection of Genesis 1 in which God speaks things into existence and brings order to the chaotic waters. Jesus ultimately does what only God can do and this explains why the disciples are terrified at the actions and authority of Jesus.