Reflections on Matthew ch 8: which I didn't think had to do with cancer


In part due to trying to maintain a positive attitude, I've been rereading several passages in the Gospels on Jesus's healing ministry. In the process of reading for context, I read this passage several times. It took a few days to see - and hear - the point.
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IThe passage is Mt 8:23-27: It begins (ESV):

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing."

This is an odd moment. Of the people on the boat, at least four (the fishermen) were handy with a boat. On the other hand, the only experience that Jesus had to date with boats is standing in them and shouting at large crowds of people (Mk 3:7). Nevertheless, they asked him for help. More than that, they asked him "Save us ... we are perishing!" They thought they were going to die. We don't know what they thought Jesus would do - I'm not sure they did either - but they were out on a limb and went with the only help available.

Jesus's answer is odd.

And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?"

I can almost hear their reply: "Um, Lord, did you notice the part about PERISHING? That's not a good hobby to have!"

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?"

Their reaction in this last passage confused me at first: they asked him for help, so why were they surprised that he actually did it? That's not quite the right question. I ask again: what did they expect him to do? We don't know, but I'm pretty sure they weren't expecting that. He went way outside anything they could have imagined. In fact, it was frightening just how much power was in his response: "what have I gotten myself into here?"

I've read this passage several times this week. Last night a phrase roared in my mind:

Why are you afraid?

Well, Lord, have you noticed that the chemo didn't work? Then that they had to delay a treatment because I'm so weak?

Why are you afraid?

Well, maybe I'm not quite so afraid now.

But if he does something big, I suspect I will be happy and, at the same time, very afraid. That will be a good thing.

Posted: Sun - July 27, 2008 at 08:12 PM           | |

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