Gathering Stones at Ginossar
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:37-39).
Every large body of water that lies inland experiences some form of "lake effect". The Great Lakes in North America generate a lake effect whereas the rising moisture is mixed with the colder upper air and results in snow being produced in the areas around the lake. In a similar fashion, the Galilee is known for its own "lake effect". The Sea of Galilee is 600-700 feet below sea level, and the resulting effect of the moisture rising and the wind dropping off the Golan Heights produces violent storms on the Sea of Galilee which are identified as "sharkia." They arise quickly and sometimes last less than ten minutes, but are a great threat to even the best of Galilean sailors.
According to the gospel of Mark, Jesus had just finished teaching parables to the multitudes that were gathered on the "sea side." Later, when Jesus was alone with the disciples, He had "expounded all things" to them. (Mark 4)
So, we have the Lord Jesus Christ, the creator of this world, limited in His work by being within a human body that was physically spent. He had taught many hours from a boat in the Sea of Galilee, and then spent more time inside a house on the northern shores of Galilee expanding on those teaching to His disciples. He had had a busy day, and now instructed the disciples that they should go to the "other side."
Can you envision the fishing boat of people leaving the northern shore of the Galilee and heading to the eastern side of the lake? Can you see the Lord taking His rest under the helm of the ship with a pillow under His head? Some commentaries identify that the "pillow" was probably a wooden box built into the stern of the boat. Can you see the five disciples required to maneuver the boat across the Sea taking their place on the ship and the remaining seven disciples getting comfortable for the trip? They were experienced fishermen, skilled sailors on the Sea of Galilee, with a working knowledge of years of fishing in both daylight and dark, yet when the sharkia hits there is little notice to precede the storm, and the wind cares not about the experience of the occupants of the boat. Eventually all of the disciples are struggling with the ship in the storm. Some are trying to maneuver the ship while others disciples are bailing water, for the ship is being overtaken by waves, and it is taking on water.
And where is the Lord? He is still asleep, undisturbed by the storm around Him. Can you hear the disciples crying out:
"Master! Master! Help us! Don't you care that we perish!"
And the Master of the Winds awakens and seeing the plight of the boat, He utters three words:
"Peace, be still."
And it IS still as the Master commands.
At Yigal Allon Museum at Kibbutz Ginossar, there is a first-century fishing boat that is representative of the type of fishing boat used by the fishermen in the northern Galilee. It is 26.9 feet long, 7.5 feet wide and 3.9 feet high. It is a weathered vessel constructed or possibly repaired to the point that twelve types of wood are found in its structure. After being found in 1986 because of the low water levels of the Galilee that year, the vessel was first sealed in foam to be transported for treatment. The cells of the wood were so fragile that when the wood would dry out, it would perish. After being soaked for eleven years in a special wax solution that permeated the wood cells, the boat is now displayed for the public to view the type of ship which the Lord Jesus Christ and the disciples.
~serapha~
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:37-39).
Every large body of water that lies inland experiences some form of "lake effect". The Great Lakes in North America generate a lake effect whereas the rising moisture is mixed with the colder upper air and results in snow being produced in the areas around the lake. In a similar fashion, the Galilee is known for its own "lake effect". The Sea of Galilee is 600-700 feet below sea level, and the resulting effect of the moisture rising and the wind dropping off the Golan Heights produces violent storms on the Sea of Galilee which are identified as "sharkia." They arise quickly and sometimes last less than ten minutes, but are a great threat to even the best of Galilean sailors.
According to the gospel of Mark, Jesus had just finished teaching parables to the multitudes that were gathered on the "sea side." Later, when Jesus was alone with the disciples, He had "expounded all things" to them. (Mark 4)
So, we have the Lord Jesus Christ, the creator of this world, limited in His work by being within a human body that was physically spent. He had taught many hours from a boat in the Sea of Galilee, and then spent more time inside a house on the northern shores of Galilee expanding on those teaching to His disciples. He had had a busy day, and now instructed the disciples that they should go to the "other side."
Can you envision the fishing boat of people leaving the northern shore of the Galilee and heading to the eastern side of the lake? Can you see the Lord taking His rest under the helm of the ship with a pillow under His head? Some commentaries identify that the "pillow" was probably a wooden box built into the stern of the boat. Can you see the five disciples required to maneuver the boat across the Sea taking their place on the ship and the remaining seven disciples getting comfortable for the trip? They were experienced fishermen, skilled sailors on the Sea of Galilee, with a working knowledge of years of fishing in both daylight and dark, yet when the sharkia hits there is little notice to precede the storm, and the wind cares not about the experience of the occupants of the boat. Eventually all of the disciples are struggling with the ship in the storm. Some are trying to maneuver the ship while others disciples are bailing water, for the ship is being overtaken by waves, and it is taking on water.
And where is the Lord? He is still asleep, undisturbed by the storm around Him. Can you hear the disciples crying out:
"Master! Master! Help us! Don't you care that we perish!"
And the Master of the Winds awakens and seeing the plight of the boat, He utters three words:
"Peace, be still."
And it IS still as the Master commands.
At Yigal Allon Museum at Kibbutz Ginossar, there is a first-century fishing boat that is representative of the type of fishing boat used by the fishermen in the northern Galilee. It is 26.9 feet long, 7.5 feet wide and 3.9 feet high. It is a weathered vessel constructed or possibly repaired to the point that twelve types of wood are found in its structure. After being found in 1986 because of the low water levels of the Galilee that year, the vessel was first sealed in foam to be transported for treatment. The cells of the wood were so fragile that when the wood would dry out, it would perish. After being soaked for eleven years in a special wax solution that permeated the wood cells, the boat is now displayed for the public to view the type of ship which the Lord Jesus Christ and the disciples.
~serapha~
posted by ~serapha~ at 6:18 PM
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