Matthew 8:18-27 Meaning: Jesus Leaves the Crowd
18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes around him, he gave the order to depart to the other side.
19A scribe came and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
21Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”
22But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
23When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
24Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves; but he was asleep.
25The disciples came to him and woke him up, saying, “Save us, Lord! We are dying!”
26He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19And there came a scribe, and said unto him, Teacher, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21And another of the disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
23And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him.
24And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save, Lord; we perish.
26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?
18And Jesus having seen great multitudes about him, did command to depart to the other side;
19and a certain scribe having come, said to him, `Teacher, I will follow thee wherever thou mayest go;'
20and Jesus saith to him, `The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven places of rest, but the Son of Man hath not where he may lay the head.'
21And another of his disciples said to him, `Sir, permit me first to depart and to bury my father;'
22and Jesus said to him, `Follow me, and suffer the dead to bury their own dead.'
23And when he entered into the boat his disciples did follow him,
24and lo, a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves, but he was sleeping,
25and his disciples having come to him, awoke him, saying, `Sir, save us; we are perishing.'
26And he saith to them, `Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?' Then having risen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm;
27and the men wondered, saying, `What kind--is this, that even the wind and the sea do obey him?'
18And Jesus, seeing great crowds around him, commanded to depart to the other side.
19And a scribe came up and said to him, Teacher, I will follow thee whithersoever thou mayest go.
20And Jesus says to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven roosting-places; but the Son of man has not where he may lay his head.
21But another of his disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go away and bury my father.
22But Jesus said to him, Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
23And he went on board ship and his disciples followed him;
24and behold, [the water] became very agitated on the sea, so that the ship was covered by the waves; but he slept.
25And the disciples came and awoke him, saying, Lord save: we perish.
26And he says to them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then, having arisen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27But the men were astonished, saying, What sort [of man] is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Jesus command to cross the sea when the crowds press in? This passage reveals the cost of following him and his power over every storm.
Context
Matthew sets this episode just after a string of healings. Jesus has touched Peter’s mother-in-law, cast out demons, and fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy. Now the crowds swell around him. Instead of riding the wave of popularity, he gives orders to leave. Why? The two conversations that follow, with a scribe eager to follow and a disciple who wants to delay, show what is at stake. Jesus withdraws not to escape people but to clarify what it means to be his disciple. Then, on the sea, the real test begins. The storm was no accident. It was the classroom where the disciples would learn whether they trusted the one who had just told them to go.
Key Words
The key word Matthew repeats is 'follow' (akoloutheō). It means to join someone as a companion, to walk the same road. The scribe says 'I will follow You wherever You go.' Jesus’s reply shows that following him means sharing his homelessness. The word 'nests' (kataskēnōsis) is unusual, it means a camping place, not a permanent home. Birds have temporary shelters. Jesus has even less.
Then in the boat, the same disciples who 'followed him' (v.23) find themselves terrified. Matthew calls them 'of little faith' (oligopistos). The word combines 'little' and 'faith.' Jesus does not say they have no faith, they do. It is just small. And the storm itself is a seismos, the same word used for an earthquake. This is no ordinary squall. It is a shaking of the foundations. And Jesus sleeps through it. The word 'rebuked' (epetimaō) is the same verb used for casting out demons. Jesus commands the wind and sea as if they were hostile powers. They obey.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage as both a lesson on discipleship and a revelation of Jesus’s identity. The early church fathers, like John Chrysostom, emphasized Jesus’s calm in the storm as a model for believers facing trials. The Reformed tradition, following Calvin, reads Jesus’s rebuke of the disciples as a call to trust in God’s sovereignty even when circumstances seem out of control. Catholic interpreters often highlight the humanity of Jesus, he sleeps, he is tired, and his divine authority over creation. Some traditions see the scribe and the disciple as representing two common failures: impulsive enthusiasm and divided loyalty. All agree that the passage invites the reader to ask, 'What kind of man is this?' and to answer with worship.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
This passage asks you a direct question this week: What are you holding back? The scribe wanted the honor of following without the cost. The disciple wanted to follow, but only after his own plans were finished. Jesus meets both with honesty. He does not soften the call. If you are waiting for the perfect time to commit, when work settles down, when the kids are older, when you feel ready, Jesus says, 'Follow me now.' And if you are already following but feel overwhelmed by a storm, remember that the same Jesus who commanded the winds to stop is in the boat with you. He may seem asleep, but he is not absent.
Main takeaway: Jesus calls us to follow him without conditions, and he alone has the authority to still every storm that threatens to sink us.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus got into a boat with his friends. A big storm came and they were scared. But Jesus said, “Be quiet,” and the storm stopped. He is stronger than any storm.
For ages 9, 12
Jesus knew the storm was coming when he told his disciples to get in the boat. He didn’t stop it from happening, but he showed them he was in control the whole time. Sometimes God lets us face scary situations so we can learn to trust him more. Even when it feels like he is sleeping, he is watching over you.
Questions People Ask
Why did Jesus sleep during the storm?
Jesus was exhausted from ministry, but his sleep also shows his perfect trust in the Father. He was not afraid because he knew he had authority over the wind and waves. His calm in the crisis is a picture of the peace he offers his followers.
What does "of little faith" mean in Matthew 8:26?
The Greek word oligopistos means having a small amount of faith, not no faith at all. The disciples believed enough to wake Jesus, but their fear overwhelmed that belief. Jesus does not condemn them. He gently calls them to grow in trust.
Why did Jesus tell the disciple to "let the dead bury their own dead"?
Jesus uses a strong contrast to make a point. The first 'dead' refers to people who are spiritually dead, those who do not respond to God’s call. He is not against honoring parents. He is saying that following him must come before everything else, even family duties.
Who is the "Son of Man" that Jesus calls himself?
The title comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where a 'son of man' receives authority from God. Jesus uses it to identify himself as the Messiah. It emphasizes both his humanity and his divine authority. It is a humble yet powerful name.
Did the disciples really think they would die, or were they exaggerating?
The Sea of Galilee is known for sudden, violent storms because of its location in a valley. The disciples were experienced fishermen, so if they were scared, the danger was real. They honestly believed they were perishing, which makes Jesus’s calm and command even more remarkable.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study