I spent much of my time in college trying to imagine what something looked like that was far too small to see. When I was studying chemistry and physics at school, one of the challenges for me was that I couldn’t SEE what I was trying to learn. Electrons, atoms and molecules are simply way too small to be able to look at (though electron-microscopes were beginning to provide some pictures). Without actually seeing what you are studying, it was hard to imagine it.
The capacity to visualize something is an incredibly helpful ability. So much is beyond our immediate senses. We can’t smell at a distance, touch history, hear ultrasonic pitches, or see microscopic elements. In order to process descriptions of such things, our minds “visualize” it—imagine what it might look like. Since so much of our faith is grounded in history anchored in the Middle East where most will never physically go, it is often helpful to “visualize” things.
In our study of the Kingdom of God, appearing with the King, Jesus, so much of the action has happened in and around the Sea of Galilee. Once again this week, the sea is the setting for the presence of the Kingdom. Visualizing the Sea of Galilee and the surrounding countryside is helpful in grasping the events Mark narrates.
- There were about 2-3 million people, mostly Jewish, living in the region of Galilee during Jesus’ time.
- The whole region of Galilee was about the size of Rhode Island.
- The Sea of Galilee is about 13 miles long by 8 miles wide, about twice the size of the city of Pittsburgh, about a quarter of Allegheny County as a whole.
- The Sea of Galilee is a freshwater lake and is the second-lowest lake in the world, about 700 feet below sea level, and is over 140 feet deep in spots. (At its deepest spot, Lake Erie is about 200 feet deep).
- The hilly part of Galilee has mountains that near 4,000 feet high, taller than the highest peak in PA.
- The mountains and valleys surrounding the Sea of Galilee form a funnel where the wind can suddenly whip through, subjecting the sea to sudden squalls, brief storms, and strong winds.
- Galilee can experience up to 50 inches of rainfall a year, more than twice that of Jerusalem and surrounding areas. Note: Pittsburgh averages around 40 inches per year.
All these geographic facts can help us visualize what Jesus and His followers experienced in and around the Sea of Galilee. Imagining the situation, even putting yourself in the shoes of the disciples, is an incredibly helpful tool in understanding the Gospel messages. This follows a general principle of biblical interpretation: Remember that God intends the Bible to impact human lives. We need to read it as though it was experienced and lived by real human beings. Putting ourselves “in the picture” as we are reading the text helps explore the depths of God’s Word for us each and every day.
In preparation for worship on Sunday, please read Mark 4:35-41.
1. What relevance might there be in noting that it was the evening (verse 35)? What questions might you ask to understand this more? What background information would help clarify if “the evening” is important here or not?
2. Note that they left without the crowd (verse 36). Given the role of the crowd in Mark’s gospel up until this point, what might this imply?
3. What indications are there about the severity of the storm? What does the passage say to indicate how bad the storm was?
4. What are all the reasons Jesus might have been asleep in the boat? What “physical” reasons are present? What “spiritual” reasons?
5. Why would the disciples imply that Jesus does not care if they drown (verse 38)?
6. The command that Jesus gives—“peace, be still”—is a good summary of God’s work of redemption in our lives. How so?
7. There is a great piece of irony between verses 40 and 41. Can you identify it? How might this irony summarize the point of the passage as a whole?
