Nature Miracles

Jesus calms the storm (Mark 4:35–41)
When Jesus calms the storm he says to his frightened disciples, ‘Have you no faith?’ Then they ask one another who he can be; they are with awe (terras) at the power (dynamis) of Jesus and they wonder what it can mean (semeion).

That day, in the evening, he said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side of the lake’. So they left the crowd and took him with them in the boat where he had been sitting; and there were other boats accompanying him. A heavy squall came on and the waves broke over the boat until it was all but swamped. Now he was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.

They roused him and said, ‘Master we are sinking! Do you not care?’ He awoke, rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush be still!’ The wind dropped and there was dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you such cowards? Have you no faith even now?’ They were awestruck and said to one another, ‘Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.’

Jesus feeds five thousand (Mark 6:30–44)

• When Jesus has a large crowd to feed, he gathers five loaves and two fish.
• He looks up to heaven and gives thanks to God. Then he breaks the bread.
• When the disciples distribute it to the crowd, there is enough for all of them with twelve baskets of leftovers.

Jesus is always recognised by Christians in the breaking of bread. He is the source of all life for them.

Jesus walks on water (Mark 6:45–52)

• Jesus comes to the disciples in their boat by walking on the water and they are terrified, thinking he is a ghost.
• He calms them, but they are amazed because, despite the feeding of the five thousand, they still do not understand his power.

The water is symbolic of chaos, evil and darkness. Jesus shows his power over these things. Water is also a symbol of new life and is constantly referred to in the Bible. Walking on water shows power, like the power God demonstrates in the parting of the Red Sea. (Exod. 14).

In Mark 8:1–9, Jesus again feeds a large crowd; this time there are four thousand people. Jesususes the same method but only seven loaves. Again there are seven baskets of leftovers.