The gospel reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, June 20th, Mark 4:35-41 says…
Later that day, when evening came, Jesus said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was. Other boats followed along. Gale-force winds arose, and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped. But Jesus was in the rear of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?” He got up and gave orders to the wind, and he said to the lake, “Silence! Be still!” The wind settled down and there was a great calm. Jesus asked them, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?” Overcome with awe, they said to each other, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
Have you ever seen a picture of Rembrandt’s painting of this stormy scene with Jesus and his disciples from Mark? It’s titled The Storm on the Sea of Galilee and its Rembrandt’s only known seascape, but that’s not the only reason it’s famous. My wife and I recently watched a documentary on Netflix detailing how this and other paintings were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardener museum in Boston. The theft in 1990 remains one of the worlds biggest unsolved art heists.
The real tragedy of the theft is the loss of this beautiful and powerful interpretation of this Biblical passage from public view. Though photographs exist, standing in front of this masterpiece must have been an act of scriptural meditation. Rembrandt depicts a boat on the sea that is on the verge of being overturned in a chaotic scene. The twelve disciples are on the boat with Jesus and each of their actions are intriguing. I know practically nothing about Rembrandt and have read all of a Wikipedia article about this work, but here is what I see in the disciples actions. Five of the disciples are near the bow of the boat working to regain control of the vessel, but the violent wind has ripped the sail. One of the disciples is in the back of the boat with a paddle trying to steer. One disciple is on his knees, hands clasped in prayer. One seems to be shuddering in fear. One is sick vomiting over the side. One is sitting and seems to be in conversation with what appears to be a vaguely painted angel. Two are pleading with Jesus, the only calm person on the boat. While everyone else is in a panic, Jesus who clearly has just been woken from his sleep appears to not be worried at all.
Upon careful examination, I found that there is however one other person on this boat in this painting… not thirteen, but fourteen passengers. There are twelve disciples, there is Jesus, and there is one other man. This man is holding his hat so that it doesn't blow off his head and he is breaking the fourth wall looking at us. It is Rembrandt himself. He has painted himself into the scene on this boat and he is looking out at the viewer. It’s like he is saying to us, “hey, get a load of this!” He is asking, “what do you think of this scene?” Maybe there is a little more to it than that. Perhaps Rembrandt looks at us to say, “hey, we are all in this boat with Jesus and his disciples.” And isn’t that the truth?
Life certainly brings storms that we have to weather and I suspect we can all relate to the actions and emotions of the disciples in this painting. We have all worked to regain control. We have all tried to steer the wind tossed ship. We have all fallen on our knees in prayer and shuddered in fear. We have became sick to our stomachs. We have encountered angels. We have pleaded with Jesus. You and I are in this boat and we're not alone. We’re in it together and we’re in it with God. God is with us, Christ is with us and even when all hope seems lost we can trust that Jesus brings calm to the storm. It’s important to reflect on the fact that in the face of this storm the disciples go to Jesus who gives healing, reconciliation, peace, and wholeness. So often we live in fear and Jesus is saying, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?”
For the disciples, Jesus calming the storm and his chastisement of them didn’t erase their fears, but brought awe and wonder. Haven’t we too many times witnessed the presence of Christ bring peace? And doesn’t that leave us with that same awe and wonder?