Are you afraid?

As I write this in April of 2026, the United States is at war with Iran. When I started the song last fall, I was rattled by health issues of an extended family member. There are any number of circumstances that can make us afraid. At some points in your life, you’ll probably have to face up to fear.

Verse 1 of our song “'Why Are You Afraid?' Asked Jesus," recounts a scary situation for Jesus’ disciples. They are in a boat, overtaken by a sudden, violent storm. The disciples fear for their lives! Jesus is sleeping.

The Gospel versions of this incident describe waves washing over the sides of the boat! So, even though some of the disciples were seasoned fishermen, they dreaded the entire boat being swamped! (We can relate to the feeling, if not the circumstances.) The disciples wake up Jesus, who instantly calms the wind and waves with, simply, a command.

When Jesus asks his boating companions “Why are you afraid?” and other questions, he’s probing beyond “Because our boat is being swamped.” He’s talking about their faith. I hear his questions as “How can you be afraid when I am with you?”

This event is reported, only slightly differently, in Matthew (8:23-27), Mark (4:35-41), and Luke (8:22-25). All three recountings, however, end with a basically identical question, this time asked by the disciples: “Who IS this? Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41 NIV)

As the disciples ask this, they are reported to be amazed, absolutely, but also “terrified.” (Mark 4:41 NIV). We can understand that. We can also assume that, since three Gospel writers include this incident and the question “Who IS this?” there's something the writers deeply want us to hear.

Verse 2 of our song recounts another, similarly important, demonstration of Jesus’ power. A distressed father asks Jesus to come heal his 12-year-old, gravely ill daughter. Before Jesus arrives, messengers tell him his daughter has already died. In the versions from Mark and Luke, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid. Just believe.” (Mark 5:22-24, 35-43 and Luke 8:40-42, 49-56).

When Jesus arrives at the man’s house, mourners are wailing. They laugh when Jesus tells them the girl is only asleep, but Jesus expels the mourners and, with just a few people, goes to the side of the girl. He takes her by the hand and tells her, “Get up.” She does!

Again, we are awed by what Jesus can do! (And we haven’t even gotten to the Feeding of the 5,000 yet!) But we also have this repeated link between faith and not being afraid, as Jesus tells the young girl’s father, “Just believe.”

Now, when we put our faith in someone to help us, we probably think 1) they have some strength or power and 2) they are motivated toward our well-being.

Jesus’ miracles establish that he has the power to help us in times of need. He himself was aware how the miracles supported his claim to be one with God (John 14:11, or also John 10:22-38, especially verses 36-38).

But they show us more. We’ve mentioned a few of Jesus’ miracles—calming a storm to save his disciples, healing/raising an only daughter, feeding 5,000…. In them, we can absolutely see Jesus’ care for other people. (It might be helpful as well to consider what Jesus’ miracles were NOT like. At the beginning of his ministry, described in Matthew 4:1-11, the Devil tempts Jesus to turn stones into bread to feed himself after he has been fasting in the wilderness. Jesus refuses that, along with other self-interested uses of his power/position.)

So, who IS this Jesus? Can we trust in him?

Getting back to our song, the third verse refers to the night before Jesus was crucified—the “Last Supper” and subsequent events. It’s clear from the Gospels that Jesus knew pain and death were imminent, but even so, his extensive final teachings (covering all of Chapters 13-17 in the Gospel of John) show him thinking of his disciples. The teachings include his washing the disciples’ feet and instituting the communion meal to remember him through shared bread and wine. In the church, we mark these events as “Maundy Thursday,” where the “Maundy” refers to the mandate he gives in John 13:34: As I have loved you, love one another. The depth of Jesus’ grace and caring in all this has always felt, to me, above-and-beyond, supernatural, akin to Jesus’ miracles. If the miracles help prove Jesus is God, so does his caring!

“Peace,” Jesus pronounces that evening, with elaborations. He also explains that the Holy Spirit’s presence will console the disciples after he goes away. He tries to prepare his disciples, because later that night he will be arrested. He will be killed the next day.

Of course, Jesus doesn’t stay dead!!! After his resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples, who are huddled fearfully in a locked room (John 20:19-29). Two appearances there are descibed in the passage. Jesus starts both, probably necessarily(!), by pronouncing “Peace” (verses 19 and 26).

Jesus goes on to prove it is actually him, bodily resurrected. He directs one disciple—often now called “doubting Thomas”—to put his fingers into the nail holes on his body from the crucifixion, and to put his hand into the spear wound made while Jesus was still on the cross, possibly, to be sure that he was dead (John 19:31-34).

So, when “doubting Thomas” next declares, “My Lord and my God!” we have one answer to the question “Who IS this?” The historical man Jesus, in rising, has done something way outside our mortal realm! The threads of “peace” and “faith” remain intertwined!

You may recall other Biblical instances of divine encounters that start with greetings of “Peace” or “Do not be afraid.” Several angel visitations begin that way (e.g. Luke 1:12-13, Luke 2:8-10, Mark 16:4). To encounter the divine directly can be terrifying, as we noted when Jesus shut down the storm. Even Jesus said how there are reasons to be afraid of spiritual powers (consider Matthew 10:28-31), but that was not the bulk of his message. He taught how God sees every sparrow; God knows the number of hairs on our heads. God sent his son, not to condemn the world, but to save it through him (John 3:17).

Many people of faith, I think, grow to take God's interventions for them with more calmness, as well as gratitude. In the Old Testament, the various writers of the Psalms often show a pattern of regaining their composure in the face of trials by remembering how God has already blessed them and acted on their behalf.

In his "last" teachings on the night he was betrayed, Jesus did not promise his disciples that they would escape all trouble in this world, but he did give them peace and pray to God for their protection (John 16:33, John 17:15-16).

Yes, we can trust Christ's loving intent and also divine power! When we imagine Christ, our Lord, pronouncing "Peace," it is way more than one short word!

 

 

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written by Constance Morgenstern
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