Matthew 8:27

27 But the men were astonished, saying, What sort [of man] is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?

Matthew 8:27 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 8:27

But the men marvelled
Mark says, "they feared exceedingly"; and Luke, "they being afraid, wondered": they were filled with astonishment and fear, or reverence: there was such a shine of majesty, such a lustre of divine power appeared in this affair. The other two evangelists seem to refer this to the disciples, which Matthew seems to ascribe to the men, the mariners that were in the ship; it is likely it had the same effect on both; and both were abundantly convinced of his deity and dignity, saying,

what manner of man,
or person

is this?
For the word "man", is not in the text; of what qualities, perfections and powers, is he possessed? Surely he must be more than a mere man; he can be no other than the mighty God,

that even the winds and the sea obey him:
which can be said of no other, than the most high God: never was such a thing heard of, that the winds and sea should be rebuked by a mere creature, and should obey. That man must be infidel to "revelation", that can read this account, and deny the deity of Christ; to one or other of these he must be drove, either to deny the truth of the fact, and the circumstances of it, or believe that Jesus Christ is truly and properly God, as the disciples and mariners did.

Matthew 8:27 In-Context

25 And the disciples came and awoke him, saying, Lord save: we perish.
26 And 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.
27 But the men were astonished, saying, What sort [of man] is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?
28 And there met him, when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, two possessed by demons, coming out of the tombs, exceeding dangerous, so that no one was able to pass by that way.
29 And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Son of God? hast thou come here before the time to torment us?
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.