Matthew 8:24 (DRB)

Passage

And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep.

Nearby Context

Matthew 8:22 But Jesus said to him: Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.

Matthew 8:23 And when he entered into the boat, his disciples followed him:

Matthew 8:24 And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep.

Matthew 8:25 And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish.

Matthew 8:26 And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up, he commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "great", "tempest", "arose", "boat", "covered", "waves", and "asleep". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "behold" and "great", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 23's "And when he entered into the boat..." into verse 25's "And they came to him and awaked...", so "behold" and "great" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "behold" and "great" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.