Christ the Lord of Nature
Mark 4:35-41
And the same day, when the even was come, he said to them, Let us pass over to the other side.…


Nature, in the sense in which we now use it, means the world of matter, and the laws of its working. If Holy Scripture be listened to, He is so of right. "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made." "God created all things by Jesus Christ." There is no lordship like that of creation. Christ in the days of His flesh actually gave proof of His lordship on earth.

1. There is a class of miracles which had their place in what we may call productive nature; in those processes which have to do with the supply of food for man's life. Wine made at Cana; feeding of the five thousand; feeding of the four thousand.

2. There is a class of miracles proving the dominion of Christ over animated nature. The draught of fishes on the sea of Tiberias; the piece of money in the fish's mouth.

3. We have examples of the sovereignty of Christ over elemental nature, air, and sea.

4. We have an example of Christ's sovereignty in the domain of morbid nature, disease and decay — "the fig tree dried up from the roots."Christ the Lord of nature.

1. It was necessary that the Son of God coming down from heaven for the redemption of men should prove Himself to be very God by many infallible and irresistible signs. It was in mercy as well as in wisdom that He gave this demonstration.

2. It could scarcely be but that He should as Son of God assert below His dominion over God's creation, and over the processes of God's providence.

3. Let us be careful how we speak of miracles, such as these, as if they were contradictions of God's natural laws, or contradictions of God's providential operations. When Christ wrought a miracle upon nature it was to give a glimpse of some good thing lost, of some perfect thing deteriorated, of some joyous thing spoilt, by reason of the Fall, and to be given back to man by virtue of redemption.

4. In these miracles which attest the sovereignty of Christ over nature we have one of the surest grounds of comfort for Christian souls.

(1) In their literal sense, to regard Him as sovereign of the universe in which they dwell.

(2) In their parabolic significance as stilling the inward storm.

5. There is also warning for the careless and sinful. Upon His blessing or curse depends all that makes existence a happiness or misery. The agencies of nature as of grace are in the hands of Christ.

(C. J. Vaughan, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

WEB: On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let's go over to the other side."




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