Thursday, April 20, 2017This fundamental question will bring us to the end of our analysis on the topic of knowledge concerning the Trinity and the Divinity of the Lord Jesus. The main argument stems from the incident where Jesus was traveling with His disciples, and He was asleep in the stern. When His disciples became terrified by a great storm, they woke Him up for help, as we read:
Mark 4:37-38
“A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, 'Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?'”
This act of Jesus sleeping, as described here, is what generates the question, with those who ask it strengthening their case by also quoting the following Psalm:
Psalm 121:4-5
“Indeed, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper…”
This passage from Psalms states that the God who guards Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps, so those who argue this case claim that if Jesus is God, then His sleeping is a denial of His divinity.
The Main Answer to this Question
Basically, this is one of the easiest questions regarding the Trinity and the Divinity of the Lord Jesus. However, what seems to be a small oversight by those asking this question is their failure to conduct a comparative reading of the Scriptures and consult more passages to understand the context of Jesus sleeping and the Psalms’ declaration that God does not sleep.
To answer this question, let me just say that David's Psalm is entirely correct—God, in essence, does not sleep. However, the same book of Psalms also describes what God can do using the same concept of sleeping. Let us read another passage from Psalms to begin this important step in resolving this contentious question:
Let us read together from Psalms:
Psalm 78:65
“Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, as a mighty man who shouts because of wine.”
In this passage, again, the prophet David describes God as one who could be ‘like one sleeping’. Remember, the first verse says God does not sleep, implying literal sleep, but here, David uses the phrase ‘as from sleep’, a term that shows the sleeper was not in a state of total unconsciousness or inability.
Therefore, after this explanation, we can summarize this argument by saying: the type of sleep Jesus had seems similar to this ‘as from sleep’. In reality, you will see that Jesus was simply testing the faith of His disciples in that situation, just as the Scriptures in Isaiah describe the pattern of God's actions, where sometimes, intentionally, God may leave His people for a time to test them:
Isaiah 54:7
“For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.”
So, God can for a while turn His face from His people to see where their faith will turn, and in reality, that is what the Lord Jesus did in this event with His disciples, because after seeing that their faith was directed towards Him, the Scriptures say:
Mark 4:39-41
“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’”
Thus, Jesus concluded the incident by rebuking the wind and the sea after confirming that His disciples’ faith was placed in Him during the storm. But the important point that arises here is that this act of calming the sea is itself enough evidence of His divine authority, and perhaps those who ask this question would, if they examined the entire episode, realize that the event itself further proves Jesus’ Divinity rather than denying it.
Refer to the statement of His disciples after the event:
Mark 4:41
“And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’”
Thus, even the disciples of Jesus themselves were astonished by this event and questioned His power and ability, wondering, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” This question is clearly answered by David in Psalms:
Psalm 89:8-9
“O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them.”
The prophet David clearly states that it is God alone who can rule over the pride of the sea, and when the waves arise, only God can still them. Therefore, this event of Jesus calming the sea clearly shows that Jesus is God.
Conclusion: Clear Statements About the Divinity of Jesus
First, let me thank you, my reader, for carefully following this analysis of this topic, and I urge you that, as you have had the opportunity to learn this truth, accept and receive Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life, for the power, authority, and dominion over heaven and earth belong to Him alone.
After that call, let me conclude this topic by providing you with a few Bible quotes that summarize this analysis by clearly showing the exalted authority of the Lord Jesus:
Titus 2:13
“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…”
The apostle Paul in this verse makes it absolutely clear about the Divinity of Jesus, as do Thomas and the Lord Jesus Himself in the following passage:
John 20:28-29
“And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”
May God bless you as you reflect on this truth and take action.
Shalom,
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
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