Divine Paradoxes: Resolving Seeming Contradictions in Christian Theology
Category 1: God’s Nature vs. Christ’s Earthly Life
1. Introduction
The doctrine of divine omnipotence affirms that God is all-powerful, lacking no strength or ability (Jeremiah 32:17; Revelation 19:6). Yet, in the Gospels, we encounter Jesus—God incarnate—sleeping from sheer physical exhaustion during a storm (Mark 4:38). How can the Almighty rest, not out of divine restfulness but from bodily weariness? This paradox unveils the mystery of true incarnation: omnipotence clothed in human frailty.
2. God Is All-Powerful
2.1 Scriptural Foundations
- Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth… and there is nothing too hard for thee.”
- Psalm 147:5 – “Great is our Lord, and of great power.”
- Revelation 19:6 – “The Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”
2.2 Theological Meaning
- God has infinite power—He neither tires nor needs rest (Isaiah 40:28).
- Divine power is eternal, unchangeable, and self-sufficient.
3. Yet Christ Slept from Exhaustion
3.1 Scriptural Account
- Mark 4:38 – “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow.”
- John 4:6 – “Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well.”
3.2 The Humanity of Christ
- Jesus experienced hunger (Matt. 4:2), thirst (John 19:28), fatigue (John 4:6), and sleep (Mark 4:38).
- His body was not an illusion (cf. 1 John 4:2), but truly subject to human limitations.
4. Theological Resolution: Omnipotence in the Garment of Flesh
| Divine Attribute | Earthly Manifestation | Theological Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| All-powerful and tireless | Slept from physical exhaustion | Christ’s divine nature remained omnipotent, while His human nature required rest |
4.1 Hypostatic Union
- Christ is one Person with two natures: fully divine and fully human.
- His divinity did not override His true human experience—He chose to live with human limitations.
4.2 Voluntary Humiliation
- Philippians 2:6–7 – “Though he was in the form of God… he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.”
- Christ laid aside divine prerogatives, not divine nature, to live a truly human life.
5. Historical Theological Perspectives
5.1 Early Church
- Ignatius of Antioch: “He suffered truly, even as he was truly raised.”
- Athanasius: “The Word was not corrupted by the body, but sanctified the body through Himself.”
5.2 Councils and Creeds
- Chalcedonian Definition: Christ is perfect in divinity and perfect in humanity, “consubstantial with us according to manhood.”
- His human fatigue does not diminish His divine power—it affirms the reality of His humanity.
5.3 Reformers and Beyond
- Calvin: Christ experienced fatigue and weakness to *“taste fully what it meant to be human.”
- T.F. Torrance: God in Christ entered our weakness not just to save us from it, but to redeem it from within.
6. Doctrinal and Devotional Implications
6.1 Christ Identifies with Human Frailty
- Hebrews 4:15 – “We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities…”
- The Saviour knows our weariness, not merely by omniscience but by experience.
6.2 Encouragement in Fatigue
- When we are exhausted, Christ remembers the weariness of the journey, the weight of the cross, the sleep in the storm.
- His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
6.3 Worshipping the God Who Lay Down
- We worship a God who, in love, did not cling to comfort, but shared our burdens to lift us up.
- The omnipotent Christ slept—not because He lacked power, but because He embraced humility.
7. Conclusion
The paradox of the omnipotent God sleeping in a storm-tossed boat shows us the beauty of the incarnation: divine power willingly confined within fragile flesh. Christ’s rest was real because His humanity was real. Yet His divinity never slumbered—even in sleep, He was the sovereign Lord of the storm (Mark 4:39). This paradox reveals not contradiction, but glory: the All-Powerful God came close enough to need a pillow.
References
- The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)
- Athanasius. On the Incarnation
- Chalcedonian Definition, AD 451
- Ignatius of Antioch. Letter to the Smyrnaeans
- Calvin, J. Institutes of the Christian Religion
- Torrance, T.F. Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ