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From:
Doctrinal Definitions: A Handbook of Doctrinal Terms & Expressions in the New Testament
By:
Stanley Bruce Anstey
• 1 min. read • grade level: 8
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There are
three
main ways in which sleep is used in the New Testament:
1) Physical Sleep
This has to do with a person taking his normal rest at night (
Matt. 8:24; 13:25; 26:40
24
And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. (Matthew 8:24)
25
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. (Matthew 13:25)
40
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? (Matthew 26:40)
;
Acts 12:6; 20:9
6
And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. (Acts 12:6)
9
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. (Acts 20:9)
,
1 Thess. 5:7
7
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:7)
, etc.).
2) The Sleep Of Death
This has to do with the spirit and soul of a believer being separated from his body through death (
Matt. 9:24; 27:52
24
He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. (Matthew 9:24)
52
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (Matthew 27:52)
;
John 11:11
11
These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. (John 11:11)
;
Acts 7:60; 13:36
60
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:60)
36
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: (Acts 13:36)
;
1 Cor. 11:30; 15:6, 51
30
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:30)
6
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6)
51
Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (1 Corinthians 15:51)
;
1 Thess. 4:14; 5:10
14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
10
Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:10)
, etc.). This kind of sleep pertains to the believer’s body (
Matt. 27:52
52
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (Matthew 27:52)
), not to his spirit and soul which
“live unto Him”
after death (
Luke 20:38
38
For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. (Luke 20:38)
). The body is put to sleep in death
“through Jesus”
(
1 Thess. 4:14
14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
). That is, He induces death upon His loved ones when He calls them to Himself. This shows us that death for the believer does not happen by accident.
There are at least
three
reasons why a believer falls asleep in death:
• His work in service for the Lord is finished (
Acts 13:36
36
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: (Acts 13:36)
;
2 Tim. 4:6-7
6
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: (2 Timothy 4:6‑7)
;
2 Peter 1:14
14
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. (2 Peter 1:14)
).
• His death is for the glory of God—i.e. martyrdom (
John 11:4; 21:18-19
4
When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. (John 11:4)
18
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19
This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. (John 21:18‑19)
;
Phil. 1:20
20
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. (Philippians 1:20)
).
• He is taken away from the earth through death by the chastening hand of the Lord (
Acts 5:1-11
1
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2
And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6
And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10
Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11
And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. (Acts 5:1‑11)
;
1 Cor. 11:30
30
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:30)
;
1 John 5:16
16
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (1 John 5:16)
).
3) Spiritual Sleep
This refers to a state of spiritual apathy into which a believer can get through the influence of the world (
Mark 13:36
36
Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. (Mark 13:36)
;
Rom. 13:11
11
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11)
;
1 Thess. 5:6
6
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:6)
;
Eph. 5:14
14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14)
, etc.).
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