Jesus Is Completely Man

Certainly, Jesus is much more than a mere man, but He is not less!  

In order for Him to be able to represent us in the work of salvation, He had to become one of us!  Jesus, as God (see below) had the power to accomplish all that His will desired, but without stepping into humanity completely and in truth, He would have only been able to act upon mankind.  Only by becoming "man of very man," as the creed states, could He act as a man to accomplish the will of God and affect our salvation. 

 

As we've already discussed, Jesus was a historical person, born sometime in the first decade BC in Bethlehem of Judea under the reigns of King Herod the Great and Julius Cesar.  He was born in truth to a real physical human mother, Mary, the daughter of Joachim. 

She was of the lineage of the royal family of King David through David's son Nathan.  Consequently, He was descended of the lineage that had been long foretold through the prophets.  God had spoken through the prophets that Messiah would be a Jew (Genesis 22:18), would descend through the Patriarch Judah (Gen 49:10-12), and would be of the family of King David (2 Sam 7:12-16). 

By being the natural son of a normal human woman, Jesus was in fact a natural man in all ways but one, being sinless.  He grew (Luke 2:52), got hungry (Matt 4:2), was thirsty (John 19:28), was tired (John 4:6), and succumbed to physical death (Luke 23:46).  in story after story, the emotions and realities of normal physical life play out through and around His narrative.  He knew every aspect of what it meant to live in this world. Jesus was completely human.  

Jesus Is Completely God

While we must take seriously his humanity, Jesus is much more than a mere man!  His birth into this world from a mortal woman ties him to physical mankind so that He can represent us and work salvation for us, but no mere man could have done what was required either!  That is why the creeds declare that Jesus is "man of very man and God of very God."  To be able to fulfill all that was needed in our salvation, God, in all of His power and eternal infinitude, had to take on flesh.  

The birth to Mary was "natural" in that it happened the way any human would be born, but it was miraculous as well!  Jesus was conceived miraculously, by the activity of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of a virgin.  This is certainly not the "natural" way to become pregnant! 

The significance of this uniqueness is manifold. First, the royal line of King David, descending through his son Solomon and continuing through all the kings of Judah to Jehoiakim was cursed for their idolatry and failure to follow the Lord (Jeremiah 22:30).  Jesus' adoptive father, Joseph son of Jacob of Nazareth, was of the royal line, descended from the cursed Jehoiakim.  If Joseph had been his natural father, Jesus would have been under that curse and unable to rule in David's place over all the people of God.  As it was, he was of Davidic blood through an unpolluted line (Nathan's) and adopted into the royal family by his father Joseph without being in fact a blood relative of Jehoiakim. 

Much more significantly, Jesus inherited a natural human body from Mary, but His Father was God, and it was as a consequence of His divine parentage that He was able to avoid inheriting the sinful nature that otherwise plagues every human naturally born.  This supernatural parentage through the body of a woman by the action of God was prophecied in several places in the Old Testament (Gen 3:15; Isa 7:14; Jer 31:22) and borne out as planned (Luke 1:26-38). 

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We need to be clear here by what is meant when Jesus is called the "Son of God," or when we say that God was the "Father" of Jesus.  We don't mean that Jesus didn't exist until He was divinely conceived in the womb of Mary.  We don't mean that Jesus had his origin in the Father.

Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, has always existed as God.  He is co-eternal with the Father and shares in full measure all of the attributes of God.  He is not a "junior God," or a derived entity in any way.  The nature of the relationship between the first and second members of the Godhead is one of voluntary submission between equals for the sake of organization, not one of the subjection of a lesser being by a greater one. God the Father is "Father" in organizational leadership, not in pre-existence or pre-eminence over the other two members of the Godhead. Jesus is fully and completely God. 

When the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the physical body of the man Jesus Christ came into being, but the second person of the Godhead, who came to dwell in that physical body, had always existed. 

This unhindered divinity is on display in the many wonderful miracles of Christ: innumerable healings (Matt 4:23-25); manipulation of the physical universe at will (Mark 4:41; John 2:8-9); hidden knowledge of the thoughts of men (Matt 9:4; Luke 5:22-23); the ability to overcome the power of death by raising several from the grave (Luke 7:11-17; John 11:38-44); and most clearly His own resurrection from the dead after His crucifixion (Luke 24:6-7). 

There is a sense in which Jesus chose not to use or display all of the attributes of His Godhood while He was here on the earth (Phil 2:4-11). However, just because He chose not to act in the fullness of His divinity in all ways and at all times does not mean that he was less divine as the carpenter's son than He was eternally in the past or now as the enthroned King of all. 

At one point, he took His inner circle of disciples, Peter, James, and John, and revealed to them a bit more of who He is on the mountain of transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36).  In that instance, we are shown that He had not stopped being God in the flesh for the sake of His humanity, He had simply chosen to act as a man filled by the Holy Spirit rather than as God in his own right. 

He did not lose His divinity in the incarnation.  He added to His divinity humanity. 

Why This Matters

When sin entered the world in Genesis 3, death came along with it.  God warned that this would happen in His prohibition against eating of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil in Genesis 2:15-17:

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat[d] of it you shall surely die.”

This terrible doom fell on mankind in the very next chapter, where God curses the serpent, the woman, and all of mankind after the deliberate disobedience of our first ancestors in Genesis 3:19

"By the sweat of your face
    you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
    for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
    and to dust you shall return.”

However, right in the middle of this sentence of doom, God made a promise to conquer the presence of evil that Satan introduced into the lives of men in verse 15:

"I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring;
He shall bruise your head,
    and you shall bruise His heel.”

So sin brings death, and God promised to break the curse, and he promised to do so by sending a "He."  He would break the curse and would suffer in the process.  You can read the whole of the Old Testament looking for who "He" is.  Is "He" Abraham? No.  Isaac? Certainly not! Jacob? No.  David was a type but he suffered for his own sins.  Solomon was wise but fell away from the Lord.  Josiah was perhaps the most righteous king, but even he dealt with pride and a lack of faith.  One after another, the maybe-messiahs fall short. 

What is needed is someone who can take on the sins of the world because they don't have their own sins.  What is needed is someone to step into the debt of death and pay it vicariously for others rather than satisfying their own appointment with the grave.  What is needed is someone who cannot be conquered by death so that, once they walk through it, they will emerge from it victorious, defeating the reality of death once and for all.  What is needed is someone who is simultaneously God and Man.  Only a man can pay the debt of death that all men owe.  Only God can shake off the graveclothes and emerge victorious.  

Only Jesus can be that Savior, and He is!  He is the "He" we've all been waiting for!

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For Further Inquiry

Scriptures for Further Study

  1. Jesus Christ is God

    1. Addressed already in the doctrine of the trinity: (Theology Proper: I. B. 2.)

    2. Christ’s own testimony: 

      1. His authority.  Jesus did not appeal to OT prophets or Moses as the foundation of his teaching or the root of his authority.  Rather, he claimed divine authority himself in his teachings as evidenced by the many times he said, “You have heard it said… , but I say to you…” (Matt 5:22, 20, 32, 34, 39, 44).  

      2. Christ’s words are on par with the prophetic words of the OT: 

        1. [Mat 5:18 ESV] 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

        2. [Mat 24:35 ESV] 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

      3. His power to judge.  While the right to judge is understood in the OT to reside with God, Jesus claims that right for himself. 

[Mat 7:21-23 ESV] 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

  1. Jesus claims to be the Son of Man, a clear reference to the prophetic character in Daniel 7, to whom is given the eternal kingdom, and the worship of all peoples, a situation which is only appropriate for God to enjoy.

    1. [Mar 2:27-28 ESV] 27 And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."

    2. [Dan 7:13-14 ESV] 13 "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

  2. Jesus received worship.  As a Jew, leading a band of Jewish disciples, He would have vehemently rejected the worship his disciples gave him on several occasions if he did not believe and teach that He was, in fact, God. 

    1. [Mat 14:33 ESV] 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

    2. [Mat 28:9, 17 ESV] 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. ... 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

    3. [Jhn 9:35-38 ESV] 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36 He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" 37 Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you." 38 He said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

    4. [Jhn 20:27-28 ESV] 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

    5. As a counterpoint, when believing Jews accidentally are worshipped, they immediately reject that activity: 

[Act 14:13-15 ESV] 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

  1. Jesus equated himself with the Father numerous times:

    1. [Jhn 5:17-18 ESV] 17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." 18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

    2. [Jhn 8:58-59 ESV] 58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

    3. [Jhn 10:30-33 ESV] 30 I and the Father are one." 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" 33 The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."

    4. [Mar 14:61-64 ESV] 61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" 62 And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death.

  1. The testimony of those who knew Him best: 

    1. Peter: 

[2Pe 1:1-2 ESV] 1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

  1. James: 

[Jas 2:1 ESV] 1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

  1. John: (John 1:1-4, 14, above)

  2. Matthew (Matt 28:9, 17 above)

  3. Thomas: (John 20:27-28, above)

  4. Paul: 

[Col 1:15-20 ESV] 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

  1. Jesus Christ is completely human.

    1. Jesus was physically born of Mary by means of a miraculous conception, wrought by the Holy Spirit: 

      1. [Luk 1:30-35 ESV] 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God.

      2. [Mat 1:16-18 ESV] 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

      3. [Gal 4:4-5 ESV] 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

    2. Jesus experienced all the physical realities of a natural body while on the Earth: 

      1. Growth: 

[Luk 2:52 ESV] 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

  1. Hunger: 

[Mat 4:2 ESV] 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

  1. Thirst: 

[Jhn 19:28 ESV] 28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst."

  1. Tiredness: 

[Jhn 4:6 ESV] 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

  1. Death: 

[Luk 23:46 ESV] 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.

  1. Jesus Christ is of a compound nature. The interaction of his divine and human natures is a difficult point to articulate perfectly, as scripture gives us numerous facts but precious few statements of systematic synthesis on the topic.  We must affirm: 

    1. Jesus is fully God (Theology Proper: I. B. 2.; Christology: I. A.). 

    2. Jesus is fully man (Christology: I. B.). 

    3. Jesus, as God, is sinless (Theology Proper: I. K.). 

    4. Jesus exhibited several instances when he did not have all knowledge while on earth: 

      1. [Mar 13:32 ESV] 32 "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

      2. Luke 2:52 (above). 

    5. Jesus seems to have relinquished the full exercise of his divinity in accord with his will, relying rather on the leadership of his Father’s will and the action of the Holy Spirit through him. 

      1. Jhn 5:19-20, 30 (above). 

      2. [Luk 4:14 ESV] 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country.

      3. [Isa 11:1-3 ESV] 1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,

      4. [Mat 12:27-28 ESV] 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

      5. [Phl 2:5-7 ESV] 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

      6. [2Co 8:9 ESV] 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

    6. The conclusion arrived at by the Council of Chalcedon has been the orthodox description of Christ’s nature, based on these pieces of evidence, for more than 1500 years:  “full Deity and perfect humanity… without mixture, change, division, or separation in one Person forever.”