Christ's Humanity

The Virgin Birth

Jesus was born by holy conception through Mary and the Holy Spirit. Luk 1:35

Luke 1:35 NASB95

The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

The virgin birth is important for three primary reasons: Salvation comes from the Lord, unites the full deity and full humanity of Christ, and it eliminates inherited sin.

Salvation comes from the Lord

The fact that Jesus was born of a virgin demonstrates that only God can bring about salvation. We cannot attain salvation by ourselves. It must be a work of God. Just as God brought Jesus into the world the way He did demonstrates that only the Lord can save.

To further emphasize this Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 (NASB95)

And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

This shows that Eve’s seed (Jesus Christ) would bruise the head of Satan (Destroy him). Jesus did this on the cross. Satan bruised Jesus heel by putting on the cross. Jesus destroyed Satan by resurrecting from the dead. Jesus virgin birth demonstrates that salvation comes from the Lord

Unites the humanity and deity of Christ

There is no other way God could unite humanity and deity than the virgin birth. If God would have created Jesus as a fully grown man without parents then we would find it difficult to understand how Jesus was human with out having parents. If God would have used two parents then we would have difficulty understanding the deity of Christ because of inherited sin.

We see that through the virgin birth that God used a woman with sin to deliver Jesus to demonstrate his humanity. The Holy Spirit eliminated the inherited sin to demonstrate the deity of Jesus. The virgin birth unites the deity and humanity of Christ.

Eliminates inherited sin in Jesus

The fact that Jesus did not have a human Father, means that he did not descend from Adam. Inherited sin comes through Adam. But why does inherited sin not come through Mary? Just as inherited sin was eliminated through Adam, the Holy Spirit miraculously eliminated the transmission of inherited sin through Mary as well.

Human Weakness & Limitations

there are 4 predominate weaknesses and limitations Jesus had in his humanity: Human Body, Human Mind, Human Emotions, perceived as a man.

Human Body

Jesus came to earth in a human body. This means that he went through the natural growth process. He was a baby, toddler, teenager, and young adult. He went through the natural growth process

He was subject to the limitations of a body. He got tired. John 4:6

John 4:6 NASB95

and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

He got thirsty John 19:28

John 19:28 NASB95

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.”

He got hungry. Matt. 4:2

Matthew 4:2 NASB95

And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.

He became weak. Luke 23:26

Luke 23:26 NASB95

When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.

He experienced death. Luke 23:46

Luke 23:46 NASB95

And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.

Human Mind

Jesus in his humanity gave up omniscience. Luke 2:52

Luke 2:52 NASB95

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Jesus had to learn how to walk, talk and think.

Mark 13:32 NASB95

“But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

He even mentions that in His humanity He does not know the hour of His return.

Human Emotions

Jesus faced the same emotions that we do. John12:27

John 12:27 NASB95

“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

He was troubled

He was sorrowful Matt. 26:38

Matthew 26:38 NASB95

Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”

He marveled at peoples faith Matthew 8:10

Matthew 8:10 NASB95

Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

People saw Jesus as just a man

Matthew 13:53–58 NASB95

When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there. He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? “And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

People in Jesus hometown saw him as a carpenters son. They saw him as one of them

Sinless

Jesus lived in His humanity without sin. Hebrews 4:15

Hebrews 4:15 NASB95

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus being fully God and Fully man opens the honest question: Could Jesus have sinned. Being that Jesus did not separate his deity and humanity then the answer to the question is no. Jesus could not have sinned because of his deity.

If Jesus could not sin, then were his temptations real? After all the Bible says that God cannot be tempted James 1:13

James 1:13 NASB95

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

If Jesus is God then how can He be tempted. This is a difficult dilemma that can be explained this way: Jesus was fully God and fully man at all times. In His humanity he could have sinned but his deity would have prevented it. The only way we can reconcile this is to note that Jesus chose in his humanity not to use his deity in temptation. It was a moral decision that He made to not sin. He faced the same temptation as Adam. Adam was told not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Jesus was tempted to turn the stones into bread. Adam chose to disobey. Jesu chose to obey. If He would have turned the stones into bread he would have used his deity and sinned.

Necessity of His Humanity

Representative Obedience

Romans 5:18–19 NASB95

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

To Be a Substitute Sacrifice

Hebrews 2:16–17 NASB95

For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

To Be Our Mediator

1 Timothy 2:5 NASB95

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

To Fulfill God’s Purpose over creation

Ephesians 1:22 NASB95

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,

To be our pattern in life

1 John 2:6 NASB95

the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

To be our High Priest

Hebrews 4:15–16 NASB95

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus will Remain a Man Forever

Acts 1:11 NASB95

They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”