Fully God AND Fully Man

7 During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Hebrews 5:8–9 CSB

8 Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. 9 After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,

as he matured and grew in knowledge and understanding he was able to take on more responsibility.

Hebrews 4:15 CSB

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

James 1:13 CSB

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.

In His human nature Jesus was tempted, but not in His divine nature.

People near Jesus Saw Him as Only a Man

Matthew 13:53–58 CSB

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he left there. 54 He went to his hometown and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? 55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does he get all these things?” 57 And they were offended by him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Those who knew Jesus best, neighbors who watched him grow up, struggled to grasp the divinity of Jesus.

He was simply the carpenters son

Matthew 13:55 CSB

55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

Mark 6:3 CSB

3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended by him.

Matthew 13:56 CSB

56 And his sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does he get all these things?”

John 7:5 CSB

5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.)

Sinlessness

Jesus is truly Human, we are in an abnormal state.

Sin, which so deeply marks the humanity of you and I IS NOT THE WAY GOD CREATED US TO FUNCTION.

When all is said and done, if we are Christians, we will eventually spend more time sinless in heaven and sinful on earth.

It is wrong to say Jesus is less human because He never sinned.

Jesus is MORE human He is TRULY human because He does not have a sinful nature like you and I do.

Romans 8:3 CSB

3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering,

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 4:15 CSB

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 7:26 CSB

26 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

1 Peter 1:19 CSB

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.

1 Peter 2:22 CSB

22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth;

1 Peter 3:18 CSB

18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

1 John 2:1 CSB

1 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one.

1 John 3:5 CSB

5 You know that he was revealed so that he might take away sins, and there is no sin in him.

Hebrews 4:15–16 CSB

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Why was Jesus’ Full Humanity Necessary?

For Representative Obedience

Romans 5:18–19 CSB

18 So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is justification leading to life for everyone. 19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

To be a Substitute

Hebrews 2:16–17 CSB

16 For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. 17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

To be the One Mediator between God and Men

1 Timothy 2:5 CSB

5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

To Fulfill God’s Original Purpose for Man to Rule over Creation

Hebrews 2:7–9 CSB

7 You made him lower than the angels for a short time; you crowned him with glory and honor 8 and subjected everything under his feet. For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him. 9 But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

Matthew 28:18 CSB

18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

Ephesians 1:22 CSB

22 And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church,

Revelation 3:21 CSB

21 “To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

To be our example and pattern in Life

1 John 2:6 CSB

6 The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.

1 John 3:2–3 CSB

2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.

2 Corinthians 3:18 CSB

18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Romans 8:29 CSB

29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

1 Peter 2:21 CSB

21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Hebrews 12:2–3 CSB

2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.

Philippians 3:10 CSB

10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

To Be the pattern for our redeemed bodies

1 Corinthians 15:42–44 CSB

42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; 43 sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; 44 sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

1 Corinthians 15:49 CSB

49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Colossians 1:18 CSB

18 He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.

To Sympathize as High Priest

Hebrews 2:18 CSB

18 For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15–16 CSB

Jesus will be a Man forever

John 20:25–27 CSB

25 So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”

Luke 24:39 CSB

39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.”

Luke 24:41–42 CSB

41 But while they still were amazed and in disbelief because of their joy, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 So they gave him a piece of a broiled fish,

Acts 1:11 CSB

11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”

Acts 7:56 CSB

56 He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Acts 9:5 CSB

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied.

1 Corinthians 9:1 CSB

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

Revelation 1:13 CSB

13 and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest.

Fully God

Direct Scriptural Claims to Be God

John 1:1 CSB

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:18 CSB

18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.

John 20:28 CSB

28 Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Romans 9:5 CSB

5 The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.

Titus 2:13 CSB

13 while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:8 CSB

8 but to the Son: Your throne, God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.

Quoting Ps 45:6

Psalm 45:6 CSB

6 Your throne, God, is forever and ever; the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.

2 Peter 1:1 CSB

1 Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those who have received a faith equal to ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 9:6 CSB

6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Lord

Hebrews 1:10–12 CSB

10 And: In the beginning, Lord, you established the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain. They will all wear out like clothing; 12 you will roll them up like a cloak, and they will be changed like clothing. But you are the same, and your years will never end.

Revelation 19:16 CSB

16 And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

To many instances of Lord being used to read them all. They do not call carry divinity in weight, but they do carry respect and status, authority.

Other Claims

John 8:57–59 CSB

57 The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple.

John 6:35 CSB

35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.

John 8:12 CSB

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

John 10:7 CSB

7 Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

John 10:11 CSB

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 11:25 CSB

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.

John 14:6 CSB

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 15:1 CSB

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

Daniel 7:13–14 CSB

13 I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. 14 He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

Jesus uses this title of himself 84 times in the gospels. Only by Jesus talking about Himself.

Matthew 17:5 CSB

5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!”

1 Corinthians 15:28 CSB

28 When everything is subject to Christ, then the Son himself will also be subject to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.

Hebrews 1:1–3 CSB

1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

2. Evidence That Jesus Possessed Attributes of Diety

Omnipotent Matt 8:26-27

Matthew 8:26–27 CSB

26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”

Omniscience Mark 2:8

Mark 2:8 CSB

8 Right away Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

Omnipresence Matthew 18:20

Matthew 18:20 CSB

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”

Sovereignty Matthew 11:25-27

Matthew 11:25–27 CSB

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure. 27 All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

“But I say to you” in Sermon on the Mount

Immortality John 2:19-22

John 2:19–22 CSB

19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” 20 Therefore the Jews said, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made.

Jesus is fully divine

Matthew 1:23 CSB

23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”

Colossians 1:19 CSB

19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,

Colossians 2:9 CSB

9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,

why is it necessary for Jesus to be fully God?

only someone who is infinitel God could bear the full pentalty for all the sins of all those who would believe in Him.

Salvation is from God Jonah 2:9

Jonah 2:9 CSB

9 but as for me, I will sacrifice to you with a voice of thanksgiving. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation belongs to the Lord.

The whole message of scripture is mankind needs God to save us. We cannot do it on our own.

Only God can mediate between God and man, and bring us back to God.

If Jesus is not fully God, we have no salvation and no Christianity. This is all a waste of time.

1 John 2:23 CSB

23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well.

2 John 9 CSB

9 Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

KEEPS US BIBLICAL

Docetism- 1 John 4:2-3

1 John 4:2–3 CSB

2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.

Apollinarianism- Hebrews 2:17

Jesus had a human body but not a human mind or spirit.

Hebrews 2:17 CSB

17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

Nestorianism- John 14:23

2 separate person in Christ, human person and divine person, Jesus says I not we when talking of himself.

John 14:23 CSB

23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Monophysitism (Eutychianism)-

There is only 1 nature of Christ, human nature was taken and absorbed into the divine nature creating a third type of nature. Jesus is a mixture of humanity and divinity. MEANING Jesus is neither fully God NOR fully man. He is part God part man.

Christ has 2 natures- Human and Divine

Divine Nature is exactly the same as the Father

Human Nature is exactly like our human nature, yet without Sin.

Human Nature contains distinct characteristics while the divine nature retains its distinct characteristics.

Whether we understand it or not, these two natures unite together in one person, Jesus Christ. Fully God and Fully man.

One nature does things the other nature does not do…

A short example will help illustrate what is meant by this.

Jesus has died and ascended to heaven and is not longer in the World.

Acts 1:9–11 CSB

9 After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”

Jesus promised to be with His people always, not just until He ascended.

Matthew 18:20 CSB

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”

Matthew 28:20 CSB

20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The only way we can say both of those things are true, is to understand that within to personhood of Christ there are two natures perfectly untied and working in ways that we do not fuly understand.

In Christ’s human nature he has ascended and is in heaven with the Father. In Christ’s divine nature He wi with us always to the end of the age.

We might be tempted to say, well what Jesus meant was the Holy Spirit is coming and that is how God is dwelling with us, which is true… but God the Son is not God the Holy Spirit. It’s one God in three persons. Creation, Baptism, and Great Commission we clearly see the different persons. So if that is what Jesus was referring to He would have said, the Holy Spirit will be with you always, which is true He is, but Jesus also is in His divine nature.

“You can be sinless like Jesus”

The Physical is evil and thus needs to be rejected- Who you are deep down on the inside is your true self and to be happy you need to stop suppressing who you really are and let that person out (Disney Lie).

God must have you to be complete- Look at what God gives up to gain you. You are so valuable.

God does not care about you, He is distant and cold.

“He gets us”

The Gospel is a miracle. Jesus in my place is what is on the baptism shirts because it reminds us, it’s not our works that save it’s Jesus Christ’s work that saves us. We are saved by Christ’s work when we repent of our sin and turn to Jesus in faith (trust).

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