Christology 4: The Nature of Christ — His Humanity

The humanity of Jesus Christ has never been the subject of widespread theological controversy. The Docetists of the second century A.D. denied the reality of Christ's body; the Apollinarians of the fourth century A.D. declared Christ was two-thirds human; and the Eutychians believed His body was actually divine - but for the most part, mainstream Christendom has held to the full humanity of our Lord.

The Bible clearly teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ was human in the full and complete sense of the word. The fact and evidence of this is the subject of this lecture.

I. JESUS CHRIST HAD A HUMAN BIRTH

CHRIST WAS BORN OF A WOMAN:
"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman..." — Galatians 4:4.
After His supernatural conception, Jesus underwent a normal period of development in Mary's womb (Luke 2:5b) and, as far as we know, His birth was normal and natural (Luke 2:6,7).

CHRIST HAD A HUMAN GENEALOGY:

Matthew's Gospel gives the genealogy of Jesus through Joseph (Matthew 1:1-17), and establishes his legal right to the throne of David.
Christ is the seed of David - Romans 1:3.

Luke's Gospel gives the genealogy of Jesus through Mary (Luke
3:23-38), herself a descendant of David (Luke 2:3,5). Christ is the seed of the woman - Genesis 3:15.
Note: Christ never claimed to be the son of Joseph. He was called that a few times, but only by those unacquainted with Him — see: Luke 3:23;
4:22.

II. JESUS CHRIST EXPERIENCED NORMAL HUMAN

DEVELOPMENT

Our Lord passed through infancy, childhood, youth, and manhood in the same fashion as any other child. He was subject to the laws of ordinary human growth.

"And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him... And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions... And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother