Why Must the Redeemer be truly Human?

Maximilian Kolbe

Maximilian Kolbe was a monk who was arrested in February 1941 by the Nazi’s. He was eventually sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. While he was at the camp, a prisoner escaped, and in retaliation the guards chose ten men to punish by starvation and death. One of the chosen men, Franciszek Gajowniczek (fran-sis-ek Ga-jown-izek), was deeply distressed at the thought of dying and leaving his family. Maximilian Kolbe offered to take Fran-sis-ek’s place. After weeks of starvation, Maximilian was murdered instead of Fan-sis-izek. He had taken another man’s place and had willingly suffered death to save his friends life. Kobe substituted himself to bear the penalty of his friend’s death sentence.

Recently, our Sunday school class has been studying about Jesus as our redeemer. In order to redeem us, Jesus, like Maximilian Kolbe, but much better, had to take our place as a substitute sacrifice. This morning we are going to ask the question,

Why must the Redeemer be truly human?

The answer is,

That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for our human sin.

You see this truth mostly clearly in

Hebrews 2:17 ESV

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For context, let’s read

Hebrews 2:5–18 ESV

For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

These fourteen verse describe why Jesus had to become fully human in order to be our perfect redeemer. For more context, lets do a thought exercise from Genesis.

Who has every person on earth descended from?

Adam.

Who introduced sin into the world?

Adam

Adam was created with the ability to perfectly obey God’s law, but he rebelled against God, and so sin and death entered the world (Genesis 3).

Jesus, our Redeemer, is sometimes called the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-47).

Let’s compare the two Adams:

Adam was created sinless; Jesus is sinless.

Adam gave life to all people; Jesus gives eternal life to those he redeems.

Adam was given authority to rule over creation; Jesus is Lord over all.

Adam brought spiritual and physical death into the world; Jesus brings eternal life to those who repent of their sins and follow him.

In order for Jesus to be the Redeemer, he had to be fully human, like Adam. Let’s look back at Hebrews 2:5-18 and see if we can identify from the passage why Jesus’ humanity was so important.

In Hebrews 2:5-9, the writer of Hebrews describes how things were meant to be. Humans were made to rule over everything, but because of sin, that had not happened. The earth had not been filled and subdued as God intended. It was messy and out of control. Jesus had to enter our messy and out of control world as a man.

Hebrews 2:5–9 ESV

For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

in verse 5-9, the author demonstrated that the eternal Son entered creation to become a man and thereby temporarily became lower than the angels. Psalm 8, on one level taken to be a reference to humankind and the dominion conferred on man by God, also applies to the son of man as Jesus Christ. Psalm 8 is a look backward to Genesis as well as a look forward to events disclosed in the book of Revelation, where God subjects all things to humanity by subjecting them to Jesus. Jesus was crowned with glory and honor by God because he suffered death for everyone. Like Paul, the author noted that the coronation of Jesus Christ as King of kings followed his humiliating crucifixion in obedience to the Father (Php 2:8–9).

Loo at verse 10.

Hebrews 2:10 ESV

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

How does verse 10, describe Jesus the man becoming our Redeemer?

Jesus is the creator and sustainer of all things (creation). To bring perfect and complete salvation to sinners, Jesus had to suffer.

How did Jesus have to suffer?

Incarnation:

He had to leave heaven and take on human flesh. He had to live in the same broken world we live and suffer the same experience we suffer.

How did Jesus suffer as a human being?

Human struggle: hunger, thirst, weariness (John 4).

Temptation: Jesus understands what its like to be tempted to disobey God and to be tempted to love things other than God (idolatry). (Matthew 4)

Is this helpful and encouraging to know that Jesus understands everything about human life because he lived s life on earth, and still lives in heaven as a human? How?

God told his people that the penalty for sin is death, but he established a system of animal sacrifice in the Old Testament that allowed people to temporarily atone for their sins. The animal had to sacrifice and its blood shed to receive forgiveness.

Hebrews 9:22 ESV

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

However, an animal sacrifice was not enough; the Bible says that human blood is required to pay the permanent penalty for sin. If there is going to be a substitute, it needs to be sufficiently qualified. Only a human can die in place of other humans and truly satisfy the penalty. The problem is every human being born under Adam is under the curse of sin. The Redeemer would have to be fully human and fully God.

Crucifixion: He had to die as a perfect sacrifice for our sin and let loose the holding power of death.

Jesus became a man and suffered death so that he could serve as a faithful High Priest as one who is both God and man, the perfect mediator. The only person who can serve as a mediator between God and man is the one who is both God and man. It is by reason of his faithfulness as a man who was tempted and suffered that he could make atonement for the sins of the people. Not only did he suffer divine retribution on our behalf, but he is able to help us because he is like his brothers and sisters in every way except sin, which made hm the perfect sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:15 ESV

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

We need a champion for us.

In the ancient world, it was common for an army to have a champion warrior who would fight on behalf of their army, another army’s champion warrior. David fought Goliath on behalf of Israel.

How is Jesus described as our champion?

Jesus is our champion who was sent on our behalf to fight and overcome sin, the resulting death, and the devil. Jesus fights to redeem those who have been trapped and enslaved by sin and who face the devastation of death.

Maximilian Kolbe was motivated by the great humility and love that he saw in Jesus, who left heaven to come to earth and die so that he might save people from their sins. And because Jesus’ life and death, being fully human and God, was a perfect sacrifice pleasing to God, raising him from the grave, Maximilian Kolbe could show the same humility and love to his friend, even at such great sacrifice, knowing Jesus secured his eternal life.

A Few Lingering Questions:

1. If Jesus was fully human, doesn’t that mean he was a sinner?

God created Adam and Eve without sin. That is what it was to be truly human. They chose to sin, and every human born after them are sinners under Adam’s curse passed on through the father.. Jesus did not have an earthly father, but a heavenly father. He did not inherit a sinful nature.

2. Did Jesus become less God when he lived on earth?

Jesus did not become less God, but he chose to lay aside his heavenly glory when he came to earth, and that he submitted himself fully to the will of the Father.