The Humanity of the Son Lesson 7 Part 1
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“For the propechy came not at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” I Peter 1:21
This is Part 1 of Lesson 1 of Basic Bible Truths written by Cecil Argetsinger and distributed by mail as a free Bible study resource many years ago.
This lesson is entitled Who Wrote the Bible? Subtitle: The Bible is a Revelation of God
Enjoy and meditate on this word about the Holy Word of God!
Introduction
Any honest study of the Scriptures results in the conclusion that Jesus Christ is God. That Book shows Him to be eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, and almighty. It credits Him with all the attributes and qualities that belong to God alone. However those same Scriptures also represent Him as being a true man, One who had a beginning in time, was finite, confined in space and limited in power and knowledge.
Much confusion has resulted from emphasizing one of these truths and playing down the other. In the early days of Christianity, the Deity or Godhood of Jesus Christ was emphasized and His humanity belittled. Today, however, human opinion has gone to the other extreme and many people recognize only the humanity of Christ. His Deity is denied, thus making Him just a man, a better man than most, but still only a man. The real truth is that He is both human and Divine, both man and God. The two sides of this truth need to be presented and since the last lesson demonstrated the Godhood of Christ, this one will be mostly concerned with His humanity.
Christ’s Humanity Had a Beginning
Right from the start it needs to be pointed out that the humanity of Jesus Christ had a beginning. He, as the great Jehovah God, existed from all eternity (Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9:6-7) but He did not always have a human nature and body. It was through the incarnation and the virgin birth that He who was God, possessing a perfect and complete God-nature, added to Himself a perfect and complete humanity-body, soul, and spirit. He who was God now becomes something He never was before, God-man.
Christ’s Humanity is Real
Now and then, in the Old Testament times, God appeared to men as an angel or a man (Genesis 18; Judges 13). But these appearances were only forms or shapes that He assumed for those particular occasions. He did not then really become a man and add either man’s body or nature to Himself as a permanent arrangement.
However, His entrance into the human family through Mary was both real and forever. Far more than just putting on, for a little while, the appearance of a man, He was “...in all things… made like unto His brethren” (Hebrews 2:17). Scripture plainly teaches that though it has become a vital and never to be separated part of the Person of God the Son, the humanity of Christ is just as much a real and true humanity as is ours. Except for sin (Hebrews 4:15) He was seen as sharing in all that goes to make up this human life as we know it. Save for that one thing, sin, He entered fully and completely into our kind of existence.
That the humanity of Christ was genuine and not just put on can hardly be denied. The Gospel accounts of His earthly life are, to this truth, convincing indeed. He was born into this world just like any other human being except Adam and Eve (Luke 2:7). His mother nursed Him and cared for Him just like other mothers cared for their children. As a child He was subject to His parents and grew mentally and physically, just as all normal children do (Luke 2:51-52). He was no exception to this rule.
Scripture reveals that in the course of His life He knew both hunger and thirst (Matthew 4:2; John 4:7). He grew weary in body (John 4:6) and indeed suffered the things we suffer (Hebrews 2:18). Though in His Deity He is omniscient, His humanity was limited in knowledge (Mark 13:32). He acknowledged family ties (John 19:25-27) and had special friends, just as we have friends for whom we care in a special way (John 11:5).
His emotions and feelings were the same as ours. He wept bitter tears of sorrow at the death of a friend (John 11:35) and was in agony of spirit over His forthcoming ordeal (Luke 22:44). He grew angry (Mark 3:5), felt compassion (Matthew 9:36) and knew rejoicing (Luke 10:21). Being downcast in spirit He needed to pray (Matthew 26:38-44) and was strengthened by angels in response to that prayer (Luke 22:43).
That the humanity of Christ is a real humanity and not just an onward form can also be seen by the fact that His humanity, like ours, (1 Thessalonians 5:23) is body, soul and spirit. Of Himself He said, “Now is My soul troubled” (John 12:27). Dying, He committed His spirit unto the Father (Luke 23:46) and after His death, Joseph of Arimathea took His body down from the cross (John 19:38). Beyond the shadow of a doubt His was a true and genuine humanity.
God Created Christ’s Humanity
Scripture is clear that the Holy Spirit is responsible for the humanity of Christ. He and He alone was its cause. Matthew 1:20 declares “... that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit (see also Matthew 1:18). Mary was the human vessel chosen by God to care for and bring Christ’s body into this world but she was not the author of His humanity. In this one sense she is the mother of our Lord, but God is the creator of His manhood, not Mary. Christ made His actual entrance into this world like all other men but His humanity, like Adam’s, was an act of creation, not natural generation. This is the plain teaching of Scripture.
Luke’s account of the angel’s visit to Mary and her response to that messenger leaves no doubt as to the real source of Christ’s humanity. “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest (God); And the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father, David. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered, and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:30-35).
In all this there is not the slightest hint that the human life conceived in Mary is not entirely the creation of God the Holy Spirit. LIsten again to the words of Holy Scripture: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; … that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” He who creates all things causes a virgin to conceive and bear a Son. Nevertheless, though supernaturally created, it was a true and proper humanity that was thus brought into being.
We do not lower our thoughts of Christ by assigning to Him true humanity. He is still as much God as He ever was. What is Divine ever belongs to Him and is in no way limited or bounded by His humanity. He is “... the same, yesterday, today and forever,” the eternal, infinite, almighty God.
Christ’s Two Natures-Key to New Testament
The Bible asserts that Christ is one Person possessing two natures with no change or mixture of these two. That which is God is wholly and forever God and that which is human will always be human. (This is not something that can be understood by finite minds, it can only be accepted and believed on the authority of God’s Holy Word.) These two facts-that Christ possesses two completely whole and separate natures, and that these two are perfectly joined and blended together in His Person-form the key to understanding the language and truths of a good share of the New Testament.
There are indeed honest questions that arise concerning Christ’s Person and His accomplishments. If He were truly the eternal God, how could He be born and then die? How could the omniscient and unchanging God grow in wisdom and in size? How could a sovereign and holy God be subject to the law or tempted by Satan? How could God be in need of prayer, as Jesus was, and if He be God how could He be forsaken by the Father?
Again it might be asked, how could one who was just a man heal diseases simply by his spoken word? How could a mere man still the wind-driven waves of the sea? How can just a man forgive sins or foresee the future? How can a man know not only the thoughts but the intents of the heart?
These and similar questions concerning Christ present no problems once it is recognized that He is both God and man. As God He could and did do those things which only infinite God can do. As man He was subject to those limitations imposed by His human nature. How those two natures, God and man, were both present and active in the one Person of Christ can be seen from the report by Mark on the stilling of the storm on Galilee (Mark 4:35-41). Being a man and exhausted by His teaching labors, in spite of the storm He fell asleep in the back part of the ship (v. 38). Being God, after being awakened it took only His word of command and “...the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (v. 39). Accept the truth, that Christ is both God and man, and difficulties disappear.
His Humanity and Deity Forever United
Some suppose that since Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, He has put aside His humanity. Not so! That humanity has become an integral and undivided part of His Person and can never be laid aside. His present glorification did not destroy His humanity, it has rather elevated and exalted it.
It is as a man that Jesus died (Hebrews 10:12); as a man He now ministers in heaven (Hebrews 8:1-3); as a man He mediates between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). As a man He will judge this world (Acts 17:31) and as a man He will come again (Acts 1:11) to rule and reign over this earth (Matthew 25:31). Because He became a man and as a man was “obedient unto death” God the Father has “highly exalted Him” and given Him a name above all others (Philippians 2:6-11; Hebrews 1:9). And because He is still a man believers are His “brethren” (Romans 8:29; Hebrews 2:11).
Though He forever retains His humanity, He is still Almighty God, worthy of all worship and adoration. Nothing can change that. Certainly He is the “man of Galilee,” “Jesus of Nazareth,” “the carpenter’s son.” But He is also “Almighty God,” the “Jehovah” of the Old Testament, and “our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” of the New. Praise His Name!
Questions for Lesson 7, Part 1
How did God appear to men in the Old Testament?
What was the difference between His appearance as a man then and Christ’s manhood?
What are some of the ways that Christ’s humanity is shown to be real?
Who is responsible for the generation, or beginning, or Christ’s humanity?
Did the fact that Christ became man change anything about His Deity?
Will Christ always be as He is now, both God and man?
How would you explain that Jesus Christ is said to be God and yet He acted as a man?
Answers for Lesson 7, Part 1
In the Old Testament God appeared to men sometimes as an angel and sometimes as a man.
When God appeared to man in the Old Testament He only took the shape and appearance of a man. Christ actually became a real man.
That Christ’s humanity is real can be seen because He became tired and hungry, He had human feelings, He grew up and acted like any normal human being.
The Holy Spirit created the humanity of Christ.
Though Christ became a true man He still is God.
Yes, Christ will always be both man and God.
Christ acted as a man, even though He was God, because He is also a true man.
