The Humanity of Christ
The Humanity of Christ
INTRODUCTION In order to be the Saviour, Jesus had to be not only Divine and virgin-born, but He must also be a true man. He was like us in every respect except sinful.
1 Timothy 2:5, "for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man (human) Christ Jesus."
Jesus had to be made like unto us in order to be a "faithful high priest in things pertaining to God" (Hebrews 2:17).
Jesus was born under the law that He might redeem us from the law, Galatians 4:4-5. The first Adam brought death. Christ, the second Adam, brought resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:21. . In this lesson we present some of the proofs of the humanity of Christ.
JESUS WAS GIVEN HUMAN NAMES
Matthew 1:21, "Thou shalt call His Name Jesus," fulfilled in Matthew 1:23. In 1 Timothy 2:5, (quoted above) Jesus is distinctly called a man. The phrase "Son of man" which emphasizes His humanity, occurs 77 times. Luke 19:10. Stephen, just before his death, saw Jesus and called Him "Son of man," Acts 7:56.
JESUS HAD HUMAN ANCESTRY
To get a kitten you must have cat parents. For Jesus to be human He must have a human parent, which He did in the person of His mother, Mary.
Luke 2:7, "And she (Mary) brought forth her firstborn Son." Galatians 4:4, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law." Jesus was born of the seed and lineage of David. Acts 13:23, "Of this man’s seed (David) hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus." The genealogy in Matthew 1:1-16 traces the ancestry from Abraham to Christ.
Hebrews 7:14, "For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood."
JESUS POSSESSED A PHYSICAL NATURE
John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh (human nature), and dwelt among us."
Hebrews 2:14, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same (i. e., flesh and blood)." To not confess that Jesus Christ is a man is a mark of antichrist. 1 John 4:3, "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist." To test a demon-possessed person, ask this question: "Has Jesus Christ come in the flesh?" and they will answer with an emphatic "no."
JESUS WAS SUBJECT TO THE LAWS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
He grew. Luke 2:40, "And the Child (Jesus) grew, and waxed strong in spirit."
He asked questions. Luke 2:46, "And it came to pass, that after three days they found Him (Jesus) in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.?
He increased in wisdom. Luke 2:52. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature."
He learned obedience. Hebrews 5:8, "Though He (Jesus) were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered."
He suffered. Hebrews 2:18, "For in that He (Jesus) Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted. "
Hebrews 2:10, "For it became Him (Jesus), for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."
He worked as a carpenter to the age of thirty. Mark 6:3, "Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses." Jesus’ age is given in Luke 3:23.
Jesus was so human that He was mistaken for an ordinary carpenter.
He was tempted - the temptations in Matthew 4:1-11. "
JESUS WAS MOVED BY THE INSTINCTS OF NORMAL HUMAN BEINGS
He hungered. Matthew 4:2, "And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, H was afterward an hungered." See also Matthew 21:18.
He thirsted. John 4:7, "There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give Me to drink."
The fifth cry from the cross, "I thirst" - John 19:28.
He became weary. John 4:6, "Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well."
He slept. Matthew 8:24, "And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but He was asleep."
He loved. Mark 10:21, "Then Jesus beholding him loved him" - the rich young ruler.
John 11:36, "Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him" - Jesus loved Lazarus.
He had compassion. Matthew 9:36, "But when He saw the multitudes, He was move with compassion on them, because they fainted." Matthew 23:37, "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem. . . how often would I have gathered Thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings. . ."
He was angry and grieved. Mark 3:4, "And He saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?" John 2:16, righteous indignation was manifested in the cleansing of the temple.
He manifested reverential trust. Hebrews 5:7, "Who in the days of His flesh when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared."
He groaned. John 11:33. "When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the Spirit and was troubled."
He wept. John 11:35. "Jesus wept." Probably also in Gethsemane, Matthew 26:38.
Luke 19:41, Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem.
Hebrews 5:7 speaks of ". . . supplications with strong crying and tears. . ."
He prayed. Matthew 14:23, "And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray."
Doubtless He also possessed the sex instinct though this is not referred to in Scripture, otherwise Hebrews 4:15 would not be true (tempted in all points as we are).
JESUS POSSESSED BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT
Jesus had a body, John 1:14; Hebrews 2:14; Matthew 26:12, Jesus’ body was buried, Luke 23:52-56.
Jesus had a soul. Matthew 26:38, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful." Jesus’ soul went to Paradise at death, Luke 23:43.
Jesus had a spirit, which returned to the Father at death, Luke 23:46. "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit."
JESUS DIED
The biological culmination of life is death. Man is born to die.
Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die . . ." Jesus must keep this rule.
Jesus met his death by crucifixion on the cross of Calvary in the prime of life.
Luke 23:33, "And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left."
Hebrews 2:9, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." .
Jesus came to earth to die and death was the major proof of His humanity.
CONCLUSION
Jesus still possesses a body, even after His resurrection. Luke 24:39, "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have." John 20:27, "Reach hither thy finger and behold My hands." ,Acts 7:55-56 Step hen at his martyrdom saw Jesus standing at God’s right hand Jesus was human and like us in all but two points:
(1) He did not possess a sin nature or original sin (2) He was sinless for He never committed one sin.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
What are the six main proofs of the humanity of Christ?
What Biblical phrase emphasizes Jesus’ humanity?
What makes a baby human? Does Jesus qualify?
What does the expression "likeness of men" in Php 2:7 mean?
List seven laws of human development that Jesus followed.
List seven normal human instincts that Jesus followed.
If Jesus had been only God could He have died? Why?
Does Jesus still have a body? Proof?
Name two major differences between Christ and us.
Why did Jesus become a man? (3 reasons)