Dave spoke tonight from Phil 2:5-11 on the humanity of Jesus. Jesus is truly God, but He is also truly human; many heresies stumble on either one of these truths. Arius taught that Jesus was not equal with God; Apollinaris wrote against Arius, declaring that Jesus had a human body but a divine mind. Nestorius propagated the belief that Jesus Christ was a separate human united, but not identical, to the divine Son of God. The Bible teaches that Jesus was a real man (see Heb 2:14, 2 John 7), that the Incarnation represents the union of God and man.
The Gospel narratives show us Jesus’s human history, demonstrating that He shared in our humanity. Our redemption depends on it, for this was the only way that we could be saved (1 Tim 2:5). In the NIV, the title ‘Son of man’ features 86 times, emphasising His humanity. He grew from childhood to adulthood (see Luke 2:40); He became tired as a man (see John 4:6), and did not know the time of His return (Mk 13:32); He knew temptation as we do. He grew thirsty on the cross; He died as a man. Even after the Resurrection, He still had flesh and bones (see John 20:27).
Jesus the man demonstrates prayer for us, showing us that He needed the power and guidance from His Father, just as we do. He was just like us in every way, except that He did not sin (see Heb 4:15). This sinlessness was absolutely crucial for our salvation. No one could convict Him of sin (see John 8:46) – and the Pharisees desperately wanted to be able to! 2 Cor 5:21 shows us that He who knew no sin became sin for us (see also 1 Pet 2:22, 1 John 3:5). Human nature is not the same as sinful nature; Jesus, as the second Adam, shows us what humanity, including obedience to God, can look like.
As we approach Easter, let’s not forget the human suffering of Jesus and how He chose not to call on angels to rescue Him but suffered as a man in order to bring about our salvation. He is our high priest who understands sorrow and suffering and can help us in our times of need, but He is also our sinless Saviour who has rescued us from sin in order that we might become the righteousness of God.