The Humanity of Christ

The humanity of Jesus is evident in his physical body, mind, and emotions. Scripture describes him as being thoroughly human, and the perspective of those who encountered or spent time with him throughout his entire life further adds to the case.

The physical body of Jesus can be examined in his birth, development, and daily life. Jesus was born into this world as every other human is (Luke 2:6-7). The innkeeper saw a pregnant Mary come to his stable. The shepherds saw an un-pregnant Mary with an infant (Luke 2:16). In fact, the sign the angel gave to them was a swaddled baby in a manger, not a human-appearing baby god (Luke 2:12). Eight days after Jesus was born, Simeon held him and blessed him (Luke 2:28-32). When he was no more than two years old, the wise men also saw him and worshiped (Matt 3:11). In all of this, there are no accounts of a suspiciously divine aura around the baby, regardless of such depictions painted during the Renaissance. There is no reason to believe that those who saw and knew Jesus in his early years saw, in his physicality, anything but an ordinary baby –ten fingers, ten toes, messy diapers, snotty nose, and all.

The humanity of Jesus continued in the way he grew and developed like all humans. Luke acknowledges this in reference to the period of time from birth to age twelve, and again from age twelve to adulthood (Luke 2:40, 52). Sandwiched in between these two verses is the narrative of Christ teaching in the temple as a boy. Here is another account of the ordinary perspective people had of Jesus. His own parents are astonished at his teaching in the temple and they do not understand his reference to do his Father’s work (Luke 2:48-49). This dynamic seems inconsistent with the Doc.Etism view that Jesus was not really human. If he was only deity in the appearance of humanity, his parents would surely recognize a difference between him and their other children. With such a distinction in mind, especially in conjunction with the angelic prophecies made of him and his conception itself, surely doing his Father’s work by teaching in the temple would be no great shock. Instead, the very presence of Joseph and Mary’s surprise appears to argue the point that Christ was quite human.

Jesus’s entire earthly existence was marked by his humanity. After he fasted in the wilderness, he experienced the very fleshly insight of hunger (Matt 4:2). He was acquainted with the weariness of travel, evidenced by his rest by the well in Samaria (John 4:6). He also took naps and sought solitude to rest (Mark 4:38; Matt 14:22-23). In his last days, the limitation of his strength is displayed in his inability to carry his cross (Luke 23:26). And on the cross, Jesus was thirsty (John 19:28). Ultimately, Christ’s physical humanity was shown by his death (Luke 23:46). Blood and water are released when the soldier pierces his side (Luke 19:34).

Jesus had a human mind. Just as his body went through the normal stages of physical development, so also his mind went through the normal stages of cognitive development. Luke writes that he “increased in wisdom” (Luke 2:52). The author of Hebrews conveys Christ’s growth in obedience (Heb 5:8-9). The human limitation of his mind while on earth is further shown in his lack of knowledge about the day of his second coming (Mark 13:32). If he only appeared to be human, his divine omniscience would surely not be restricted.

The emotion of Jesus also displays his humanity. His heart is often described by his interactions with people. Jesus had many relationships –from acquaintance to intimate friend. He loved Lazarus and mourned his death (John 11:3, 35). He was also grieved by the heartache of those mourning for Lazarus (John 11:33). Christ’s beloved disciple and closest friend was John (John 13:23). And Jesus loved the rich young ruler in what is, presumably, the first time they meet (Mark 10:21). Similarly, he had compassion on the harassed, helpless, and hungry crowds he encountered as he traveled (Matt 9:36, 14:14, 15:32). Jesus was both grieved and angered by hard hearts in the synagogue (Mark 3:5). And he was indignant with the disciples when they rebuke the children (Mark 10:14). The faith of the centurion caused him to marvel, as well as the unbelief of his hometown (Luke 7:9; Mark 6:6). He declared his distress over his unaccomplished task of judgment (Luke 12:50). Jesus spoke truth for his joy and for the joy of others’ (John 15:11, 17:13). He was deeply troubled when prayed at Gethsemane before his death (Matt 27:37). But the author of Hebrews explains that the joy of the future fruits of his affliction help him endure the cross (Heb 12:2).

As previously discussed in Jesus’s birth and development, those who knew him did not recognize anything extraordinary about his human life. Later in his life his neighbors joined the club. Though his ministry in Galilee included great healing and popularity, the community of Nazareth did not accept him. Rather, the Evangelist writes of their rapid-fire inquiry, which speaks volumes of their perception of his ordinariness. They marveled at his wisdom and works. Their brains could not move past his modest woodworking background. They knew his earthly, human mother. They knew his earthly, human brothers and sisters. All they knew about his first thirty years plus all they saw in his adult ministry did not add up. John writes that his brothers did not even recognize his deity during his life and ministry (John 7:5).

In addition to the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s humanity, the later epistles also attest to this doctrine. Paul tells Timothy that Jesus was manifested in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16). John speaks of Christ as the Word become flesh, dwelling among them (John 1:14). And he begins his first epistle by stating that Jesus Christ was heard, seen, and touched –all very human attributes (1 John 1:1). Later in the epistle he re-affirms Christ’s humanity but telling his readers the mark of the Spirit is the confession of Christ come in the flesh (1 John 4:2-3). All biblical accounts of Jesus’s life display that he was fully God and fully man. Indubitably.