No human being who has ever stepped foot on this earth has been so controversial as Jesus.  Throughout history, men and women have sought to disprove His credibility, His deity, and His humanity.  Why is the humanity of Jesus Christ so important?  Jesus Christ, both fully God and fully human, is able to fully relate to humanity, and denying Christ came in the flesh is denying Jesus was and is the Messiah. 

            The following pages will answer the question as to why the humanity of Jesus Christ is so vital to the Christian faith, explore references to Jesus throughout the Old Testament, answer whether Jesus was actually a human being, and if He was, discuss why He is relatable to humanity.  You will read how Jesus was not only God, but a man, and the Messiah.  Lastly, you will learn how anyone, especially those who profess to be Christians, who deny the humanity of Christ are committing spiritual suicide.

Jesus – God, Man, and Messiah

References to Jesus’ Humanity from the Old Testament

            Michael Bird, in his book How God Became Jesus:  The Real Origins of belief in Jesus’ Divine Nature – a Response to Bart Ehrman, writes “I have my own view as to ‘when’ Jesus became God.  It was not by virtue of the evolution of belief, nor as a result of any ecumenical committee; rather, I think I can articulate the answer by way of a quotation from John the Evangelist: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God’ (John 1:1).  Jesus’ deity did not spring forth from the resolution of any church council, but rests in eternity past.  So he never became God; he was always God, and he became human, the man Jesus of Nazareth.”[1]

            Throughout the Old Testament, there are references to the humanity of Jesus Christ, and that He would appear at a time in history, as a man, and redeem humanity of the sin.  In fact, within the first few chapters of the Bible, one can find the first reference to Jesus.  Satan had deceived Adam and Eve in the garden, and as a result of that deception and disobedience, sin entered the world and plagued mankind.  In Genesis 3:15, God says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”[2]  This verse points directly to Jesus Christ as the coming Messiah!  All the way back in the beginning of creation, there was a plan in place to redeem humanity from sin!  The plan?  A man called Jesus.

            The prophet Isaiah talks about Jesus in Isaiah 7:14, when he wrote, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  Behold, the virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”  Immanuel literally means, “God is with us.”  Mican 5:2 says, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you one will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.  His goings forth are from everlasting, From the ancient of days.”[3]  The entire purpose and theme of the sixty-six books of God’s Word is Jesus Christ and God’s great humanitarian mission of restoring mankind into the relationship before Adam sinned.  There are more than three-hundred Old Testament prophecies which point to Jesus, and which He fulfilled through His life on earth. 

Was Jesus Actually Human?

            In his book, The Man Christ Jesus:  Theological Reflections on the Humanity of Christ, Bruce Ware writes, “The conception of Jesus in the Virgin Mary was unique in the history of humankind.  Not only did the Holy Spirit supernaturally bring about conception within her apart from the involvement of any human father, but even more remarkable was the uniting of the diving and human natures of Jesus, such that this one would be born the son of Mary and the son of ‘his father David’ while also being ‘the Son of the Most High,’ ‘the Son of God.’  That is, he would be fully human (son of Mary) while also being fully divine (Son of the Most High).  The miracle of the Holy Spirit brought to pass, then, was to conceive in Mary none other than the God-man, the theanthropic person, Jesus Christ, son of David and Son of God.”[4]  Reading any of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and one can come to the conclusion that Mary was in fact pregnant in every sense of the word, and that she did in fact give a literal and natural birth to a Son whom she named, “Jesus.” 

            Along with Jesus being born through a very real human birth, He also experienced a very real human childhood.  In his commentary, Was Jesus a Human Being? Don Stewart writes, “When the shepherds saw the newborn babe, they quickly spread the news to others (Luke 2:17).  This further emphasizes the fact that He was a genuine child.  When He was eight days old, Jesus was circumcised like other Jewish male children, and brought to the temple for dedication (Luke 2:21-22).  In this description of His birth, there is no hint that He was anything other than human.  While Mary supernaturally conceived a child; His birth was normal.  Indeed, the shepherds spread the word about a child that was born.  In the temple He was dedicated in the same manner as any other male child.  Although His conception was supernatural, His birth was that of a normal, fully human child (Galatians 4:4).”[5]

            Leon Morris, in his book Jesus is the Christ:  Studies in Theology of John, shows the emphasis of Jesus’ dependence upon God.  He writes, “This aspect of Johannine teaching is emphasized by J. Ernest Davey, who devotes 67 pages to ‘The Dependence of Christ as presented in John.’[6]  He speaks of Jesus as dependent on the Father for power (John 5:30), for knowledge (John 8:16), for his mission and message (John 4:34), for his being, nature, and destiny (John 5:26), for authority and office (John 17:2, 5:22,27, 10:18), for love (John 3:16, 17:24-26), and for glory and honor (John 13:32, 17:24, 5:23).  Christ is pictured as obedient to the Father, as dependent on him for his disciples.  He depends on the Father for testimony, for the Spirit, for guidance.[7]

            Jesus was not only God, but He was a very real man.  As you have read, He was born a natural birth, had a normal childhood, an earthly family including a human family tree and ancestors, and had a human dependence upon His Father throughout His time here on earth.  Just like Christian today, who must look to God the Father for strength, guidance, direction, love, power, knowledge, etc., Jesus also looked to God for these things.  He had very human needs that He recognized only God could fill completely.

Jesus is Relatable

            There are numerous passages throughout Scripture which show Jesus is relatable and that point to His humanity.  All throughout the gospels, we read testimony of how Jesus cried, was moved with compassion, asked questions, became disappointed in the actions of others, was tempted, suffered, was humiliated, prayed like humans, loved, was thirsty and hungry, and experienced death.

John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”[8]  In his commentary Study Guide for John 1, David Guzik writes, “The most general expression of the great truth He became man.  God has come close to you in Jesus Christ.  You don’t have to struggle to find Him; He came to you. [9]  The same God that created the universe came to this earth to dwell among the filth of humanity.

            While He was here dwelling among the humanity He created, Jesus had needs.  Not only do we find Jesus experiencing thirst while He was on the cross, but also prior to His interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well.  In John 4:6, we read that Jesus came weary and thirsty.  John writes, “and Jacob’s well was there.  So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well.  It was about the sixth hour.”[10]  Imagine how exhausted Jesus must have been.  There wasn’t public transportation or a car to take Him and the disciples where they wanted to go next.  They walked everywhere!  While there was clearly a purpose of why Jesus came to this well, and it was to meet the Samaritan woman, the Bible clearly states Jesus was tired from His journey.  Matthew Henry states in his commentary several things regarding this verse.  “First, that he was a true man, and subject to the common infirmities of the human nature.  Secondly, that he was a poor man, else he might have travelled on horseback or in a chariot.  To this instance of meanness and mortification he humbled himself for us, that he went all his journeys on foot.”  He further writes, “We have him here betaking himself to the common relief of travellers.  First, He sat on the well, an uneasy place, cold and hard; he had no couch, no easy chair to repose himself in, but took to that which was next hand, to teach us not to be nice and curious in the conveniences of this life, but content with mean things.”[11] 

            There are a couple of places in Scripture where we read that Jesus actually became overwhelmed with emotion to the point of tears (Luke 19:41 and John 11:36).  John 11:33-36 states, “When Jesus therefore saw her crying, and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled, and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’  They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’  Jesus wept.”[12]  There are some who believe that Jesus wept for his friend Lazarus who had died a few days prior.  That isn’t the case at all.  Jesus knew very well that He was going to raise His friend from the dead and call him out of his grave.  Jesus wept because of the grief of those around Him.  Chuck Smith, in his commentary Verse by Verse Study on John 11-12, “He was weeping when He saw the pain and the sorrow of humanity, when He saw the pain that His friends Mary and Martha were experiencing as a result of death.  And He wept for their grief.  Jesus is moved by our infirmities.”[13]  Not only did Jesus, as a man, experience grief and sorrow when His friends were in pain, but it also points to another aspect of Christ – He sees us.  He sees us in our weaknesses, pain, sorrow, and failures.  Another thing can be drawn from this passage and in verse 34.  Jesus asks where they laid Lazarus.  He clearly asks a question.

            Jesus felt compassion on people.  In Matthew 9:36, the Bible says, “And seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd.”[14]  Once again, the Bible gives a clear example of Jesus displaying a very human-like trait:  compassion.  Jesus looked over the crowd who were just utterly lost and felt compassion for them.  In their Commentary on Matthew 9, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown beautifully write regarding the reason for Jesus’ compassion, “Their pitiable condition as wearied under bodily fatigue, a vast disorganized mass, being but a faint picture of their wretchedness as the victims of pharisaic guidance; their souls uncared for, yet drawn after and hanging upon Him.  This moved the Redeemer’s compassion.”[15]

            Jesus, in the same way all humanity does, experienced temptation while He was here on earth.  Just prior to beginning His earthly ministry, Matthew writes in 4:1-11, how Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness.  Satan repeatedly comes to Jesus and tempts Him in moments when Jesus was physically weak.  Jesus in each of His answers to Satan, resists the temptation and provides believers with an example of what they should do when confronted with temptation – rely and lean on God’s Word and His promises.  Pastor John MacArthur in The MacArthur Bible Commentary, writes, “Christ was tempted in all points; Satan tempted Him with ‘the lust of the flesh’; ‘the lust of the eyes’; and ‘the pride of life.’”[16]

            Why Denying the Humanity of Christ is Spiritually Deadly

Docetism

            “The word “Docetism” comes from the Greek work, dokein, which means ‘to seem.’  The earliest evidence of this heresy actually comes from 1, 2, and 3 John, where the Apostle John writes about a group who seemed to deny that Jesus came in the flesh.  Docetists focused on Jesus’ divinity rather than his humanity.”[17]

In the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Treier and Elwell describe Docetism as, “A term used for a theological perspective among some in the early church who regarded the sufferings and human aspects of Christ as imaginary or apparent instead of being part of a real incarnation.  The basic thesis was that if Christ suffered, he was not divine; and if he was God, he could not suffer.  Docetic thinking became integral to ‘gnostic’ perspectives, which viewed Jesus as the alien messenger from outside the present evil world, untouched by the evil creator.  This alien Jesus came to awaken gnostics to their destiny outside the realm of creation.”[18]

            In How God Became Jesus, Michael Bird writes, “The church’s encounter with Hellenism in the following centuries has shown that rather than imagining God enfleshed, sharing in the much and mire of human existence, what Hellenism actually pushed many toward – and some jumped at the chance – was Docetism.  Docetism is the view that Jesus was not really a physical human being, but more like phantasm.  On some accounts this phantom Jesus had little to do with Israel’s God, but was imbued with some great ideas for spiritual self-discovery.  In other words, a thoroughly Hellenized Christianity would not give us the incarnational theology of John, or Tertullian, or even Nicea; it was more likely to produce a cross between Caspar the Friendly Ghost and Dr. Phil the TV therapist!”[19]

Modern Mistakes in Christianity

            Jesus didn’t just appear to be human.  Defending Jesus as God but neglecting His humanity, leads down a very dangerous path.  This paper began with Genesis 3:15 and other references throughout the Old Testament that point to Jesus as God and also foretold His coming to earth in human form.  To defend Jesus as God but neglect His humanity is rejecting God’s Word.  If what individuals who believe this line of thinking is true, then the only part of the Bible that is correct would be Genesis 1 – Genesis 3:14.  Everything after that would be up in the air and questionable.  As soon as one aspect or part of God’s Word is removed or doubted, every other part of God’s Word is then called into question. 

            During first-century culture and within the first-century Church, the idea of Docetism was widely promoted.  Men such as Plato ruled the world of ideas.  In their article titled The Humanity of Jesus, Ligonier Ministries writes, “To put it simply, matter was bad, according to Plato.  It was simply out of the realm of possibility that something good – God – would become bad – flesh.  So, these false teachers proposed that Christ only “appeared” to be human.”  Obviously what is found throughout the New Testament directly refutes this idea.  The article further says, “We see that Jesus grew tired, got hungry, and thirsted.  He had spatial limitations.  He agonized, even suffered.  He exhibited human emotions, intellect, and volition.  He died.  Christ was – and is – truly human.  Perhaps no single episode better illustrates Christ’s experiencing common – or not-so-common – infirmities than the agonizing night spent in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46).  When we confess the words ‘He became truly human,’ we are acknowledging that Christ truly was – and remains – a true human being.  That is comforting.”[20]

            The Bible is the sole and final authority for humanity and how we are to live our lives.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Peter 1:20-21 states, “Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes by one’s own interpretation.  For no prophecy was ever made by the will of man, but men being moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”[21]

            People who claim and profess to be Christians cannot in one breath defend the deity of Christ, but in the very next breath claim they believe that Jesus did not come in the flesh.  This goes against Scripture in so many places and is incredibly dangerous.  The most blatant warning can be found in 2 John 7, which says, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.  This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”[22]  To deny Jesus came in the flesh is to be deceived by Satan and to deny even the deity of God.  It says that God, even though perfect and omnipotent, or all-powerful, isn’t powerful enough to come in the form of a man He created, to redeem the world of their sin. 

            Indeed, Jesus Christ has been and will continue to be the most controversial man who has ever walked upon this earth.  Scholars, some theologians, and others will attempt to discredit and disprove that Jesus – fully God – became a man, dwelled among others, and faced the same hardships and pain that mankind faces. 

            Why is the humanity of Christ important?  Why is it necessary to believe that Jesus not only appeared to be a man, but was actually a man in every sense of the word?  Hebrews 4:15 says it perfectly, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”[23]  If Jesus did not come in the flesh, we don’t have a Messiah that can sympathize with us, relate to us, have compassion on us when we are hurting or going through trials, and truly comfort us in moments of pain and doubt.  He would be a god that is too far removed from us.  Because Jesus Christ is fully God and was fully human, He is able to relate to human beings, and denying that Christ came in the flesh is denying Jesus was and is the Messiah.

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Bird, Michael F., Evans, Craig A., Gathercole, Simon, Hill, Charles E., and Tilling, Chris. 2014. How God Became Jesus : The Real Origins of Belief in Jesus’ Divine Nature—A Response to Bart Ehrman. Grand Rapids: HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Accessed August 12, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Davey, J. Ernest. The jesus of st. john; historical and christological studies in the Fourth Gospel. London: Lutterworth Press, 1958.

Guzik, David. “Study Guide for John 1 by David Guzik.” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed August 12, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/john/john-1.cfm?a=998014.

Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s commentary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006.

Holy bible: Legacy standard bible. Irvine: Steadfast Bibles, 2022.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown. “Commentary on Matthew 9 by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown.” Blue Letter Bible, February 19, 1970. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/jfb/Mat/Mat_009.cfm?a=938036.

MacArthur, John. The macarthur bible commentary: Unleashing god’s truth, one verse at a time. Nashville, TN: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2006.

Morris, Leon. Jesus is the christ: Studies in theology of john. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1989.

Smith, Chuck. “Verse by Verse Study on John 11-12 (C2000) by Chuck Smith.” Blue Letter Bible, June 1, 1970. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Jhn/Jhn_011.cfm?a=1008035

Stewart, Don. “Was Jesus a Human Being? By Don Stewart.” Blue Letter Bible, June 9, 2020. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/stewart_don/faq/what-everyone-needs-to-know-about-jesus/04-was-jesus-a-human-being.cfm.

“The Humanity of Jesus.” Ligonier Ministries. Accessed August 12, 2023. https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/the-humanity-of-jesus-the-ligonier-statement-on-christology.

Treier, Daniel J., and Walter A. Elwell. Evangelical dictionary of theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017.

Ware, Bruce A.. 2012. The Man Christ Jesus : Theological Reflections on the Humanity of Christ. Wheaton: Crossway. Accessed August 12, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.

“What Is Docetism?” Zondervan Academic. Accessed August 12, 2023. https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/docetism.

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[1] Bird, Michael F., Evans, Craig A., Gathercole, Simon, Hill, Charles E., and Tilling, Chris. 2014. How God Became Jesus : The Real Origins of Belief in Jesus’ Divine Nature—A Response to Bart Ehrman. Grand Rapids: HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Accessed August 12, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.

[2] Holy bible: Legacy standard bible. Irvine: Steadfast Bibles, 2022.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ware, Bruce A.. 2012. The Man Christ Jesus : Theological Reflections on the Humanity of Christ. Wheaton: Crossway. Accessed August 12, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.

[5] Stewart, Don. “Was Jesus a Human Being? By Don Stewart.” Blue Letter Bible, June 9, 2020. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/stewart_don/faq/what-everyone-needs-to-know-about-jesus/04-was-jesus-a-human-being.cfm.

[6] Davey, J. Ernest. The jesus of st. john; historical and christological studies in the Fourth Gospel. London: Lutterworth Press, 1958.

[7] Morris, Leon. Jesus is the christ: Studies in theology of john. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1989.

[8] Holy bible: Legacy standard bible. Irvine: Steadfast Bibles, 2022.

[9] Guzik, David. “Study Guide for John 1 by David Guzik.” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed August 12, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/john/john-1.cfm?a=998014.

[10] Holy bible: Legacy standard bible. Irvine: Steadfast Bibles, 2022.

[11] Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s commentary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006.

[12] Holy bible: Legacy standard bible. Irvine: Steadfast Bibles, 2022.

[13] Smith, Chuck. “Verse by Verse Study on John 11-12 (C2000) by Chuck Smith.” Blue Letter Bible, June 1, 1970. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Jhn/Jhn_011.cfm?a=1008035.

[14] Holy bible: Legacy standard bible. Irvine: Steadfast Bibles, 2022.

[15] Jamieson, Fausset & Brown. “Commentary on Matthew 9 by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown.” Blue Letter Bible, February 19, 1970. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/jfb/Mat/Mat_009.cfm?a=938036.

[16] MacArthur, John. The macarthur bible commentary: Unleashing god’s truth, one verse at a time. Nashville, TN: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2006.

[17] “What Is Docetism?” Zondervan Academic. Accessed August 12, 2023. https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/docetism.

[18] Treier, Daniel J., and Walter A. Elwell. Evangelical dictionary of theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017.

[19] Bird, Michael F., Evans, Craig A., Gathercole, Simon, Hill, Charles E., and Tilling, Chris. 2014. How God Became Jesus : The Real Origins of Belief in Jesus’ Divine Nature—A Response to Bart Ehrman. Grand Rapids: HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Accessed August 12, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.

[20] “The Humanity of Jesus.” Ligonier Ministries. Accessed August 12, 2023. https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/the-humanity-of-jesus-the-ligonier-statement-on-christology.

[21] Holy bible: Legacy standard bible. Irvine: Steadfast Bibles, 2022.

[22] Holy bible: Legacy standard bible. Irvine: Steadfast Bibles, 2022.

[23] Ibid.