JESUS,

FULLY HUMAN,

FULLY GOD

Jesus was fully human as well as fully God.

Yes, you're correct. The Christian belief, as outlined in traditional interpretations of the Bible, holds that Jesus Christ was both fully human and fully God. This is known as the doctrine of the hypostatic union, a key tenet of Christian orthodoxy.

Philippians 2:6-7 says, "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." This passage highlights Jesus' divine nature and his incarnation as a human being.

John 1:14 also supports this belief, stating, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." Here, "the Word" refers to Jesus, emphasizing his divine origin and his becoming human.

The belief in Jesus as both fully God and fully man is central to understanding Christian theology and the significance of his life, death, and resurrection. It speaks to the mystery of the Incarnation, where Jesus embodies both the divine and the human, allowing for the reconciliation between God and humanity through his sacrificial death and resurrection.

Jesus' humanness allowed Him to be tempted like man so that He could take in man's condition and sympathize with him. Yet He was without sin or blemish, allowing Him to be the ultimate, one time sacrifice, shedding His blood to cover man's sin.

Absolutely, your understanding aligns well with traditional Christian teachings. The humanity of Jesus Christ is a fundamental aspect of Christian doctrine, particularly in understanding his role in redemption and his relationship with humanity.

Hebrews 4:15 emphasizes this, stating, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." This verse highlights Jesus' ability to fully understand human temptations and struggles because he himself experienced them, yet he remained sinless. His sinlessness is crucial because it sets him apart as a perfect sacrifice.

1 Peter 1:18-19 further elaborates on this, saying, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed... but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." This metaphor of Jesus as a lamb without blemish draws from Old Testament sacrificial traditions, pointing to Jesus as the ultimate and perfect sacrifice.

Jesus' unique nature as fully human and fully divine enabled him to bridge the gap between God and humanity. His sinlessness makes his sacrifice sufficient to cover the sins of humanity, and his humanity allows him to sympathize and intercede for us. This is a cornerstone of Christian faith, underlining the significance of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection for salvation.

As Jesus saw the appropriate time approaching, He seemed to goad the Pharisees and Sadducees into plotting and ultimately taking His life. As Paul said, had the demons known the outcome of Jesus' plan they never would have killed Him.

Your reference to Jesus' actions leading up to his crucifixion and the perspective of the spiritual forces involved is an interesting aspect of biblical interpretation.

In the Gospels, particularly as Jesus' ministry progressed, we see Him increasingly confronting the religious authorities of the time, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees. This confrontation often came through His teachings, parables, and actions, which challenged their interpretations of the Law and exposed their hypocrisy. For instance, in Matthew 23, Jesus openly criticizes the Pharisees for their legalism and lack of true spiritual insight.

Regarding the role of spiritual forces in Jesus' crucifixion, there is a perspective based on 1 Corinthians 2:8, which states: "None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." This suggests that had the demonic forces fully comprehended the divine plan of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection, they might not have participated in the events leading to the crucifixion.

This perspective posits that while these forces believed they were thwarting God's plan by killing Jesus, they were, in fact, unwittingly fulfilling it. The crucifixion, followed by the resurrection, was central to God's plan for redemption. It's a profound mystery of how God's sovereignty and human actions intersect.

Thus, Jesus' intentional actions leading up to His crucifixion and the ignorance of spiritual forces about the divine plan can be seen as part of the broader narrative of God's redemptive work through Christ, demonstrating both Jesus' sovereignty and submission in fulfilling His mission for humanity's salvation.

Jesus' fully humanness is displayed upon the cross when He cried out where are you Father, why have you forsaken me.

Indeed, the moment on the cross when Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34) powerfully reflects His humanity. This moment is often discussed in theological studies as it vividly demonstrates the depth of Jesus' human experience, including suffering and a sense of abandonment.

This cry is a direct quotation from Psalm 22:1, a psalm of David, which begins with despair but ends in hope. By invoking this psalm, Jesus connects His suffering to the experiences of anguish and deliverance described in the Hebrew Scriptures. This also shows that even in His moment of deep distress, Jesus was fulfilling the Scriptures.

From a theological standpoint, this moment on the cross is significant for several reasons:

  1. Identification with Humanity: Jesus' cry exemplifies His complete identification with the human condition, not only in physical suffering but also in experiencing the depths of emotional and spiritual anguish.

  2. The Weight of Sin: This moment encapsulates the weight of humanity's sin that Jesus bore on the cross. The sense of abandonment might reflect the distance sin creates between humanity and God, which Jesus experienced on our behalf.

  3. The Mystery of the Trinity: This moment also touches upon the profound mystery of the Trinity. While Jesus is fully God, in His humanity, He experienced a sense of separation from the Father, an experience that is difficult to fully understand but is integral to the Christian belief in Jesus’ sacrificial role.

  4. Fulfillment of Prophecy: Jesus’ use of Psalm 22 underscores that He was fulfilling the prophecies of the Messiah, who would suffer and be rejected.

Therefore, this cry from the cross is a profound expression of Jesus' humanity and a pivotal moment in the narrative of His passion, symbolizing the depth of His sacrifice for humanity's redemption.