The Humanity of our Savior Jesus Christ from Scripture A mild Biblical study on the nature of Christ John 1:14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Romans 1:3 Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; AND declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness. Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Galatians 4:4,5 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His son made of a women, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Philippians 2:5 8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Hebrews 2:14 18 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Christ also likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily Christ took NOT on Himself the nature of angels; BUT he took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him, (or was necessary according to the dictionary, for Him,) to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to succor (relieve, help, aid) them that are tempted.
1 Peter 2:24 Who His (Christ) own self bare our sins in HIS OWN BODY to (margin) the tree, (cross) that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose strips ye were healed. Have you ever made a copy of a copy? Does the copy of the copy have the same exact sharpness as the original? No, right? As you continue to make more copies the sharpness of the material may reduce more and more. However the original/main message can still be read throughout the new copies, but it is easier to obtain a more precise/sharper picture from the original than it is from the copies. It is the same with our modern day Bibles. The Holy Spirit can use our English/variety of translations to relate to us the main message from God, and He does so very well. However our English Bibles have all been translated from other languages. (The Old Testament Hebrew, New Testament Greek) So it is sometimes helpful for us to take a passage or word and see how the original language uses it, so that we can get a clearer picture of the verse and context it was originally used in before being translated into English. So we will look at these same verses and bring out some interesting points that have been made in English (as we have seen above) and even clearer in the original Greek New Testament. Please feel free to research/check on these findings for yourself if you think they are my own opinions instead of factual information. John 1:14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. What does the word flesh mean in this verse according to the Greek N.T.? The Greek word is Sarx which means Human nature with all its frailties, physical and moral, as well as passions. The same word has been translated in other verses as carnally minded Carnal and fleshly. And we find out in this verse that Jesus is the word made FLESH (sarx)! Romans 1:3 Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; AND declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness. What does the word seed mean in the original Greek N.T.? The Greek word is sperma which can be used as sperm or offspring. So Christ was made from the offspring/sperm of the adulterer, murderer, King David! This verse is very clear! Christ did NOT take on the perfect nature of Adam before he sinned, but rather the nature of David, who was generations after Adam, and had experienced the progressive weakening power of sin and death. Humanity was at it s weakest point, and our nature was weaker than EVER, and THIS IS THE EXACT NATURE THAT CHRIST WAS MADE INTO IN ORDER TO DELIEVER US FROM THAT CURRENT STATE OF DEGRADATION FROM SIN! WOW! What an amazing God we have! That is why the word flesh (SARX) is used again in this text, and has the same Greek meaning as we learned in the previous scripture. (Jn. 1:14) Praise the Lord that Christ was made into Immanuel which means God WITH us. (Isaiah 7:14) Not God BY us, but God WITH us despite our horrible sinful condition that we are in. What matchless, self emptying love, that we selfish mortals can t even comprehend. Though this is where we meet our Savior, remember that HE was MADE into this sinful Human nature yet still declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness Christ is 100% Human, and 100% Divine nature Divine=Jn. 10:30 I and my Father are one. Human=Jn. 5:30 I of myself can do nothing 2 Cor. 13:4 For though he (Christ) was crucified through weakness,
yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also ARE weak with Him, but we shall with Him by the power of God toward you. Romans 8:2 4 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Notice that Paul describes 2 kinds of laws in verse 2. (underlined) The context for these laws aren t as in context of a moral law, but rather in the context of a constant force. In the same way that Gravity is a law that is a constant force that is bringing you down. If you were to read Romans chapters 7 and 8, you would see that Paul describes that every human being has indwelt in His/Her body the law of sin and death which no matter how hard we try, constantly overcomes us. (See also Rom. 5:12) And this law is constant, which means that ONLY a stronger constant force/law can take over this constant force/law. Will power cannot overcome this constant force/law of sin, because our will power is not a constant force, but a force that is sometimes strong and other times weak (As we see in Paul s experience in Rom.7:24 oh wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death? See also vs. 25). Therefore we may battle the law of sin/death with our will power for a short while, but the moment our will power gets weak the law of sin will take over. So the ONLY way for us to overcome this law of sin dwelling within our bodies and bringing us down, is by the law of the Spirit as Paul tells us in chapter 8. So Christ was made into this same law of sin/death or the likeness of sinful flesh And His only remedy was NOT by exercising His own divine will power, but instead He lived by the power/law of the Spirit of God. (2 Cor. 13:4). By His example, being made in the likeness of sinful flesh/under the law of sin yet overcoming this law by walking in the law of the Spirit, (Gal. 5:16 Walk in the Spirit and you shall NOT fulfill the lust of the Flesh.) we are able to see and experience the same victory that Christ had day after day with the law of sin/death trying to bring Him down. And when He died on the cross, this law of sin/death that He had been conquering throughout His whole life was finally destroyed forever! That is why it behooved Him, (or was necessary according to the dictionary, for Him,) to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to succor (relieve, help, aid) them that are tempted. (Heb. 2:17,18) Hebrews 4:15 (Amplified Bible) says That Christ CAN sympathize with the exact feelings of our infirmities, our exact weaknesses inclined to temptation, (How can HE? for He Himself was made under the law of sin ) and He was tempted in all points (including the temptations of the sinful flesh!) as we are yet He NEVER YEILDED TO THIS LAW/ HIS SINFUL HUMAN NATURE but instead lived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
At the cross is proven the fact that the law of the Spirit has overcome the law of sin and death, which NO HUMAN could before escape, until Christ came and destroyed it forever! (Which is how sin was condemned in the flesh of Christ, and how the righteousness of the Law CAN NOW be fulfilled in us by the law of the Spirit! (Romans 8:3,4). AMEN! Though this is a Biblical and Historical fact, we humans are slow to accept such established facts and experience them also, which is why you see the minority of our world actually reflecting and experiencing this fact today. We each have the choice to accept what Christ has already accomplished over 2000 years ago, and let it become a personal experience within our lives today. The sooner the world knows about this wonderful truth, the sooner Christ can take us home. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Galatians 4:4,5 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His son made of a women, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Philippians 2:5 8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. What does the word fashion mean in the Greek? The word fashion in the original Greek is Schema which relates to a complete form/precise condition/nature. (The expression form of also relates the same exact point according to Greek grammar) So in the context of this verse Jesus was fashioned or made into OUR nature, (which is sinful) and that is how He humbled Himself (by originally being the express image of God yet willingly choosing to take on the HORRIBLE nature of a sinful man) and destroyed this sinful nature/law of sin by the death of His body on the cross. What SELFLESS love! Hebrews 2:14 18 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Christ also likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily Christ took NOT on Himself the nature of angels; BUT he took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him, (or was necessary for Him, according to the dictionary) to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to succor (relieve, help, aid) them that are tempted.
What are we in bondage/slavery to in this verse? John 8:34, 35, 36 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. And the servant does not remain in the house forever, but the Son does abide forever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. So before Christ the Son, came and took on Himself our sinful nature and destroyed it by His death, we had NO choice but to be a slave to the law of sin/death. But by Christ coming in our same nature, and destroying it by the Spirit of God, the Son can now make us free. Here in Hebrews 2:14 18 as well as the next verse, is a review on the Bible truths we ve been learning through our study today, on the Humanity of Christ. 1 Peter 2:24 Who His (Christ) own self bare our sins in HIS OWN BODY to (margin) the tree, (cross) that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose strips ye were healed. John 17:1,2 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given Him power over ALL flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him. What is the word flesh in the Greek? Well once again in this verse is used the same original Greek word as in the other verses, Sarx Which is human/sinful nature. So how could Christ obtain power over our sinful nature? By being made under the law of sin / into the likeness of sinful flesh and destroying it by the power of the Spirit, (2 Cor.13:4) through out His whole life, from the manger to the cross, until it was destroyed forever at the cross. So in the same way that Jesus overcame in our sinful flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit, uniting divinity to destroy sinful flesh, He is NOW able to succor those who are tempted to give in to their sinful flesh, and give them victory over the flesh by the undefeatable power that He forever overcame with at the cross. Oh how much He desires to make this a more REAL experience in every one of us today, so that His selfless love may reflect through our WHOLE characters, and to the rest of this world. Verses 22,23 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them: that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Please feel free to re read all these verses again with these new clearer Biblical understandings that we ve been learning, fore the Holy Spirit will bring you even more new light. I hope that through this mild study God has blown you away with His unmatchable, selfless, LOVE that is shown SO brightly through every bit of light pertaining to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you have any questions, or would like to have a personal Bible study on this subject or any other, please feel free to visit my website www.onetruegospel.com. There are many other resources that I could give you for your own further in depth study on this topic if you are interested. May God continue to bless you as you search the depths of His unconditional love displayed most greatly at the Cross of Christ. (1 John 3:16) Your brother in Christ, Miguel Alfonso Jr. www.onetruegospel.com