The True Humanity of Jesus Christ

By David K. Bernard

David K. Bernard is president of the Urshan Graduate School of Theology and pastor of New Life United Pentecostal Church in Austin, Texas.  

Published in the Forward Magazine Summer 2001

Teaching of Scripture

1. Jesus was a true human being in every way, yet without sin. As such, He was born with the same kind of human identity that Adam and Eve had when they were first created.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.... And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:27, 31). “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.... Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God” (I John 3:5; 4:2). “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16). 

In the Bible, “flesh” usually refers to complete humanity, not merely a body. Jesus did not come in a different kind of flesh from ours, but in the same kind of flesh that we have: “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day” (Mark 9:3 1). In the phrase “Son of man,” the Greek word for “man” is anthropos, which means “human being.” Thus, Jesus is the Son of humanity as well as the Son of God. He is part of the human race, the race that descends from Adam and Eve.  

2. It was necessary for Jesus to come as one of us, with our kind of flesh and blood, and yet without sin, in order to be our high priest and to reconcile us to God.

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself 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 he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved 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 hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-18). “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:14-15). 

3. Biologically, Jesus did not inherit sin, because at His conception the Holy Spirit performed a miracle to ensure that He would be holy. Legally, Jesus did not inherit sin, because sin is reckoned from the father, and the Father of Jesus was God.

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). In our case, sin is reckoned from Adam as the father, not Eve, even though Eve sinned first. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come)” (Romans 5:12-14).

4. Jesus was the biological descendant of Adam and Eve.

“And I will put enmity between thee [the serpent] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

5. Jesus was the biological descendant of Abraham.

“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16). The Greek word for “seed” in these passages is sperma, from which we get the English word sperm.

6. Jesus was a natural Israelite in the same way as Paul.

“For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 9:3-5).

7.  Jesus was the biological descendant of David.

 “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses" (Acts 2:29-32). “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3). “Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” (John 7:42). “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16).

8. Jesus is the biological descendant of Mary who, as the angels confessed, was His true mother.

“And; behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS” (Luke 1:31). “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Galatians 4:4). “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him.... And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.... But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life” (Matthew 2:11, 13, 19-20). Since Jesus was born of Mary, He had the same kind of humanity that we have, for “that which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6).

9. As a human, Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.

 “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52).

10. Jesus was human in will was a distinction between the human will of Christ and the divine will.

 “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).

11.  Jesus was human in soul.

 “He hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). “Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me” (Matthew 26:38).

12. Jesus was human in spirit.

There was a distinction between the human spirit of Christ and the divine Spirit (the Father), although not a separation, so that we can say humanity and deity were joined in the one Spirit of Christ. “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost” (Luke 23:46). “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14).

13. Jesus was human in body.

His resurrection, Jesus had the same kind of body (flesh and blood) that we have - capable of suffering, death, and decay and not able to inherit eternal life without a change. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me” (Hebrews 10:5). “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (I corinthians 15:50-51).

14. The resurrection of Christ gave Him a glorified body, which is not capable of suffering, death, or decay. Our resurrection will be the same as His and will give us a body like His.

In both cases, “resurrection” refers to the same process, so that Christ’s resurrection made Him the “first­fruits” of the resurrection of believers. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the flrstfruits of them that slept. For since by man [Adam] came death, by man [Christ] came also the res­urrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.... So also is the resurrection of the dead [Christ and us]. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorrup­tion: it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (I Corinthians 15:20-23, 42-45). “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death. hath no more domin­ion over him” (Romans 6:9).

15.  Jesus is our kinsman redeemer, and to be this He had to become a human like us.

 “And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger’s family: after that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: either his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself” (Leviticus 25:47-49). “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). “For both he that sanctifleth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:12). 

ERRORS OF TEACHING THE “DIVINE FLESH” OF CHRIST 

1. It contradicts many specific passages of Scripture, at best interpreting them allegorically instead of literally.

 2. It undermines the truth of the incarnation - that God truly came in human flesh, that Jesus Christ was truly one of us with human identity, while at the same time being God Himself (See Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:16; I John 4:2.)

3. It undermines the truth of the Atonement - that Jesus Christ truly became our mediator as a human, became our kinsman redeemer, shed human blood for the remission of our sins, paid the penalty for our sins, and died in our place. (See Isaiah 53:4-6; I Corinthians 5:7; II Corinthians 5:21; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:9; 9:28; 10:10-17; I Peter 2:24.)

4. It causes division in the church, often by violation of ministerial ethics and often by undermining the assurance of salvation. In this regard, we need to follow the same ethical guidelines worldwide. (See Matthew 7:12.) 

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