Jesus: Fully Human Without Taking Divine Shortcuts
At the heart of the Christian faith lies a mind-boggling paradox: Jesus is fully God and fully human. As the divine Son of God, Jesus possesses all power, knowledge, and authority. Yet during his earthly life, Jesus chose not to leverage his divine privileges for personal advantage. Instead, he took on all the limitations of being human. Jesus resisted the temptation to shortcut humanity in order to redeem it fully.
What does it mean that Jesus lived fully human? It means Jesus was born, he grew up, he got hungry and tired and emotional. He learned skills and acquired knowledge the way all humans do – gradually, over time. Jesus came as a helpless infant, not a fully grown miracle-worker. Luke says he “grew in wisdom and stature” throughout his childhood. His intellect and abilities developed along the path of natural human maturation.
Living fully human also meant Jesus had to trust in God’s faithfulness moment by moment. He relied on God’s strength rather than utilizing his innate divine powers. When tempted in the desert to turn stones into bread, Jesus refused – not because it was impossible, but because it would undermine his mission. Time and again, Jesus focused his divine abilities entirely on surrendering to the Father and serving others.
We see Jesus’ humanity fully on display during his temptation in the wilderness. After fasting, Jesus was hungry and vulnerable. As the divine Son of God, Jesus could have simply spoken a word to turn the stones into bread. He could have popped out of the desert the second Satan departed. Yet Jesus remained – tired, dirty and famished – in order to redeem our humanity, not circumvent it.
Even more extreme, we see Jesus’ restraint from using his divine privileges during his Passion. When struck on the cheek by the Sanhedrin, Jesus did not vaporize them for assaulting the Son of God. When Peter tried defending him with a sword in Gethsemane, Jesus told him to stand down. He submitted to whipping, spitting, mocking, and crucifixion – all without calling down the angel armies at his disposal. Jesus chose to drink the cup of suffering rather than activate his divine escape hatches.
Why? Why didn’t Jesus leverage his divine perks to make his earthly life smooth and comfortable? Because humanity required redemption from the inside out. For Christ to serve as the perfect high priest and mediator, he had to be “made like his brothers in every respect” (Heb 2:17). The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons and daughters of men could become children of God (1 John 3:1).
By resisting the temptation to rely on his divine nature, Jesus succeeded where Adam and Israel failed. He walked in perfect obedience as a human – healing, serving and surrendering to the Father’s will. His sinless life qualified him to be the unblemished Passover Lamb. Only Jesus Christ, fully human without succumbing to sin, could offer himself for humanity’s redemption.
What are the implications for followers of Christ? Firstly, we have a Savior who sympathizes with our weaknesses, since Jesus was “tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). We can draw near boldly to Jesus, knowing he understands human frailty from the inside out. His mercy and grace are inexhaustible.
Secondly, Christ’s humanity beckons us into intimate relationship with him. Jesus is not aloof and remote, but approachable. He knows our frame because he shared it. We can speak openly with this high priest and friend who shared our nature (Heb 4:14-16). The Incarnation invites true closeness with God.
Most wonderfully, by joining our humanity to himself eternally, Christ elevates humanity to unimaginable honor. Our human frame is now seated at God’s right hand and reigns over all things. Jesus took our nature into indestructible life by his resurrection. One day, his union of divinity and humanity will encompass the cosmos. Even now, our humanity becomes a vessel of his Spirit.
The God-man Jesus Christ did not act like a divine Superman during his earthly sojourn. Rather, he took on human living fully and authentically. He resisted exploiting his deity in order to redeem humanity from within, as one of us. This qualifies him uniquely as Savior and Lord. Thanks be to God for Jesus!
Humanity and Divinity, Perfectly United in Christ
Christianity proclaims a stunning paradox: Jesus Christ is fully divine and fully human. This claim challenges human comprehension, yet is central to God’s work of redemption through Christ. How did Jesus live out this mystery of holding divinity and humanity in perfect union?
Scripture affirms unequivocally Christ’s divine nature as the eternal Son, begotten of the Father before time began. He proceeds directly from the Father, equal in majesty and glory. Jesus is fully God—almighty, omniscient and omnipresent. His divine nature does not compete with his human nature, but rather empowers it. As Colossians 2:9 states, “In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
At the same time, Jesus is also fully human. He was conceived in Mary’s womb, born in a manger, and grew up in Nazareth. He exhibits human properties like increasing in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). Jesus knew hunger, fatigue, emotion and temptation. Though without sin, his humanity bore all the limitations and vulnerabilities common to humanity.
In becoming incarnate, the Son of God did not relinquish his divinity. Rather, he took on human nature in addition to his divine nature. Christ’s two natures coexist in his one person. This joining of full humanity and full divinity is called the hypostatic union. It is a holy mystery that can never be fully explained, only apprehended by faith.
So how did Jesus live out this paradox of being truly God and truly human? He lived a genuinely human life while resisting the temptation to exploit his divine privileges for earthly benefit. When hungry in the desert, Jesus refused to turn stones to bread, though he could have. When arrested, he declined to summon legions of angels, though they were at his command. Time and again, Jesus submitted to the constraints of the human condition rather than utilizing his divine capacities to escape or circumvent them. He carried his cross all the way to Calvary.
Why? Because humanity required redemption from within. For Jesus to serve as perfect high priest and sinless sacrifice, he had to be made like us “in every respect” (Heb. 2:17). The divine Son became the Son of Man so that the sons and daughters of Adam could become children of God (1 John 3:1). Christ’s work of salvation demanded full solidarity with those he came to save.
In resisting the temptation to rely on his innate divine powers, Jesus succeeded where Adam and Israel had failed. His sinless human life qualified him to be the unblemished Passover Lamb for humanity’s sins. Only one who was fully human as well as fully divine could offer such an infinite sacrifice. The Incarnation was necessary for the Atonement.
What are the implications of this holy paradox? Christ’s humanity means he fully identifies with our condition, having experienced weakness and suffering himself. His divinity means his sacrifice redeems and transforms human nature into glory. And Christ’s ministry continues to flow from the one who remains forever God and man.
By joining divine and human natures in himself, Christ has wed God to humanity permanently in loving union. Our nature is now capable of bearing the divine, as demonstrated in the Incarnate Son. One day, Christ’s union of divinity and humanity will encompass the entire renewed creation. Until then, we live empowered by his Spirit to manifest his kingdom within our humanity.