How could Christ be both fully

CHAPTER 11: human and fully divine? How was He

CHRIST tempted and how did He die?
CHAPTER 11: CHRIST

Scripture teaches that the Son is one Person with two natures—Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man
(hypostatic union). Neither nature is destroyed by this union, nor does the union result in two persons
(Rom. 9:5).1 The kenosis explains some aspects of the incarnation by recognizing that Jesus voluntarily
chose to set aside the full exercise of some aspects of His deity (John 5:19; 1 Cor. 6:14).2 Even so, the
incarnation is marked by aspects of both natures, often paradoxically expressed in close proximity (Isa.
9:6; Matt. 8:24-27).3
The second person of the Trinity took on the nature of man at the time of His miraculous conception,
adding a human nature to His Person (Philip. 2:7-8).4

ETERNAL PREEXISTENCE
The New Testament introduces us to an individual, Jesus Christ, who was born at a specific time and
place. As we read of His life, ministry and finally His death, some readers assume that this person came
into existence only at the beginning of the New Testament. But Scripture shows us that Jesus Christ
existed long before the baby was born in Bethlehem.
First, it is clear that Jesus Christ existed long before His incarnation. The most extensive biblical
evidence for this is in the Old Testament’s references to the angel of the Lord (see this section within
the chapter on angels). The angel of the Lord protected Abraham and Lot, wrestled with Jacob, gave
blessings to the patriarchs, called Moses, led the nation out of Israel, defeated the Egyptians, led the
people in the wilderness, confronted Balaam, called the judges and Samuel, judged Israel for David’s
sin, strengthened Elijah, delivered Israel from the Assyrians, protected Daniel’s friends in the fiery
furnace, and gave Zechariah a special message from God. In other words, the angel of the Lord is hardly

1 The Chalcedonian formula is helpful: “two natures, without confusion, change, division, or separation; the
distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being
preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two Persons.”
2 The kenosis or “emptying” does not mean that Christ ceased to be God or even gave up any aspect of His
deity. Rather, by taking on an additional nature, He voluntarily limited the free exercise of His power. A strong
man is no less powerful if he chooses not to exercise everything he is capable of doing.
3 Other passages with this tension include John 17, intertwining references that emphasize limitation (John
17:4, 8, 12, 24) and infinity (John 17:5, 22, 24); In Hebrews 1 Christ is the perfect messenger because He is God
while in chapter 2 He is the perfect high priest because He is a man; The three major passages on Jesus’ limited
knowledge specifically emphasize His deity by calling Him the Son (Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32; Heb. 5:8); John 11
records contrasting and alternating ignorance (vv. 3, 6, 34-35) and omniscience (v. 11-14).
4 The idea of the anhypostasia or better, the enhypostasia, suggests that Christ’s human nature never existed
with an independent human person apart from the divine Person. However, it is critical to recognize that the
new theanthropic Person had to also include the personal elements of a human nature. In other words, a model
suggesting that Christ’s human nature lacks a human mind, consciousness or will is no different than
Apollinarianism (Macleod, 199-203).
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a small detail to be explained away and ignored. It is a theme underlying every significant event in the
Old Testament story. Or to say it differently, Jesus Christ is not absent from the Old Testament at all.
He was personally involved as a primary actor from beginning to end, even before His birth.
If it is undeniably clear that Jesus Christ existed as God before the incarnation, we can go back even
further to see that He existed eternally. John tells us that “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2). Jesus
bodly proclaimed that “before Abraham was, I am,” a probable allusion to the divine name, Yahweh
(John 8:58). Jesus Himself declares that He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the
beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13).
Some theologians have questioned whether He might have taken the title “Son of God” only at His
incarnation. But several Old Testament passages are absolutely clear. In Psalm 2:7 we read Yahweh’s
declaration, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you,” and verse 12 counsels the kings of the earth
“kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way.”5 In other words, the title “Son of God” is not
merely incarnational. This is a relationship He voluntarily had with the Father from eternity past.
Of course, Scripture also uses many other titles to describe the second person of the Godhead:6
• Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (Is 7:14; Matt 1:23). Connected to the common Old
Testament promise that God will dwell in the midst of His people (Ex 25:8; Deut 23:16),
Immanuel reminds us Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s relationship with His people.
• Son of God, emphasizing His deity and His voluntary subordination to the Father (Matt. 4:3;
14:33; John 10:36; 11:27; 19:7; 20:31).
• Son of man, emphasizing His incarnation but ultimately His deity and rights as the one who
received divine authority (Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 26:64-66; Mark 2:10, 28; Acts 7:56; c.f. Psa. 8; Heb
2:5-9).
• Christ or Messiah, emphasizing His anointing as the perfect prophet, priest and king (Dan.
9:25-26; Luke 23:35; John 1:41; Acts 26:23).7
• Jesus, meaning “Jehovah saves” (Matt. 1:21; Acts 13:23; Phil. 3:20).8
• Lord, emphasizing His deity and authority (Matt. 20:30; John 21:17; Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9).
• Lamb of God and High Priest, emphasizing His sacrifice of Himself for sin (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7;
Rev. 5:12-13 and Psa. 110:4; Heb. 4:14-15; 6:20; 7:26).
• The Word, emphasizing His role as an embodied revelation of God’s nature and character (John
1:1, 14; 1 John 1:1; Rev. 19:13).

5 A few other passages in some way hint at this reality, including God’s promise to David about the coming
eternal king— “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son” (2 Sam. 7:14). We can also consider Agur’s
question in Proverbs 30:4—“Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his
fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his
name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!” These passages are at best hints, since the exegetical
argument in both cases is tenuous at best.
6 Other titles include the Angel of the Lord, the great Shepherd, and the 7 “I AM” statements of John (John
6:48; John 8:12; John 10:9; John 10:11; John 11:25; John 14:6; John 15:1).
7 This stems from the fact that these were the three OT offices that involved anointment: priests (Ex. 28:41;
40:15; Num. 3:3), prophets (1 Kings 19:16), and kings (1 Sam. 9:16; 16:3; 2 Sam. 12:7).
8 The derivation is from o[vy (to save) in the name Hoshea to Joshua to Jesus (Num. 13:8, 16; Heb. 13:8).

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 INCARNATION
The doctrine of the incarnation is most concisely stated with the formula, “one person, two natures.”
But as with the trinity, that formula is found nowhere in Scripture. How do we come to a biblical
understanding of this doctrine? Once again, we reach these conclusions by recognizing two clear
biblical themes.

Jesus Christ is Fully God

Scripture clearly teaches that the Son is fully God. This is evident in several groups of evidence.
• He is explicitly called God.
A number of passages directly refer to the Son as deity. John explicitly states that “the Word was
God” (John 1:1). Paul teaches that He is “the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever” (Romans
9:5). Finally Hebrews describes the Son with a string of superlatives that can only refer to the true
God. “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things,
through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact
imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making
purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:2–3).9
• He regarded Himself as God.
In several instances, Jesus referred to Himself with titles that describe deity. “I tell you, from now on
you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven”
(Matthew 26:64), a direct reference to the one who received an everlasting kingdom, dominion and
glory in Dan. 7:13–14. Using a construction that probably mirrors the Old Testament sacred name of
Yahweh, Jesus proclaimed in John 8:58, “before Abraham was, I am.” Finally, Jesus appeared after
His resurrection, claiming for Himself the title “Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the
beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13).
It’s quite clear, therefore, that Jesus made this claim of Himself. As C.S. Lewis famously pointed out,
Jesus claim requires us to accept that He was either crazy or a liar or He was God. The one option
that isn’t available is that He was merely a good man. Falsely claiming to be God and misleading
countless people would be one of the most despicable things a person could do. Rather, if Jesus
claim was not true, He ranks as one of the most despicable villains the world has known. But instead
we should recognize what is clearly true of Him—that He made this claim and that it was true.
• He possessed divine characteristics.
While human beings bear the image of God, many divine characteristics belong to God alone. Yet
Scripture reveals that Jesus also possessed many of these same characteristics. For instance, Jesus
demonstrated His omnipotence by calming the storm, so that those who observed marveled, saying,
“What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matt. 8:26–27; note also Matt 14:19;
John 2:1-11). On multiple occasions He demonstrated His omniscience (Mark 2:8; John 1:48; 2:11, 23-
25; 6:64; 11:11–15; 16:30; 21:17) and He claimed omnipresence when He promised “where two or three
are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20; also 28:20). He likewise

9 See also Isa. 9:6; John 1:18; 20:28; Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:19; Tit. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:1. Scripture also describes Christ with
divine designations including “I AM” (John 8:58), Lord (1 Cor. 12:3), the Son of God (John 5:17-30) and the Son of
Man (Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 26:63-66).
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 possesses eternity (John 8:58; Rev. 22:13) and immortality (John 2:19-22; 10:17-18; Heb. 7:16)—a
particularly strong assertion since 1 Tim. 6:16 reminds us that God “alone has immortality.” Jesus
likewise claimed sovereignty (Mark 2:5-7; Matt. 5:22, 28; 11:25-27), and accepted worship (Matt 28:9,
17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38; 20:28; Phil. 2:9-11; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:12-13 with Rev. 19:10).
In each case, Jesus possessed characteristics that properly belong to God alone. In fact, there is no
attribute or characteristic of divinity that Scripture tells us Jesus did not also share. In fact, “in him
the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col. 2:9) The reason is simple—Jesus is God.
• He has performed divine works.
Scripture also tells us that Jesus accomplished acts that could only be done by God Himself (John
20:30-31). For instance, “who can forgive sins but God alone? (Mark 2:1-12)” Yet Jesus did. Or what
else would be exclusive to God alone but creation? Yet we learn that “all things were made by Him”
(John 1:3; Col. 1:16-17). We know likewise that God is the One who will judge the world (Rom 3:6;
Heb. 12:23). Yet Jesus is appointed to this role (John 5:22-23; Acts 10:42; Rom 2:16).10
In fact, there is no conflict here. Jesus does perform works that only properly accrue to God himself,
because Jesus Christ is fully God.
• He is identified as Old Testament Yahweh
Some of the clearest arguments for Jesus’ deity observe the relationship between the Old and New
Testaments. No one can plausibly deny that Old Testament Yahweh was fully and unqualifiedly
God. (Yahweh or Jehovah, in fact, is the name for God preferred by modern day Arians—Jehovah’s
Witnesses.) Yet in an impressive number of passages, the New Testament directly applies
statements about Yahweh to Jesus Christ. The undeniable conclusion is that Yahweh and Jesus
Christ are one and the same.

Old Testament New Testament Wording

Isaiah 40:3 Matthew 3:3 “prepare the way of the LORD”

Isaiah 6:1 John 12:41 “I saw the Lord”—“Isaiah said these things because
he saw his glory and spoke of him”
Isaiah 8:13 1 Peter 3:15 “The LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy”
Psalms 68:18 Ephesians 4:7-8 “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives”
Psalm 97:7 Hebrews 1:6 “Worship him all you gods.”
Psalm 102:25-27 Hebrews 1:10-12 “The heavens… will perish, but you will remain.”11

10 Of course, believers will also have a unique role in judging both angels and unrepentant sinners (1 Cor. 6:3;
Rev 2:26–27). Yet when Scripture speaks of Christ’s authority as judge it is clear that He holds inherent power in
that role; believers merely sit together with Him.
11 Hebrews 1:8-9 also quotes Psa. 45:6-7 in its entirety. While the Old Testament context makes no specific
references to Yahweh, a strong argument can still be made that the original readers would naturally have applied
this to Yahweh. In other words, the context as it stands refers to full deity as clearly as a huge number of other
Old Testament passages, and none of the original readers would have felt the need to qualify that. Yet the author
of Hebrews applies these statements directly to Christ.
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Jesus Christ is Fully Man
Another group of biblical statements make it clear that Jesus Christ was fully human. Once again, this is
evident in several groups of evidence.
• Scripture states that He was and remains a man.
While Scripture is absolutely clear about Jesus’ deity, it shows no reservation at calling Him a man.
“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1
Timothy 2:5; c.f. Acts 17:31). Quoting Psalms 8 at length (“what is man that you are mindful of him”),
Hebrews 2 bases its complete argument on Jesus’ full humanity. He is the fulfillment of what
mankind should have been. The argument concludes with the observation that “Since therefore the
children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through
death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).
This truth is a core part of the biblical theological framework. John observes that “many deceivers
have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such
a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” (2 John 1:7). In fact, this truth as so critical, it is one litmus
test by which you can recognize false teachers—“every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:2).12
• He lived a full human lifetime including birth, growth, and death.
Another manifestation of Jesus’ full humanity is the fact that He experienced human life, including
birth, growth and death. Multiple passages cite His birth (Matt 1:18, 25–2:2; Luke 2:6–7; Gal 4:4). The
gospels record very few details about His childhood, but we do read that “Jesus increased in wisdom
and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Of course, Scripture also records His
death (Rom 5:6, 8; 8:34; 1 Cor 15:3). Jesus’ life concluded with the words “‘It is finished,’ and he
bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).
• He had human experiences.
If we asked ourselves what things constitute the human experience, we find that Jesus experienced
these as well. Jesus certainly had a physical body (Matt 26:26; 27:58; John 20:12; Rom 7:4; Heb 10:5,
10). In fact, this is not limited to the years leading up to His death. His physical body rose again, so
that he could say “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does
not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:39) and He ascended to heaven in His
glorified body.
Jesus also experienced normal physical needs. He became hungry (Matthew 4:2), thirsty (John 4:7),
and needed to sleep (Matt. 8:24).13 Jesus also experienced human emotions including sorrow (Matt.
26:38) and even weeping (John 11:35).14 We also read that He marveled (Matt. 8:10), had compassion
(Matt. 9:36), rejoiced (Luke 10:21), and He was troubled (John 12:27; 13:21).

12 Also Acts 17:31; Philip. 2:7-8

13 One common question is whether Jesus ever experienced sickness. Scripture never records that He did, but
Jesus, though sinless, was clearly subject to other results of the fall, most notably death. From a theological
standpoint, there is no reason to suggest that He did not experience sickness. Other faulty conclusions are more
obvious, such as the assertion that as a baby “no crying He makes.” A normal human infant, Jesus certainly cried,
though completely without sin.
14 Also Matt. 8:10; 9:36; Luke 10:21; John 12:27; 13:21; Heb. 5:7

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 When it comes to other aspects of Jesus’ human experience, we may be tempted to use His full deity
to ignore or nullify His humanity. We should not shrug off Jesus’ victorious response to temptation
or obedience at the cross with the assumption that “it was easy for Him—he was God.” While He
was fully divine, He also experienced the full power and struggle of the temptations we face (Matt.
4:1-11). Scripture’s statements about Jesus humanity are often stronger than we would dare say
ourselves. “He had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful
and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people”
(Hebrews 2:17). Or later, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
• He had normal human limitations.
While Jesus was fully God, He also experienced the full weakness and limitations of humanity,
including limited knowledge. Even give the fact that He was Son of God, “he learned obedience
through what he suffered” (Heb. 5:8). Even as an adult, there were specific things He did not know.
Specifically, “concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the
Son, but only the Father (Mark 13:32; Matt. 24:36). On this basis, we should not dismiss Jesus’
questions as mere rhetorical or acting. Jesus did genuinely ask questions for the purpose of soliciting
information (Mark 5:9; 9:21; 10:36; John 11:34), and He was genuinely able to learn information (John
11:17).
Jesus also experienced the limitations of space. It is appropriate for us to say that Jesus was in one
place and not another. Jesus Himself stated regarding Lazarus’ death, “I was not there” (John 11:15).
He certainly also experienced limitations of strength. Jesus became weary from journeying (John
4:6), apparently needed help to carry His cross (Luke 23:26), and certainly needed to sleep as normal
humans do (Luke 8:23). Finally, Jesus experienced limitations of time (John 2:4; 9:4; 13:1).
• Those around him viewed him as a normal man.
Finally, Jesus’ humanity was clear to those who knew Him personally. Contrary to artistic depictions
or our faulty imagination, Jesus did not emanate a holy glow. Nor did those He met walk away with
an immediate subjective awareness of God’s presence. In response to His miracles, people marveled
and wondered about His identity. Those who knew Him apparently assumed that He was a normal
person. In fact, even Jesus’ siblings and childhood companions who knew Him best did not
automatically assume that He was anything but normal. In His own hometown they asked “Where
did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his
mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not
all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:54-58) Later we
read that “not even his brothers believed in him” (John 7:5).15
In this respect, the transfiguration has an important role. It seems that in this single moment, the
veil of Jesus’ glory was temporarily held back. We should not view the transfiguration, in other
words, as a time when Jesus took something on, so much as a time when the glory He possessed was
temporarily seen in its fullness. And yet the disciples surprise at what they witnessed testifies to the
fact that it was an exception in their experience, not the norm.

15 Lest we doubt that somehow his family had reason to question from knowing Him too well, Scripture does
tell us that later Jesus’ brothers did believe on Him (Gal 1:19; 1 Cor 9:5).
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Jesus Christ is One Person
A final truth brings the challenge of this doctrine into focus. Jesus was one person; He was in no way
split between two identities. Scripture never speaks, for example, of Jesus’ humanity denying on the
cross while His deity was sitting in heaven, or His accomplishing great miracles in His deity while His
humanity watched in wonder. The biblical record always refers to the person of Christ. Even biblical
statements that are quite clear in their statement of both humanity and deity, nevertheless speak of
Him in the singular—He is one person. “There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and
men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
In fact, Scripture goes even further, including a number of cross-over passages that connect Christ’s
deity to His humanity in some way. For instance, Isaiah 9:6 describes Him both as “the mighty God”
and yet also “a son” and “born to us.” In other words, He was of the line of men and even a true
biological descendant of Abraham. Hebrews 1 presents Christ as the perfect prophet because He is fully
God, but chapter 2 presents Him as the perfect high priest because He is fully man. Three different
passages teach that Jesus did not know the day or the hour of His return or that there were things He
learned. And yet they also emphasize His deity by calling Him the Son (Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32; Heb.
5:8).16 In John 11 Christ hears that Lazarus is ill from messengers (v. 3, 6), asks where they laid him (v.
34), and grieves (v. 35). But He also always knew that He would raise Lazarus again (v. 11) and even
knew that he had died from a great distance away (v. 11-14).17 Matthew 8:24 poignantly shows Jesus’
weakness when He becomes weary and falls asleep, but as soon as He awakens He has the power to
command the wind and waves to cease (Matt. 8:26-27). And in Jesus prayer to the Father He both
speaks of being with the Father (John 17:21-22) and coming to Him (John 17:13). These contrasts are
hardly hidden or subtle. Anyone reading carefully faces these tensions and wonders how both could be
true of the same person.
Historically, the church made an attempt to state this tension clearly. The orthodox Chalcedonian
statement is of two complete natures united in one person “without confusion, without change, without
division, without separation, the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but
rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and
subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons.”18
What does this mean? As with the Trinity, our best way forward is to confidently affirm the biblical
statements we know with certainty, avoiding any conclusions that would contradict one or several of
the foundational statements. Historical heresies show individuals exploring all of the erroneous
possibilities.

16 Hebrews 5:8 actually highlights this contrast—“although He was Son, He learned obedience.”
17 Perhaps Jesus only asked these questions for the sake of the people present. But (1) there is no exegetical
evidence to support this. (2) The sheer number of questions Jesus asked would make his interactions a kind of
continual charade if he were not actually querying for information. The fact that He genuinely wept (John 11:35)
or brief windows into His prayer in the garden (Matt 26:39) point us away from this kind of disingenuous
interaction. (3) Scripture does affirm that there were things Jesus did not know (Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32; Heb.
5:8). On these bases, it is not a difficult inference to draw that He did ask legitimate questions.
18 It is interesting that the qualifications are negative (apophatic), telling us what we should not say rather
than giving positive statements. This seems to imply that the doctrine is an unsettled tension between several
biblical truths and that Chalcedon was more comfortable limiting logical deductions we might make than
resolving the tension between the biblical statements once and for all.
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teaching about the Incarnation.22 It also helps to simplify the process of reasoning about the
Incarnation.
This also leaves us with an acute awareness that our understanding is limited. Based on biblical
statements certain major truths are clear—Jesus is fully God, fully man in one person. We also know
certain things we ought not to conclude or propose. But as to integrating these into a model that puts
all further questions to rest, we do best to acknowledge how little we actually do understand.

Why is the Incarnation Important?

Like the Trinity, the complexity and nuance of this doctrine can be overwhelming. Does it really make
any difference on Christian living whether we affirm this precise doctrinal standard—fully God and
fully man united in one person? Scripture leads us to several major implications.
1. The promises of the Old Testament have been fulfilled.
From the very beginning God promised fallen people that one of their descendants would
become their Savior. In Genesis 3:15, Eve learned that one of “her offspring” would crush the
head of the serpent—Satan. Later we learn of the promises to Abraham and His offspring (Gen
15:18; 17:7–8; 22:18) and even more specifically, that the Messiah will be a descendant of Judah
(Gen. 49:10; Num. 24:17-19) until David receives the promise that one of His descendants will
rule forever (2 Sam 7:12–16; Psa. 89:35-37; Isa. 9:7). The Old Testament confirms this elsewhere
with promises that the Messiah will be born to the nation of Israel (Isa. 9:6; 11:1). In other words,
the Messiah has to be human; not even just having the appearance of humanity but fully
descended from human forefathers and part of the human line.
And yet the Old Testament is equally clear that He will be more than a man. In the very same
passage prophesying a human descendant, we also learn that He is also the “Mighty God” and
“Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6). Jeremiah speaks of a coming descendant of David (hence
human) who will be called “the Lord—our righteousness’” (23:6). Micah prophesies that the
coming Messiah is He “whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Mic. 5:2). All of
these prophecies clearly require that the Messiah is Yahweh—the eternal God.
In short, the Old Testament prophecies can be fulfilled in no other way but a Messiah who is
fully human and fully divine. If He is the hope of Israel and the longing of the nations, the
incarnation must be as it is.
2. Jesus’ has experienced our struggle.
Another critical reason for the incarnation is that Jesus fully understands what it means to be
human. Several passages emphasize this doctrine as the basis for Jesus’ intercession. “There is
one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). This is because he
was “made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful
high priest in the service of God…. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able
to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17–18). We can confidently come to God
asking for grace and mercy because “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize
with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin"
(Hebrews 4:16).

22 Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998), 746-47.

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 This truth is one of the foundational truths for understanding the problem of evil. Our God has
not merely consigned us to a difficult existence without concern for our struggles or well being.
Unique to Christianity, the very One who made all things and offers us hope has also entered
into the struggle we face. Not only has He suffered the sorrow of human existence, but He has
carried all of our sorrow Himself.
3. Our redemption is complete.
While it would be gracious for another person to offer their own life on our behalf, it could not
save us from our sin. Because sin against an infinite God brings inexhaustible guilt, only God
Himself could make a sufficient payment for our sin. Said differently, no matter how righteous, a
fellow human cannot save us from our sin because he himself needs saving.
And yet a Savior of humanity must also enter into humanity to save us. With His sin, Adam
consigned all of His future descendants to guilt and death. Jesus begins a new humanity. Those
who are united with Him receive the blessing of their new, righteous forefather. We thus find
ourselves in association with either Adam or Jesus and experiencing with them the results of
what they have done.
This means that far from a mere theological technicality, the incarnation is the only way that a
fallen human race can be redeemed. The only one who can truly help us, has taken on a part of
our nature so that we can be redeemed.

LIFE
The gospels record many details of Jesus’ earthly life. Of these, three have broader theological
significance.

Virgin Birth
Scripture testifies that Jesus was born as a normal human baby to an earthly mother. But uniquely, He
was not conceived like any other human before Him.23 Jesus was conceived without a human father and
to a mother who had never had a physical relationship with a man. This truth was prophesied hundreds
of years before in the words of Isaiah 7:14—“The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin
shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Matthew quotes this passage and
confirms that Mary remained a virgin until after Jesus was born (Matt 1:18–25; c.f. Luke 1:27). Mary and
Joseph went on to have additional children—the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ (Mark 6:3), though
properly speaking they only shared Mary as their mother.
Why is the virgin birth significant?
1. It sets Jesus apart from every human that came before.
Go back in your mind to the universal field of humanity—billions of faces; every one a life, an
eternal soul; every one a desperate sinner without hope. And then there’s one person that stands
out among them all. He is also human, and yet He's something more. Everything about Him was
different. From childhood, He showed no symptoms of Adam's disease. In adulthood, He
authoritatively condemned sin in others but never hypocritically. In death He remained innocent,

23 While we more commonly speak of the “virgin birth,” technically the miracle is that Jesus Christ was
conceived by a virgin and we could speak of the “virgin conception” instead. Regardless, the reality is that Mary
was still a virgin when Jesus was born (Matt 1:25), so either term is acceptable.
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