Theology

Humanity of God

2 Comments

Many struggle with the concept of the humanity of God.  Or for that matter the Godliness of man.  What is the significance of Jesus as the perfect man and the perfect God at the same time.  Is it all that important?  Is it necessary for me, as a Christian, to believe this dual congruence?

If Jesus was just a very holy man, a great teacher or rabbi, just a great pious person or a holy man with a charismatic character it is enough?   I have found sources that see Jesus as a not single unified being but a physical entity that had a divine consciousness.  But on further study that philosophy has too many pitfalls.  And while you are at it contrary to the Bible.

In my simple mind there are two truths on this subject:
1.  The mark of humanity is birth (Jesus was born of a woman)
2.  The mark of divinity is resurrection (the empty tomb of Jesus)

So why did God become man?  Why did Jesus become God with us?
Why did Jesus become like us?  Why did Jesus become God for us?

It is all about feelings.  Not empathy.  I have never given birth.  I will never know the pain or the changes a mother goes through.  But for that matter I really don’t want to know. I don’t want to experience child birth.  But without being a woman how will I ever understand?

Only a human could sympathize with our weaknesses and temptations. In His humanity, Jesus was subjected to all the same kinds of trials that we are, and He is, therefore, able to sympathize with us and to aid us. He was tempted; He was persecuted; He was poor; He was despised; He suffered physical pain; and He endured the sorrows of a lingering and most cruel death. Only a human being could experience these things, and only a human being could fully understand them through experience.

God’s deity limits His intimacy. God is omniscient up to a point of experience.  Science has examined it all, but not one can know what it is like to be me.

What do you think?

2 thoughts on “Humanity of God”

  1. I have heard the word “Theoanthropos” * spelling? used to describe Jesus nature 100% God 100% Man. I think I have always concentrated on Jesus diety at the expense of His humanity but in order for Jesus to be our sympathetic high priest He’d have to be acquainted with our temptations and sorrows.

  2. As God though, would he not be all knowing? Therefore, becoming human was not for his benefit, but solely for ours.

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