The Humanity of Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth, the central figure of Christianity, is often viewed as the divine Son of God. His miraculous healings, teachings, and resurrection have inspired billions of believers throughout history. However, there is another aspect of Jesus that is frequently overlooked: his humanity. The doctrine of the Incarnation, that Jesus was both fully God and fully human, is a central belief of Christianity. To fully understand and appreciate Jesus’ message, it is important to explore his humanity, including his physical, emotional, and social experiences. This article explores the humanity of Jesus with three main subtopics: the physical humanity of Jesus, the emotional humanity of Jesus, and the social humanity of Jesus.

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The Physical Humanity of Jesus

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Jesus was born into a first-century Palestinian Jewish family in Bethlehem. His mother was Mary, who was likely a young teenage girl when she became pregnant with Jesus. According to the Gospels, Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, because there was no room at the inn. Jesus’ birth represents his physical humanity, born into humble and impoverished circumstances.

Jesus lived a life of manual labor as a carpenter before beginning his public ministry at around the age of 30. He walked miles each day throughout Galilee and Judea, preaching and teaching to crowds of people. He experienced hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and physical pain. Jesus’ humanity is also demonstrated in his vulnerability to illness and injury. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus acknowledges his own physical limitations, saying, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).

The most significant physical experience of Jesus’ humanity is his crucifixion and death. Crucifixion was a brutal method of execution used by the Romans on slaves and political prisoners. Jesus was stripped, beaten, and forced to carry his own cross to the place of his execution. He was then nailed to the cross and left to hang until his death. This was a horrific and painful death that Jesus experienced as a human being.

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The Emotional Humanity of Jesus

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Jesus’ humanity is not limited to his physical experiences but also includes his emotional experiences. Jesus experienced a range of human emotions throughout his life, including joy, anger, sadness, and fear. In the Gospels, we see Jesus weep at the death of his friend Lazarus (John 11:35) and become angry at the money changers who were defiling the temple (Mark 11:15-17). Jesus was also known for showing compassion and love for others, including healing the sick and feeding the hungry.

One of the most significant emotional experiences of Jesus’ humanity is his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus went to a garden to pray. He told his disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Mark 14:34). Jesus’ emotional turmoil is so intense that he sweats drops of blood (Luke 22:44). This experience demonstrates that Jesus, as a human being, experienced mental and emotional anguish.

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The Social Humanity of Jesus

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Jesus’ humanity also extends to his social experiences. Like all human beings, Jesus existed within a social context. He was born into a Jewish family and lived in a Jewish community in Galilee. Throughout his ministry, Jesus interacted with a wide variety of people, including his disciples, religious leaders, and even prostitutes and tax collectors. He spoke out against social injustices and challenged the religious establishment of his day.

One of the most significant social experiences of Jesus’ humanity is his friendship with his disciples, particularly with John. Jesus often withdrew from the crowds and spent time alone with his disciples. The Gospel of John describes “the disciple whom Jesus loved” reclining next to Jesus during the Last Supper (John 13:23). This relationship demonstrates Jesus’ capacity for intimacy and his desire for human connection.

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Bibliography

• Borg, Marcus J. Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary. HarperCollins Publishers, 2006.
• Ehrman, Bart D. Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. HarperOne, 2011.
• Ferguson, Sinclair B. The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. Crossway Books, 2016.
• MacArthur, John. Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness, and What He Wants to Do with You. Thomas Nelson Inc, 2006.
• Wright, N.T. Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters. HarperOne, 2011.